Posted by admin on April 29th, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV, Samsung
Tags: 26 Inch LCD TV, dvi, hdmi, hdtv, high-pitched, noise, pc, Samsung, sound, viewing angle, whine
Samsung LNT2653H 26-Inch LCD HDTV front display
Samsung LNT2653H 26-Inch LCD HDTV rear panel inputs
Samsung LNT2653H 26-Inch LCD HDTV.
This set is prone to producing a high-pitched noise. There is a real chance if you purchase this LCD, you will experience the same problem.
High-Pitched Sounds and Noises.
Dealing with the high-pitched noise is an issue, whether you hear it or not. Let me explain with a personal experience. When in college, years ago, while taking an electronics class, a professor told us of a student who connected a small speaker to a frequency generator (each shop bench in class had a frequency generator). This frequency generator produced a high-pitched noise that is similar to the one coming from this Samsung model. No one could hear it.
After a few minutes, people began feeling uncomfortable and irritable. The high-pitched sound IS very disturbing. You do not have to hear it. When the professor noticed students losing attention and moving uncomfortably, he asked who was the wise guy. The guilty student laughed and turned off the noise. Unfortunately for this Samsung LCD TV, there is no way to turn off the noise. It just continues to produce an uncomfortable sound anytime the set is on.
No DVI PC Connection.
This Samsung 26-inch LCD TV will not work with a PC through DVI. Only the Samsung’s built after 2007 support this.
Samsung says:
Samsung LN-T LCD TV 2007 models have more than one HDMI jack. Use the HDMI 1 input jack to connect your computer’s DVI video output jack with a DVI to HDMI cable.
No Samsung LCD TV built before 2007 (LN-S series, LN-R series, LT-P series, etc.) comes with a DVI input for a PC/computer. If made before 2007, you get an analog, 15 pin D-Sub (RGB) computer input.
REMEBER: Expect Samsung models made before 2007 to have a combined HDMI/DVI input jack. This HDMI/DVI jack cannot be used to connect your pre-2007 Samsung TV to a computer’s DVI video output jack. Samsung LCD TVs made before 2007 do not support DVI to HDMI computer video connections.
Samsung LN26A450 720p 26-Inch LCD HDTV.
Samsung LN26A450 26-Inch 720p LCD HDTV front display
Durability.
It has been reported that this set dies after warranty but within a year. Dealing with customer service has NOT been considered a painless experience, in these cases.
Viewing Angles.
The viewing angles on this Samsung are enough to drive anyone INSANE. When you watch it while directly in front of the screen, you see a crisp picture. If you change your position, where you are lower or higher, the picture contrast completely distorts!
For instance, in a bedroom, the TV is on a stand that is a few inces higher than the bed. It drives us crazy watching it while in bed. When lying on the bed and watching the TV, the contrast is lost. Dark hair becomes a mass of black without any detail. Everything looks darker.
Posted by admin on April 25th, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV, Sharp
Tags: 26 Inch LCD TV, 720p, dvd, Sharp, wall mounting
Sharp LC26DV27UT 720p 26-Inch LCD HDTV with Built-in DVD Player Black
I got this TV as a gift and mounted it in the corner using the Peerless PA740 Articulating Wall Mount for 22 inch to 40 inch LCD TVs.
My Experience.
The sound volume is fine for our use. However, you may not find it loud enough, considering it is only being used in an exercise room. The sound is loud enough to be heard over the noise of an exercise bike when at maximum.
Sound.
The TV has audio outputs on the TV. There is a digital coaxial and red and white rca. As a DVD player, it works perfectly. Using it with cable (directly, with no box) has shown no problems and I am happy with its performance. There has been no slow channel changing.
Sound Options.
I bought 2 x RCA Male / 1 x 3.5mm Stereo Female, Y-Cable, 6 inch to use in the RCA output on the TV. The external speakers were old ones from my computer. It has worked well.
That has me considering buying some smaller computer speakers to attach to the TV, since it is wall mounted. Whatever speakers you get, they need their own power cord. Some speakers attach via usb and no power cord. That style does not work for this 26-inch LCD TV.
Picture Quality.
Picture quality is great from side angles and different heights. The image does dim when looking at it while sitting on the floor. Otherwise, I am very happy with picture quality.
Is It Worth It?
