Toshiba 40H80 40 in. TV
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Similar in Projection Televisions
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 14:9
- Weight: 134 lb.
- Screen Size: 40 inch
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Toshiba 40H80 versus the 42H81 -- $300 for Two Inches
Pros
Picture quality, HD-Ready, TheaterWide modes, remote.
Cons
Hard to find closeout model, convergence slightly more complex.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
"Funny that the ultimate goal of video display devices is to come as close as possible to resembling film."
.
This is a review of the Toshiba 40H80.
Go here for a review of the 42H81:
http://www.epinions.com/content_53309509252
(cut and paste URL into your browser's Address box):
A Tale of Two HD-Ready TV's
Both the 40H80 and the 42H81 are HD-ready, which means they can accept and display analog input at the high resolution levels of 480p and 1080i commonly used with HDTV broadcasts. To get HDTV broadcasts with these sets, you'll need to use an auxiliary set-top-box (STB) digital tuner which will receive the HDTV digital broadcast and convert this to high-definition analog output.
Bargain-Priced Model with Most Features of 42H81
The 40H80 is the entry-level TV from Toshiba's 2000 line of HD-ready rear-projection televisions (RPTV's) or "big screen" TV's. Entry-level means it's the smallest and least expensive, but it is functionally identical to the larger sets in the line, the 56H80 and 65H80. Some merchants, such as Onecall, still have the 40H80 available as a closeout item.
The Onecall Web site has the 40H80 for $1,500, while the 42H81, the smallest HD-ready RPTV from Toshiba's 2001 line, goes for $1,800. These prices are probably a fairly good reflection of what you'd find at a typical bricks & mortar store.
Is it worth going with the 40H80 to save $300? Well, that depends on your priorities. The main difference between the two sets is in their diagonal screen measurements, 40 inches for the 40H80 and 42 inches for the 42H81.
Space Considerations
If you live in a small apartment, have a small home-theater room, or for any other reason your space is restricted, then the slightly-smaller size of the 40H80 might actually be an advantage for you. Both of these sets take up about the same amount of space as a standard 27 or 32-inch TV and its stand.
In fact, the 40H80, which is 44.1-inches high, requires a foot or two of additional height to bring it up to an optimal viewing level. You can either build a small platform for it yourself, or buy one ready-made from Toshiba for about $150. The 42H81 is only two inches higher than its predecessor, so you'd probably need to elevate the newer set as well.
The other measurements of the 40H80 are 37.8 inches width, 18.4 inches depth, and a weight of 134 pounds. The 42H81 is 39.4 inches wide, 18.7 inches deep, and tips the scales at 130 pounds. Both sets are actually shallower than many 32-inch direct-view TV's, meaning you can fit either set in a minimal area.
Features Differences between 40H80 and 42H81
Besides the size difference, there are a few small features differences between the 40H80 and the 42H81. The biggest is the 42H81's addition of Intelligent Digital Scan Conversion Pro (IDSC Pro), a feature which brings all 480i input and 480p input up to a display resolution of 540p.
In terms of the number of lines on the screen at any given moment, 540p and 1080i are identical. Thus, only a single convergence adjustment is required for both of the TV's display modes.
With the 40H80, you'll have to adjust the convergence for each of the two display resolutions, 480p and 1080i. It's not a giant drawback.
The 42H81 also adds 3:2 pulldown to the feature set. When displaying the 480i input from a standard DVD player, which the TV brings up to 540p, the 3:2 pulldown helps to avoid small distortions, such as motion artifacts, which can result due to the different frame rates of film-source DVD's and video input (such as standard analog broadcasts).
This is not really a big advantage, since a progressive-scan DVD player (480p output) with its own 3:2 pulldown will do a better job of this than is possible when it's done inside the TV. For more information on the advantages of 3:2 pulldown in the DVD player, please see my Pioneer DV-434 review:
http://www.epinions.com/content_8202784388
If you are looking for a very good value on a progressive-scan DVD player, check out Panasonic's DVD-RP56 which goes for about $220:
http://www.epinions.com/content_57267424900
The Widescreen's the Thing!
