Hitachi 53SWX10B 53 in. TV
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- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 14:9
- Screen Size: 53 inch
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The Ultimate Screen for the Movie Lovers
Pros
Picture quality, Loaded with features, full widescreen theatre effect, and more...
Cons
got many bells and whistles, some seem impractical, but all add to high cost
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you have $3000 to spend on an HDTV and love to watch sports and movies, this is the ultimate system to have in your room.
The Hitachi 53SWX10B is a mid-size large screen projection color television equipped with High Definition (HDTV) and digital ready that was introduced along with its siblings 61SWX10B, 61SWX12B and 53SWX12B. The two preceding digits in the model indicate the screen size. The Hitachi 53SWX10B is a 53-inch screen TV. It has a wide-screen format that measures 26 inches vertically and 46 inches horizontally, making 53 inches diagonal-wise.
The Hitachi 53'' TV features quite a nice design. It has an anti-glare plastic panel that covers over the projected screen. Two built-in speakers are placed on both sides below the screen. The entire unit is set on four feet with rollers. This makes it easy to relocate or move around in the room by your self.
We bought this HDTV back in February 2002 at our local electronics and appliance store called ABC Warehouse, much like Circuit City. At this place you can negotiate the price. We got it at quite a good deal with 5-year protection plan and a one-year same-as-cash payment, no interest for the 12-month installment.
The very first thing in my mind in getting this HDTV was the large screen. And that was the reason for the purchase. We bought this unit to replace our reliable and dependable Sony 27-inch color TV (which to this day it still operates like new).
There were several other brands to choose from, such as Toshiba, Sony and Panasonic. But we decided on the Hitachi instead. Looking back we wouldn't have done it differently. The exterior design was more appealing and stood out among the other brands. The Hitachi was cheaper than Toshiba; and much cheaper than Sony for the same screen size. But being cheap, its quality is quite good. All in all, this Hitachi HDTV performs very well and to my satisfaction, but with a few complaints that you will read below.
FEATURES
Audio/Video Components
This unit is equipped with input and output connection ports that support all video cables known to date. For ultimate picture quality, it supports Progressive Scan (P-Scan) 3-component video cables for DVD picture. It supports S-Video input/output connection ports for best picture quality. It also has standard video connection cables (audio R&L, video).
The unit has a total of five (5) audio/video input connection ports: 1 set (S-Video & standard audio/video cables) at the front panel and 4 at the rear. It has one audio/video (including S-Video) output to another monitor and a standard audio output (R/L) which can be connected to another stereo amplifier. In addition, there is a Subwoofer and two rear-speaker outputs for surround sound. The two rear speakers must have an 8-Ohm impedance type.
This unit is equipped with a digital audio input. It has one optical and one coaxial cable for Dolby digital sound system.
There are two P-Scan and two S-Video connection ports at the rear. It has three coaxial cables: one for signal from outside antenna or cable TV, the other two can be used to connect to a cable TV box for input/output or for your VCR that does not support the standard 3-cable audio/video input/output port. These coaxial cables are for RF, UHF or VHF signal. In short, the Hitachi 53SWX10B is built to support all kinds of video/audio components.
Some of the great features are:
- Picture Quality with 1200 Line Horizontal Resolution
- PERFECT PICTURE System
- High Definition On-Screen Display
- On Screen Plug/Play guide
- 3-Component Video inputs
- S-Video Component
- Digital Audio inputs (optical and coaxial)
- Closed Caption Decoder
- 2-Tuner Picture-in-Picture
- Velocity Modulation
- Magic Focus (Auto Digital Conversion)
- Dual Antenna Inputs
- Video Input Sensor
- 3 Dimensional Y/C Comb Filter
- Full 1080I HDTV
- Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro-Logic surround Sound
- And More.
Picture
For picture quality, the unit features wide-screen theatre (16:9 aspect ratio), NTSC standard TV screen with 4:3 aspect ratio. In other words, it features Normal, Full, Fill and Smooth Wide.
