Customer Reviews: Read 8 more reviews...
 Great for LCD HDTV Newbies, but Audio is Lacking January 4, 2009
T. Hall (North America)
If you're on a budget and this is your first hdtv, this is a decent choice. The picture is good (I found the Zeniths at the store to have the clarity and brightness I really wanted, but they were too large for my entertainment center and outside of my budget). If your eyes aren't accustomed to HDTVs, you may not see the difference between this and a better model for some time. A larger telly isn't meant to be watched up close, so consider your space when choosing a screen size.
I recommend reading the manual and adjusting settings for the best picture. And remember that you will only experience an HD (high definition) picture if the program is broadcast in HD. In layman's terms, that means you can't polish a turd, folks! :o) Don't expect a regular broadcast to look like the crisp, clean pictures you saw at Best Buy.
If your DVD player has an HDMI port, buy the HDMI cable and use it. I watched Beowulf with my son, and even he could tell the picture was incredible. (The DVD brand is a factor as well...we use a Sony).
For audio....you don't have to be an audiophile to realize Toshiba skimped on this aspect of their product. It's a shame, and it almost made the rating go down to a 3. AUDIOPHILES STAY AWAY. I read the reviews and bought it anyway, knowing that I will eventually complete my setup with surround (receiver, speakers, subwoofer). In my small place, I can have the volume maxed, and still need more. And I'm not trying to blow the roof off. When our heat kicks on or the washer/dryer are going, we have trouble hearing some things. And I read the manual, tweaked for a week, and it's not loud enough. I upgraded from an Apex! The Apex even had a louder, fuller sound that didn't need to be pushed near max! So it's a legitimate complaint. If you're in a super quiet home, or in a room the size of a closet, maybe the sound is more than enough. But for most busy homes (with other tvs, children, or home appliances), it will Not.
If you're not on a strict budget, or you can wait a few more paychecks, save for a Samsung or Sony (or even Toshiba's better models). If you don't know an Apex from a Coby and have a quiet living space, this will be fine.
 Good picture and sound, decent value January 2, 2009
D. Glass (Knoxville, TN)
I've had the Toshiba 26" TV for 3 weeks, using it with both over-the-air and DirecTV HD service with RGB cables. The sound is adequate, better than some other reviews might have indicated. Color is very bright, contrast ratio is good. My only disappointment is the unexpected "de-pixellation" (for lack of a real word) for signals received in 1080i resolution. At 720p, which is the designed resolution and the product used by ESPN HD among others, the picture is HD-sharp; at 1080i there is some small-detail blending not present in our other 32" direct view HDTV. I found the details in the manual readable and helpful.
For the price, and use as a second, lightweight HDTV or DVD screen, this Toshiba is a good value. If you're after super detail and speed, pay a lot more for a larger Samsung 120-Hz LCD.
Looks great. Sound is just OK. January 1, 2009
MizKitty417 (San Antonio, TX)
This is my first HDTV (if you can believe that) but I looked around for several weeks before getting this. First of all, my laptop, DVD player, and VCR are all Toshiba and they've worked great. Also, you really can't beat the price. If you look for a sale, you could probably get this around 375-400 dollars. Those made by Samsung, Sharp, and Sony cost much more. If you have a medium sized livingroom, bedroom, or den this will probably fit your needs. Assembly and learning the features did not take me too long (about 1 and 1/2 hours). The picture looks great! If you have a movie buff or big sports fan in your family, then you may want something else. The sound on this is not that great. I have a 10+ year old Philips TV in my spare room and the sound is better on that one. But I'm pretty happy with this so far.
 Great TV for the money! December 30, 2008
Maureen Abel (BRADLEY, NJ USA)
Received this for Christmas.My first LCD HDTV.Colors are clean and crisp.Screen is bright.Easy setup,right out of the box.Have not found anything to be negative about.Still going through the big manual.Thought I wanted a 32" but turns out the 26" is perfect. Not to large.It does not overpower the room.Really like that I don't get reflected light on the screen.Its a great gift!
Pretty good for the money December 30, 2008
Christopher R. Tinker (Baltimore MD)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased mine from best buy as I work at the store. I use it in my room so I can watch movies and stuff when my roommates are watching reality TV or something else stupid.
Either way,...
Pro's:
-Great sound considering the size of the speakers, I would compare this to Sony Tv's to be honest. Can not get as loud, but same quality.
-No glare at all. the matte finish diffuses all the light which is great.
Cons:
-Black level detail. In darker scenes/games you will lose much detail, but that is because of the matte finish. Its a trade-off for not having to deal with glare.
-No optical out, meaning if you have a cheap-o home theater in a box with only 1 optical input, you will be limited for surround sound.
The 5 star reasoning: The black level details are not up to par in my book. Maybe this is unfair because I sell TV's all day and see the best, but I think it could be better. Maybe not for the price though. Which is why I still gave it 5. I think the average user would never notice and would be very happy.
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