The most outstanding feature of the 40H80 is its widescreen aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) of 16:9. Since this aspect ratio is almost identical to that of many anamorphic (widescreen) DVD's, the 40H80 can display these with no letterboxing (i.e., horizontal bands used to adjust for an image that's too vertically narrow for a given screen). With the ultra-widescreen anamorphic DVD's, such as those identified as being in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the set will have to employ a moderate amount of letterboxing in certain display modes. Standard TV's, and many high-def sets, use the 4:3 aspect ratio and have to employ letterboxing with most DVD's.
A widescreen TV is not automatically the best choice for everybody, though I do recommend it. You can also get an HD-ready TV with a standard 4:3 aspect ratio screen, such as the Toshiba 43H70. To decide which type of HD-ready TV is best for you, you must take into account both your present viewing habits and what you predict your viewing habits will be in the future.
If you almost exclusively watch 4:3 standard analog broadcasts now, and you rarely watch widescreen DVD's (almost all are widescreen), then a 4:3 set might make sense for you. With a 4:3 RPTV, just as on a standard 4:3 direct-view TV, you'll have to use letterbox bands to display widescreen DVD's.
On the other hand, if you plan to get a digital set-top-box (STB) tuner to receive HDTV broadcasts, most of these broadcasts will be in the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.
There is a Web site where you can compare the amount of screen real estate you'll get with 16:9 and 4:3 TV's.
http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi
For example, when you display a 4:3 standard broadcast image on the 40H80 in the "Normal" mode, with windowbox bands (vertical bands to the right and left of the 4:3 image), you end up with the same amount of image area as you'd have on a 32.7-inch 4:3 TV. Thus, with standard broadcasts windowboxed for display on the 40H80, you end up with an image slightly larger than what you'd get on a standard (4:3) 32-inch TV.
TheaterWide and Other Display Modes
However, the 40H80 has a number of modes, known as TheaterWide (TW) which will adjust the 4:3 image so that it fills up the entire 16:9 screen. The most useful TW mode leaves the 4:3 image close to its original dimensions at the center of the screen, while proportionately expanding it more towards the edges.
Since most of the visual information in a typical TV broadcast, such as a newscaster's head, for example, is in the center of the picture, this mode fills the screen without creating the appearance of geometric distortion. Many people become quickly accustomed to this mode and soon don't notice any distortion with it at all.
Another TW mode zooms in on the 4:3 image until its edges reach the edge of the 16:9 screen and the bottom and top of the image is cut off. This is known as zoom on some other widescreen sets. This mode is useful for those who want to avoid burn-in of network logos, as it usually cuts them off.
There's also a TW mode that just uniformly expands the image both horizontally and vertically to fill the screen, with more horizontal expansion because that is the wider dimension. Finally, a "Full" mode lets the 4:3 image touch the upper and lower edges of the screen, while uniformly horizontally expanding it to the right and left edges, thus making any people onscreen appear short and fat.
Input Resolutions of the 40H80
The 40H80 will accept analog video input at the 480i, 480p, and 1080i horizontal resolutions, meaning it is ready to work with standard-definition TV sources and high-definition TV sources (while the industry has yet to settle on a precise term for this, 480p broadcasts are generally called standard-definition digital TV (SDTV) or just DTV, while 720p and 1080i broadcasts are called HDTV; thus, I use the blanket abbreviation H/DTV, for high-definition/digital-TV, to refer to all DTV broadcasts).
The 480i video signals, which include the input from standard broadcast, cable broadcast, VCR, and interlaced-output DVD, are automatically line-doubled and then bumped up to the 540p level. The output from a progressive-scan DVD player will be displayed at the set's native progressive-scan resolution.
As mentioned above, the 40H80 will work with high-def signals only if you purchase an auxiliary set-top box (STB) digital over-the-air (OTA) tuner or HD-satellite receiver. Like all H/DTV-ready sets, the 40H80 has no integral digital tuner (it does have two NTSC broadcast/cable tuners for reception of standard analog channels with picture-in-picture (PIP) features).
The set-top box must convert the digital OTA or satellite signals to 1080i (or 480p, in some cases) analog output and this analog video is then fed into the 40H80 and displayed at one of the set's native H/DTV resolution levels (540p or 1080i).
The 40H80 is not a Digital Television
Some sales staff may refer to the 40H80, and HD-ready TV's in general, as being "digital," but this term is not accurate. The set accepts signals at the resolutions used for display of HDTV images, but it accepts them only once they've been converted to analog form by the STB tuner or HD-satellite receiver.
