Toshiba 65H81 65 in. TV
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- Aspect Ratio: 16:9 14:9
- Weight: 268 lb.
- Screen Size: 65 inch
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Toshiba 65h81 Widescreen projection tv
Pros
Crisp, colorful picture. Theater wide stretch mode excellent. Awesome DVD picture. Many configuration features.
Cons
Glossy reflective surface can be problematic. Can magnify imperfections of poor signals.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommended. With this set, you can enjoy current 4:3 format broadcasts in theater wide view, yet be ready for the coming hdtv standard.
I did a lot of research into the current issues of buying a large screen tv: 16:9 (widescreen, theater screen shaped) vs 4:3 (square shaped) format, "burn -in", size, etc. I settled on the Toshiba 65" widescreen 65h81 and have been very happy with the choice. I have been buying Toshiba VCRs for years because of their excellent quality.
Regarding the first issue, most tv broadcasts today are in 4:3 format. Hdtv will be 16:9, but this standard is years away. This means you either have to endure black bars at the sides of the picture when viewed on a widescreen set, which can lead to "burn-in" - permanent blackening of the screen in these areas. Or, choose a stretch mode that will fill the rectangular screen, but can significantly distort the picture. This set has four different options for stretching, and I'm happy to say that with the recommended one (theaterwide 1), the full, theaterwide broadcast picture looks fine - you have to look hard to see a negligible fuzzy distortion at the edges.(DVDs use 16:9 formatting and don't have to be stretched). Using this mode also solves the potential problem of burn-in.
The set offers a number of configuration features and options for sound (it can interface with an amplifier for home theater effect), picture, picture-in-picture, and picture size. It comes with a built-in closed captioning decoder (great for clarifying dialogue that is mumbled or drowned out by background music or loud sounds). The onscreen menu is easy to navigate, and the accompanying remote is feature rich and easy to use. It also offers a number of ways to input video, including the the ColorStream (y, Cr, Cb) connectors for optimal DVD viewing.
On the downside, though admittedly minor, the glossy reflective surface can be problematic, and may require repositioning lights in the room. And the picture quality is so sharp that it may magnify imperfections in weak broadcast signals, giving them a graininess, though this can be compensated for by adjusting the video settings (digital and dvd signals are awesome, almost 3d-like).
Regarding the first issue, most tv broadcasts today are in 4:3 format. Hdtv will be 16:9, but this standard is years away. This means you either have to endure black bars at the sides of the picture when viewed on a widescreen set, which can lead to "burn-in" - permanent blackening of the screen in these areas. Or, choose a stretch mode that will fill the rectangular screen, but can significantly distort the picture. This set has four different options for stretching, and I'm happy to say that with the recommended one (theaterwide 1), the full, theaterwide broadcast picture looks fine - you have to look hard to see a negligible fuzzy distortion at the edges.(DVDs use 16:9 formatting and don't have to be stretched). Using this mode also solves the potential problem of burn-in.
The set offers a number of configuration features and options for sound (it can interface with an amplifier for home theater effect), picture, picture-in-picture, and picture size. It comes with a built-in closed captioning decoder (great for clarifying dialogue that is mumbled or drowned out by background music or loud sounds). The onscreen menu is easy to navigate, and the accompanying remote is feature rich and easy to use. It also offers a number of ways to input video, including the the ColorStream (y, Cr, Cb) connectors for optimal DVD viewing.
On the downside, though admittedly minor, the glossy reflective surface can be problematic, and may require repositioning lights in the room. And the picture quality is so sharp that it may magnify imperfections in weak broadcast signals, giving them a graininess, though this can be compensated for by adjusting the video settings (digital and dvd signals are awesome, almost 3d-like).
