Samsung PN42B450 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)Great quality at this price point, way above my expectations!
My goal was to get an HDTV for no more than $1000.
This is how I convinced that Plasma 42" 720 p is the right choice for me .I've done quite bit of click shopping at online stores- amazon, eBay, newegg, abt.
1. Size: I don't need a TV bigger than 50". I live in a Condo. This is for my living room. Watch distance is ~8 feet.
2. Output: For

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High definition 720p plasma has never looked so good. Thanks to its E-Panel technology, Samsung's PN50B450 is able to deliver stunningly smooth video reproduction. First, 600Hz Subfield Motion improves the continuity between frames, creating seamless, lifelike motion. Second, an incredibly fast 0.001ms pixel-response time minimizes blurring in fast-action sports and movies. Further, FilterBright technology reduces panel glare for improved performance in rooms with ambient lighting. Finally, a Game Mode speeds up processing and sharpens detail for an optimal gaming experience.

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Sony Bravia XBR KDL-40XBR6 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)I wanted the biggest set I could buy and fit into the built-in opening in our home (my wife's only requirement). I knew I would be paying extra for a Sony, but decided to make the plunge, since other 40" screens were several inches wider. This set is slim and atractive.
I have only had this set for a weeks and am still learning about it's many functions. My set is attached to cable, a blu-ray player for DVDs, and an older Denon A/V amp via S-Video for sound output.
Before buying, I researched features availble in a 40" LCD set in the store and on-line. This set led the pack in many ways. The picture is incredable. Plus, if you are into adjustments, you have a great deal of control over the picture settings. I have viewed in a highly lit room as well as in the dark. It's high contrast ratio makes it easy to watch in both situations. I can not detect the blurring, many LDCs suffer from in action sceans.
It packs all the latest video inhancements but most importantly, 120Hz, 24p. The built in speaker is even good, and makes a reasonable attempt at surround sound considerng it's is a single source speaker. Of course when hooked up to a A/V reciever, it makes movies come alive. I have not connected to a LAN yet, but am curious to try, soon.
It is loaded with input options (HDMI, LAN, USB, Composit, S-Video, etc). The only thing I would like to see is a more versitile USB port, so I could plug in a wireless reciever. This system has to be hard wired to a LAN. It would be nice if the computer input ports were on the side of the set, so it did not have to be pulled out to make these attachemnts.
The stand could be improved, it does not allow for any adjustment. It was not a big deal for me, since the set sits at eye level, but if it was sitting anywhere else, you would need to purchase an adjustable mount, which are axpensive for a set this size.
The manual is somewhat limited. There are many set-up options that are not full explained. I called Sony for a setup question. They answered fairly quickly. The first rep had me try several different things, but was not much help. Then he passed me on to the "blu-ray" expert, who answered my question in seconds.
Overall, this is a great set, I deffinately recommend it.


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Looking for XBR performance and design in a small screen TV --- Experience Sony unique features like an enhanced Xross Media Bar with 3D graphics and integrated TV Guide program information, DMex functionality that allows you to add capabilities to your TV, and BRAVIA Engine 2 for an even better picture. Add to that the sophisticated design you've come to expect from the XBR line and 1080p capability, and you can see why we say that the KDL-40XBR6 packs a lot of punch.

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Samsung LN40B550 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

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(More customer reviews)I was undecided between this 2009 model and last year's LN40A550.
The features are substantially identical, but after figuring that the difference between best prices for the two, which I could find after extensive shopping around, was only $50, I went for newer one for its updated look and lighter weight.
In the reviews, one of the principal complaints for 2008 was the sound quality. I can't directly compare 2009 and 2008, but found 2009's LN40B550 to have perfectly adequate, if not excellent speakers, as far as TVs go.
Picture quality, menus, setup are excellent as expected.
One aspect that I did find puzzling is Wiselink not being able to recognize my old trustworthy USB Flash Drive. I even tried formatting the drive in various ways, unfortunately none of the tricks worked.
Perhaps, it's the ancient drive not being comparable in some way, but it had never let me down before. Anyhow, I ordered a few different flash drives, and will try again, and then post an update.
====================================
Tried four various flash drives, all of them work just fine in computers, all four freshly formatted same way (FAT32). Two of the drives are read by the TV with no problems, the two others are not recognized at all... Go figure... The slideshow functionality is nice, quite limited, but does the job.
Just for the reference, one of the drives that does work in this TV is Kingston Data Traveler 4GB.

