Great value
Written: Apr 18 '06
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Pros: Very low price
Excellent sound
Great interface options
Cons: Low contrast ratio
Lack of multiple visual setup memories
The Bottom Line: A great monitor for those who need a small HDTV set for limited playback applications.
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| occjph's Full Review: Olevia LT26HVX 26 in. LCD TV |
I bought this unit for about $440 not expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised! I intended to use it just for viewing standard DVD's unconverted to 720p. In this application, the set performs very well. Standard TV/cable TV looks OK, but the low contrast ratio of broadcast standard definition TV does not fit well with a LCD monitor like this. And setting the monitor up for the best broadcast image will not fit well with unconverted DVD material. Or vice-versa. It would have been nice to include a setup memory for each input, thus removing the need to constantly readjust the set for different kinds of material.
This set lacks a HDTV tuner, but one could add one for under $200. It has a nice variety of input options, including both DVI (Digital Video Interface) and HDMI (High Density Media Interface) inputs including HDCP (High Density Copy Prevention). The latter will be a required feature for most Blue-disc HDTV videodiscs. Many older HDTV sets lack this feature and will NOT work with the new players and media.
Tip: To get the most of this monitor, make sure you set the backlight control to the lowest setting possible. Once the backlight is set, find a DVD with a THX Optimizer (Terminator II) and set the brightness and contrast controls. You will need to view your video in a slightly darkened room, but the increase in visual dynamic range will be well worth it. I am constantly amazed at how BAD LCDs look at electronics dealers due to the store personnel jacking the brightness and backlight up to maximums. Bad idea, not only for LCDs, but for traditional CRT's as well.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 440
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Epinions.com ID:
occjph
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 0 members
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