Brightness, clarity, color fidelity

Bought this set primarily to play videos - not view broadcast signals. When connected to a Toshiba 3109 DVD player using the ColorStream inputs, I don't know how I could ask for more from a large format TV. Very bright and crisp with great color saturation - not oversaturated like the Sony's I looked at. Is this really rear projection? What a beautiful picture! And the built in sound is more than adequate while I wait to pick out a better surround sound unit.

Picture, component inputs, front s-video, sound

Not an HD

I was a little worried, spending the amount of money I did, but I have no buyers remorse now. I was considering the X81 HD set, but just couldn't cough up the extra $700 it would have cost.

People have said they did not like the slow channel changing, but I do that with my Satellite remote, so that is not a problem for me. The menus are a little big, but I don't find much problem with adjusting with them. The backlighting on the remote does not stay on for very long, but I have it down to memory.

As for the picture, it is great. Definition on small background things can be a little unclear, and the blacks lack some definition but I still love the picture. On my satellite, some of the poorer channels do look poor, but the good channels look great. DVD looks even better, hooked up to the component inputs. I haven't had the TV professionally calibrated, but have used the AVIA (I think that was the one?) DVD.

The sound is actually quite good, but I use my receiver most of the time anyway.

I looked at a lot of tvs before buying this one. I had a hard time deciding between direct view and rear projection. But now when I watch a movie, I am very glad I went for the big screen.

NOTE: Also really liked the Sony KP43T70, almost went with that one.

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Looked at lots of TVs when buying

Great picture, good sound for a TV.

Menu's much too big.

When my 46" Mitsubishi died I had every intention of buying another one as I was quite pleased with it. But when I saw this Toshiba side by side it was no contest. And with a Sony on the other side it was still no contest. I had gone into the store to buy another Mitsubishi or maybe a Sony and never thought I would buy a Toshiba but I did and I love it. The sound is good but I don't use it as I have it hooked up to a surround sound system. I agree with others that the menus are so big you can't tell what affect the adjustments you are making have. But I guess it's better than being too small. This is a great TV to own until the HDTV's start falling below $2000.

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Mitsubishi

Picture Clarity, built in theatre shield, color purity

Slow channel changing, center speaker input does not work well.

This is my first Projection TV, and after literally 3 months of comparing sets, I went with this Toshiba TN50V71 and am very happy with it. I Could not justify the money for a Wide Screen HDTV or HD ready with no standard or real schedule in place. Prior reviews point out for a "few" hundred dollars more you can get the TN50X81 (prog. scan, HD ready), that may be true off the internet, but if you are like me and don't feel comfortable getting a projection TV from an unknown seller, then be prepared to dish out another 800-1000$. This TV has NO VISIBLE SCAN LINES from 10' out, unlike most of the other sets in this price range including Sony and Mitsubishi. It has been said that Toshiba's picture is "soft", maybe if you look at it standing up? Sitting at eye level this set is as sharp as others. Out of the box, convergence, contrast, and brightness had to be adjusted. Hooked up to regular cable, the tv looks as good as cable can. (Have read about poor quality in other reviews due to weak signal, I have a amp. boosting my cable signal, it works ok). Hooked up my Toshiba 1200 DVD with Monster S-Video cable and the picture is very clear and the color is outstanding. Went with a high grade S-Video cable instead of the Colorstream Cable. Sales rep at Tweeter said for the price diff. (60 vs. 120), it's hard to see a diff. in picture quality. I want to try myself eventually. Was also told that Colorstream works best with a prog. scan set matched with a prog. scan DVD player. Sound quality is ok, not great. If you invest in a big screen, good sound is a MUST. I have mine hooked up to a receiver with surround sound and usually just turn the TV's speakers off. Toshiba gives you an option of using the TV speakers as a center channel. I tried this and it does not work with my receiver. Its a RCA input and my center outs are regular speaker cable. I bought a cable from the "shack" and hooked it up, my receiver shut itself down! So I am using a seperate center channel speaker. Overall I am very Happy with this set's picture quality and would reccomend to anyone not ready to make the jump into HDTV. Have to deduct 1 star for the slow channel changing and cheap center speaker input circuitry.

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none

Great picture, good convergence, good bang for the buck. Paid $1799.00 with a 5yr, and delivery.

Slow channel switching, but you can surf with the PIP quite quicky then just switch the screens. See below for other gripes.

Like I said, it has a great picture for an analog set, and with a good source and some menu adjustments it's very clear and well balanced.

If I could change some stuff, this is what I would like to see :

The different source inputs should just be added to the channels, so you don't need to scroll through them on a different menu, they should just show up as another set of channels.

