Toshiba 46XV540U 46" HDTV LCD TV

I'm back to offer more on my new HD experience.

This is my second HDTV.  The first was a Samsung LN46A650, which I previously reviewed.  In short, I called the A650 a stunner.  Upon further review, I stand by that [comprehensive] conclusion absolutely.

This Toshiba - the XV540 - is a fine set.  But I must start by suggesting that it is not nearly as good as the A650.

The Toshiba is a tough set to review for a number of reasons.  For starters, Toshiba does not manufacture its own LCD panels.  It buys panels from one of the LCD makers.  In this case, the XV540 series will differ a bit because the 42" size has a different panel than the 46" size or the 52" size.  I forget which panel is in the 42" size; I believe it is an LG.  The 46" and 52" sizes have Samsung panels in them, and that is a primary reason why I bought this set.

The other reason this set is difficult to review is because Toshiba generously applies its own rendering technology.  Every set maker has an artificial image enhancing technology which, basically, distorts reality so you think you're getting a superior picture quality, but not true to the source material.  I'm probably going too deep at this point for most people.  I've learned a lot from the research leading up to buying these two sets - several years - and more so in the span of five months since I actually acquired the two sets.

In my opinion, the default settings for this Toshiba set are far too aggressive.  I believe the intent is to give the image a very deep and dark picture, but I find that this image interferes with a genuine viewing experience across all content sources.  In particular, it does a relatively poor job of displaying standard definition content.  However, HD content is also affected to a lesser extent.

Specifically, the set comes with a "green push."  That is, Toshiba's rendering technology pushes greens - in my opinion - to an extreme.  Thankfully, and perhaps arguably, a strength of this set is the ability to tweak settings to very great detail.  I have managed to mitigate the green push, but it is still there.

The picture is also somewhat dreary, although that may be too strong of a word.  What I mean by that is that most scenes in non-sports content seem to be artificially dampened, as if the sky is cloudy or if indoors, the lighting is dim.

The bottom line is that the colors just don't "POP" off the screen like they do on my Samsung.  Or on a Bravia, as my parents have at another location and as I have seen in stores.

Videophiles (video geeks) will tell you that no HDTV is complete without proper "calibration."  Well, I have found that calibration is a relative term.  Professional calibration will cost a few hundred dollars, and supposedly, will greatly improve the picture quality of your set.  Any adjustment to the settings of the TV that affect the picture quality is technically "calibrating."  Believe me, I have been calibrating this Toshiba since I got it.  And I believe I will continue tweaking it as I learn more about the process and more about this set.

But that's not what you want to hear, is it?  You want to buy a TV in the store, bring it home, and have a fantastic picture, right?  You want those colors to POP off the screen and be blown away, right?  That happened to me with the Samsung and I am spoiled.  The Samsung looked every bit as amazing set up in my home as it did in the showroom.  And I haven't touched a thing on my Samsung.  Not one tweak.  I've tweaked this Toshiba every night I've watched it.

I'm not saying this Toshiba is a bad set.  It's actually a very good set.  It's just tough going from the ranks of the Bravias (Sony) and the Samsungs.

In theory, this set should be every bit as good as the Samsung A650.  After all, it is a Samsung panel inside, just with a Toshiba frame and Toshiba's rendering technology.  The specifications for the Toshiba - the subject of this review, the XV540U, are identical to the Samsung A650.  Both contain:

+ Full 1080p resolution (capable of accepting the highest resolution images)
+ a 10-bit LCD panel
+ 120 hertz refresh rate

Those three specifications are the latest technology in all but the highest of the high-end TV sets.  To get anything better, you will pay a premium of 300% or more and the benefits are perhaps indistinguishable.  We're talking LED-lighting and 240 hertz refresh rates.  Only a handful of these sets even exist.

So this Toshiba set has the best stuff inside.  What's stopping it from comparing to the Samsung A650?

The answer to that question is the artificial technology applied by Toshiba compared to that applied by Samsung.  I much prefer Samsung's, obviously.

Before I forget, there are a couple of other specifications that you won't find in many places, but that may matter.

This set, with the Samsung panel, has a response time of 5 milliseconds.  It also has a contrast ratio of 50,000:1.  Samsung won't allow Toshiba to publish these specifications, but they have been confirmed.  My source is the AVS forum.

As far as other features of this set, it has four HDMI inputs, two component inputs, an S-video input, a composite input, an optical audio output, a composite audio output, and a VGA PC input.

I've used all inputs on this set except for the VGA input.  I don't plan to use it.

Comcast is my provider for HD content on this set, as opposed to Directv on my Samsung A650.  This makes a big difference on standard definition channels, but not a discernable difference on HD channels, from my experience.  Is this why I think the Toshiba handles SD poorly?  No, because I watch a lot of DVD content on this set and that is SD.  DVDs don't look as good on this set as my A650.

I'm probably being too hard on this set.  The picture quality is amazing, it really is.  But once you've tasted the "WoW" factor from a set like the Samsung, it's tough to live it down on another.

