ViewSonic VT2430 24-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Boy was I pleasently surprised!

I began my search for an LCD HDTV/Monitor over a month ago and purchased 4 other similar items before purchasing this ViewSonic VT2430 and returned the previous 4 for poor performance. I was actually looking for a unit which included a DVD player for use in training lectures. But I couldn't find the right combination so I decided to settle on a unit without the DVD player since those that are built in are all cheap players. This way by keeping the TV and the DVD player separate I can always update the player as needed (BlueRay!).



I looked at a LOT of HDTV/Monitors and chose the VT2430 for its native 1920x1080 pixel resolution. This works out perfectly with the 1920x1080i signals coming via my cable. And...the pictures are absolutely stunning! More so than I even expected even already knowing the quality of Viewsonic monitors. And there are plenty of options for modifying and managing the images from all inputs. One reason for returning a Toshiba unit was that it's native resolution is 1680x1050 pixels which when fed a 1920x1080 pixel signal (HDTV) stretches the image vertically...without any way of correcting the distortion. In fact the manual states that "image size adjustments are not available with 720i and 1080i signals"! VERY poor planning as most cable signals are either 790i or 1080i.



The PC image obtained with the VT2430 is absolutely awesome. I'm typing this review with this monitor with the resolution set at 1920x1080 a perfect match with my PC. There are at least 10 other resolution settings that work as well - just lower resolution results. Regardless of the resolution sent from my PC the VT2430 automatically adjusts for the best picture with each setting. Very neat.



The audio was another problem I found with all of the other units I tried. Most of them were either too low in volume or when the volume was turned up became very distorted. Not so with the VT2430. Plenty of clean sound at all volume settings including loud enough for filling the rooms where I do my training.



The image I get from my (LG) DVD player which upgrades to a 1080i output via an HDMI cable is very good. I also have a BlueRay player which puts out a 1080p signal which again perfectly matches the resolution of the VT2430 for a beautiful picture.



The overall picture of this monitor is far more accurate clean and viewable than any of the other monitors I looked at. The dynamic range is very wide including the darker colors and grays and blacks not quite up to my 52-in Samsung (Over $2300!) but closer than any other comparable sized monitor.



Physically I like the fact that the monitor can be tilted back for watching from higher positions. Also the flat stand can be quickly removed for transporting in its original box which I do often when I'm training.



Great monitor. I would recommend it to anyone. I would however downgrade its rating by 1/2 point for not having a DVD player. But that is not what it is! ViewSonic does sell an LCD HDTV/DVD Combo monitor but it has a lower pixel rate designed more for 720i resolution which is OK for most uses at this smaller size. But having been a TV studio tech in charge of adjusting and maintaining studio monitors I became too picky and always need(!) the best.More detail ...

Proscan 32LB45Q 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV Black

Great TV for the price

This TV is quite impressive especially for the money. There are plenty of inputs many of which are conveniently located on the side of the panel. As far as the picture goes the color is fantastic and the contrast is pretty good as well. Where this TV falls short is the uneven back-lighting. In a low light setting watching a dark scene you can see portions of the screen are brighter than others which can be annoying at best and distracting at worst. Aside from that I have no complaints with the television. Were money no object I'm sure the Proscan would rate lower however the value you get out of this TV for the price is hard to match. It is a very fine budget LCD HDTV.More detail ...

Samsung LN40C630 40-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV (Black)

Time for an upgrade!

I have literally been following the prices of HDTV's for about a year now and there is no better time for an upgrade! Samsung just released their new "C" series and somehow they are remarkably less expensive than their pre-existing models! The majority of the websites are selling this HDTV for $800+ Amazon's lower-than-low price is less than the rest of the market. I purchased it here on Amazon and received my HDTV in 5 days (could have been 4 days but I had school all day). CEVA did the shipping for my HDTV which I was wary at first because I have only dealt with UPS and Fedex. However CEVA provided excellent customer service as they did contact me and I verbally specified a delivery time. Packaging was very efficient and surprisingly light too!



For those who prefer using TV stands you do have to assemble it on your own. Extremely easy to assemble though! All it took was 9 screws (already in the box) and I recommend using a power-screwdriver. Directions said it required two people I did it solo! I was just eager to hook up my PS3 via HDMI cable and experience the wonderful world of 1080P.



Okay now for the specifics and why this HDTV deserves a spot in your living room - As I mentioned before right up to my purchase I extensively followed the quality and price of several HDTVs. The Samsungs 530 550 630 650. The Samsung 630 is the best deal for your money here's why: The 5 series is less expensive but only offers refresh times of 60Hz as compared to the 630 which is 120Hz. This is a big difference and means that your HDTV with 120Hz displays at least twice as many frames-per-second which makes movies not only sports very fluid and more realistic. Another difference is the response time where as the 5 series has a 6ms response time the 6 series has a 4ms response time. And if you are a gamer a difference of 2ms can make a big difference. So why the Samsung 630 and not the 650? The only difference now is the contrast ratio. The 630 comes with a 80000:1 contrast ratio which in my opinion still creates an extraordinary depth to the display. TV contrast ratio's are starting to become stable around the 70000 - 100000 range (or much higher for LEDs). Whereas 3 years ago the highest was around 10000 but kept constantly rising. So this HDTV is very much future proof. Yes the 650 has a higher contrast ratio but is it worth the extra $200 something dollars?



All in all if you're not worried about price go all out and purchase a LED HDTV. But if you want to shop smart this HDTV is the way to go.More detail ...