RCA F32668 32 inch TV
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- Screen Size: 32 inch
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
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RCA 32" TV - Great Value - Better than WEGA
Pros
Great picture and resolution, easy to use, low price
Cons
Heavy, no flat screen
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Solid performance at a great price.
Owning both a Sony WEGA and this RCA, I am able to speak to the pros and cons of each.
First of all the RCA is a huge value over any Sony WEGA flat screen TV. At less than half the price of a comparable Sony, I had to go with the RCA. (My smaller 27" WEGA was $100 more than the RCA with less features)
My RCA is model F32689, which has a two-tuner PIP, and on-screen programming guide. The two-tuner PIP means you can hook one cable to it, and the TV tunes 2 channels. If you ever had the old style PIP where you needed a VCR or separate tuner to use it, you already know what a pain that was.
The on-screen menu is very easy to use. The TV sets up in a snap, and also has features like channel labeling, sleep timer, and a clock.
The on-screen guide is fantastic. It constantly updates with news stories from MSNBC, and the television grid was much better than my digital cable providers. The programming grid displays the channel in the upper left corner, so you can choose to either preview the channel you are interested in, or keep it locked on the channel that you were watching. You can also sort the list, or select programs that you want to watch later on. The guide provides a full 7 days of programming information.
The RCA has ample inputs in the back. Of course you have the standard coax input, and two separate A/V inputs. One set will use a standard composite video jack or S-video, while the second set will use the standard or component video. (Y-Pr-Pb) My system is set up with the VCR using the standard cable coax, the DVD player using the component jacks and the satellite dish using the s-video.
It also has variable or fixed audio outputs so you can set up your surround sound either way you wish. If you choose to go with the built in sound, the built-in speakers deliver nicely.
The best feature by far is the picture. It is crisp and clear, and looks good through any of the inputs. The only drawback is that the screen is rounded (not flat-screen) and you can occasionally get a glare from sunlight or overhead lighting. If you move your light source and TV around a bit, this can easily be eliminated. The RCA delivers over 700 horizontal lines of resolution, and has an awesome picture.
The tube is a dark tube, but UNLIKE past RCA models, you no longer have to adjust the picture brightness just to see it. You have all the standard tint and contrast controls available, and can even customize presets or use the factory profiles that are available.
I will also note that a comparable WEGA model only delivers 480 lines of resolution, but has a fantastic picture. They use a flat screen to hide the pixelation, and refuse to publish or reveal their resolution. Reading their website and manual, it says only that since lines of resolution are "not standardized in the electronics industry"
they "can be misleading".
Personally, I can see the pixelation of the WEGA line of TVs, and feel that the picture is much better on the RCA.
Considering the price was $550 compared to $1300 for a comparable Sony model, I feel I made the intelligent choice. Think of it this way, would you rather have the Sony WEGA, or the RCA and $750 cash?
First of all the RCA is a huge value over any Sony WEGA flat screen TV. At less than half the price of a comparable Sony, I had to go with the RCA. (My smaller 27" WEGA was $100 more than the RCA with less features)
My RCA is model F32689, which has a two-tuner PIP, and on-screen programming guide. The two-tuner PIP means you can hook one cable to it, and the TV tunes 2 channels. If you ever had the old style PIP where you needed a VCR or separate tuner to use it, you already know what a pain that was.
The on-screen menu is very easy to use. The TV sets up in a snap, and also has features like channel labeling, sleep timer, and a clock.
The on-screen guide is fantastic. It constantly updates with news stories from MSNBC, and the television grid was much better than my digital cable providers. The programming grid displays the channel in the upper left corner, so you can choose to either preview the channel you are interested in, or keep it locked on the channel that you were watching. You can also sort the list, or select programs that you want to watch later on. The guide provides a full 7 days of programming information.
The RCA has ample inputs in the back. Of course you have the standard coax input, and two separate A/V inputs. One set will use a standard composite video jack or S-video, while the second set will use the standard or component video. (Y-Pr-Pb) My system is set up with the VCR using the standard cable coax, the DVD player using the component jacks and the satellite dish using the s-video.
It also has variable or fixed audio outputs so you can set up your surround sound either way you wish. If you choose to go with the built in sound, the built-in speakers deliver nicely.
The best feature by far is the picture. It is crisp and clear, and looks good through any of the inputs. The only drawback is that the screen is rounded (not flat-screen) and you can occasionally get a glare from sunlight or overhead lighting. If you move your light source and TV around a bit, this can easily be eliminated. The RCA delivers over 700 horizontal lines of resolution, and has an awesome picture.
The tube is a dark tube, but UNLIKE past RCA models, you no longer have to adjust the picture brightness just to see it. You have all the standard tint and contrast controls available, and can even customize presets or use the factory profiles that are available.
I will also note that a comparable WEGA model only delivers 480 lines of resolution, but has a fantastic picture. They use a flat screen to hide the pixelation, and refuse to publish or reveal their resolution. Reading their website and manual, it says only that since lines of resolution are "not standardized in the electronics industry"
they "can be misleading".
Personally, I can see the pixelation of the WEGA line of TVs, and feel that the picture is much better on the RCA.
Considering the price was $550 compared to $1300 for a comparable Sony model, I feel I made the intelligent choice. Think of it this way, would you rather have the Sony WEGA, or the RCA and $750 cash?
