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(More customer reviews)I've been spending time seriously researching which LCD HDTV I'm going to buy. My choices are between the Sony 26S2000, Panasonic 26LX600, Samsung LN-S2641D, Sharp 26SH20U and Toshiba 26HL66.
I'm a Sony fan, owned several of their TVs over the years and been pretty happy. I was leaning that way again - my last TV was a wonderful 23" Sony LCD HDTV that I gave to a close friend because she didn't have a TV and I wanted a slightly larger model with HDMI anyway. I know most people now pass over the 26" and go for the 32" but the smaller size suits my small living room which I don't want to make a screening room!
However the recent Consumer Reports (that I personally respect a lot in the absence of any other thorough independent comparative study I can get my hands on) on the new crop of LCD HDTVs put my Sony preference on hold because the Toshiba is TOP RATED in both the 26" and 32" categories. I spent some time looking at these models over the weekend and my decision is almost made. The Toshiba picture looks great - better than the Sony (though it's hard to tell in a TV store where everything is on an HD feed).
So with Consumer Reports ratings and analysis placing the Toshiba ahead by 3 points overall, actual design and price comes more into play - and I have to hand it to the Toshiba! The Sony looks pretty dull and a bit too plastic (I know they all are made of the stuff!) whereas the Toshiba ironically looks pretty cool because it seems to have taken it's styling cues from Sony's highly desirable XBR line! BTW
I didn't include the XBR in my quest because it's much more than I can afford - though of course I lust after it. But for some $300 less, the Toshiba may well prove to be an excellent top rated XBR substitute. In fact it's the least expensive of all the other models I mentioned in this review.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba 26HL66 26-Inch Diagonal TheaterWide 16:9 Integrated HD LCD TV
This Toshiba model is a high-definition widescreen TV that's ideal for the latest digital entertainment. Not only does it feature a Regza Premium Cinespeed LCD panel capable of 1080 interlaced lines of HDTV resolution and an HDMI input port, but it also has a 15-pin D-sub port, allowing you to connect a PC and have the set double as a computer monitor.
The Value of LCD TVs Aside from their obvious aesthetic value, LCD TVs are much more practical in the home than CRT (tube-style) televisions. They take up a smaller footprint, and thus use up less floor space in the room. Also, LCD TVs are lighter and easier to move around when cleaning or redecorating. The 26HL66 is only 4.61 inches deep and weighs less than 33 lbs. without the stand. Best of all, LCD screens use less power than CRTs and plasma screens.
Video Response time is the interval an LCD screen takes to switch from its darkest color to its lightest color and back again, measured in milliseconds (ms). This screen's response time is 8 ms, which is at the faster and better end of the spectrum. This screen is likely to display cleaner, sharper images during high-action scenes and display fewer image artifacts than other screens in its class. And because the set has a 12-bit digital processor, it can display many times more shades of gray and levels of color than 8-bit systems can. The set is rated with a 176-degree viewing angle, so the picture will be viewable from nearly any part of the room. While it lacks the CableCARD slot that other sets have, the 26HL66 does come with a built-in QAM digital cable tuner and an ATSC/NTSC tuner that will display terrestrial or over-the-air HDTV and traditional analog signals.
HDMI Compatible The set comes with a built-in High-Definition Multi-media Interface (HDMI) port. HDMI is an interface format that provides uncompressed digital audio and video directly from a DVD player, next-generation game system, or some other digital video source. It represents the current state of the art in high-definition video and sound because the information never has to be converted into an analog format or compressed. Another benefit of HDMI is that it puts all that information into one cable and one easy-to-use connector.
Audio SRS WOW, a combination of SRS 3D, TruBass, and Focus sound-expanding systems, creates a 3-D sound field with improved bass response over standard TV audio as well as a directed, three-dimensional audio sweet spot for maximum enjoyment. The cabinet includes stereo speakers, but the TV also has optical digital output for connecting to your audio system. Toshiba's StableSound feature maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal. This is an extremely useful feature when transitioning between a quiet television program and a very loud commercial advertisement or when changing channels.
Parent Features The 26HL66's sleep timer allows you to set the television to automatically shut off after a preset duration. It's a handy and common feature to modern TVs, but the 26HL66 takes it a step further. Game Timer shuts the TV off after set duration and can only be turned on with a special lockout code. The Video Lock feature allows the user to lock out selected inputs, which is handy when limiting a child's access to video games. Of course the built-in V-Chip functionality makes it so parents can set a threshold content setting and effectively lock inappropriate TV content out of the home.
Other Features For optimum display of each type of input source, the 26HL66 allows the viewer to make video adjustments for each type of input, such as RF, composite, S-video, and ColorStream component video inputs. The SurfLock feature gives the viewer the freedom to browse programs on other channels then return to the original channel at any time simply by pressing one button.
26-inch Widescreen A general rule of thumb for selecting the right size television screen is that the screen width--not its 26-inch diagonal measurement--should be between three and five times the optimum viewing distance, such as the distance from the TV screen to where your eyes are while sitting on the couch. Less than that, and you may be distracted by the scan lines of the picture. More than that, and you may lose the detail of your TV. Based on this guide, the 26HL66 is ideal for viewing distances of six to 10 feet.
Here is a list of the set's audio, video, and data connections:
Audio/video inputs: 2
ColorStream HD inputs: 2
S-video inputs: 1
HDMI input: 1
PC input: 1
RF input: 1
Audio video output: 1
Optical digital audio output: 1
What's in the Box Toshiba 26HL66 TV, 4-item glow universal remote, TV stand, product manual and warranty information