This is a great TV/DVD combo in a 26 inch size. With good DVD support, good picture quality AND support as a PC monitor, it is a great buy for many uses!
Posted by admin on April 21st, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV, sony
Tags: 26 Inch LCD TV, bravia, hdtv, lcd, sony
Sony Bravia S Series KDL 26S3000 26 inch 720p LCD HDTV display
What I Like.
The HD reception is great. It’s showing 480i, 720p, and 1080i on basic cable. The Sony converts to 720p and the picture is incredible. It’s really great watching this TV, especially at night in a dark room. WOW!
The matte finish is good. I never liked a high glossy finish because of the glare and dust it shows on the screen.
I like how HDMI lets you use an upconverting DVD player. The picture quality is impressive.
It comes with a very strong tuner. It discovered 35 digital channels and one HBO channel.
“Wide Zoom” is good for non-HD channels. It doesn’t make faces on the screen too wide. It is set to auto on my TV, so no need to change it each time a non-HD channel is showing.
I am not using external speakers. So, the sound is good enough for me. Sony’s S-Force “simulated surround” is awesome.
You can change channels quickly with the remote. It is only 1-2 seconds. Unlike other LCDs that take 3 seconds.
It has the best menu system I have seen with the Xross Media Bar.
What I Don’t Like.
The remote has a weird design. The up/down channel buttons are on the bottom and are not easy to use for channel surfing. Why they didn’t put them in the middle is a mystery to me.
The analog picture is adequate. It is a little grainy. I am watching without a cable box, so get one if this is an issue for you. A signal booster may help enough to improve picture quality for you.
On the bottom center of the TV, the small green (power) light is slightly annoying. Off to the side would have been better.
Is It Worth It?
I am very happy with this TV. It is the best 26 inch LCD TV available. If this is the size you want, this is the LCD to get.
Posted by admin on April 16th, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV, Samsung
Tags: 1080p, 26 Inch LCD TV, 720p, fios, hd, Samsung, sound, speakers
Samsung LN26B460 26-inch 720p LCD HDTV display
I got this for my bedroom and it’s the perfect size. Setting up was so simple. Just attach the stand, hook it up & set the menu options.
The Display.
The picture is amazing! The colors looks vibrant! There are no washed out blacks. They appear rich & dark. The setting options let you achieve the perfect picture, including adjusting the backlight.
Sound.
For a bedroom TV, the sound is good, I don’t need movie theater sound, and wouldn’t expect TV speakers to do that. Instead, I just use separate speakers.
The sound is as good, maybe better, than any of my old TVs.
How I Use My TV.
My computer desk is off to the side. This lets me glance over at the TV. I can see the screen fine from side angles. The sleep timer will turn the TV both on and off..
I’ve watched movies, sports, and regular TV shows. This Samsung handled it all! For those nervous about not getting HD, it looks incredible even without HD!
You can hook-up FIOS HD TV with an upconverting DVD player using the HDMI ports. You’ll get a great picture right out the box. Set it to “movie” if you like the room darker. “Dynamic” setting is too bright, but you could try it for a very bright room.
It is a great TV when you use the HDMI inputs. Don’t expect the same results with the coaxial or RCA inputs.
How Does It Compare To Higher-End Models.
I couldn’t see any difference in picture quality between this Samsung and more expensive ones. 1080p is not worth it for a 26 inch LCD TV.
If you watch fast action, like a hockey game, expect some motion issues. However, at only 60 Hz , that is to be expected. 120 Hz may show a slight improvement. Yet, it isn’t so bad a distraction to be bothersome. Many may not even notice, but some would. It is just a minor issue.
Extras.
There are lots of connections on this model. You get 3 HDMI (2 in the back and 1 on the side). You get a PC connection. I haven’t tried it or the game mode.
Should You Get It?
For my expectations, there isn’t a single negative thing I can think to say. Plus, this LCD has a very classy, sharp appearance.
This Samsung 26 inch LCD TV is great to have.
Samsung LN26B460 26-inch 720p LCD HDTV display
Posted by admin on April 8th, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV, Samsung
Tags: hdtv, lcd, logitech, monitor, Samsung
Samsung T260HD front Touch of Color
Before the Switch.
I was using dual 19 inch monitors (Samsung 940BX and Samsung 971P) and decided to upgrade. This 1 monitor blows the other 2 away.