The TV may employ digital circuitry, as when it performs line-doubling and resolution-bumping, increasing 480i standard NTSC analog input up to the TV's 540p display resolution. However, with material displayed at native resolution, meaning, for example, that it's input at 1080i and displayed at 1080i, the signal remains in analog form all the way from the inputs to the cathode-ray display tubes (CRT's). By the way, the CRT's, which create the image projected in the vast majority of direct-view and RPTV HD-ready and HDTV's now on the market, operate in an analog fashion.
Video Performance
Besides a great price and the 16:9 screen, the number one reason to buy the 40H80 is its picture quality. In this, the 40H80 continues in the Toshiba tradition established with TV's like its predecessor, the 1999-model TW40X81 and, before that, the TW40H80 which was a 40-inch widescreen 16:9 non-HD-ready TV (i.e., standard 480i resolution only).
Since less than 20 percent of HD-ready TV owners have added STB tuners to their sets, most HD-ready RPTV's are used as high-quality monitors for the display of DVD's. The 40H80 excels at this duty. The image on the set has a soft (though not out of focus), pastel-like quality. It comes close to that Holy Grail of high-def video monitors of having a film-like image. Funny that the ultimate goal of video display devices is to come as close as possible to resembling film. However, it's a desirable goal, I'd even go so far as saying that it's "a consummation devoutly to be wished" (mad props to my homey Willy S), and it's exactly what you get with the 40H80.
The only sets I've seen that are in the same league as the 40H80 for image quality are the Pioneer HD line of TV's (PRO520HD, PRO620HD, PRO720HD; with list prices of $5,400, $6,400, and $7,400, respectively). Unlike some sets, such as the Sony KP-51HW40, which have distinct problems displaying 480i-source signals (standard broadcast, standard cable, VCR, interlaced DVD), the 40H80, which employs line-doubling circuitry with this material, performs quite well on standard analog 480i input.
The Toshiba xxH80 sets (40H80, 56H80, 65H80) do have a reputation as needing a fair amount of tweaking to get the best picture possible. They are fairly good out of the box, though even if you don't get a professional calibration, you will at least want to adjust the contrast and brightness, as these are typically left in "torch" mode on TV's departing the factory, meaning they are left at settings which will allow them to look good under the intense fluorescent lighting on the showroom floor of a typical consumer electronics superstore.
You can adjust more than just contrast and brightness yourself, using one of the test-pattern DVD's such as the Avia or Video Essentials discs. Home-theater enthusiasts who want to get the ultimate performance from their RPTV's often pay for the services of an Imaging Sciences Foundation (ISF) tech who will use the TV's service menu, and specialized measuring instruments, to get that last 20% of performance from the TV.
As a general rule, you'll want to turn the contrast and brightness way down as soon as you power up the set and it is best to let it burn in for a month or so before you consider any more serious adjustment.
Audio Performance
The audio performance of the 40H80, with its substantial built-in speakers, is quite good. Unless you are set on a room-shaking surround-sound audio system, you will probably find the set's performance quite satisfactory for all broadcast sources and most movie soundtracks. With dual-cone speakers and 14 watts-per-channel of stereo audio amplifier power, the 40H80's sound system will keep up with most sources.
Image-Quality Tweaks
The 40H80 includes a number of features to improve image quality. For signals coming in through the RF and composite-video jacks, the set has a 3D Y/C comb filter which improves picture quality by separating the luminance and chrominance portions of the image (these are already separated with S-Video and component-video input). Like many TV's, the 40H80 also includes a feature called "velocity scan modulation." This is designed to increase the sharpness of images but it can also cause ringing around objects.
On past model-year TV's, such as the TW40X81, the predecessor to the 40H80, it was possible to defeat the velocity scan modulation (by putting the set in "Movie" mode). Unfortunately, you can't do this with the 40H80 unless you go in and physically disconnect the lines which connect the SVM circuitry to the rest of the TV (some people actually do this and it's sometimes included as part of an ISF tune up). The velocity scan modulation isn't a giant problem. Most sets have it and it would be nice if it could be turned off, but in most cases few people will even notice the effect it has on picture quality.
Inputs/Outputs
On the front panel, the 40H80 has a set of inputs (composite-video, S-Video, L/R audio) which will let you quickly connect a video game or camcorder.