For Normal (NTSC—Nation Television System Committee) standard viewing screen, image will appear at the center of the screen with two blank areas on the right and left sides.
In Full screen, the TV will automatically adjust the normal TV signal (or picture) to fill the whole widescreen that spreads out to 16:9 aspect ratio. This is particularly useful for viewing DVD movies with 16:9 format.
In Fill mode, especially when viewing picture from a signal in either SDTV (Standard Definition TV) or NTSC, the entire screen fills the picture by hiding blank areas both top and bottom edges.
In Smooth Wide mode, the TV will keep the aspect ratio of 4:3 but expands the picture to fill the entire screen. It allows viewers to watch picture without blank bars on the right and left.
The unit features a Dual Tuner technology that allows a viewer to watch different channel in Picture-in-Picture mode. In other words, this feature allows a viewer to watch more than one program at the same time. It has three modes: Single, Split and Surf.
The unit also features an automatic picture setting mode for viewing a certain program, such as, News, Sports, Concert, Movies, etc. When changed to any one of these modes, the picture quality will alter slightly in terms of contrast and brightness.
There is a unique feature on automatic picture adjustment called Perfect Picture Mode. Here the HDTV will automatically monitor the signal and make necessary adjustments on color, contrast and brightness for optimum picture to suit the lighting condition in the room. The adjustment is gradual that the total or overall adjustment does not appear to change much.
Operations
The controls and operations of this HDTV are via a remote control unit. Almost all functions and operations can be controlled using the buttons on the front panel of the HDTV; but being up close to the TV screen this is almost impossible to perform such operations. Hitachi calls this remote control a Universal control with learning ability, because if you have any other Hitachi devices, such as VCR, CD or DVD player, this remote control can operate most of the functions in that device, provided you program it to recognize the pre-coded mode.
With this remote control, you can program or set up the HDTV system to suit your watching preference. And there are loads of features and controls.
A total of three different languages can be set on this unit: English, French and Spanish.
Performance
Picture
The picture quality produced by this HDTV is the one that impresses me the most. Picture is very clear, sharp and exceptional color with great contrast. Although even with the anti-glare screen, the TV should be positioned away from a window, or glare will show. Even with the Perfect Picture Mode selected, it cannot compete with the light from outside.
DVD movies really have their utmost effect on our viewing experience with this HDTV. This HDTV is a mini-theatre for me. The advantage of the large screen gave me the opportunity to see all the movies that I have missed on the big screen in theatre; and I have to admit I missed quite a lot of good movies in the past several years. Although the screen is not as big, the experience is almost identical, especially with a good sound system with five speakers to produce surround sound theatre realism.
With the remote control, you can set picture format, its sharpness, color and more. For video display or resolution, you can set it in two formats: 1080i or 540P. You can also select the video position or composition format of a video signal such as HDTV, SDTV or DVD. For picture format, you can pre-select the screen to suit the signal that you will be viewing, such as Normal (for SDTV or NTSC or VRC), Full (for Full Screen DVD), Fill, or Smooth Wide. For optimum picture quality, you definitely have to select the right feature.
The Misleading: I was told by the salesperson that with DVD movies, the picture will fit the entire wide-screen area. I was not sure if he meant the Full Screen version and not the Wide Screen one. With that said, watching a Wide Screen DVD movie is a disappointment, because the blank areas at the top and bottom still appear. I'm sure, for movie lovers, the Wide Screen version is the best one to watch. Well, unfortunately this wide screen TV does not do that. I tried everything picture format adjustment, still I could not make it to fit the full wide screen. Apparently based on the picture aspect ratio, the anamorphic widescreen version features a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Therefore this TV cannot accommodate such screen format because it features a different aspect ratio of 16:9.
