excelent picture,easy menus,hdtv,16:9 aspect ratio,fill screen modes eliminates burn in.

very deep cabinet.

this tv has an amazing picture! the non-hdtv cable signal that my area gets (no digital signal yet) is as clear as any dvd ive seen on any tv set! i have a panosonic progressive scan dvd player and my regular standard tv reception is almost as good as the dvd! i cant wait till i can see high definition on this set the picture really is unbelievable.i did spend an extra 300 or so for monster cables using component hook up and optical hook up for my progrssive scan dvd and surround sound home theatre,but i wont be going to the movies anymore as i have a better theatre in my home now! for the money and better then tvs ive seen for double the price this tv really is amazing! ive taken off 4 days from work to sit and watch tv, thats all i do.......cant stop really,,,,,un-believable!

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sony

Picture Clarity.

only 2 composite inputs, and their is a known intermittent sound issue on this model which required a service call.

My wife and i really love this set. We just watched Silence of the Lambs on DVD again in the pitch dark hooked up to our Sony 444 ES reciever and Bose Acoustimass 15's and we were scared silly. The picture is great as to be expected from a Hitachi. I dont have progressive scan DVD but have to say the picture is still great, I will get a progressive scan soon and update. The video aspects and PIP modes work wonderfully, and the sound without any external hookups is still very good. I do wish their were some more video/audio inputs. I have DVD and Replay TV hooked up and have to put PS2 through the front hookups.

I did have a problem with Intermittent sound on the set. Sometimes the TV would have sound and audio out and sometimes it would not. Service came and fixed the problem which is apprantly a resistor short and since have had no issues.

As for value, i go this puppy with a significant discount since it would not fit in a previous buyers house.

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NA, looked at Pioneer Elites (1st choice too expensive)

Loved the picture

Design quality

As a follow up note to my earlier review on the *SWX01W:

I received a letter from the local Hitachi service center about 2 weeks ago. They finally admit there's something wrong with the TV - addition of 2 capacitors - to fix the problem with playback of progressive scan DVD players.

This service visit is free.

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Pioneer Elite 510

Stunning clear bright picture

None to speak of

Couldn't get the 61" version of this widescreen HDTV into my apartment so had to make do with the 53" version, but it's absolutely excellent. The picture quality puts the likes of Mits and Panasonics to shame; the brightness is fantastic and easily viewable in a non-dim room setting.
Using a good quality interlaced input from a panasonic DVD player yields a stunning 480P image. The only like benefit from using a progessive inmput is in color quality.
HD reception from a DTC100 on both DirectTV and OTA is exceptional. It's clear that Hitachi has some issues in respect to design based on the comments of others but I have not yet had any such problems clost to two months out.
Don't take the CircuitCity or Sears price as fixed; check around first and then go the store with a low price in mind. Sears are extremely good about wanting your business by matching prices if they can.

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53SDX01B

Great clarity and pixel ratio!

None

Im very happy with this tv and it's clarity. I was shocked at the quality for the price! its great.

Picture Color, Clarity and Correctness. I have spent months looking at rear projection HDTV's comparing side-by-side, technotes, whitepapers, etc. If you are now in the market for a HDTV in the $3000 range then you can't beat the Hitachi 53SWX10B (53UWX10B non Dolby Digital, 5 lens).
True, floor models have been tweaked, or otherwise messed with by customers and demos. Play with this set, look at the easy to use menu. The joystick remote is a nice touch too. Next to the new Sony and Toshiba Theater View series, in the Hitachi continued to show the best, sharpest picture with little to no artifacts on a HD signal.

Cabinet depth. At 28.4" deep (rear to screen measurement) this unit sits far and away from your wall. Plan for a big cabinet when buying this unit.

Dollar for dollar, this unit seemed to out perform higher spec'd units in its class. At only 1200 horizontal lines of res., the Hitachi continued to shine with incredible HD clarity. I purchased this unit from Sears for $2659. A good value for a stylish cabinet (although bulky).
The sales rep at Sears told me that Hitachi claims they needed a deeper cabinet to get a longer beam length to the screen. This apparently improves the picture quality. I'm sold.
I found this site the day after my unit was delivered from Sears. I will definately have the calibration service performed. The delivery guru's unpacked the set in the driveway just like the article before this one said. They hand carried my unit up one flight of stairs and did take good care not to jostle the TV. All in all the picture is still very sharp (for me) but I will have the certified Hitachi tech check it out anyway. Get the extended warranty!! Even if you don't think you need it, get it anyway. $300 is good peace of mind should something happen to your investment after the warranty expires.