There are four sets of video inputs on the rear panel. Two of them have composite-video, S-Video, and L/R audio jacks. The other two have component-video jacks (Y-Pb-Pr) and L/R audio jacks. The component inputs (these take the signal on three separate cables), which will take the input from most DVD players and set-top box digital tuners, provide the highest-quality type of video connection.
Both component inputs on the TV accept 480p and 1080i input as well as 480i. This is an advantage over TV's such as the 2000-model (and earlier) Sony H/DTV-ready RPTV's which have two sets of component inputs, but accept hi-scan input (480p, 1080i) on only one of them.
Rounding out the rear-panel video inputs there are two RF jacks for cable TV or standard antenna connection.
There's also a center-channel audio input which will allow you to use the set's speakers as the center-channel speaker in a surround-sound configuration. Since this will cause a timbre mismatch as an audio event moves from the front left/right speakers to the TV speakers, it's suggested that you avoid this option.
To feed the set's audio signal to an A/V receiver, there is a set of L/R audio output jacks.
Remote
The illuminated remote is large (as any remote would have to be to control a set of this complexity) but quite well designed. While larger remotes, such as this one and those you always find with Sony video products, are somewhat unwieldy, they are also difficult to lose. Besides the TV itself, this remote will control audio and video devices from Toshiba and other manufacturers.
Warranty Information
When purchased from an authorized dealer (and possibly even when purchased from a retailer that is not an authorized dealer, but you should proceed with extreme caution in such cases), Toshiba covers the 40H80 with a one-year parts & labor warranty which includes in-home service. With any product of the size and weight of an RPTV, even one of the smaller ones such as the 40H80, I think in-home service should be a mandatory feature. It certainly eases the mind of anybody who purchases the TV from a mail-order dealer.
Caveat Emptor
When you buy a product such as the 40H80, the dealer might push you to add premium-priced cables (such as Monster) to your purchase. Avoid this. Many TV's include necessary connection cables. If you need to buy any cables separately, purchase any standard brand from a reputable maker such as Recoton, RCA, Belkin, or Radio Shack. There is no demonstrable performance increase with premium cables.
As they offer even more of an opportunity for profit than premium cables, many retailers will also strongly urge you to buy an extended warranty, or a service plan. Statistically, you will do better, often far better, by putting aside the money you would have spent on a service plan and using it to pay for your own repairs if they are needed. The superstores gouge customers with outrageous markups on service plans. If you decide you really need one, check the prices and service available from a store such as J&R Music World.
Always remember to read the fine print, because when you buy a service plan, you are mainly buying the small print. Also, keep in mind that many credit card companies will automatically double the coverage period of a manufacturer's warranty which, in the case of the 40H80, would bring you up to two years of in-home coverage.
Be cautious when buying mail order or from a bricks & mortar retailer that is not well known. Unfortunately, Toshiba is not as popular a brand as Sony or Panasonic, so you don't find their sets solds at some of the better online retailers such as Crutchfield or J&R. The Onecall Web merchant, who I mentioned at the start of this article, appears to have very responsive customer service. They run the hometheaterspot HT forum. Onecall operates bricks & mortar outlets in the Pacific Northwest under the name of Huppins.
You can get feedback on online merchants and mail order electronics retailers from the audiosurvey site and even from the merchant ratings right here at Epinions (it's a recent addition here, so the number of responses is limited, but it's already clear that buyers should steer clear of outfits like Love4Digital).
Conclusion
If you are looking for a fairly compact and relatively inexpensive H/DTV-ready RPTV, the 40H80 should be high on your list of candidates. Its screen size won't blow you away, overwhelming you in the fashion of a 56- or 65-inch RPTV, but it's a definite step-up in size, at least with 16:9 widescreen images, for anybody who has been watching their anamorphic DVD's between the letterbox bands on a 36-inch or smaller direct-view TV.
In exchange for getting a model from last-year's Toshiba HD-ready RPTV line, you'll save a few hundred bucks. The TV lacks a couple of the features found on the newer 42H81, and its cabinet styling is slightly different (see the accompanying photo), but, except for its two-inches-smaller screen, there isn't much functional difference between the two TV's.
