 Practically perfect |
| Review Date: December 31, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Samuel Chell, Kenosha,, WI United States |
I'm far from being a "techie," but within a few minutes of removing this item from the box, plugging it into the wall, and attaching an ordinary coaxial cable, I was commander of a media empire (with nary a glance at the instruction manual). First of all, this thing is remarkably light, compact, and transportable. Even though it was delegated to replace the aging Emerson 13" TV in our kitchen, I can't think of anything I would rather take with me to another room, my desk, or on a trip. As is the case with any flat LCD screen, it doesn't "play" as large as its cathode ray equivalent. (For example, If you want to experience the effect of your old 27" big tube TV, you'll need a 37" LCD display--not just because of aspect ratio but the brighter, more intense, life-like quality that is unique to the "picture-tube" television sets of yore.) So given the shallow profile of this baby, don't be surprised if you find yourself second-guessing whether or not you should have sprung for the 19"-20" model.
Nevertheless, once you've lit up this little Toshiba, chances are you won't want to let it out of your sight. It doesn't have HDMI inputs--just coax, S-Video, and 3-color component video. Yet with a screen this small, clarity and brightness are never an issue. Even with an ordinary coax connection, the images are as crisp and sharply defined as the "enhanced" HD signals at a Best Buy or Sears TV department, the colors are vivid yet complex (just be sure to set it in permanent "Movie" mode--all of the other settings push contrast at the expense of hues and colors).
I have a big Sony flat screen that takes me several minutes to locate the switches, adjust the TV menu, then the set-top box, and by the time I find my way through the plethora of Time-Warner channels, I've missed the opening skit to SNL. The Toshiba, by comparison, is instant (allow for several seconds for the channel to lock and the screen to illuminate. The audio is acceptable for dialog. There's no distortion or "canned" quality, though for listening to Bernard Herrmann's score to "Vertigo" (the first DVD I fed the machine), I might give some consideration to using audio "out" for headphones or a hi-fi system. For most purposes, the sound is just fine. The remote, moreover, is bigger and friendlier than those coming with sets costing 5-10 times as much (yet this is one set for which the remote is an unneeded luxury). And I find the channel changes to be relatively quick for an LCD hi def processor.
In sum, simplicity, practicality, price and state-of-the-art technology tell me this is a "gadget" to own--if only because it behaves less like a gadget than a utilitarian necessity. Just remember to set it in "movie mode" (I know, too yellow on most HD sets), which seems like the perfect setting for all program types on this baby.
[June, 2010 update: the set is still performing like a champion--and still among the best-selling flat-screens on Amazon. The word has gotten out.] |
Perfect set for our camper
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| Review Date: December 12, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Ellen Torge, Chandler, AZ, USA |
| We purchased this combination TV and DVD player for our 17' Casita travel trailer. So far, we've only used it in the DVD mode since we camped in remote sites where we do not get TV signals (we do not have satellite capability with our trailer...so unless there is a cable hookup where we camp, the DVD player is our main use). We DID try out the TV with our cable connection in the house before placing it in the trailer and we were happy with the picture and sound it produced. As far as the trailer, we particularly like this 15.6" set because it draws a mere 30 watts which is less than 1/2 the power of the prior 13" LCD set we used with a separate DVD player. We like the widescreen since this is the mode most often used on DVDs produced now and by using less watts, we can watch more movies without using up our battery power and having to recharge with the generator. |
Toshiba 15LV505
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| Review Date: November 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Bob, |
Bought this after reading lots of other reviews. They are very accurate.
Perfect picture - forget about the 720P, that's all you will want
Nice clear sound - I'm a little hard of hearing and this is easy to listen to
Awesome tuning ability
Very slow when surfing channels
DVD works perfectly
Very light
Perfect for TV in a small room or RV
Easy to set up and use
Screen cannot be rotated up or down
Has no quality equivalent in this size
Costs less at Amazon than any poorer quality set at Walmart, Best Buy, etc.
Make careful note of model number: 15LV505 |
Great TV/DVD Combination
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| Review Date: January 14, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Lee Williams, Lewisville, N.C. |
| This LCD TV/DVD combination is perfect for the kitchen counter. All features including TV resolution, DVD picture and sound quality and CD sound checked out as excellent. The only minor complaint is when pressing a selection with the remote resting on a surface, rather than being held in the hand, the unbalanced design of the remote tends to allow it to tip over to one side. I highly recommend this product for the compact design and versatility of features. |
Excellent TV
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| Review Date: November 28, 2008 |
| Reviewer: R. Williams, Anchorage, AK |
| TV is very light weight, so easy for my wife to move from room to room. We are taking it on a road trip today to use as our portable DVD player. Picture clarity is excellent. |
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