Toshiba 32AV502U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV Reviews

Review by J. Foster for Toshiba 32AV502U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Rating:
The Toshiba 32AV502U seems to be a good value for a 720p LCD. It was easy to set up on the stand; the hook-up to my cable, TIVO unit, and playstation was easy; the initial set up for all the available channels was pretty easy and fast; and the picture is great. The only negatives are that the remote control & remote control buttons are too small, the ability of the set to switch between various functions seems a little slow (in other words moving from one menu screen to the next), and the process of switching back and forth between inputs is especially slow and tedious. Maybe as I learn more about the functions I can figure out a faster way to accomplish this but I haven’t found anything in the manual yet or by playing with the various buttons.

Review by David Bauckham for Toshiba 32AV502U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Rating:
I have had this product for about three weeks now, and so far I am very pleased with it. The picture, which I receive from an indoor/outdoor antenna is extremely crisp. I would recommend those of you out there pondering whether or not to get cable/satellite to consider simply installing a good antenna – that way there is no video compression, and you actually get a sharper image from the local networks. I honestly cannot tell the difference between my TV’s image as a 720p and my brother-law’s 47″ 1080p Sony.

The TV menu is easy to see and use. I keep my video settings on sports generally, as it is the brightest picture (some of the others, like “movie” are just too dark for me). However, you can also adjust the picture in preference mode, and play around with brightness, sharpness, contrast, backlight, color, and tint.

I also own a wii system, and even though it is not high definition like some other gaming systems, I have to say that the picture on this TV is excellent (especially with the wii component cables attached).

The sound on the TV is also very full – I did not notice any tinniness coming from the speakers at all, and it seemed well balanced between base and treble. It will obviously not produce the same depth of sound as a full sound system, but it suits my needs perfectly.

There is, as the other reviewer indicated a minor lag time when switching between inputs, but this really doesn’t bother me. One mildly annoying element however is that most of the inputs (HDMI, component cables (AKA color stream), PC inputs, S-Video, etc.) are on the back of the TV, which is a mild nuisance. The only exception to this is Video 2, which is on the side. (This would probably be good for connecting a digital camcorder and the like).

The only other thing that seems a little inconsistent is PC connectivity. When I hook up my laptop (I use an RGB computer video cable and audio cable since my computer doesn’t have a built in HDMI port) it is necessary for me to turn the laptop off, connect the cables and then reboot, or the image will not display on the TV. Perhaps this is a standard thing for most TVs – I don’t really know, having never owned an HDTV with PC inputs before. Also, the TV seems to project the computer screen a little differently each time the computer is hooked up, and I sometimed have to do a little tweaking to get an image I’m happy with. This may just require more trial-and-error on my part. Since my primary purpose is to use the TV as a TV screen and DVD player and not a computer screen, this isn’t a big deal to me.

On the whole, I am extremely satisfied with this purchase. It does its job well, displaying an excellent, non-pixelated image and it is even an energy star product, so it should save energy and money. There are other good deals on the market, but I really think that this is one of the best. It is hard to beat the price being offered by Amazon right now.

I will update later if my opinion of this product changes or I have anything more to add.

Review by Robert V. Johnson for Toshiba 32AV502U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Rating:
this TV has the best display that I had seen when I was shopping for my first LCD TV. Thank God for the 200 dollar extended service plan because the TV did not last more then 6 mo. I paid over a thousand dollars with the extended service plan and they are now telling me that the parts are no longer available to fix my TV…. and all I get is a prorated refund of 500 dollars. I will never buy any Toshiba product.

Review by Rigoberto Anchondo for Toshiba 32AV502U 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Rating:
I bought this a month ago for the bedroom and am very pleased with the picture. I find the picture as good or better than the picture on my Sony Bravia which was much more expensive. The speaker quality is average (hence the 4 stars), but since I have mine hooked up with a surround system, it is a non issue for me. If you plan to use the TV speakers and like to crank the sound up, you might be a little dissappointed as they are a bit tinny and don’t have much power. The speakers are good for everyday users.

As far as overall product quality, I know that Sony is SUPPOSED to be the better brand, BUT I have had three other Toshiba products over the last 16 years, 2 TVs, and my laptop and they are all working great. Never had an issue. I have had three Sony products, a camcorder, the surround in my living room, and the Bravia over the last 7 years and I have had every single product break down on me to some degree or another. Sony always comes at a premium price so it is my experience that Toshiba is undervalued.

I will stick with Toshiba from now on.