It's not a TV for somebody who wants to "set it and forget it," but if you are willing to invest the time and energy into properly adjusting the set, or the money into having an ISF tech do it for you professionally, the 40H80 will reward you with one of the best images you can get in an RPTV. With the set now selling for almost half of its list price, this TV is definitely a bargain.
.
This is a review of the Toshiba 40H80.
Go here for a review of the 42H81:
http://www.epinions.com/content_53309509252
(cut and paste URL into your browser's Address box):
A Tale of Two HD-Ready TV's
Both the 40H80 and the 42H81 are HD-ready, which means they can accept and display analog input at the high resolution levels of 480p and 1080i commonly used with HDTV broadcasts. To get HDTV broadcasts with these sets, you'll need to use an auxiliary set-top-box (STB) digital tuner which will receive the HDTV digital broadcast and convert this to high-definition analog output.
Bargain-Priced Model with Most Features of 42H81
The 40H80 is the entry-level TV from Toshiba's 2000 line of HD-ready rear-projection televisions (RPTV's) or "big screen" TV's. Entry-level means it's the smallest and least expensive, but it is functionally identical to the larger sets in the line, the 56H80 and 65H80. Some merchants, such as Onecall, still have the 40H80 available as a closeout item.
The Onecall Web site has the 40H80 for $1,500, while the 42H81, the smallest HD-ready RPTV from Toshiba's 2001 line, goes for $1,800. These prices are probably a fairly good reflection of what you'd find at a typical bricks & mortar store.
Is it worth going with the 40H80 to save $300? Well, that depends on your priorities. The main difference between the two sets is in their diagonal screen measurements, 40 inches for the 40H80 and 42 inches for the 42H81.
Space Considerations
If you live in a small apartment, have a small home-theater room, or for any other reason your space is restricted, then the slightly-smaller size of the 40H80 might actually be an advantage for you. Both of these sets take up about the same amount of space as a standard 27 or 32-inch TV and its stand.
In fact, the 40H80, which is 44.1-inches high, requires a foot or two of additional height to bring it up to an optimal viewing level. You can either build a small platform for it yourself, or buy one ready-made from Toshiba for about $150. The 42H81 is only two inches higher than its predecessor, so you'd probably need to elevate the newer set as well.
The other measurements of the 40H80 are 37.8 inches width, 18.4 inches depth, and a weight of 134 pounds. The 42H81 is 39.4 inches wide, 18.7 inches deep, and tips the scales at 130 pounds. Both sets are actually shallower than many 32-inch direct-view TV's, meaning you can fit either set in a minimal area.
Features Differences between 40H80 and 42H81
Besides the size difference, there are a few small features differences between the 40H80 and the 42H81. The biggest is the 42H81's addition of Intelligent Digital Scan Conversion Pro (IDSC Pro), a feature which brings all 480i input and 480p input up to a display resolution of 540p.
In terms of the number of lines on the screen at any given moment, 540p and 1080i are identical. Thus, only a single convergence adjustment is required for both of the TV's display modes.
With the 40H80, you'll have to adjust the convergence for each of the two display resolutions, 480p and 1080i. It's not a giant drawback.
The 42H81 also adds 3:2 pulldown to the feature set. When displaying the 480i input from a standard DVD player, which the TV brings up to 540p, the 3:2 pulldown helps to avoid small distortions, such as motion artifacts, which can result due to the different frame rates of film-source DVD's and video input (such as standard analog broadcasts).
This is not really a big advantage, since a progressive-scan DVD player (480p output) with its own 3:2 pulldown will do a better job of this than is possible when it's done inside the TV. For more information on the advantages of 3:2 pulldown in the DVD player, please see my Pioneer DV-434 review:
http://www.epinions.com/content_8202784388
If you are looking for a very good value on a progressive-scan DVD player, check out Panasonic's DVD-RP56 which goes for about $220:
http://www.epinions.com/content_57267424900
The Widescreen's the Thing!
The most outstanding feature of the 40H80 is its widescreen aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) of 16:9. Since this aspect ratio is almost identical to that of many anamorphic (widescreen) DVD's, the 40H80 can display these with no letterboxing (i.e., horizontal bands used to adjust for an image that's too vertically narrow for a given screen). With the ultra-widescreen anamorphic DVD's, such as those identified as being in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the set will have to employ a moderate amount of letterboxing in certain display modes. Standard TV's, and many high-def sets, use the 4:3 aspect ratio and have to employ letterboxing with most DVD's.