Sound
Before this HDTV, we do not have Cable TV. With our 27-inch Sony TV we only watch local stations. This new HDTV cannot receive local signals unless a large antenna is installed. And therefore we had to subscribe Cable TV.
The TV produces good sound, or as good as any normal TV can produce. Bass, treble and sound level can be adjusted via remote control. It has very nice bass. We use its onboard sound system to watch Cable TV only. For DVD movies, we always use our stereo system with five speakers for surround sound.
This Hitachi 53SWX10B HDTV has a built-in amplifier (with unspecified output power) and it provides audio outputs for rear speakers (right and left) for surround sound effect when viewing movies. DVD sound from a DVD player can be connected to Hitachi's digital input ports (optical or coaxial). We have a Bose AM-10 Home Theatre Speaker System (with five pairs of small cubes). This type of Bose system has a base module, and all five cubes must be connected to it. The input signal that comes from the amplifier (or receiver) is connected via the base module. This makes it impossible for me to test the sound quality of the Hitachi HDTV. Unfortunately, I have never been able to test the Hitachi Dolby digital sound quality with rear speakers (and you must have speakers with 8-Ohm impedance). However, I have tested its sound quality with the built-in speakers. Without further comments, I have to say I prefer the sound quality produced by my five-speaker system driven by a high-current Harmon/Kardon digital receiver AVR-75, with a 75-Watt Dolby digital 5.1 channel.
As I said before, our only reason to buy this HDTV was the large screen. And we bought it without knowing that it has a built-in sound system. We had our Bose Home Theatre Speaker System long before the Hitachi. Therefore, the large screen TV was meant to serve for displaying large image only. It turned out that money was wasted on this built-in feature that we will never use.
Suggestion: Sound System and Stereo Components
The sound system of this HDTV is not really its highlight, even with its built-in digital receiver. It is clear, at least in my opinion, that the reason we get a large TV screen is to enjoy the image quality displayed on large screen. For theatre sound realism, you definitely need to hook up your DVD sound to a stereo system. To enjoy a superior sound quality, such as 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS (Digital Theatre System), your stereo system must be equipped with such features.
For my system, I hook up a video (3-component, progressive-scan type) cable from my DVD player directly to the Hitachi input P-scan port. My DVD player is equipped with a digital audio output via an optical cable. So I connect it to my digital stereo receiver, which then relays sound to my five speakers (front-right, center, front-left, rear-right and rear-left) and to a base module (sub-woofer). To watch DVD movies, I believe this is the ultimate theatre system for entertainment.
Viewing: Best Picture Quality
For best picture experience, viewing distance must be at least 12 feet from the TV screen. Therefore, your family room (or any room that you plan to put this HDTV in) must be at least 16 to 25 feet in length. The TV has a depth of 29 inches. Therefore, for a good comfortable setup, your room should be at about 20 feet.
The farther away from the screen, the better the image quality will appear in terms of sharpness. If you view close to the screen, you will see large "pixels" that make up the images, and thus appears fuzzy or blurry.
The Manual
The instruction manual that came with the unit is the worse kind of all, very confusing to follow, read and understand the unit's operations. The manual is the combined manuals for all Hitachi HDTV units with models
- 61SWX10B, 61SWX12B, 61UWX10BA,
- 53SWX10B, 53SWX12B, 53UWX10BA
- 43UWX10B.
In order to understand the manual, you have to keep track of the model you have and the reference they make. Although there are minor features that differ from model to model, particularly the electronic components, it is difficult to keep track of what section refers to what model.
I personally prefer a manual that concentrates exclusively on the operation for my particular unit, without having to skim through a section and then suddenly realized "Oh this is not for my TV." What did Hitachi want to accomplish? Trying to save a few dollars on the printing? For a $3000 HDTV, consumers deserve a much better written instruction manual.
For my HDTV unit, the manual did not provide any useful information on its built-in sound system, such as how many watts it puts out. In fact, there are no clear specifications given. This is bad.
