RCA P52940 52 in. TV

Note: This is a revised epinion of the RCA P52929 which, from what I can ascertain, is a relatively new model, not listed at www.rca.com as of December 2000. I've seen it sold at both Circuit City and Sears (it's listed at both of their on-line store sites). The P52929 is relatively close, feature-wise, to the P52940 and the P52921.

Introductory remarks, or, do you really need a TV this large?

So, you've assembled a very respectable home theater system--a nice Dolby Digital receiver, a great DVD player (with DTS, of course), solid speakers, etc--and now you need to upgrade the visuals. You have choices galore: 'small' direct-view sets (27" to 36"), high-end flat-screen direct-view sets (i.e., Sony Wega sets), front-projection, analog rear-projection and digital rear-projection, plasma, etc. These are trying times for television buyers, with HDTV anything but widely available (even in good-sized markets), digital cable and satellite not as ubiquitous as one might guess, and most people transitioning from VHS to DVD for home theater. Digital sets are coming out in droves, but they are pricey (the very least expensive 'HDTV-ready' sets starting over $2000), and most require the addition of an HDTV converter (another very expensive item) to convert the signal to a useable form. Unless you're ready to truly empty the wallet for the very cutting edge of technology, and unless you are truly in a position to take advantage of digital television, it seems unwise (in my opinion) to sink a boatload of money into a high-end HDTV or HDTV-ready set.

The positive effect of the emerging digital technology is the plummeting of prices for analog sets. I originally purchased up the RCA 52" P52929 at Sears for less than half of what a similarly-equipped set might have cost just a couple of years ago. If you're simply looking for a large analog set with decent connectivity and performance, this unit might fit the bill. But, as I will elaborate upon below, I can't completelly recommend this set, and, in fact, I was unsatisfied enough that I wound up exchanging it for something else.

Nitty-gritty features

Well, the P52929 seems to have all the requisite niceties you'd need in a projection television. The comb filter is of the 3-line digital variety, which has become almost the standard comb filter on these large sets; convergence is digital and can be adjusted by the user; color temperature is adjustable among three settings, and brightness can be adjusted for different light levels; all the of picture attributes (color, tint, sharpness, etc) are adjustable, and you can store a preferential setting; in addition, settings can be married to particular inputs (so when you press "DVD" on the universal remote, the TV switches to the appropriate input with the desired picture settings); audio output can be routed to the on-board speakers or to an external amplifier (with variable or fixed output). There's V-chip, channel labels (up to 27 channels can be labelled), commercial skip, timers, etc, etc, etc.

A few features to write home about

And then there are the really neat, thoughtful features that RCA ought to be applauded for adding. First, I'll again mention the very nice capability of input switching; that is, you tell the TV which inputs are routed to which sources, so when you push "DVD" the correct video input is selected. And then, the picture settings are automatically switched according to your preferences for that source. In addition, the remote can also be programmed to turn on the particular source for that input. So, with one swoop of your finger, you can turn on your DVD (or VCR, or cable box), switch to the correct input, and adjust the picture quality for that input. Very, very nice.

Ok, more. This model has a built-in screen protector! Not only does this give the image that "direct-view TV" quality, but (in my opinion) it sharpens and adds life to the image. If you don't like it, the protector pops off. But it's nice to have a built-in protector aesthetically married to the the unit--no velcro, no snaps, no sticky tape, no aftermarket screen protector. And these screens damage easily and are difficult to clean, so a protector is a must-have item.

The on-screen Guide-plus is also interesting. When you set up the set, it will ask you for the type of cable input and the Zip code that you're located in. Within 24-48 hours, the set downloads programming information for your cable network, accessible simply by pressing the "Guide" button on the remote. On the guide screen, you get a small, real-time image of what's playing on a channel, a description of the show, times and other information. You also get news headlines and program announcements. I didn't think much of this feature when I was shopping for the set, but I think it's as useful (and probably more so) than your standard 'what's-on-TV' cable channel. Not a bad feature at all.

Two-tuner picture-in-picture is another great feature, especially if you love sports. Since it's two-tuner technology, you won't need a VCR or cable box input to take advantage of picture-in-picture; one input source will do. It's also very handy for commercial-time channel-surfing, so you can switch back to your show without missing an inch.

Lots and lots of useful, well-thought-out features.

Performance

So, how does the image look? Very good. It's exceptionally tweakable, which is useful when switching from cable to DVD to VCR. Of course, a weak cable signal will be large and weak on one of these sets--the set will magnify the shortcomings of your broadcast cable. But, if you're like me, you're buying a TV like this thing for home theater, and the DVD images are spectacular. I'm currently using the S-video input for the DVD and will soon test-drive the component inputs; but the S-video signal is gorgeous, with the deepest blacks I've ever seen, and a bright, sharp, crisp and terrific image. You'll love this thing for movies. Letterbox format looks great (no, this isn't a 16:9 ratio screen, but widescreen format still looks brilliant on it).

Sound

I really can't comment, as I run the sound through my theater setup. You have the option of using the on-board speakers, variable audio output or fixed audio output. If you used the on-board equipment, you can control the tone of the output.

Remote

Funky looking, nice and curvy, colorful, playful, Dali-esque in my opinion. Easy to use and intuitive... You could even say it glows in the dark...

Connectivity

There are no front RCA or S-video jacks here, which I consider a huge negative for this set, and a true letdown for folks looking for a quick camcorder or videogame plug-in. There are two sets of RCA-type A/V inputs in the rear, one S-video input, one component input, and one A/V output (of course, there's one coaxial input). The component input is a nice feature not always found in this price range (S-video seems to be fairly standard nowadays, however).

OK, now give me the bad news

Well, I had problems with this set that are particular to the unit I received (I think). The screen was 'loose' in a way that is difficult to describe, but a serviceman who came to my home demonstrated that the outer cover holding the protective screen in place was not snug with the TV cabinet. In addition, my screen arrive with some minor (but noticeable, and annoying) damage. These issues are forgiveable, in my opinion, and fixable. However, the TV's convergence was 'all wrong' according to the serviceman, and he was willing to return to my home to adjust it. All of these minor problems added up to a phonecall to Sears, who offered to replace the set with the same model or a similarly-priced model from another manufacturer. Well, a quick thumb through a Consumer Reports buying guide made the decision for me--Thompson Electronics (makers of GE and RCA TVs) apparently have a poor track record for reliable units, and so I decided to go with a Phillips/Magnavox, rated very, very highly for reliability and infrequency of problems.

Parting shots

I think this thing is a decent projection TV, and I'm reasonably certain that I was delivered a lemon. I just don't like getting burned in the same way twice, so I rolled the dice with another TV manufacturer. It's hard to argue, however, against the performance and features RCA provides in this price range. You'll be hard-pressed to find a set with a screen this large and this many useful features at this price--we priced and evaluated sets for almost ten months before settling on this thing, and I think we made a great initial decision. However, we wound up with a set that we are even happier with (a Phillips 60-inch), with most of the same features (including the built-in screen protector, which was a must-have for us).

Good luck, be cautious, and enjoy...