As an amateur photographer, I take lots of photos. On this screen, my photos look amazing. It is a bigger screen, with higher resolution, and clear, bright colors. The images are sharp and finely detailed. The detail in the images is so good, it almost feels like being there. Photos show more detail in both highlights and shadows than any other monitor I have experienced.
Monitor Settings.
At the default settings, the monitor is a little too bright. First, I reduced the brightness to 50. Next, the monitor was profiled using my Monico Optix XR color puck. While the monitor is less bright, the colors look more natural.
Features.
The built-in 1080P HDTV works great. It found all of my DTV stations automatically, without a cable box. It even found more than my cable box shows.
Standard DVDs show very well. Setup was painless to use as both a monitor and TV. The remote was comfortable for my hand to use. The essential buttons were well-spaced for me to use, with my large fingers. The remote can switch between TV mode and monitor mode with just one button.
Blu-Ray.
Initially Blu-ray movies wouldn’t play on this monitor. The Cyberlink Blu-ray advisor showed a digital connection which didn’t support HDCP. It turns out my video card, GeForce 7600GT, didn’t support HDCP. After upgrading the video card to a GeForce 9800GT, it now plays Blu-ray movies just fine. Blu-ray movies show a little more detail, but standard DVDs look great too on this monitor.
Glare.
It looks like the screen has an anti-glare feature. There is light that comes in my window that caused glare on my other monitors. It is not a problem with this Samsung. This may not be in the specs, but there seems to be less glare than other monitors.
It Changed My Viewing.
With a large widescreen monitor, I watch DVDs and instant Netflix movies on it. Both show great. With a high speed connection, the streaming movies look almost as good as DVDs.
Other Considerations.
I still use my 19inch monitor for games that don’t display well on a bigger screen. The 19 inch is used as my overflow monitor when the 26 inch is busy.
This monitor is slow to wake up after being in sleep mode (Windows power management). It wakes faster when detecting a mouse click than simply moving the mouse.
After using both the HDMI and DVI connectors, I saw no noticeable difference in image quality.
Sound.
The built-in speakers provide passable sound for standard TV. Normally, I use Logitech THX-certified Z-2300 speakers. They are much better. Watching the Samsung T260HD as a TV, I just use the built-in speakers. Using it as a monitor, the sound comes from the Logitech Z-2300 speakers. They are excellent speakers for both movies and gaming.
If you are considering this monitor, just do it. You will love it.
Posted by admin on April 1st, 2010 — Posted in 26 Inch LCD TV
Tags: 26 Inch LCD TV, ipod, lcd, panasonic, sony, sound, viewing angle
Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC L26X1 26 Inch 720p LCD HDTV
Bigger Is Not Always Better.
I love my 50″ Sony SXRD Projection TV. However, when your electricity bill triples, you find ways to cut down on the utility bill. Besides that, the Sony needs its projection lamp replaced once a year. That’s as much as the electricity bill for a month! Even with a discount, the price is only 10 or 20% cheaper.
Think about replacing that lamp once a year. In no time, you could have purchased a brand new 40 – 50 inch LCD TV. Compared to the Sony, this Panasonic TV is smaller and Star Energy rated! It should save some on my utility bill.
Making the Decision.
My bedroom has an old Toshiba 13″ CRT TV. Watching movies on it wasn’t much fun. It was the perfect opportunity to replace it and get another TV.
From my reading, there is a formula you can use to determine the size of the TV you should buy. It is based on the distance (in inches) from the TV to where you watch it. Divide the distance by 2.5. For my bedroom, the distance was 80 inches. Divided by 2.5, you get 32 inches.
A 32 inch was a good size but too big for the stand I wanted. The next best thing was the 26 inch Panasonic. I wonder if this formula is just another marketing gimmick to sell you a larger set? Dividing the distance by 3 seems to work just as well.
Making Comparisons.
The Sony has a softer and smoother image while the Panasonic is more vivid with more contrast. As a former Big Box Electronic Store employee, it seems most people prefer a brighter and more contrasting image on TVs and monitors. I still like the Sony because the picture looks slightly more realistic. However, it’s just a minor complaint.
One concern was deciding between 1080P and 720P. It seems to be important on larger TVs (40″ or more), not so much on smaller screens. From my experience, it makes sense, since it’s all about the number of pixels (dots), the distance between each pixel and their size.