My Recommendation
The Hitachi HDTV has the best picture quality, and the best one among top brand names.
If you plan to hook up your DVD player to your large-screen HDTV and add two more speakers as your rear speakers for surround sound effect, then the Hitachi 53SWX10B HDTV is definitely for you.
However, if you already have an excellent stereo receiver and surround sound speakers, then DON'T buy this unit. Because you will waste money on the features that you will never use.
The Hitachi 53'' TV features quite a nice design. It has an anti-glare plastic panel that covers over the projected screen. Two built-in speakers are placed on both sides below the screen. The entire unit is set on four feet with rollers. This makes it easy to relocate or move around in the room by your self.
We bought this HDTV back in February 2002 at our local electronics and appliance store called ABC Warehouse, much like Circuit City. At this place you can negotiate the price. We got it at quite a good deal with 5-year protection plan and a one-year same-as-cash payment, no interest for the 12-month installment.
The very first thing in my mind in getting this HDTV was the large screen. And that was the reason for the purchase. We bought this unit to replace our reliable and dependable Sony 27-inch color TV (which to this day it still operates like new).
There were several other brands to choose from, such as Toshiba, Sony and Panasonic. But we decided on the Hitachi instead. Looking back we wouldn't have done it differently. The exterior design was more appealing and stood out among the other brands. The Hitachi was cheaper than Toshiba; and much cheaper than Sony for the same screen size. But being cheap, its quality is quite good. All in all, this Hitachi HDTV performs very well and to my satisfaction, but with a few complaints that you will read below.
FEATURES
Audio/Video Components
This unit is equipped with input and output connection ports that support all video cables known to date. For ultimate picture quality, it supports Progressive Scan (P-Scan) 3-component video cables for DVD picture. It supports S-Video input/output connection ports for best picture quality. It also has standard video connection cables (audio R&L, video).
The unit has a total of five (5) audio/video input connection ports: 1 set (S-Video & standard audio/video cables) at the front panel and 4 at the rear. It has one audio/video (including S-Video) output to another monitor and a standard audio output (R/L) which can be connected to another stereo amplifier. In addition, there is a Subwoofer and two rear-speaker outputs for surround sound. The two rear speakers must have an 8-Ohm impedance type.
This unit is equipped with a digital audio input. It has one optical and one coaxial cable for Dolby digital sound system.
There are two P-Scan and two S-Video connection ports at the rear. It has three coaxial cables: one for signal from outside antenna or cable TV, the other two can be used to connect to a cable TV box for input/output or for your VCR that does not support the standard 3-cable audio/video input/output port. These coaxial cables are for RF, UHF or VHF signal. In short, the Hitachi 53SWX10B is built to support all kinds of video/audio components.
Some of the great features are:
- Picture Quality with 1200 Line Horizontal Resolution
- PERFECT PICTURE System
- High Definition On-Screen Display
- On Screen Plug/Play guide
- 3-Component Video inputs
- S-Video Component
- Digital Audio inputs (optical and coaxial)
- Closed Caption Decoder
- 2-Tuner Picture-in-Picture
- Velocity Modulation
- Magic Focus (Auto Digital Conversion)
- Dual Antenna Inputs
- Video Input Sensor
- 3 Dimensional Y/C Comb Filter
- Full 1080I HDTV
- Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro-Logic surround Sound
- And More.
Picture
For picture quality, the unit features wide-screen theatre (16:9 aspect ratio), NTSC standard TV screen with 4:3 aspect ratio. In other words, it features Normal, Full, Fill and Smooth Wide.
For Normal (NTSC—Nation Television System Committee) standard viewing screen, image will appear at the center of the screen with two blank areas on the right and left sides.
In Full screen, the TV will automatically adjust the normal TV signal (or picture) to fill the whole widescreen that spreads out to 16:9 aspect ratio. This is particularly useful for viewing DVD movies with 16:9 format.