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It features a 39.9" screen (measured diagonally) with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, 1920 x 1080 pixels, and Touch of Color high-gloss finish--black with red accents. There are built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) and a built-in QAM cable TV tuner receives unscrambled programs without a set-top box (cable service required).

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Toshiba 40FT1U 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV, Black Gloss Review

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(More customer reviews)Edit 3/16/2011: No problems at all and three months later I still have not changed my opinion of this HDTV.
EDIT 12/14/2010: I've now had this HDTV for almost a month and I feel compelled to update my review because the picture quality is absolutely remarkable! From the first, I changed the "Pic Mode" to "Movie" and made no other picture adjustment. The apparent depth is just stunning -- as close to 3D as I've seen in a non-3D television. This is particularly noticeable when I switch from watching one of my other HDTVs to this one. With this "Movie" setting, black levels are very intense for movie viewing. But it was watching the football game on Sunday that was so stunning. Realistic is the only word for it.
Otherwise, everything I said previously holds and I won't make any other updates unless some problem should come up.
EDIT 11/12/2010: This review is updated 5 days after purchase. My initial "r:" will appear where I added later comments. I recommend you also read the comments for this review and the comment I made to another reviewer ( http://www.amazon.com/review/RN9YJSLNGTBBF/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B003XU6D6Y&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful ). I'm doing this because I am extremely satisfied with this TV and believe it deserves careful consideration whether on sale or list price. My "4 star" review is based on my experience with large (37 - 53 inch) HDTVs at all feature levels. If considering this TV only against other HDTV of the 37 or 40 inch size and at this lowest feature level for standard brands, I would say this is a "5 star" HDTV. r: updated 11/20/10
I was able to get this TV at Best Buy as an "early Black Friday" offer for $400. At that price, this is a fantastic deal. I was also able to stand and compare the video image side by side from very close up (2 ft) with the Sony KDL40EX500 and EX400, the Toshiba 40E200U, and a Panasonic TCL37D2 -- frankly, it was like looking at virtual copies except the Soney EX500 had a SLIGHTLY better image (less edge flicker on football players in motion). Without brand names, you couldn't tell one from the other whether they were turned on or off (they all had a similar matte screen finish). Keep in mind that these TVs were all set in the store to a very hot, bright picture. On the audio side, they all sounded decent with none standing out as "better" (in the showroom at least). With that comparison, it was easy for me to choose to save more than $100 and buy the Toshiba 40FT1U. (The little information I could actually find about the 40FT1U says that it is basically the same as the Toshiba 40E299U but with only 3 HDMI connectors instead of 4.)
Getting it home, assembled (very simple and well-engineered 4 bolt base assembly) and connected (using HDMI), I wasn't disappointed at all by the product when in the quiet and soft natural (window) lighting of my bedroom. The tv has 5 "Pic Modes" with the mysterious names (probably the typical Toshiba names) of Sport, Standard, Movie, PC and Preference (I think this one is customizable). These are really brightness/contrast alternatives with Sport too bright for me -- Movie turned out to be my preferred mode and seems to provide real deep black levels. The audio is clear (w/o much low end), offers plenty of volume and has a really good surround synthesizer.
r: My one real regret about this supposedly "low-end" tv is that Toshiba (like most manufactures with their low-end tvs) does not provide any audio outputs that would allow me to easily plug in some better speakers or a headphone (since this is a bedroom tv for us). They do provide optical digital audio out for a receiver or peramp for use with a sound system.
The menus are pretty clear and easy to move through, but offer far more alternatives than are covered in the manual (r: for a complete manual, see below). Some are not immediately obvious to me and I'll have to explore the Toshiba site just to see what they mean. All in all with only a couple hours experience, I'm very happy with this HDTV and would recommend it even at it's normal price. I'll try to add more after I've had it a while.
r: I did just find a detailed Operators Manual in the Customer Support section of the Toshiba product site. It covers all controls, I/O and menu functions.
r: My main purpose for the edit is to say how, after 5 days and now having finished setting this TV up with full DirecTV Whole-Home capability and spending some time watching familiar programming, my wife and I are absolutely awed by what we got for $400. This tv picture quality is at least comparable to our Sony 37" and 53" rear projection LCDs (3 and 5 years old respectively) and I think the black level is better. DirecTV recognizes the tv as 1080p and properly displays 1080p content. I watch a lot of sports and both football and basketball games are beautifully displayed. The TV handles all lighting levels (from near dark to our bright sunlit windows) without needing any adjustment. Our viewing distance is about 10 feet and the 40" display provides a theater-like view. I have NO regrets (despite the lack of analog audio outs). The only question that remains is reliability -- will it work without problems for the next many years -- only time can tell, but there is no reason to suspect an issue. And at $400, the risk is small.
Here's the published "features":
Product Features
- 40" screen measured diagonally from corner to corner. For optimal viewing in medium to large rooms.
- Ultraslim design (3-1/2" deep). Ideal for wall mounting (with optional mounting kit, not included). 200mm x 200mm VESA compatible.
- DynaLight dynamic backlight control. Uses advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame and creates seamless transitions with deep black levels.
- CineSpeed LCD panel.Provides smooth transitions between fast-action scenes.
- 24 fps Cinema Mode with 3:2 pulldown. Delivers accurate reproduction of film-based sources.
- TheaterWide picture sizes. Including natural, TheaterWide 1, 2, 3 and fullscreen, 4:3 HD, native and dot-by-dot for custom entertainment.
- Color temperature control and picture preference modes. Including sports, standard, movie, preferences and PC for a customized viewing experience.
- 1080p display. Provides the highest quality progressive-scan picture possible from a high-definition source.
- Invisible speaker system. With mute and half mute options to deliver the volume levels you want.
- Inputs: Include ColorStream component video, 3 HDMI (1 side), 1 PC and A/V (rear).
- Outputs:Include Dolby digital optical.
- 3 HDMI inputs. HDMI cable not included. High-speed HDMI cable is the only connection that can deliver a full HDTV experience with a full 1080p picture and digital surround sound.
PC video input
- Lets you connect your computer to experience high-resolution images.
- USB port. Offers quick connection of a digital camera or other USB devices.
- Gaming mode. For fast game controller response.
- Useful additional features: Including sleep timer, channel/input lock and channel/input labeling.


