Vizio VOJ320F1A 32" LCD TV

I watch a lot of movies and television at home, usually while I'm doing other things.  I've been looking at the different plasma and LCD televisions in stores for a few years even though I didn't need a new one and couldn't really afford one.  I figured I would eventually get one.  I started looking at the televisions a bit more earlier this year and I decided to go ahead and get one when I had the extra money.  I decided on the Vizio VOJ320F1A, a 32 inch LCD full HDTV.  

I am not a technical person and I don't know a lot about electronics in general.  I have learned more since I started doing some research on LCD televisions.  I am going to do my best to explain things about this set.

One of the things that helped me choose the Vizio VOJ320F1A is the price.  It was priced at $448, lower than other brands for a 1080p in the same size.  I decided that if I was going to go ahead and get a new television, I wanted to get the 1080p.  I did consider smaller sizes at first, but I ultimately decided that I wanted a bigger set and I've been very happy with my decision.  Another thing that helped me make my decision is the fact that my mother and stepfather bought a 47 inch Vizio a few years ago.  I've watched several things on that set, so I saw the picture quality.  They have been very happy with their purchase.

I ordered my television from Walmart's website because both of the Walmart stores near me didn't have the set in stock.  A few weeks after I got it, I finally saw it in stock at one of the stores.  I decided to have to the set shipped directly to the house since that was faster than shipping it to the store.  The set is still being sold on the Walmart website and the price has gone down.

The Vizio VOJ320F1A isn't that heavy at just under 28 pounds, though the weight in the box is 36 pounds.  The television comes with a remote control, batteries for the remote, a stand that can be attached along with directions, the power cord, a screen cleaning cloth, the user manual, a quick set up guide, a registration card, and a VIP services brochure.  If the television is going to be put on an entertainment center or table of some kind, the stand has to be attached.  The directions for attaching the stand are on a separate sheet of paper with a few diagrams.  Those directions are also in the beginning of the owner's manual.  The television can also be mounted to the wall with a wall mount that is sold separately.  Directions are included in the manual for wall mounting.  HDMI and component cables do not come with the set.  Registration can also be done at the Vizio website, which is what I did.  The serial number is needed for registration, so it would be a good idea to write that done before getting the television into position since the number is on the back.

The quick start guide is basically a poster that unfolds.  One side has basic directions for setting up the television along with a chart covering the types of connections the set has and which is the best.  Another chart shows what the connections look like and what the cables that go into them look like.  That can be helpful for anyone not as familiar with all the cables.  The bottom of this side of the poster also shows the layout of the connections on the back and side of the set.  The other side of the poster has steps for programming the set to receive channels.  There are pictures of what is shown on screen during this process.  The manual has more detailed directions for setting up the set.

The user manual has information spread into six chapters on various things connected to the set.  The manual is entirely in English, something I haven't seen in a long time since most of them have Spanish and French in them too.  Full color is used for the pictures, which are very clear and easy to see.  That did help me make sure I was going to the right spot to adjust a setting.  Things are explained in a way that is easy to understand.  I've had manuals for other electronic devices that have been confusing as well as intimidating with how long they are.  The manual is about the size of a magazine and it has a good size font that is easy to read.  I"ve had other manuals that were smaller and used tiny print that was very hard to read.  There is a table of contents and index, so it is easy to find a specific topic in the manual.  I have gone back to check on a few things at different times and had no trouble finding what I was looking for.  

On the front of the television is what the manual calls a Vizio power light.  When the set is on, the Vizio name will be white.  When it is off, the Vizio name is orange.  The only time I pay attention to that is when I first turn the set on because there is a slight delay after pressing the power button before the picture shows up.  The name changes to white immediately.  It did take me a little while to get use to that delay, and I did end up pressing the power button more than needed until I was use to it.  Now I hit the button and check to see if the Vizio name is white.  Every so often, I do have to use the power button again when something has blocked the signal from the remote.  There are controls on the right side of the set when looking at it.  There are seven buttons - power, menu, channel up, channel down, volume up, volume down, and input.  Pressing the input button will cycle through the input sources for the television.

