I've had this TV for over a year now and it has been a fine TV during most of that time. This is a quick, simple review of my experience with it:
Pros:
-It's hard to get a large 1080p picture for much less. The value is very good. This was my first HDTV and I could only grin when I first saw a good 1080p signal on it. Its an incredible leap from analog cable.
-Allows for full appreciation of Blu-ray. This media is so much better than DVD for video quality. Suggestion: Do not buy Blu-ray discs, but rent from Blockbuster or Netflix.
-Simple to set up with easy menu navigation and fairly expansive settings
-Performance surpasses its price
-Built in tuners are very capable. Over the air 1080p looks great.
-Very good 480i scaling. It makes the difference between analog and digital 480i cable almost unnoticeable.
-Many inputs. My roommate and I have quite a few game systems and the 4 HDMI inputs have been very useful.
-Built in sound system is good, but will eventually develop vibrations.
Cons:
-Experiences PS3 flickering over HDMI (See below)
-Poor black levels: must decide between dark blacks with bad shadow definition -or- good shadow definition and gradient with noticeably light blacks
-Poor scaling of 480p signal. My Wii looks better on 480i than 480p settings.
-Slight shadowing of 1080p VGA signal. Remedied by using DVI output from PC to VGA converter.
-The settings for all of the HDMI inputs are linked. You can set specific video settings for all the different inputs except the HDMI inputs, which all must have the same settings. Changing the brightness for one changes it for all of them, for instance.
Issues:
-It looked much better after adjusting the settings at home than it did in the store; set the sharpness up to 70 or 80, for instance.
-Slight Audio-Visual lag at times. I can't reproduce the pattern, but sometimes the voice will come significantly before the movement of the actor's mouth. This is especially detrimental in fast-reaction based games.
-My PS3 connected via HDMI would flicker. The signal would go in and out, which was very disconcerting during a climactic action scene on a 1080p blu-ray. This problem was especially prevalent on 720p signals. THIS HAS SINCE SUBSIDED AND DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYMORE. I'm not sure why.
-Recently, my set has experience significant red "snow" or fuzz in dark areas with distortion of whites or light grays. I luckily bought the set with a credit card that provides an extended warranty, but otherwise I would be out of luck. It makes some media almost unwatchable. This has been a major problem and will require repairs. Note that this issue arose less than 2 years into the life of the set.
-I attempted to update my firmware and this process was impossibly difficult. The site does not let you download by mouse click, but instead requires that you input your serial number. It tells my mine is invalid. Westinghouse phone support is of no help in this matter.
Overall:
This far after the purchase, I can say that I would only recommend this set if you are absolutely dying to have an HDTV and are feeling very light in the checkbook, like I was. I would not buy a 720p TV ever, but this is the bare minimum for a 1080p set. If you're going to spend the $1000, go ahead and spend the extra few hundred for a better set, especially with deeper blacks. It will bother you if you're in a dark room watching a nighttime scene in a movie and the night sky looks like a dull gray light filling the room. Also, things like black suits and hair lose their definition on this set. I have had numerous issues with the set and am now having it repaired a year and a half after buying it. Like I said, this set made me smile when I first had 1080p video and games on it, but the problems and shortcomings make me wish I had spent just a little more.
Want the Best TV? Then Don't Miss Our:
Flat Panel Plasma & Lcd Tv Reviews & Buying Guide Section