A widescreen TV is not automatically the best choice for everybody, though I do recommend it. You can also get an HD-ready TV with a standard 4:3 aspect ratio screen, such as the Toshiba 43H70. To decide which type of HD-ready TV is best for you, you must take into account both your present viewing habits and what you predict your viewing habits will be in the future.
If you almost exclusively watch 4:3 standard analog broadcasts now, and you rarely watch widescreen DVD's (almost all are widescreen), then a 4:3 set might make sense for you. With a 4:3 RPTV, just as on a standard 4:3 direct-view TV, you'll have to use letterbox bands to display widescreen DVD's.
On the other hand, if you plan to get a digital set-top-box (STB) tuner to receive HDTV broadcasts, most of these broadcasts will be in the 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio.
There is a Web site where you can compare the amount of screen real estate you'll get with 16:9 and 4:3 TV's.
http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi
For example, when you display a 4:3 standard broadcast image on the 40H80 in the "Normal" mode, with windowbox bands (vertical bands to the right and left of the 4:3 image), you end up with the same amount of image area as you'd have on a 32.7-inch 4:3 TV. Thus, with standard broadcasts windowboxed for display on the 40H80, you end up with an image slightly larger than what you'd get on a standard (4:3) 32-inch TV.
TheaterWide and Other Display Modes
However, the 40H80 has a number of modes, known as TheaterWide (TW) which will adjust the 4:3 image so that it fills up the entire 16:9 screen. The most useful TW mode leaves the 4:3 image close to its original dimensions at the center of the screen, while proportionately expanding it more towards the edges.
Since most of the visual information in a typical TV broadcast, such as a newscaster's head, for example, is in the center of the picture, this mode fills the screen without creating the appearance of geometric distortion. Many people become quickly accustomed to this mode and soon don't notice any distortion with it at all.
Another TW mode zooms in on the 4:3 image until its edges reach the edge of the 16:9 screen and the bottom and top of the image is cut off. This is known as zoom on some other widescreen sets. This mode is useful for those who want to avoid burn-in of network logos, as it usually cuts them off.
There's also a TW mode that just uniformly expands the image both horizontally and vertically to fill the screen, with more horizontal expansion because that is the wider dimension. Finally, a "Full" mode lets the 4:3 image touch the upper and lower edges of the screen, while uniformly horizontally expanding it to the right and left edges, thus making any people onscreen appear short and fat.
Input Resolutions of the 40H80
The 40H80 will accept analog video input at the 480i, 480p, and 1080i horizontal resolutions, meaning it is ready to work with standard-definition TV sources and high-definition TV sources (while the industry has yet to settle on a precise term for this, 480p broadcasts are generally called standard-definition digital TV (SDTV) or just DTV, while 720p and 1080i broadcasts are called HDTV; thus, I use the blanket abbreviation H/DTV, for high-definition/digital-TV, to refer to all DTV broadcasts).
The 480i video signals, which include the input from standard broadcast, cable broadcast, VCR, and interlaced-output DVD, are automatically line-doubled and then bumped up to the 540p level. The output from a progressive-scan DVD player will be displayed at the set's native progressive-scan resolution.
As mentioned above, the 40H80 will work with high-def signals only if you purchase an auxiliary set-top box (STB) digital over-the-air (OTA) tuner or HD-satellite receiver. Like all H/DTV-ready sets, the 40H80 has no integral digital tuner (it does have two NTSC broadcast/cable tuners for reception of standard analog channels with picture-in-picture (PIP) features).
The set-top box must convert the digital OTA or satellite signals to 1080i (or 480p, in some cases) analog output and this analog video is then fed into the 40H80 and displayed at one of the set's native H/DTV resolution levels (540p or 1080i).
The 40H80 is not a Digital Television
Some sales staff may refer to the 40H80, and HD-ready TV's in general, as being "digital," but this term is not accurate. The set accepts signals at the resolutions used for display of HDTV images, but it accepts them only once they've been converted to analog form by the STB tuner or HD-satellite receiver.
