JVC AV-32D502 32 inch TV

Like every home electronics purchase I make, I agonized and agonized over getting the right TV for the right price. I shopped on-line, I visited stores, I read articles... hopefully, you do the same -- or else you just have money to burn.

I came upon the AV-32D502 quite by accident. I liked the JVC models I had seen in a retail (chain) store and I was price shopping online. The AV-32D502 was one I hadn't heard of, but when it popped up I decided to check it out.

BOY! Does it have features! Component video, which gives you the best image quality, as well as S-video were definitely requirements for me, as I was given a DVD player as a gift and wanted a television that would allow me to take advantage of what DVD has to offer. This box has 'em, but NOT ON THE FRONT. Tisk, tisk, JVC. I think future models are coming with S-Video on the front, but this one only has S- and Component video on the back. Other than that, there's nothing I could think of that I needed that the AV-32D502 didn't have. It'll even set its clock automatically (where available via your local PBS station).

It's my opinion that JVC has some of the best color tubes going. The black on this set is TRUE -- not that fuzzy, snowy gray, but BLACK, which helps the rest of the colors pop off the screen. Up against the competition, it beats the pants off Panasonic and Toshiba, and I'd put this box against the "queen of screen," the Trinitron -- especially for the price difference.

It seems that the latest trend in TV screens, like computer monitors, is to go "flat" to reduce glare. I don't know what JVC did to this model, which is NOT a flatscreen, but glare is not a major problem. Not even a minor problem. Flatscreen TVs, too, are still susceptible to some glare, so to me the extra $$$ for a flatscreen wasn't worth it.

Notice the "AV" in the AV-32D502. JVC did a great job representing the AUDIO in this set, too. Even without hooking it up to a surround-sound entertainment system, it delivers rich, full sound that complements the picture. The "Hyper Surround" doesn't compare with the real deal, make no mistake, but it's adequate for two itty-bitty speakers. Where the AV-32D502 really shines, though, is with the BBE feature. While I forget what the acronym BBE represents, I do agree with JVC that it delivers natural, extraordinary sound.

What I don't like about the set is the included Universal remote. The layout is awkward and no intuitive (I've had the set 5 months and I still have to look at it to find buttons), but there are buttons for EVERYTHING. It'll also control your DVD/VCR and cable box. You'll be hard-pressed to use it in the dark, however, since only the volume +/-and channel +/- buttons glow -- and that's only after you press the LIGHT button, duh!

Overall, I give this set a stellar thumbs-up. For the money, you can't beat the quality and features. HDTV is soon going to be mandatory, so if you're looking for an excellent set but you're not QUITE ready to spend the dough on HDTV, this television will most definitely get you through the next few years. I am very, very pleased with my purchase.

And if I have to snake a S-Video cable to the front to hook up my digital camcorder, so be it.