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Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-40XBR9 40-Inch 1080p 240Hz LCD HDTV, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I will admit up front that I am a complete HDTV newbie. I hung on to a 20 year old, 22 inch CRT color "monitor television" for far too long, in part because I do not watch much television programming (a bit of baseball, PBS, occaisional Law & Order reruns, that sort of thing) and in part because the whole HDTV techno nerd thing was too intimidating. After much online research and a few surreptitious visits to Big Box electronics stores, I finally settled on the 40XBR9 and bought it from an Amazon seller -- and could not be more pleased with my selection. The picture quality is simply riveting. The menus are reasonably user friendly and I have not found it all that difficult to calibrate for optimum results in a softly lighted room. With minor tweaking, the factory defaults work well for most cable television programming. I used the CNET suggested calibration for movies on the 52XBR9, and it works very well on this 40 inch unit.
This is a beautiful television. The bezel is as slim as they come and is an unadorned, moderately glossy black. While it is not a small television, it is not too overbearing for a medium sized bedroom or office. Considering its slender bezel, and the fact that there are no visible speakers, the sound is more than adequate for watching most TV programming. I purchased a ZVOX 525 sound base and an OPPO blu ray player to go with it. I have yet to watch a blu ray disc, but upscaled DVDs like Ratatouille and Wall-E are incredibly crisp, vivid and detailed, with wonderfully natural color, deep, pure blacks and brilliant whites and grey tones. With sound from the ZVOX, this is a wonderful way to enjoy movies in a moderate sized room without an enormous investment of time and money and without a lot of wiring and equipment monopolizing the space.
The one down side is that the XBR9 is not very forgiving of poor quality source material. My local cable provider still offers a limited selection of true HD content. SD television does not fare well on this set, although with some tweaks you can get acceptable picture quality -- ratchet down the sharpness so the poor resolution is not obvious, use a 4:3 aspect ratio rather than 'stretch' the image to fill the screen, so the perspective is not distorted, turn down the brightness and restrict the color range to avoid the exaggerated and artificial hues that seem to be part and parcel of SD TV, and you get a reasonable picture on par with a decent CRT. But once you've seen good quality 16:9 HDTV content, you will be somewhat disappointed with SD sources.
This competes head to head with the high end LCD and "LED" TVs from Samsung. I think it beats them for at least two reasons. First, the Samsung models have a very glossy, "wet look" screen, which is really a distraction. Under some conditions, it gives the picture more "pop," but except in a darkened room, the glare problem is insurmountable. Second, the comparable Samsung televisions have wider and more obtrusive bezels with a brilliant piano black finish, which is made even more garish by Samsung's somewhat ludicrous red "Touch of Color" gimmickry. The Samsung design is like over the top prom wear. The 40XBR9 is the electronics version of the perfect, simple and refined little black dress.
Prices seem to fluctuate wildly -- the prices quoted on the date of this review are about 15% higher than they were when I made my purchase ten days ago. You may want to keep an eye on the market and catch the next wave of "sales." But you won't buy this TV because it is an inexpensive "bargain" -- you may buy it because dollar for dollar, it will give you the most pleasure during the years it will be in service.
TWO MONTHS LATER: Having now had the opportunity to use my Sony 40XBR9 to watch post-season baseball in HD, as well as a number of blu-ray discs, I remain as pleased with my purchase as ever. This has transformed the way we watch movies and cable programming at home. I added a Harmony One remote to the system to avoid the remote control shuffle required to operate the blu-ray player, Zvox, cable box and Sony in tandem. It all works nicely and with a minimum of effort.