The Vizio VOJ320F1A has three HDMI connections, two on the back and the third on the right side slightly behind where the buttons are.  There is a service port on the back that is only to be used for factory service.  An RGB PC port allows a computer to be connected to the television.  I haven't tried doing that.  There are two sets of component connections, one on the back of the set and the other on the right side.  There are also two sets of AV connections, one on the back and one on the right side.  For the one on the back, there is also an S-Video connection.  The Optical Digital Audio Out is for a digital audio connection to a home theater system.  There is also an analog audio out connection for external devices.  According to the manual, speakers can't be connected directly to the television with the analog audio out.  The DTV connection is for hooking up to an antenna or digital cable without a cable box.  A headphone jack is available on the right side.  The different connections are identified by different colors.

My Vizio is hooked up to a Blu-ray player with an HDMI cable and a digital cable box with component cables.  The cables slide up into the connections on the back, so they don't stick out from the back.  That does keep the cables from getting in the way of a wall mount, though it can be a little more difficult to tell which connection is which, especially if the television is set in place and there isn't a bright light handy.  It is easier to connect the cables if the television is laying down.  I helped my stepfather hook up their Vizio, and that is how we did it.  I didn't have a spot like that near where my television was going, so I had to hook up the cables after it was sitting on my tv stand.  My stand has a turntable thing on it, so I was able to swivel the set around to easier see and reach the connections but it was still a little difficult to tell which connection was which.  The component cables need to be firmly pushed in or they can slide out just enough to screw up the picture or sound.  That was an issue for me when I hooked mine up and I did briefly panic and think I had a defective television when everyone looked like relatives of the Incredible Hulk.  Double checking the connections for the component cables fixed that and I haven't had more color issues.  There are more detailed instructions in the manual for connecting different devices to the television.  

The remote control for the Vizio VOJ320F1A is a nice size and the buttons aren't too small.  It is easy to get the cover off to put the batteries in.  The remote control has a slightly larger, flat bottom.  That bottom allows the remote control to be able to stand upright on a flat surface.  I haven't used the GUIDE button, but that is supposed to display the channel guide when the television isn't using a cable box.  There are buttons for the different types of connections at the top of the remote and pressing those buttons will switch to the devices hooked up through those connections.  I only use the HDMI and COMP buttons with my television.  Repeatedly pressing one of those buttons will cycle though all the connections - 3 for HDMI and 2 for COMP.  

The LAST button will return to the last viewed channel when in TV mode.  The LAST button is also used when going through the menus to adjust different settings.  The round orange button in the middle of the remote brings up the menu.  That button is surrounded by the buttons to adjust the channels and volume up or down.  Those buttons are also used when going through some of the settings that can be adjusted.  The INPUT button, on the bottom of the remote, will cycle through the different input sources.  The remote also has a dash button that the manual says is to be used when entering digital channels directly to indicate sub-channels.  

After all the cables are cables are connected, the set up can be done.  I used the remote when going through the options.  The first time the set is turned on, the Initial Setup Welcome screen comes up.  Prompts comes up on the screen to set up things like language, home mode, scanning the channels if a cable box isn't being used, and selecting the input source.  The input source depends on which connection is used for a device.  When my television is set to COMP 1, I can watch stations through my cable box, using the remote that came with the cable box to change channels.  My Blu-ray player is connected to HDMI 1.  I switch between the input sources by pressing the HDMI or COMP buttons on the remote for the television.

The Vizio VOJ320F1A has several options that can be fine tuned from the menu.  There are nine different picture modes to choose from.  Each option has different settings that impact the look of the picture.  After a mode is selected, other options like the color, tint, contrast, brightness, backlight, and sharpness can be adjusted individually as well.  I went through the different picture modes and choose the one that looked the best to me, and I've left it alone since then.  When the settings are being adjusted, the menu screen pops up in the middle of the screen.  The menu has a blue background and blocks a good portion of the screen, so it isn't the easiest to fully see how the different settings look with the menu open.  

The Advanced Video Features is where five more things can be adjusted.  These things are noise reduction, color enhancement, advanced adaptive luma, enhanced contrast ratio, and color temperature. When image motion is digitized, picture artifacts can show up.  The noise reduction feature deals with that.  The picture reproduction performance can be increased with the color enhancement option.  I've left that with how it was set when I got the television.  Advanced adaptive Luma helps to deal with the picture looking too dark when there are large areas of darkness in the picture.  I have had issues with not being able to make out things when watching some movies because of all the black in the picture.  That hasn't been an issue since I got this television.  When the enhanced contrast ratio is turned on, the television adjusts the backlight for dark and bright scenes.  I have left the color temperature to what it was set on when I got the set.  There are four options for this, including the custom option.   Once settings are adjusted, there is a way to reset the picture mode to factory default settings if wanted.  

