Toshiba 56H80 56 in. TV

Direct-view TV sets get more expensive as they get larger because it costs the manufacturers more to make larger cathode-ray tubes (CRT's). With a direct-view TV, the CRT and the viewing screen are one and the same and the larger CRT's of the larger-size direct-view sets make a sizable contribution to their manufacturing costs.

With rear-projection TV's (RPTV's), such as Toshiba's new 56H80, there is not a single CRT but a set of three, with one used for each of the primary colors. As with most RPTV's, commonly called "bigscreen TV's," the 56H80 uses seven-inch CRT's, projecting their combined image onto the inside of a 56-inch (measured diagonally) acrylic viewing screen.

Interestingly, you'll get seven-inch CRT's whether you buy the entry-level set in Toshiba's 2001 line of high-def RPTV's, the 40H80, the middle set in the line, the 56H80, or the largest set, the 65H80. In fact, all but the very most expensive RPTV's use seven-inch CRT's. To create the various screen sizes, the manufacturer just increases or decreases the dimensions of the acrylic viewing screen and, of course, the box that surrounds the screen.


High-Def Prices Dropping

In terms of pricing of high-def TV's, we are in what the Chinese would call "interesting times." While prices took a sizable cut between the 1999 and 2000 model years on high-def TV's, going down about 25 percent, they are now entering into an even more precipitous drop. However, the rate of descent hasn't been the same for all categories of H/DTV's. The prices of some types of sets, such as the H/DTV-ready RPTV's, have gone down quite rapidly. On the other hand, prices of direct-view H/DTV-ready sets have dropped at a slower pace. Then again, there was more room for maneuver in the prices of RPTV's.

In the past couple of months, the prices of some high-def RPTV's seem to have gone into freefall. At one e-tailer (onecall), you can now find the smaller Toshiba high-def RPTV, the 40H80, selling for $1,600. That same merchant has the 56H80 at a price of $2,500 (lists for $4,500). These are bargains, especially when you consider that the 40H80, last year, was commonly selling for around $2,500 (list $3,000) while the 56H80 was going for about $3,000. To check up on the best prices, you might take a look at pricescan. However, most of the merchants with the rock-bottom prices are, at best, not authorized dealers and, at worst, outright ripoff artists. To guard against the latter possibility, refer to the audiosurvey site. Also, if you enter a merchant's name into the deja newsgroup search engine, you will usually get a fair amount of anecdotal feedback.


An Option to the 56H80

The 40H80, by the way, is an excellent option to the 56H80. The features of the smaller set are practically identical and, as mentioned above, it uses the same seven-inch CRT's. The main difference is that the 40H80's acrylic projection screen measures only 40 inches ( measured diagonally) while the 56H80 has a 56-inch screen (measured diagonally). You'll have to check out these sets in person (or at least sets of the same aspect ratio and screen size) to decide the screen size that's optimal for you.


Widescreen Advantages

The 56H80 has a screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio, meaning it's 16 units wide by 9 units high. This is also called a widescreen aspect ratio. Since this aspect ratio is almost identical to that of many anamorphic DVD's, the 56H80 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. Standard TV's, and many high-def sets, use the 4:3 aspect ratio and have to employ letterboxing with most DVD's.


Input Resolutions of the 56H80

The 56H80 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, I use the blanket abbreviation H/DTV-ready for a set like this). The 480i video signals, which include the input from standard broadcast, cable broadcast, VCR, and interlaced-output DVD, are automatically line-doubled to the 480p level. The 480p output from a progressive-scan DVD player will be displayed at the set's native 480p resolution level.

The 56H80 will work with high-def signals only if you purchase an auxiliary set-top box digital over-the-air (OTA) or satellite receiver. Like all H/DTV-ready sets, the 56H80 has no integral digital tuner (it does have an NTSC broadcast/cable tuner for reception of standard analog channels). The set-top box must convert the digital OTA or satellite signals to 1080i (or 480p, in some cases) analog output and this analog is then fed into the 56H80 and displayed at one of the set's native H/DTV resolution levels.

The 56H80, like just about all H/DTV-ready sets, is an analog TV and will only work with digital H/DTV signals by using a separate set-top box tuner which can convert these signals (OTA broadcast or satellite) to the H/DTV-level analog signals (480p, 1080i) which the set can accept and display. Once again, the 56H80 accepts analog signals only. Some sales staff may refer to it as a "digital" set, but this term is accurate only in that it accepts, and displays, analog signals at the EDTV (480p) and HDTV (1080i) resolution levels, the most common analog output resolutions of set-top box digital tuners and the most common display resolutions of EDTV/HDTV monitors.


Video Performance

Like its smaller sibling, the 40H80, the 56H80 is a great all-around performer. With both high-def (1080i) input and progressive-scan DVD input (480p), the image quality is excellent. The only sets I've seen that are in the same league as the 56H80 for image quality are the Pioneer HD line of TV's (PRO510HD, PRO610HD, PRO710HD; selling prices of $5,800, $6,800, and $7,800, respectively). Unlike some sets, such as the Sony KV-57XBR10W, which have distinct problems displaying 480i-source signals (standard broadcast, standard cable, VCR, interlaced DVD), the 56H80, which employs line-doubling circuitry with this material, performs quite well.

The Toshiba xxH80 sets do have a reputation as needing a fair amount of tweaking to get the best picture possible. You can do quite a bit of this adjustment 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 56H80, 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 56H80's sound system will keep up with most sources.


Image-Quality Tweaks

The 56H80 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 56H80 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 TW-56X81, the predecessor to the 56H80, it was possible to defeat the velocity scan modulation. Unfortunately, you can't do this with the 56H80 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 often a part of the 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 few people will even notice the effect it has on picture quality.


Inputs/Outputs

On the front panel, the 56H80 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 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. Besides the TV itself, this remote will control audio and video devices from Toshiba and other manufacturers.


Conclusion

If you are looking for a fairly large H/DTV-ready RPTV, the 56H80 should be high on your list of candidates. 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 56H80 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 (relatively speaking). If you are on a budget that precludes dropping $2,500 on a TV, take a serious look at the 56H80's brother set, the 40H80, which you can find at authorized dealers for $1,600. The 40H80 is not yet listed at Epinions, but I have a review of its Year-2000 predecessor, the TW-40X81 (almost identical to the 40H80):

http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-3EE4-3BC4B74B-3A1F413F-prod6/tk_~CB003.1.334


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