After hooking up a new JVC Progressive scan DVD player, I sat back and was amazed at what this set can do with a high quality signal. I watched Castaway (Anamorphic 2:53?) and was happy to see almost every grain of sand on Tom Hanks face when he landed on the beach. The color (temperature) controls are nice touch and you can set them to match your view prefernce on 4 presets (Movies, News, Sports, Music). BBE Audio is included and is nice for those who do not yet have a Digital receiver. BBE is designed to correct broadcast audio that are more natural to the ear with just 2 speakers. I found that in SRS audio mode, the midrange was slightly over driven and provided too much fill when used as a center channel on a surround receiver.

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Toshiba 53H81, Pioneer SD533HD5, Sony KP51HW40

The picture quality is astounding...

The unit is as heavy as an elephant. Needs calibration and convergence test so get that done once you get it home!!!

I previously was on the market for a HDTV for our bonus room
and was taken by the Mits WS-55819. Mitsubishi has decent TVs but they over-adjust them for showroom displays. When you get home, they seem to work for awhile but you get hit with all these quirks (a friend of mine has one and doesn't like the color fidelity and other issues). The Sony XBR450 has issues with poor quality cable feeds and looks "muddy" when using normal broadcasting. The Pioneer is good but doesn't look nice if the TV is off. Hence, I was in a few stores checking out TVs and got hit with the Hitachi Ultravsions. Whoa!!!! Blew me away. I looked at a Toshiba 43" and a few Sony's but I came back to the Hitachi 53SWX12
B. My goodness, it had a better convergence and it was tweaked in all the right places. I brought it out, had it calibrated/tweaked, tested with various video sources and "Voila!" I became a believer. I've watched over 50-100 DVDs on this TV and I have no complaints.

I also have a Sony KV-27S42 (moved to office room) which is my tried and true tester of viewing DVDs and my Hitachi is the kingpin overall. I won't look back...

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Sony XBR450, Pioneer PRO-520HD, Mits WS-55819

true film like reproduction from anamorphic dvd's

I find the AI feature to be useless. ( Too much contrast )

Once you've taken the time to reset all the color, contrast and brightness settings, the set is truly impressive.
The colors are vivid without being overcooked.
The various modes such as movie and sports is nice to have, since you don't have to reset the contrast for each mode.
The adjustable aspect ratio is a nice convenience if used properly.
The built in sound system is very good, if not up to a good surround system.
I only wish HDTV was in the nearer future, but I will take advantage of what is now available in the near future.
If you watch a lot of movies off dvd, the anamorphic playback in the 16.9:1 ratio is extremely enjoyable.
You don't find yourself analyzing what's on the screen, just getting absorbed by it, and thoroughly enjoying what your watching. And the fact that everything is at least 480p is something you don't get from a non-HDTV ready set.
The best thing I can say about a product I decide to purchase, is I would purchase it again, No Question!

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Compared to similar sized Pioneer Elite and Mitsubishi models.

I just got my new TV. Everything was going great...the picture was fantastic. Then I presses the Magic Focus button and everything went to hell with the clarity. Everything has a hazy look to it now. I wish I hadn't pushed the button but what do I do now. Has anyone else had this problem?

Best picture on 480i DVD input and on digital cable I have seen. Great cabinet design, makes the MIT's and Toshiba's look outdated.

Other than the snafu of the DVD progressive scan, which was corrected, I have had no other problems.

I purchased the Hitatchi 53SWX01W after three of months of comparing Mitsubishi, Sony and Toshiba. The problem with Sears demonstration on the Mitsubishi 55807 is they use a HD demonstration broadcast from Dish network. The 1080 signal is impressive on all HDTVs. You need to compare 480i from a DVD signal or cable, then you will see the Hitachi rise and shine. The picture from the Hitachi on DVD 480i blows away the competition. The Pioneer Elite is the only TV I liked better, but it was way out of my price range. I recently purchased a Denon DVD-2800 progressive scan DVD player. Similar to other complaints on this site, the picture was blacking out with a 480p signal. Sears sent out a repairman. He was extremely knowledgable and had a Sears service flash bulletin #SF57-3330, dated March 1, 2001. This "service flash" recommends the installation of two capacitors to be soldered onto the main circuit board. Once this was done my blackout problems were corrected.