The TV may employ digital circuitry, as when it performs line-doubling and resolution-bumping, increasing 480i standard NTSC analog input up to the TV's 540p display resolution. However, with material displayed at native resolution, meaning, for example, that it's input at 1080i and displayed at 1080i, the signal remains in analog form all the way from the inputs to the cathode-ray display tubes (CRT's). By the way, the CRT's, which create the image projected in the vast majority of direct-view and RPTV HD-ready and HDTV's now on the market, operate in an analog fashion.
Video Performance
Besides a great price and the 16:9 screen, the number one reason to buy the 40H80 is its picture quality. In this, the 40H80 continues in the Toshiba tradition established with TV's like its predecessor, the 1999-model TW40X81 and, before that, the TW40H80 which was a 40-inch widescreen 16:9 non-HD-ready TV (i.e., standard 480i resolution only).
Since less than 20 percent of HD-ready TV owners have added STB tuners to their sets, most HD-ready RPTV's are used as high-quality monitors for the display of DVD's. The 40H80 excels at this duty. The image on the set has a soft (though not out of focus), pastel-like quality. It comes close to that Holy Grail of high-def video monitors of having a film-like image. Funny that the ultimate goal of video display devices is to come as close as possible to resembling film. However, it's a desirable goal, I'd even go so far as saying that it's "a consummation devoutly to be wished" (mad props to my homey Willy S), and it's exactly what you get with the 40H80.
The only sets I've seen that are in the same league as the 40H80 for image quality are the Pioneer HD line of TV's (PRO520HD, PRO620HD, PRO720HD; with list prices of $5,400, $6,400, and $7,400, respectively). Unlike some sets, such as the Sony KP-51HW40, which have distinct problems displaying 480i-source signals (standard broadcast, standard cable, VCR, interlaced DVD), the 40H80, which employs line-doubling circuitry with this material, performs quite well on standard analog 480i input.
The Toshiba xxH80 sets (40H80, 56H80, 65H80) do have a reputation as needing a fair amount of tweaking to get the best picture possible. They are fairly good out of the box, though even if you don't get a professional calibration, you will at least want to adjust the contrast and brightness, as these are typically left in "torch" mode on TV's departing the factory, meaning they are left at settings which will allow them to look good under the intense fluorescent lighting on the showroom floor of a typical consumer electronics superstore.
You can adjust more than just contrast and brightness yourself, using one of the test-pattern DVD's such as the Avia or Video Essentials discs. Home-theater enthusiasts who want to get the ultimate performance from their RPTV's often pay for the services of an Imaging Sciences Foundation (ISF) tech who will use the TV's service menu, and specialized measuring instruments, to get that last 20% of performance from the TV.
As a general rule, you'll want to turn the contrast and brightness way down as soon as you power up the set and it is best to let it burn in for a month or so before you consider any more serious adjustment.
Audio Performance
The audio performance of the 40H80, with its substantial built-in speakers, is quite good. Unless you are set on a room-shaking surround-sound audio system, you will probably find the set's performance quite satisfactory for all broadcast sources and most movie soundtracks. With dual-cone speakers and 14 watts-per-channel of stereo audio amplifier power, the 40H80's sound system will keep up with most sources.
Image-Quality Tweaks
The 40H80 includes a number of features to improve image quality. For signals coming in through the RF and composite-video jacks, the set has a 3D Y/C comb filter which improves picture quality by separating the luminance and chrominance portions of the image (these are already separated with S-Video and component-video input). Like many TV's, the 40H80 also includes a feature called "velocity scan modulation." This is designed to increase the sharpness of images but it can also cause ringing around objects.
On past model-year TV's, such as the TW40X81, the predecessor to the 40H80, it was possible to defeat the velocity scan modulation (by putting the set in "Movie" mode). Unfortunately, you can't do this with the 40H80 unless you go in and physically disconnect the lines which connect the SVM circuitry to the rest of the TV (some people actually do this and it's sometimes included as part of an ISF tune up). The velocity scan modulation isn't a giant problem. Most sets have it and it would be nice if it could be turned off, but in most cases few people will even notice the effect it has on picture quality.
Inputs/Outputs
On the front panel, the 40H80 has a set of inputs (composite-video, S-Video, L/R audio) which will let you quickly connect a video game or camcorder.
There are four sets of video inputs on the rear panel. Two of them have composite-video, S-Video, and L/R audio jacks. The other two have component-video jacks (Y-Pb-Pr) and L/R audio jacks. The component inputs (these take the signal on three separate cables), which will take the input from most DVD players and set-top box digital tuners, provide the highest-quality type of video connection.