Why did I buy the Toshiba?  A few reasons, but primarily because of price.  I got the Toshiba for about $400 cheaper than the A650 in an offline situation.  I bought it at Costco for $1250.  I bought my Samsung A650 from Amazon for $1,505, but that involved logistics that weren't possible at my other location.  I checked with several offline stores in the area and nobody came within $400 of this Toshiba for the Samsung A650, and for that matter, most of them were out of stock.

The 2009 Consumer Electronics Show recently concluded.  Some interesting technology was introduced, but nothing of significance that will appear in the average person's home anytime in the next couple of years.  Right now, the best TVs have those three attributes that I referenced above - full 1080p, a 10-bit panel, and 120 refresh rate.  Any set short of that will be heavily discounted, because frankly it is old technology and is going away very fast.  Or at least, among sets sized 40 inches and higher.  If you're buying a set smaller than that, 1080p isn't significant, but that's for another column.

I think I got a great set with this Toshiba 46XV540U at $1250.  Look around.  You won't find it cheaper, and you won't even find another brand, budget or otherwise, with the best specifications for that money.  If you can find this TV at a local Costco before they sell out, it's a good buy, especially if you haven't seen a Samsung.

If you go to Toshiba's website to look at this TV in greater detail, you'll see it listed under the "Regza" line.  The top of the Regza line is the XV545U.  After that, Toshiba upgraded to the "Regza Cinema" line, which as far as I can tell, adds relatively nothing on top of the XV540.  The XV540 was the first of the Toshibas to have all three of those critical specs I referred to.  The 545 adds what Toshiba calls "SRT," or "Super Resolution Technology."  Toshiba contends that the SRT does a better job of upscaling standard definition content.  Since that's my biggest beef with the 540, it may seem to be worth exploring, but from what I've read among the 545 owners, it's merely marketing.  But don't take my word for it, go to the AVS forum and read the threads and see what people have to say.  Beware, however, because the owners often times look for ways to praise their sets, and discount shortfalls to make themselves feel better.

Perhaps a better barometer for evaluating TVs is reviews from independent sources such as PCmag.com.  They just did a review on the 545 series, even though it's been out for months.  That review essentially said it was the 540 with a thinner bezel (meaningless in terms of picture quality).

I do want to stress that this TV is impressive in one respect compared to other sets and that is the incredible ability to seemingly endlessly tweak video settings.  There are so many settings available to adjust, it is mind boggling.  I am not a professional and I am struggling to grasp all of the concepts and how to get this set to display how I want it, but because of the set's specifications and the Samsung panel inside it, I'm honeslty confident I will eventually get a consistent image I am happy with.

Make no mistake, Toshiba's sets are rated in most reviews as comparable to Sony's Bravias and Samsung's sets.  They usually come up a little short, but not by much.  Without exception, they are widely regarded as the best bang for the buck among set makers with this Regza (and Regza Cinema) line.  After all, Toshiba is no stranger to premium quality electronics and its TVs are no exception.

As for ultimate recommendations, I have to go with the Samsung A650+ series.  This includes the A750, A850, and A950.  They are all the same in terms of raw specifications (the key ones, anyway); the latter models just have a few extra bells and whistles that in general, have very little affect on picture quality.

But for a slightly inferior picture quality image, you can get this Toshiba Regza 46(or 52)XV540U or its sibling, the 545, for $300-500 cheaper and still get one heck of a set.

Yours, brad.

UPDATE January 18, 2009:

I will address a couple of requests for more information in the comments section.  Buying a TV in this price range is an important decision, so I would hate to leave you short.

Regarding the audio on this TV.  Unfortunately, I am the wrong person to ask about the built-in audio on this TV.  I used it briefly upon unpacking the set and plugging it in and connecting components.  It sounded fine.  Frankly, I can't imagine why anybody would buy a 46" TV and not connect it to an external sound system.  Not even a stereo?  As far as I know, the audio works fine and is crisply audible.  But certainly, it does not boom.

Regarding the remote control.  The remote is less than ideal.  That shouldn't be a surprise.  Few remote controls are intelligently designed.  I much prefer the remote that the Samsung A650 has compared to this one.  On the Sammy's remote, the buttons are clearly labled and wisely placed for easy access to frequently used buttons.  On the Toshiba remote, the buttons are noticably smaller and relatively uniform in size.  But again, short of a Tivo remote control, it's been a long time since I saw a remote control that was a difference-maker.

The most important thing in assessing any of these TVs is picture quality, folks.  Look for the specifications I underlined in this review when you're in the store or browsing online.  If your set includes these specs, you'll get excellent picture quality.  That will make you happy.  You can always plug in a stereo or surround sound and you can buy a different remote if it really bothers you that much, but in terms of picture quality, either the set "has it" or it doesn't.

Happy shopping and make the jump to HD.  You won't be disappointed!

UPDATE: January 28, 2009:

I returned this TV to Costco for a full refund.  I replaced it with the Samsung LN46A650.  I am very pleased with the decision.