In Fill mode, especially when viewing picture from a signal in either SDTV (Standard Definition TV) or NTSC, the entire screen fills the picture by hiding blank areas both top and bottom edges.
In Smooth Wide mode, the TV will keep the aspect ratio of 4:3 but expands the picture to fill the entire screen. It allows viewers to watch picture without blank bars on the right and left.
The unit features a Dual Tuner technology that allows a viewer to watch different channel in Picture-in-Picture mode. In other words, this feature allows a viewer to watch more than one program at the same time. It has three modes: Single, Split and Surf.
The unit also features an automatic picture setting mode for viewing a certain program, such as, News, Sports, Concert, Movies, etc. When changed to any one of these modes, the picture quality will alter slightly in terms of contrast and brightness.
There is a unique feature on automatic picture adjustment called Perfect Picture Mode. Here the HDTV will automatically monitor the signal and make necessary adjustments on color, contrast and brightness for optimum picture to suit the lighting condition in the room. The adjustment is gradual that the total or overall adjustment does not appear to change much.
Operations
The controls and operations of this HDTV are via a remote control unit. Almost all functions and operations can be controlled using the buttons on the front panel of the HDTV; but being up close to the TV screen this is almost impossible to perform such operations. Hitachi calls this remote control a Universal control with learning ability, because if you have any other Hitachi devices, such as VCR, CD or DVD player, this remote control can operate most of the functions in that device, provided you program it to recognize the pre-coded mode.
With this remote control, you can program or set up the HDTV system to suit your watching preference. And there are loads of features and controls.
A total of three different languages can be set on this unit: English, French and Spanish.
Performance
Picture
The picture quality produced by this HDTV is the one that impresses me the most. Picture is very clear, sharp and exceptional color with great contrast. Although even with the anti-glare screen, the TV should be positioned away from a window, or glare will show. Even with the Perfect Picture Mode selected, it cannot compete with the light from outside.
DVD movies really have their utmost effect on our viewing experience with this HDTV. This HDTV is a mini-theatre for me. The advantage of the large screen gave me the opportunity to see all the movies that I have missed on the big screen in theatre; and I have to admit I missed quite a lot of good movies in the past several years. Although the screen is not as big, the experience is almost identical, especially with a good sound system with five speakers to produce surround sound theatre realism.
With the remote control, you can set picture format, its sharpness, color and more. For video display or resolution, you can set it in two formats: 1080i or 540P. You can also select the video position or composition format of a video signal such as HDTV, SDTV or DVD. For picture format, you can pre-select the screen to suit the signal that you will be viewing, such as Normal (for SDTV or NTSC or VRC), Full (for Full Screen DVD), Fill, or Smooth Wide. For optimum picture quality, you definitely have to select the right feature.
The Misleading: I was told by the salesperson that with DVD movies, the picture will fit the entire wide-screen area. I was not sure if he meant the Full Screen version and not the Wide Screen one. With that said, watching a Wide Screen DVD movie is a disappointment, because the blank areas at the top and bottom still appear. I'm sure, for movie lovers, the Wide Screen version is the best one to watch. Well, unfortunately this wide screen TV does not do that. I tried everything picture format adjustment, still I could not make it to fit the full wide screen. Apparently based on the picture aspect ratio, the anamorphic widescreen version features a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Therefore this TV cannot accommodate such screen format because it features a different aspect ratio of 16:9.
Sound
Before this HDTV, we do not have Cable TV. With our 27-inch Sony TV we only watch local stations. This new HDTV cannot receive local signals unless a large antenna is installed. And therefore we had to subscribe Cable TV.
The TV produces good sound, or as good as any normal TV can produce. Bass, treble and sound level can be adjusted via remote control. It has very nice bass. We use its onboard sound system to watch Cable TV only. For DVD movies, we always use our stereo system with five speakers for surround sound.