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Experience powerful performance and superior design with the Sony BRAVIA XBR9 HDTV, featuring Motionflow 240Hz technology for maximum motion detail and clarity, plus broadband internet connectivity with built-in BRAVIA Internet Video1 capabilities that let you view select on-demand movies, TV shows, music and more, and even lets you personalize your entertainment experience by selecting and positioning widgets containing the latest news, weather, sports and more directly on your TV screen.

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Toshiba 40G300U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Black Gloss) Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered this TV from Amazon about three weeks ago, and received it one week later. Although I was concerned about safe shipment of such a large object, it arrived in excellent condition. The packaging, with foam plastic inserts to support the TV at all four corners, was quite impressive.
Set-up was very simple. I only had to look up a few points in the manual. The manual is even written in legible English!
The picture quality on this TV is excellent. I watched a football game on broadcast TV, and that was a completely different experience from watching the same games on my old CRT TV.
I bought this TV for use in my "Home Theater" system that I am still putting together. Playing movies from my HTPC or watching Blu-ray movies really demonstrates the excellent picture quality of this TV. Just as an aside, the remote is easy and fairly intuitive to use. That's not a big point, but a poor remote can frustrate the user of an otherwise excellent TV. This remote works well enough that it doesn't add any irritation to the total experience.
It was when I hooked up the TV to my existing stereo receiver/amplifier that I discovered one point about the TV that is less than perfect. I had not noticed any deficiency in the sound while watching broadcast TV or even watching DVD movies on the TV. But once the stereo receiver/amplifier was hooked up and I could hear the sound over that set with top quality Altec-Lansing speakers, the sound quality was much better. In short, if you want the best home theater experience with this TV, it will need to be supplemented with a good amplifier and speakers. But I expected that going in. I'm not downgrading the TV set just because its audio performance, with its small speakers, isn't quite up to what I get out of my 100 W amplifier and 15" speakers. Heck, each of those speakers cost almost as much as this TV!
This TV set is great for what it does - providing an excellent picture. The fact that it isn't also a professional sound system is irrelevant to its function. Besides, if we have a home theater system, we will have the tuner/amplifier and speakers already for other purposes.
Hooking up the audio output from the TV to a separate amplifier may be a trap for the unprepared. The TV sound out is via TosLink, which is an optical digital signal. I knew that from the Amazon description and pictures of the input/output connections for the TV. I had already ordered a TosLink optical cable and an optical/digital to analog sound converter and two RCA cables to connect to my amplifier. The total cost of those items was about $50. Not a big deal, but just an advance notice to any purchaser of this excellent TV that you really do need the cables and D/A converter, because the sound from your existing home theater or stereo amplifier and speakers will be needed for the complete enjoyment of this TV. If you have a more modern amplifier with optical digital input, only the TosLink cable will be necessary.
All things considered, I don't have any complaints, and I would buy this same TV again. In fact, I'm thinking about buying another one for my bedroom!
Five Stars! No doubt about it!


