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206
FST Pure Flat Tube Offers Superb Resolution!
Pros
An outright best buy! FST Pure Flat Tube Technology! Hi-fi vcr to boot!
Cons
A bit heavy at 60 lbs. for a 20" monitor.No S-Video provision.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
When shopping for tv/vcr combos in the $300 price range check out the popular brands but the Toshiba clearly beats all competition hands down!!
Alright, yes I am the HS football team's videographer. Yes, I'm into sound also. No, I don't make a lot of money. In fact keeping up with my family's needs these days ain't easy! I tell you this because when it came time for a new tv I had to choose wisely in order to satisfy not only my needs but my wife and six children's also. After some careful but somewhat extensive shopping around I found something really special!
The Toshiba MV20FL3 is a 20" flat screen stereo hifi combo TV/VCR monitor of relatively compact size but considerable weight at 60 lbs. It features Toshiba's FST Pure Flat Tube Technology which is said to reduce reflections from room light. The rear of the unit has provisions for AV "IN" and "OUT" via RCA color coded jacks. The rear input jacks are used for Line 1 viewing. There is also a coax Antenna In jack. There is an extra set of AV inputs in the front for Line 2 viewing.
The somewhat slim Remote Control takes two AAA batteries and has nice big buttons in the center for the VCR. Aside from the Menu button there is also an Input Select. There are typical basic control buttons like the Power one. The On Screen Menu is offered in three languages: English, French and Spanish. There is a Sleep Timer option also [which my wife dearly loves!] and all buttons are responsive and reliable so long as the batteries are replaced yearly.
Having used this tv solidly now for 1 1/2 years I can tell you that it is a solid wonderful performer! The flatscreen picture tube projects beautiful color with no bias toward a certain shade or tint as other sets quite often have. Resolution is superb and when my PROGRESSIVE SCAN feature on my MINI DV camcorder is engaged the viewing is simply awesome!! I love the fact that I can patch my cam into the front AV inputs quite easily and quickly after a game. The set is very easy on the eyes and the picture is unbeatable at its low price of $300. We have the Rear inputs permanently hooked up to our DVD player and the digital reproduction is superb! My only wish is that Toshiba had also put an S-Video terminal on the set for even purer video reproduction but this is a minor quibble at this price level! Picture noise is almost non-existent no matter what the source!
The built-in Hi-Fi 4 Head VCR is great but a bit slow when rewinding. Video duplicating is a snap and always of high quality! The Auto Repeat function is useful. The 8-DAY multi event programming works to perfection. The built-in speakers are nice sounding but not great. Indeed they are limited but we have our Boston Acoustics BA-635 sub/sats hooked up to the mini Earphone jack in the front for dramatically improved sound!
For the price we paid we have gotten much in return with this 20" Toshiba that has replaced our old 27" Philco. Nobody seems to mind the smaller screen and we are not even aware of the smaller size for the most part. No matter what the room lighting the picture always looks great! FST Pure Flat Tube Technology has made a believer out of us!
The colors jump out at you and the resolution is unbelievable! The Toshiba is a true monitor giving off one of the most natural looking high quality pictures I have ever seen! The reduced glare only serves to further the issue.
If you are thinking about purchasing that low cost standard 25" model that you've been dreaming about, please consider a smaller "silver" flatscreen set[for about the same price!] before buying. I simply cannot emphasize the difference it will make! The flatscreen Toshiba is so much clearer and easier on your precious eyes! Ours was purchased at Costco over 1 1/2 years ago and we have been thrilled not only with the set itself but the store in which the unit was purchased! Thanks Costco!!
For years I felt that Sony offered the finest sets but now I am truly Toshiba's biggest fan. When we decide to upgrade [if we ever do!] you know what brand I'll be seeking out!!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Since the time I jotted down my initial remarks on this set a newer version of the well made unit is now available but is basically the same as the FL3. The newer Toshiba model is now known as the MV 20FM4. The current price on this set is just about what I paid for my MV 20FL3.
The Toshiba MV20FL3 is a 20" flat screen stereo hifi combo TV/VCR monitor of relatively compact size but considerable weight at 60 lbs. It features Toshiba's FST Pure Flat Tube Technology which is said to reduce reflections from room light. The rear of the unit has provisions for AV "IN" and "OUT" via RCA color coded jacks. The rear input jacks are used for Line 1 viewing. There is also a coax Antenna In jack. There is an extra set of AV inputs in the front for Line 2 viewing.
The somewhat slim Remote Control takes two AAA batteries and has nice big buttons in the center for the VCR. Aside from the Menu button there is also an Input Select. There are typical basic control buttons like the Power one. The On Screen Menu is offered in three languages: English, French and Spanish. There is a Sleep Timer option also [which my wife dearly loves!] and all buttons are responsive and reliable so long as the batteries are replaced yearly.
Having used this tv solidly now for 1 1/2 years I can tell you that it is a solid wonderful performer! The flatscreen picture tube projects beautiful color with no bias toward a certain shade or tint as other sets quite often have. Resolution is superb and when my PROGRESSIVE SCAN feature on my MINI DV camcorder is engaged the viewing is simply awesome!! I love the fact that I can patch my cam into the front AV inputs quite easily and quickly after a game. The set is very easy on the eyes and the picture is unbeatable at its low price of $300. We have the Rear inputs permanently hooked up to our DVD player and the digital reproduction is superb! My only wish is that Toshiba had also put an S-Video terminal on the set for even purer video reproduction but this is a minor quibble at this price level! Picture noise is almost non-existent no matter what the source!
The built-in Hi-Fi 4 Head VCR is great but a bit slow when rewinding. Video duplicating is a snap and always of high quality! The Auto Repeat function is useful. The 8-DAY multi event programming works to perfection. The built-in speakers are nice sounding but not great. Indeed they are limited but we have our Boston Acoustics BA-635 sub/sats hooked up to the mini Earphone jack in the front for dramatically improved sound!
For the price we paid we have gotten much in return with this 20" Toshiba that has replaced our old 27" Philco. Nobody seems to mind the smaller screen and we are not even aware of the smaller size for the most part. No matter what the room lighting the picture always looks great! FST Pure Flat Tube Technology has made a believer out of us!
The colors jump out at you and the resolution is unbelievable! The Toshiba is a true monitor giving off one of the most natural looking high quality pictures I have ever seen! The reduced glare only serves to further the issue.
If you are thinking about purchasing that low cost standard 25" model that you've been dreaming about, please consider a smaller "silver" flatscreen set[for about the same price!] before buying. I simply cannot emphasize the difference it will make! The flatscreen Toshiba is so much clearer and easier on your precious eyes! Ours was purchased at Costco over 1 1/2 years ago and we have been thrilled not only with the set itself but the store in which the unit was purchased! Thanks Costco!!
For years I felt that Sony offered the finest sets but now I am truly Toshiba's biggest fan. When we decide to upgrade [if we ever do!] you know what brand I'll be seeking out!!
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Since the time I jotted down my initial remarks on this set a newer version of the well made unit is now available but is basically the same as the FL3. The newer Toshiba model is now known as the MV 20FM4. The current price on this set is just about what I paid for my MV 20FL3.