This Hitachi 53SWX10B HDTV has a built-in amplifier (with unspecified output power) and it provides audio outputs for rear speakers (right and left) for surround sound effect when viewing movies. DVD sound from a DVD player can be connected to Hitachi's digital input ports (optical or coaxial). We have a Bose AM-10 Home Theatre Speaker System (with five pairs of small cubes). This type of Bose system has a base module, and all five cubes must be connected to it. The input signal that comes from the amplifier (or receiver) is connected via the base module. This makes it impossible for me to test the sound quality of the Hitachi HDTV. Unfortunately, I have never been able to test the Hitachi Dolby digital sound quality with rear speakers (and you must have speakers with 8-Ohm impedance). However, I have tested its sound quality with the built-in speakers. Without further comments, I have to say I prefer the sound quality produced by my five-speaker system driven by a high-current Harmon/Kardon digital receiver AVR-75, with a 75-Watt Dolby digital 5.1 channel.
As I said before, our only reason to buy this HDTV was the large screen. And we bought it without knowing that it has a built-in sound system. We had our Bose Home Theatre Speaker System long before the Hitachi. Therefore, the large screen TV was meant to serve for displaying large image only. It turned out that money was wasted on this built-in feature that we will never use.
Suggestion: Sound System and Stereo Components
The sound system of this HDTV is not really its highlight, even with its built-in digital receiver. It is clear, at least in my opinion, that the reason we get a large TV screen is to enjoy the image quality displayed on large screen. For theatre sound realism, you definitely need to hook up your DVD sound to a stereo system. To enjoy a superior sound quality, such as 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS (Digital Theatre System), your stereo system must be equipped with such features.
For my system, I hook up a video (3-component, progressive-scan type) cable from my DVD player directly to the Hitachi input P-scan port. My DVD player is equipped with a digital audio output via an optical cable. So I connect it to my digital stereo receiver, which then relays sound to my five speakers (front-right, center, front-left, rear-right and rear-left) and to a base module (sub-woofer). To watch DVD movies, I believe this is the ultimate theatre system for entertainment.
Viewing: Best Picture Quality
For best picture experience, viewing distance must be at least 12 feet from the TV screen. Therefore, your family room (or any room that you plan to put this HDTV in) must be at least 16 to 25 feet in length. The TV has a depth of 29 inches. Therefore, for a good comfortable setup, your room should be at about 20 feet.
The farther away from the screen, the better the image quality will appear in terms of sharpness. If you view close to the screen, you will see large "pixels" that make up the images, and thus appears fuzzy or blurry.
The Manual
The instruction manual that came with the unit is the worse kind of all, very confusing to follow, read and understand the unit's operations. The manual is the combined manuals for all Hitachi HDTV units with models
- 61SWX10B, 61SWX12B, 61UWX10BA,
- 53SWX10B, 53SWX12B, 53UWX10BA
- 43UWX10B.
In order to understand the manual, you have to keep track of the model you have and the reference they make. Although there are minor features that differ from model to model, particularly the electronic components, it is difficult to keep track of what section refers to what model.
I personally prefer a manual that concentrates exclusively on the operation for my particular unit, without having to skim through a section and then suddenly realized "Oh this is not for my TV." What did Hitachi want to accomplish? Trying to save a few dollars on the printing? For a $3000 HDTV, consumers deserve a much better written instruction manual.
For my HDTV unit, the manual did not provide any useful information on its built-in sound system, such as how many watts it puts out. In fact, there are no clear specifications given. This is bad.
My Recommendation
The Hitachi HDTV has the best picture quality, and the best one among top brand names.
If you plan to hook up your DVD player to your large-screen HDTV and add two more speakers as your rear speakers for surround sound effect, then the Hitachi 53SWX10B HDTV is definitely for you.
However, if you already have an excellent stereo receiver and surround sound speakers, then DON'T buy this unit. Because you will waste money on the features that you will never use.