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Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity with the 40-inch Toshiba 40G300U LCD HDTV (40-inch diagonal screen size), featuring a 1080p Full HD resolution that provides twice the pixel resolution of 720p HD models. It also boasts Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz feature, which doubles the video frames from 60 per second to 120 per second to virtually eliminate motion blur--making this a perfect set for watching fast action movies and sports.
It provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more. Plus, the HDMI ports feature fast InstaPort switching for quick changes from one source to another.
With the Gaming Mode function, you'll experience reduced game control delay and improved reaction time--perfect for PC gaming--and the Photo Frame capability with Auto Slide Show enables you to display slideshows of your favorite images when not watching TV programming.
Boasting a slimming tapered bezel and attractive front panel gradation, the new Horizon design creates a more modern, elegant appearance that also adds a subtle luminance to the logo to further its stylish appeal. Other features include MP3 playback via the integrated USB port, a PC input, and a removable stand.

Key Features
1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
ClearFrame 120Hz screen refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur, making this HDTV a great choice for fast action movies and sports. Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz system doubles the frame rate of an LCD TV from 60 frames per second to 120 frames per second using superior Motion Vector Frame Interpolation technology.
DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen--all controlled with just the TV remote.
Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital "cable-in-the-clear" broadcasts.
Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The "Warm" setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while "Medium" and "Cool" provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.

TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.


MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via USB port on the side.
REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
Ethernet port for connecting to wired home network.
Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you're watching
Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as "DVD Player" (instead of having them display as just "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2").
Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 200mm VESA mounting pattern)
Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor

Toshiba 2010 REGZA HDTV Comparison
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Toshiba 40UL605U 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz Ultra Thin LED HDTV, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Got this TV less than a week ago, at an unbelievable price (especially considering this TV is new for the second half of 2010)
First, the basics: bezel is not too thick, and the TV set is very thin. Mind you, not as thin as those 1cm top-line Samsungs or LGs but for around 700 bucks I wouldn't get nitpicky. This TV is feather weight; as indicated it weights a bit over 30 lbs with the stand. Look is very clean.
Inputs: 4x HDMI is plenty, and component video doubles as composite (so you can't hook up both at once). PC (VGA) input supports up to around 1368 x 768 resolution. Have no idea why, but this is stated by the manufacturer so be warned. I suggest using a cheap DVI to HDMI or VGA to HDMI adapter (if the computer doesn't have HDMI already) for getting 1920x1080 resolution from your computer.
Picture quality: Excellent. Contrast, black levels all very good. Reproduction of colors is also very good out of the box, though there are plenty of menu items for tweaking the picture settings. Brightness is not a problem, as I am using this set in a fairly dim room and it hurts to watch on the highest brightness setting. During the daytime there is a small (but negligible) amount of glare when watching dark scenes. I am not a professional, but I do have experience with a number of different sets and technologies. Only caveat on picture quality: when dark, there is noticeable bleeding/clouding/leak from the LED backlight. This is only noticed switching between channels, or if you're playing content that is taking up less than 5% of the screen. Viewing angle is excellent side-to-side (nearly 180 degrees), but narrower up-down (you start getting into contrast issues).
Note on 120hz: don't buy this or any other TV only for the ClearFrame, MotionFlow, etc. It makes filmed content (native 24p or 30p) look really weird. The classic example is the movie vs. daytime soap opera effect. It can make filmed content look like it was shot through a home camcorder. Obviously, if you watch live sports, etc. this is helpful, but just not for movies and filmed TV content. This model, like all others, allows you to switch off the 120hz feature.
Sound: I commented on a previous review about this, and this is the topic that prompted me to write my own. At first, the sound was horrible. If you're looking to buy a TV set with decent sound, get a Sony. This TV has "invisible" speakers to fit its thin frame, so I wasn't expecting great sound. But the TV sounded like crap at first. It turns out that there was a very thin (and nearly invisible) protective film covering the metal strip at the bottom of the screen (the speakers). Once I removed the strip, the sound quality was upgraded from crap to acceptable. Not great, but it wouldn't need to prompt buyer concern or anger. For the first couple days, it did force me to investigate some options for the TV, which made me discover that there was no option other than optical out if you wanted to hook this set up to better sound.
Features/Widgets: Menu is good, but not great. Sometimes, it can be confusing as to what you're looking for (setting up the wireless is split into three options in order of technical difficulty, for example). The built in apps are a great bonus, and include the VUDU suite of streaming content features for Pandora, Facebook, etc. The one drawback is that the remote is not suited for letter input, so be prepared for some real pain when inputting your login and password over and over again. Netflix wasn't available built-in, but hook it up to the internet once and upgrade the TV firmware and it will install the Netflix capability. The Media Player feature hooks up to your home network thanks to the TV's DLNA cert, and surprisingly works much faster to download and buffer songs and videos than my PS3. Perhaps it's due to the faster N wireless spec, or perhaps the TV is downgrading the quality of content (HD from my media server streams as SD). To me, internet on TV is still more of a gimmick, but it has made much progress in the last couple years.
Note: this TV ships with a wifi adapter, which saves you quite a bit of $$. Other manufacturers force you to buy in to their proprietary adapter USB stick. I think Toshiba realized that the thing only costs two bucks to make and threw it in as mercy for consumers.
I'm giving it 4/5 stars as an overall TV, with one star removed for sound (those of you with home theater systems wouldn't care) and backlight bleeding (which is not noticeable when there's anything on screen). When considering the price (this TV was up for sale a week ago on another respectable site in the low 600s) it is hands down a 5/5.
[UPDATE 2011/02/02]
TV is still going strong... definitely am still in love with this set, though prices for HDTVs in general have been dropping so just make sure to compare. NICE BONUS - the TV specs said that it only accepted XGA resolution from the PC input (which was the case for my Mac mini), but somehow when I connected it to my Thinkpad I could display at 1920x1080. Just FYI.