The RF inputs A and B should both appear in the input listing, instead of having to go to yet another menu to switch them.

The menus are too big and interfer with adjusting some of the parameters. You can't see the picture very well when adjusting some of the parameters.

Once I adjust a parameter like color, I should be able to go right back to it when I press the menu button without having to scroll to it again.

The picture preference for the video parameters is automatically updated and not user stored. This means that if you adjust the color for a particular show you're watching, now your custom memory setting is changed. You should be prompted to store that setting, so adjustments you made on the fly can be "reset" to your general preference when the shows over.

There shouldn't be a volume ajustment bar that pops up on the screen when I bump the volume up or down, I don't adjust the sound level based on a number, or a scale, I have ears for that.

The learning remote is nice, but there is no way to keep all of the buttons the same for the TV and just reprogram the volume and mute to operate my Pro Logic amp.

I don't like that the variable audio output doesn't contain the SBS sub base feature and my other TV audio tone settings.

The remote has a switch for TV, Cable, VCR and Aux, where's the DVD position !

The remote back light stays on for 5 seconds when the button is pushed, should be more like 10, or 15, or it should just come on for awhile when any button is pushed.

I would like to see the volume and channel buttons switched with the buttons surrounding the center menu button, for ease of use. Same with the mute button, it should be next to the volume button. The volume, mute and channel buttons are used the most on any remote, they should be the biggest and easiest to locate in the dark.

Yes I know that I've listed a bunch of gripes, but all in all, I really do like the Toshiba over similar makes, even though I will likely up grade to the TN50X81 next week, (I have 30 days to deside). I'm hoping that Toshiba reads these reviews, perhaps my thoughts can help others be aware of some of the draw backs of this model when searching out a suitable big screen.

Feel free to email me if I got anything wrong, and if you know how to enter "service mode" please let me know.

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None specifically , but I have done a lot of side by side comparisions at different shops, and have friends with big screens.

Very clear picture, better than the more expensive Sony in my opinion.

Tube TV's do have a better picture.

I bought the TV as a floor model and have never had a problem with it.I am sure it had many hours on it before it made it to my living room. The picture was very clear and the colour was great.

Great color and picture clarity. 3D Y/C filter makes a slight improvement.

Seems a little less bright than last years model.

Overall I am pleased with the television. It has great color and saturation. The brightness is not quite what I experienced with the TP50-H95. Dot-crawl is slightly less with this years model due to the 3D Y/C filter.

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TP50H95

crisp picture, nice remote, decent sound for a tv

adjusting the parameters for video when using a set up disc like V.E.

Very nice tv, got at tweeter for 1850, was very close to getting a wide screen but this is a "family tv" so we still watch vhs! Oh well the screen is large enough for the black bars to be not to bad.

This is my first large screen, and I am very happy with it, the only gripe i have so far is with adjusting colour and what not, the dang menu is so big you cant see what effect you're having. And I really like the remote, but wish there was a dvd selection.

Excellent clarity, good speakers, excellent value

None really for the price and the fact that it is not prog-scan.

This is an excellent TV for the money. It has a crisp, clean picture, easy to use adjustment. Channel changing is a bit slow as is the input switching, but no big deal. Watched a DVD on it and the viewers were very impressed. That is quite a statement considering we also have a 150" forward projection unit in our movie room.

The only comment I have that may sound negative is that you can now get the X81 for only a few hundred dollars more. For that few hundred dollars more, you get progressive scanning and dual component inputs. In my book, that is money well spent.

I bought my TV from A&B Sound in Burnaby, B.C. Canada from a salesman by the name of Thor. He was knowledgeable (rare!) and very helpful. He also allowed me to easily upgrade to the X81, then to the TW40X81 models as my needs changed. There was no fuss.

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Sony KP53S70

Great picture, good sound, built in screen shield

None really...just wish the cable looked as good as the DVD

Well, I bought the TV local for $2000 delivered and all, but before I say anything else I want to put one thing in this review.

I bought this TV from a place here in Dallas, Stereo East, everything seemed cool, but when the TV showed up it was already unboxed and looked like it had been sitting out for a while. There were dust bunnies all over the back of it. So I asked the delivery guy and he said yeah, we grabbed the one off the floor...anyway to make a long story short I got a brand new one in a box from the store and some other stuff as compensation. Bottom line here...if you do buy anything from these guys...check it out.

Ok, back to the TV...I really love it. I did juggle getting the X81, but this was good enough for my first projection TV and I wanted to wait until the HDTV stuff was standard and in everyday use.

Playstation looks great on it, but is this bad for the TV? I heard that it might be, but I haven't seen it anywhere.

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Before this had a 32" Toshiba, then a 36" Sony Wega...