Fine details in picture, color accuracy

geometric distortion, not enough contrast

Compared this set to other sub-$2000 direct view sets in showrooms and it had the highest apparent resolution showing up as small details in the picture. Also contrast was very good and flesh tones were easy to accurately reproduce without distorting other colors, particularly reds. However, contrast must be turned all the way up as with all new models from any manufacturer. This is to achieve the energy star rating. My 27 inch Hitachi from late '80s had to have the contrast set to the middle (like all TVs made before early '90s) for accurate picture. Too much contrast was unwatchable. There were two very important advantages though. One is that boosting the contrast could make up for a deficiency of contrast in the source material, particularly VHS tapes. The second is that over time, say five to ten years, your power supply components will wear out and you could boost the contrast level to compensate. With new sets your contrast and picture will degrade and there is nothing you can do about it except buy a new set, which is what the manufacturers want anyway. So the environmentalists are happy that you are using ten watts less power and the manufacturers are happy that they get to sell you sets made with cheaper parts for more money and you will have to replace the sets more often. So the republicans and the democrats made a good deal where the consumers get screwed.

Also, the geometric distortion on this set is very bad, but you will get the same thing on any direct view set these days. You don't notice it most of the time, unless fields that you know should be straight vertically or horizontally are displayed. This is just another thing that manufacturers have decided that they can cheat on and still charge you more for the set because they claim it has 1400 lines of resolution when it really only has about 340.

And your new $5000 plus HDTV sets? They all still have skimpy power supplies with cheap low-quality parts and bad geometric distortion. These guys have one aim in mind and that is to minimize real quality (production costs) and maximize the hype in order to separate fools from their paychecks.

I give it three stars because most other manufacturers products are a one or two. This is still the best set I have seen in its price range.

Similar Products Used:

Hitachi, Sony, Toshiba, JVC, Panasonic sets