Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 40XF550U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 40XF550U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV Review

The Toshiba 40XF550U has, at this writing, been available for about a month. Here are my observations after 10 days' use

This brand and model appealed to me for three reasons. First, a new widescreen TV had to fit into a cabinet that previously held a 32" Panasonic CRT (tube) TV. While a 37" LCD TV fits, bigger is definitely better and this narrow bezel Toshiba is currently the only 40" on the market whose width is comparable to most 37" TVs. Second, I wanted technology that would not become obsolete for several more years, and this TV seems to fit the bill. I judged it superior features-wise to 37" offerings from Sony, Samsung, JVC, and Sharp. Third, I wanted a "name" brand that had consistently good ratings for performance and reliability from independent reviewers like Consumer Reports and techie users on avforum.com.

PROS
Nicely executed cutting-edge technology. Toshiba's 2008 top of the line 40" LCD HDTV: 1080p resolution, 120 Hz frame rate, and 5:5 pull down with a 10 bit panel. Features go on and on and are impressive.

Very high quality panel with no dead (that I could detect) or stuck pixels. It's uncertain whether the 40" panel is sourced from Samsung (generally recognized to make some of the best panels) or Sharp, though informed opinion leans towards Samsung. My set was assembled in Mexico.

Excellent picture, with good color and black levels (some techies think blacks could be slightly better, but I'm impressed). Subjectively, the picture is superb in HD; perhaps a similar Sony or Samsung's picture would "pop" slightly more (I've always been impressed with Sony picture processing). I have detected flashlighting on black backgrounds like movie credits. Haven't fiddled with the default settings, but there seems some green push. However, haven't seen any ghosting, banding, or motion blur (shouldn't with 120 Hz refresh). This set, though, is not used for gaming.

Living in the San Francisco bay area with numerous broadcast stations around, I prefer freeview over-the-air (OTA) to cable and satellite. Standard definition (SD) from OTA analog broadcasting sources, if strong signals, is surprisingly good - the equal if not slightly better than the old Panny. Old VCR tapes and SD broadcasts, when recorded on, dare I admit it, a VCR, are also surprisingly good. Note, though, that this TV (as most any HDTV) will struggle with weak analog broadcast signals, generating a grainy picture. Of course, all analog broadcasting will be history in a few months. (Digital OTA broadcast signals are subject to the "cliff effect" - if the signal's weak, you'll just get a bluescreen.)

The digital tuner is fine, but not as sensitive as a Samsung's I tested last year. Note that digital broadcasts are largely in the UHF part of the spectrum, so an existing UHF antenna might be adequate. See [...] for more information. Reception problems in my area are largely solved by adding a signal amplifier (both the Philips 24DB Dual Output Vhf/uhf/fm Amplifier and more expensive Motorola 484095-001-00 Signal Booster worked equally well). So if you have a good existing UHF antenna try a signal amplifier before investing in a new one. Note that VHF antennas are still good for analog channels 2 through 13 but useless for digital.

Audio: pretty typical, meaning not superb but adequate. Mute button gives half-mute and full mute. Full mute is complete.

For the most part, well-engineered, solidly built, and elegant form factor. It's hard to tell from pictures posted on the net, but this set has a thin and shiny black frame (bezel) with a stainless band about ½" thick set back from the outer edge (can't see it facing on). The lower part of the speaker strip at the bottom is a dark silver color.

Judging from my set and early adopter comments at avforum (see some really thoughtful and technical reviews and comments there on this line of products from Toshiba) this model seems nicely put together from both an engineering and manufacturing quality control standpoint.

CONS
The remote control is a bit clunky and not up to the design standards of the TV in my opinion (I like Samsung's so much better). No separate buttons for input sources. No separate audio button, though there is a picture size button. It's as though the remote was an after-thought or farmed out to a junior design team.

Some users have complained that custom preferences for input sources can be lost under some circumstances - if true, this can be fixed with a firmware upgrade. I haven't yet been able to do a global turn-off of the annoying closed-captioning that sticks.

NOTES
You can dim the bottom blue light if desired from the menu. The two-pronged power cord is not detachable from the set.

Toshiba's product literature has been inconsistent about the 40XF550U's dimensions - a very important consideration for those placing in entertainment center cabinets. I can confirm they are: 36.77 inches (934 mm) width, 25.3" (632 mm) height w/stand, and 12.1" (130 mm) depth w/stand. Toshiba customer service is 1-800-575-5469.

The set is not as tightly and securely packed as the Samsung that I reviewed last year. The box can be easily opened by popping 4 plastic tabs at the bottom (my set had a hand smudge on the top and the seller told me that freight companies routinely open the boxes to make sure all is OK !; I can't confirm the veracity of this statement but try to convince your seller to securely seal it before shipping). The TV has a loose cover over it, and is accompanied by a sealed plastic packet with serial number label on it containing user's guide, remote, and AA batteries. An included sealed and (finally) well-packed box contains the stand, also with serial number sticker.

Finally, I recommend checking with your credit card providers before purchasing. My Amex and MasterCard credit cards double Toshiba's 1 year parts and labor in-home warranty. My VISA does not.

Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 40XF550U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV Feature

• Super Narrow bezel
• Resolution: 1080p HD
• 14-bit PixelPure Processing
• ClearFrame 120Hz
• Gaming Mode

Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 40XF550U 40-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV Overview

Toshiba 40XF550U is a full-featured HD LCD TV that's practically all screen. This 40.0" (measured diagonally) model combines Toshiba's Super Narrow Bezel design with cutting-edge technology to deliver a beautiful picture in an equally beautiful package.With Full HD, there's no need to scale down a 1080 signal: Full HD creates the pinnacle in picture quality. ColorBurst technology expands the number of available colors and improves the color accuracy. This significantly improves both color purity and color saturation. The combination of ColorBurst and superior video processing creates colors that are more vibrant, more natural, and more enjoyable. The advanced Anti-Blur system virtually eliminates motion blur without decreasing image brightness, or adding flicker. Images are now crisp and clear regardless of image motion.StableSound audio technology eliminates the annoyance of normal program volume being followed immediately by extremely loud commercial messages or drastic volume fluctuations while changing channels.

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 29, 2010 15:30:10