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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
Great Picture! Spectacular Value!
I have never written a review of a product before. But I am just so pleased with this TV that I felt compelled to let others know about it. I must say, though, that I have a grand total of 3 days usage with this TV. So I reserve the right to amend this review later if and as necessary. Still, isn't it nice to know there's no buyer's remorse at this stage?
Having said that, I just want to say that the picture on this unit is spectacular. I have a very bright room, so wanted to go with an LCD as the best option. There are plenty of ways to make whatever adjustments you want to the picture, but so far the only thing I have found necessary is to adjust the position of the screen horizontally by a line to eliminate some edge flutter which appears on some channels...no biggie. And while this TV is advertised as 720p, I should note that I am getting some HD signals through the cable at 1080i. The detail and color are incredible. Some of the plain ol' standard def signals look no worse than on my old TV...but you don't realize how inadequate that is until you get 720p or 1080i signals. I should also say that I am waiting for my satellite co. to install their high def equipment. I have a basic cable subscription for those times when the sat goes out due to weather. During the initial set up of the TV after turning it on (which does seem a bit long, 10-15 seconds!) it scanned all cable channels and now brings in all those channels which were previously blocked on my old TV by the cable company, incl. a number of HD channels. So now I'm wondering if I even need to bother with the upgraded sat system. Will see.
As for sound quality, the sound through the 2 side speakers seems fine for what it is. For those occasions when I went fuller sound, I have it hooked up to my sound system. I tried out the set up with King Crimson's "Eyes Wide Open" DVD. WOW!!! With 2 speakers in the back of the room, and the TV in front, I found that I could actually get a poor-man's surround sound by keeping both the TV sound on as well as the room speakers. Works for me. As for how I have the TV set up itself, while it can be wall-mounted, I instead cleared off the top of my old entertainment center, removing all electronic equipment residing there, and placed the TV on top with its built in stand -- it fit perfectly. And 42" is plenty big for the room, which itself is big; I don't want the TV to be the dominant item in the room, although it now comes close! Oh, as for all my other electronic equipment which used to be setting on top of the entertainment center, they all now fit nicely stacked in it in the space where my old 27" CRT TV used to be. Perfect!
I still have to work on getting the picture-in-picture feature working, which might require a call to Olevia's tech support (which I found out over the weekend is your typical M-F Pacific coast operation). There are features I'm sure will take me a while to use. Haven't hooked up my laptop yet, and couldn't get my digital camera to show, although for the latter that may be a function of my using the wrong connections on the TV or not starting the camera properly. At this point, I'm not worried about it. Will play with those connections when I need or want to.
The main reason for buying the TV was the picture, and that can't be beat. I researched and researched till I couldn't possibly do any more. Looked at quite a few in showrooms, although interestingly never saw this one "live." Basically, made the decision off of reviews, etc. Finally, it came down to this unit and another from Vizio. Also went back and forth between 42" and 46-47". I finally went with the Olevia based upon the features -- incl. firmware upgradability -- and the pricing; figured the 42" size was big enough and now I am very glad I did not get a larger unit. I did not purchase through Amazon though, as much as I do tend to buy through here. Sears was offering $50 off a $999 list price, and if you purchased on a Sears credit card before the end of September they knocked off another $150. So picking up this TV for $799 -- $799! -- is in my mind an excellent value. Ordered through the local Sears store and picked it up when it came in so no delivery charges either. What a deal!
Olevia is a new and upcoming brand. One of their other 42" units (predecessor?) got a Best Buy recommendation from Consumer Reports. While not this unit, it gave the company some cred in my book. The long-term track record of course still needs to be determined. But as a new buyer, I'm a happy camper. 5 stars!
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Seagate has decided to enter the solid-state disk (SSD) market in 2009, starting the company's switch from hard disk drives (HDD). Their first target: corporate America. Once they've got the cubicle commanders, they'll move to consumers. Seagate senior manager Rich Vignes seems to be awfully defensive about this incredibly obvious move, stating over and over that they'll take it slow, that analysts really do think SSDs are reliable, and that this is the wave of the future. Of course, if you're reading Giz, chances are your response to the announcement is "Duh." But Seagate stepping into the SSD ring means we're one step closer to an HDD-free existence. [CNet]