For the audio settings, there are five audio modes and seven other things that can be adjusted.  The settings included equalizer, balance, SRS TSXT, digital audio out, speakers, analog audio out and lip sync.  For the equalizer, a submenu comes up with five things that can be changed.  The SRS TSXT is a simulated surround sound feature.  I have it on and I think it was set to that option originally, though I can't remember for sure now.  I have noticed the surround sound effect, though it isn't like what can be achieved with a separate sound system.  The speakers can be turned on or off and the manual suggests turning them off if the television is hooked up to a home theater system.  The lip sync option is supposed to adjust the audio so that it matches the movements of the lips of the people talking.  I do remember noticing with my old television at times that the audio didn't match the lip movements.  I have not used the DTV/TV Turner setup, the auto channel search, or partial channel search since I have the set hooked up to a cable box.  

On the setup screen of the menu, the language can be changed.  This screen is also where the sleep timer can be activated in increments of 30 minutes.  The wide option is for selection the size of the display from normal, wide, stretch, or panoramic.  With input naming, special names can be given to the different inputs connected to the set.  I didn't see a need to do that, so I haven't tried it.  CC has several options for the closed caption, something else that I haven't used.  I left the H/V Position settings alone since I wasn't exactly sure what they did.  Parental controls have a lot of options for blocking channels.  There is a default password, provided in the manual along with a warning to keep the new password safe because resetting the system won't reset that password. 

Each device that is hooked up to the Vizio VOJ320F1A can have different picture and audio settings.  To change the settings for a certain device, change over to that input source and then bring up the menu for the television and pick the setting to adjust.  Once things are adjusted, the settings will be saved and be active each time that device is used.  I did play around with the settings between the two things I use, and I've ended up having them both the same.  Even the volume setting is remembered when switching between devices.  For example, when I have the television on COMP 1 for my cable box, I might have the volume at 20, depending on what I was watching.  If I change over to the Blu-ray on HDMI 1, the volume will then be on whatever it was at the last time I used the Blu-ray.

I'm satisfied with the sound the Vizio VOJ320F1A produces, though it could be better.  It does sound different from my previous television.  I don't think the sound in tinny, but it definitely isn't as full or rich as the sound on some other televisions.  This set has two built in 12W speakers.  I'm sure the sound would improve if the television was hooked up to a home theater system.  The volume does vary from channel to channel even when it is on the same setting.  With some stations, having the volume on 15 is good, while on other channels, it will be so soft that I can barely hear it so I have to turn it up.  I've had that issue when watching television on other channels as well.  I've also noticed that sort of difference when watching DVDs or Blu-rays.  Sometimes I watch a few movies in a row, and more often than not, I have to readjust the sound when I get to the second movie.        

The picture quality for the Vizio VOJ320F1A is wonderful and I have been very happy with it.  Regular cable channels look good, but where the television really shines is with HD.  My cable company offers several HD channels at no extra cost and I have been watching some of them since getting this television.  The picture is very sharp and clear, showing all sorts of little details.  The difference in the picture between the regular cable channels and the HD channels is noticeable.  I do think the regular cable channels look a bit better on this television than they did on my previous one.

I have watched several movies, both on DVD and Blu-ray since I got my Vizio VOJ320F1A.  For most of the movies, the picture quality is wonderful.  With a few of them, the picture has been more grainy, but I think that is because of the transfer for the DVD in question.  I have watched some of my favorite DVDs again, and the picture does look better on them.  I have been able to make out things that I couldn't before.  I think that is a combination of the television and the Blu-ray player.  I've only watched movies on the Blu-ray player with this television.  Movies on Blu-ray look absolutely amazing on this television.  North by Northwest is stunning on Blu-ray by the way.  I'm still amazed by how good some movies look on Blu-ray.

The Vizio VOJ320F1A uses an average of 103W when it is on and .50W on standby.  The television is Energy Star compliant according to the manual.  There was also a little Energy Star sticker on the television when it came out of the box.  The television has a limited one year warranty.

I've had my Vizio VOJ320F1A almost five months now and I'm very happy with it.  It was easy to set up and I haven't had any problems with it.  The sound could be better, but that is minor for me.  The picture is gorgeous, especially on HD channels or when watching a Blu-ray.  I'm very happy I decided to get a full HD television.  I think the Vizio VOJ320F1A 32 inch LCD television is a good, affordable LCD television.