Have you ever noticed, for old CRT TV’s that the smaller the TV, the better the picture quality? It’s because there’s a fixed number of horizontal and vertical pixels on a CRT. The smaller and closer the pixels, the better the image appears.
The amount of pixels does make a difference, but only to a point. It depends on the area being filled. On the Panasonic 26 inch, the 720p works very well. You won’t see any real difference compared to 1080p.
Other Concerns.
I was debating whether to buy a new DVD player. Connecting an old, standard DVD player to an HDTV didn’t make sense. So, I chose between a Blu Ray or an up-converting DVD player. It was an easy choice with my 2000 standard DVD’s. Replacing all those with Blu Ray discs would get costly (about 10-20 grand). The up converting DVD player was the obvious choice.
I got an Sony HDMI DVP NS710H up-converting player. With the Panasonic, it works great! The picture is stunning! No, it’s not the same as Blu Ray, but it does improve the standard DVD picture considerably. However, the up-conversion only works via an HDMI cable.
Using the TV.
You can connect your PC video output to this TV via a 15 pin VGA cable. The image is fairly decent. However, you may have to adjust the horizontal and vertical positions on the TV with the resolution on your graphics card.
The native resolution for the Panasonic is 1366 x 768. Yet, you can try the different resolutions your graphics card supports to find one to your liking. The process is not difficult if you have the right cables with a 15 pin VGA output plug on your PC.
Watching Movies.
For some of the newer graphics cards, you only have DVI outputs. You may have to get a DVI to VGA converter. Right now, I use it to play my Netflix movies on the TV.
(Addendum)
I now use a Roku HD player to watch Netflix and Amazon movies. It works great! No more flipping back and forth from computer monitor to the TV. It was a pain and the PC is unusable while movies are streaming.
Be aware you NEED some kind of router to access the internet. Use HDMI cable instead of the provided composite cable for best results.
Viewing Angle.
The viewing angles are not great. I find it disturbing that the product description states it has a 178 degree viewing with clear images, anywhere in that range. To me, this is clearly not true. But, it’s a minor complaint since I never watch it from the sides.
Picture Quality (on Cable, DSL, Antenna).
The picture is excellent IF you have good reception from your provider. Keep in mind, if your reception is poor, this TV won’t improve it. You could call it, “Garbage In, Garbage Out”. It simply means if you get a poor quality image from your cable/DSL/satellite provider, you will see a poor quality image on your TV.
Sound Quality.
The sound is good enough for my bedroom. However, audio output is only 10 Watts (2 speakers, 5 Watts each). The speakers are located underneath, left and right of the stand.
Ideal Environment.
It seems this TV is meant for a bedroom or similar environment. It is not a living room TV. It is not meant for a large room or to be connected to a surround sound system. That would be more suitable for my 50″ Sony TV.
This 26 inch Panasonic is not meant for a noisy environment. Don’t put it in a garage with loud power tools working or near the laundry room while washing clothes, or a kitchen with the garbage disposal or the dishwasher running.
This TV cannot compete with loud surrounding noises. Be aware of this when making your purchasing decision.
Speakers & Sound System.
This TV DOESN’T have a headphone jack. You only have an OPTICAL cable. Whatever you’re connecting must have an OPTICAL (Toslink) input.
You can get a 3rd party converter (such as the GENFEN). Just remember there are two versions. The cheaper model does NOT convert Hi-Def (5-1 Dolby Surround Sound) audio. Or, just purchase one of the Behringer MS### Speakers, with an optical input.
SD Card Viewer.
It would have been nice if they had a USB port to plug in a flash drive or SD card reader. There are so many types and sizes of SD cards. If you get the wrong one, it won’t work.
I have a Nikon D200 which uses an SD card. My Olympus C3040 Camedia Camera uses a Smartmedia card. Neither fits the Panasonic TV’s card reader. I could purchase the properly-sized SD card, insert it into my SD card reader and transfer pictures into it. My question, why go through the expense and effort?
IPod Docking Station.
Though I don’t have an IPOD, it seems like a nifty little feature.
The Controller.
It is easy to read and has LARGE LEGIBLE buttons for my old, tired eyes! My two favorites are LAST (to flip to the last channel watched) and MUTE (for commercials).
My Bottom Line.
I love this TV and highly recommend it. It’s picture quality, stylish look, and size were real selling points for me! It is AWESOME!