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Toshiba 40E200U 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV (Black Gloss) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got it at a great price under $500. The picture quality is as good as units costing a lot more. It doesn't have 120hz refresh rate or LED backlight at this price point but I don't play a lot of video games; therefore, high refresh rate isn't a must and the advantanges of LED is not that significant enough (100,000 hrs. LED life-span vs. 15,000 hrs. for fluorescent light source) to justify higher cost. It is well-built and looks stylish. Full 1080p HD resolution - awesome!
My only beef with this model is that it does not have audio output for use with headphones - only the digital output, which is totally useless. Still, for what I paid and considering the picture quality, it's not a deal breaker.
Highly recommended!

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Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity with the 40-inch Toshiba 40E200U LCD HDTV (40-inch diagonal screen size), featuring a 1080p Full HD resolution that provides twice the pixel resolution of 720p HD models. It provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more. Plus, the HDMI ports feature fast InstaPort switching for quick changes from one source to another.
With the Gaming Mode function, you'll experience reduced game control delay and improved reaction time--perfect for PC gaming--and the Photo Frame capability with Auto Slide Show enables you to display slideshows of your favorite images when not watching TV programming.
Boasting a slimming tapered bezel and attractive front panel gradation, the new Horizon design creates a more modern, elegant appearance that also adds a subtle luminance to the logo to further its stylish appeal. Other features include MP3 playback via the integrated USB port, a PC input, and a removable stand.

Key Features
1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
60Hz screen refresh rate
CineSpeed LCD panel with a fast response speed necessary for cleaner high-action home theater images. A wide viewing angle ensures that you'll have the best seat in the house.
DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen--all controlled with just the TV remote.
Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital "cable-in-the-clear" broadcasts.
Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The "Warm" setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while "Medium" and "Cool" provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.

TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.


MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via USB port on the side.
REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you're watching
Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as "DVD Player" (instead of having them display as just "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2").
Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 200mm VESA mounting pattern)
Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor

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Sony Bravia S-Series KDL-40S4100 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a remarkable TV for the money, with a great picure and resolution up to 1080p (P for progressive scan -- 1080 lines of resolution with no interlace), and also support for 24 frames-per-second movie playback with Blu-ray high definition DVDs.
Setting up is straightfoward -- you set up the stand where you want it, lift the TV onto it, and tighten 4 screws. It can also be wall mounted. On the back are the large range of inputs: three HDMI, two component, one S-Video, two standard video (RCA jacks) and one VGA port. You can guarantee that whatever you have, you'll be able to connect it to this TV.
The best quality of output and convenience comes from HDMI connections (order some low cost HDMI cables from Amazon; my local stores wanted $50-$179!) A Blu-ray DVD player connected to the TV via HDMI delivers outstanding picture quality at 1080p, with amazing detail. It's so good, in fact, that I found myself noticing film grain more often -- you can practically count the grains!
This TV supports 24 frames-per-second ("24p" in the jargon), which matches the screen refresh rate to that used in movies. The visible difference shows up in shots where the camera pans (moves parallel to the scene). With regular TV playback, panning makes the scene blurry and you can't see much detail because extra "interpolated" frames are inserted to match the TV frame rate. Panning shots in "Casino Royale" blu-ray DVD were clear at 24p, revealing some visual jokes I missed before (e.g. the Richard Branson cameo at airport security). For movies like The Bourne Ultimatum with lots of camera movement, 24p makes the whole movie clearer.
Screen contrast of the TV is also very good. Blacks appear black, color is not overdone (though there is a "vivid" setting if you want to boost saturation). Lower resolution sources at 480i look pretty good -- they are upscaled nicely by the TV. Connecting a Wii with the standard video cables worked fine and produced a good picture.
For HDTV sources, this TV does excellent noise reduction and yet still delivers crisp detail and good color. This is where other LCD TVs fall down, and Sony really has done a great job with the Bravia engine.
Sound from the internal speakers is very good indeed, with dialogue particularly clear. Home theater speakers are better, but then that's true for any TV.
I am very happy with my purchase -- the TV has a stellar set of features at a great price versus more expensive versions with more bells and whistles... which I don't need. It is not the cheapest LCD TV in the 40" size, but the picture quality and number of source inputs sets it apart.


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Sony Bravia V-Series KDL-40V4100 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have the V-Series Sony 40" LCD set immediately preceding this model. Based on my experience with the earlier model, I've recommended the KDL 40V4100 to friends and family. The differences: 1. When the 40V4000 first came out, it was being sold for as much as twice the price of this one; 2. the previous model had 10- bit color processing (which now is available only on the more expensive Z or later series). Although 120Hz is now the rage (available beginning with the W series), Sony's unique 24 fps Movie True mode is likely to make a more noticeable difference in "smoothening out" camera movement than 120Hz capability (which is primarily a come-on for the gamers and "Matrix" generation).
For under $1500, this is the set I would unhesitatingly select ahead of a comparable Samsung (you can get the price down to around $1000 if you go with the S series, but you'll sacrifice Sony's acclaimed Bravia 2 processor as well as Sony's auto-link feature permitting operation of all components with a single switch). If I were willing to spend close to $2000 or more, I would look at a 46"-52" Sony with 120 Hz (just to be current) and 10-bit color processing for a hi-def picture that simply leaves nothing to be desired. I would also do everything possible to purchase from Amazon. (I had to make two exchanges before ending up with the "right" model, and Amazon as usual made both hassle-free transactions.) Also, be sure to check out Amazon Warehouse for a "refurb" or "scratch and dent" model. I've never been disappointed in any of these items at reduced prices, or even noticed any difference from mint.
A couple of things learned through experience: 1. A flat-panel set does not "play" as large as the old tube models. If you formerly required a 27" convection tube screen, you'll need 32"-40" to enjoy a similar viewing experience with an LCD flat screen. 2. When watching HDTV telecasts (still only a small percentage of channels), it's quite likely you'll notice little to no difference from standard definition if the screen is less than 40". So if you're planning on purchase of a 36" or smaller screen, skip the extras. 720p is more than adequate, and most of the other frills can be regarded as needless extra expense. Also, SD (standard definition) will look better on any small screen than on the most expensive manufacturer's large screen models, so make price--not brand name--the primary criterion when selecting a screen under 40".

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony Bravia V-Series KDL-40V4100 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Ready for HD done the Sony way? Sony's KDL-40V4100 brings 1080p picture quality home with amazing, Sony-exclusive features like the XMB (Xross Media Bar) with 3D graphics, DMex capability so you can add functionality to your TV, and picture quality technologies like ACE (Advanced Contrast Enhancer) and BRAVIA Engine 2™. Add to that a sophisticated, piano black design, 24p capability so you can get the most out of the movies you watch on Blu-ray and DVD, 4 HDMI™ inputs along with three other HD-capable connections, and what you have is a television that can bring dreams to life.

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