Both component inputs on the TV accept 480p and 1080i input as well as 480i. This is an advantage over TV's such as the 2000-model (and earlier) Sony H/DTV-ready RPTV's which have two sets of component inputs, but accept hi-scan input (480p, 1080i) on only one of them.
Rounding out the rear-panel video inputs there are two RF jacks for cable TV or standard antenna connection.
There's also a center-channel audio input which will allow you to use the set's speakers as the center-channel speaker in a surround-sound configuration. Since this will cause a timbre mismatch as an audio event moves from the front left/right speakers to the TV speakers, it's suggested that you avoid this option.
To feed the set's audio signal to an A/V receiver, there is a set of L/R audio output jacks.
Remote
The illuminated remote is large (as any remote would have to be to control a set of this complexity) but quite well designed. While larger remotes, such as this one and those you always find with Sony video products, are somewhat unwieldy, they are also difficult to lose. Besides the TV itself, this remote will control audio and video devices from Toshiba and other manufacturers.
Warranty Information
When purchased from an authorized dealer (and possibly even when purchased from a retailer that is not an authorized dealer, but you should proceed with extreme caution in such cases), Toshiba covers the 40H80 with a one-year parts & labor warranty which includes in-home service. With any product of the size and weight of an RPTV, even one of the smaller ones such as the 40H80, I think in-home service should be a mandatory feature. It certainly eases the mind of anybody who purchases the TV from a mail-order dealer.
Caveat Emptor
When you buy a product such as the 40H80, the dealer might push you to add premium-priced cables (such as Monster) to your purchase. Avoid this. Many TV's include necessary connection cables. If you need to buy any cables separately, purchase any standard brand from a reputable maker such as Recoton, RCA, Belkin, or Radio Shack. There is no demonstrable performance increase with premium cables.
As they offer even more of an opportunity for profit than premium cables, many retailers will also strongly urge you to buy an extended warranty, or a service plan. Statistically, you will do better, often far better, by putting aside the money you would have spent on a service plan and using it to pay for your own repairs if they are needed. The superstores gouge customers with outrageous markups on service plans. If you decide you really need one, check the prices and service available from a store such as J&R Music World.
Always remember to read the fine print, because when you buy a service plan, you are mainly buying the small print. Also, keep in mind that many credit card companies will automatically double the coverage period of a manufacturer's warranty which, in the case of the 40H80, would bring you up to two years of in-home coverage.
Be cautious when buying mail order or from a bricks & mortar retailer that is not well known. Unfortunately, Toshiba is not as popular a brand as Sony or Panasonic, so you don't find their sets solds at some of the better online retailers such as Crutchfield or J&R. The Onecall Web merchant, who I mentioned at the start of this article, appears to have very responsive customer service. They run the hometheaterspot HT forum. Onecall operates bricks & mortar outlets in the Pacific Northwest under the name of Huppins.
You can get feedback on online merchants and mail order electronics retailers from the audiosurvey site and even from the merchant ratings right here at Epinions (it's a recent addition here, so the number of responses is limited, but it's already clear that buyers should steer clear of outfits like Love4Digital).
Conclusion
If you are looking for a fairly compact and relatively inexpensive H/DTV-ready RPTV, the 40H80 should be high on your list of candidates. Its screen size won't blow you away, overwhelming you in the fashion of a 56- or 65-inch RPTV, but it's a definite step-up in size, at least with 16:9 widescreen images, for anybody who has been watching their anamorphic DVD's between the letterbox bands on a 36-inch or smaller direct-view TV.
In exchange for getting a model from last-year's Toshiba HD-ready RPTV line, you'll save a few hundred bucks. The TV lacks a couple of the features found on the newer 42H81, and its cabinet styling is slightly different (see the accompanying photo), but, except for its two-inches-smaller screen, there isn't much functional difference between the two TV's.
It's not a TV for somebody who wants to "set it and forget it," but if you are willing to invest the time and energy into properly adjusting the set, or the money into having an ISF tech do it for you professionally, the 40H80 will reward you with one of the best images you can get in an RPTV. With the set now selling for almost half of its list price, this TV is definitely a bargain.
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