VIZIO E422VA 42-Inch LCD 1080p HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps

 

I bought this to replace our 10 year old 32" TV. This is the first flat screen TV in our house. I wanted a TV with WiFi built in so I wouldn't have to buy a separate piece of equipment to provide that function. I checked Consumer Reports and read the reviews here and elsewhere. This looked like a good buy and I got free shipping and no sales tax plus 30 days no cost return. I decided that if I didn't love this TV for any reason it was going back in the box and out the door. I kept it.

It was well packaged and easy to unpack and set up. All I had to do was attach the base to the bottom so the TV would sit on a shelf. The WiFi set up was a breeze in spite of what other reviewers had to say. I hooked up to my existing home theater without any problems. Then I got Netflix streaming all set up and was watching something on Netflix the same evening.

Other reviews complained about the remote being difficult or temperamental. I have had no problems with the remote. Due to other reviews I almost upgraded my purchase to the unit with the bluetooth remote. I decided to stick to my guns and go cheap. Glad I did. Now that I have this TV and remote I realize that what probably bothers some users is that there is no keypad on this remote and the bluetooth unit is like a slide phone with a full keypad. The only place where I need a keypad is when searching Netflix. The Netflix app has a hunt and peck kind of thing for spelling out titles - slow but it works fine. If I really want to browse on Netflix, I go to the computer.

By the way, the apps that come with the TV are very glitchy. If you are making a buying decision based on the included apps you will be disappointed. For instance, If I run the Pandora app it may play one or two songs then it locks up every time. I was just curious about it but I gave up on it. I didn't call anyone about it because I don't care.

We think the video is great on this TV. It is a 60Hz model but we haven't really noticed much blur. I read that the difference between 60 Hz and 120 Hz is hardly noticeable by most poeple - I have to agree. I chose not to pay more for a 120 Hz or more. The sound is better than expected. I like watching most stuff with just the TV's speakers. Of course, if I want better sound (like when watching a concert) I turn on the home theater system. Incidentally, I didn't want to have to turn the TV sound on and off for certain programs so I just leave the TV sound on when using the home theater. This works just fine and I am not having to mess with the TV settings.

Great TV. Works perfectly. I am very happy with the purchase. 

 

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VIZIO M221NV 22-Inch Full HD 1080p LED LCD TV with VIA Internet Applications

We have this as our kitchen/bar TV and it works out perfectly. This is hooked up to an indoor antenna and it gets decent reception. We also have it connected to our wifi router for streaming Netflix and Pandora.

Picture: Beautiful. 1080P is really nice. This is our first LED TV and the contrast is awesome. No complaints here.

Connectivity: Had some issues with it connecting to the internet. The WIFI router appeared, but we couldn't connect to it. After 3-4 calls to technical support, we were able to reset the connection by renaming the SSID (I chose a new name without a comma). Not sure the actual reason, but it connected finally. Vizio tech support was really quick to pick up (no runaround voice prompts and button pushing). I was impressed with the support both online and on the phone.

Netflix: Works great and the UI is almost as good as Xbox 360 as it allows you to search and browse available movies/TV shows. Streaming takes a bit to load, but once it's up the stream is seamless.

Pandora: We were planning for this to replace our Sony iPhone dock to listen to Pandora. Unfortunately, there are some bugs with it. Streams take forever to load and if you do anything to it, like skip or back up, Pandora freezes up. We have not been able to use this for Pandora reliably.

Hulu Plus: Streaming is perfect. Interface is a bit sluggish, but it's nice to see movie info while movie is running in a PIP window. Overall, nice presentation.

Other Apps (Yahoo Widgets): Tried the Weather App and the TV Guide App...both were useful.

Reception: The ATSC tuner is not as sensitive as our previous TV (Sceptre X23BV-Naga). Channels that we were able to get before no longer are available. So overall, good...not great reception.

Audio: I've read the issues with the speakers, but really it's better than the Sceptre we previously had. Not great, but passable. Music does sound a bit tinny, but dialog is fine. Audio Settings were almost non-existent which doesn't help.

Mounting: Not VESA compliant and connections are perpendicular to the TV so it's only meant to be a desktop/bartop device. Not an issue for us, but just be aware of this if you need it mounted.

FINAL VERDICT: Highly recommended. Once the internet issues were solved, TV works perfectly as expected. For the price and features, you can't beat it. No Roku or Apple TV necessary. If you can get pass the audio and no mounting issues, it's the perfect kitchen/office TV.

UPDATE 2/28: I just saw in the manual that you can mount this thing with a wall mount bracket that attaches to the back of the unit. I don't remember seeing this included in the package I received so it may be optional.

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VIZIO 42 Inch Class Theater 3D LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps

I had been researching 3D TVs for over a year before I bought this TV. Plasma had my vote as lack of deep black levels were something that were very noticeable for me on my last two televisions. I had been interested in Panasonic GT25 series for a while but the cost of active shutter glasses and up-keep (battery, wear and tear etc.) was prohibitive (this being a 2nd TV in the bedroom).

The first I had heard about FPR passive glasses based devices was about a year ago. They were said to be the next best thing but being a geek who has been burned before I was initially skeptical that the 3D effect would be very good. I was certain there will be sacrifices in image quality for 2D however I was actually very surprised by the image quality (both 2D and 3D) on this television. The device simply can not be beat in terms of image quality and features at this low price (Similarly capable LG TVs (albeit with 240 Hz and some extra bells and whistles) cost more than twice as much).

I have had an HDTV (this being my 3rd) for the past 5 years and this TV has the best image quality and features and costs the least.

PROS:

- Even though this is an LCD panel the blacks levels are actually pretty good.
- PS3 and XBOX360 on HDMI look fantastic and there are several modes available to tweak color temp and/or brightness hue contrast levels.
- 3D effect looks amazing with both games and movies. I have had the TV for only a day so I have not had a chance to watch a full length 3D movie yet. 3D games I tried include wipeout HD which looks amazing. I had tried this game previously on a 3D Sony TV before and this one looks just as good while costing one 3rd.
- Lots of options are available for different settings e.g. Zoom has 4 settings (normal, wide, zoom, panoramic)
- Internet apps are available for flickr, facebook, NEtflix, VUDU, Amazon video on demand, Blockbuster and lots of news station. Not needing to power up my PS3 (for netflix) or my PC (for amazon video on demand) mean power savings :).
- Qwerty keyboard on the remote makes using these internet apps a breeze.
- The TV has wifi n and ethernet both which makes it very flexible. It has 3 HDMI ports and 1 component and 1 VGA port.
- It has capability to play songs and display pictures a usb disk (has 2-3 usb ports, I tried connecting my western digital passport and it worked great)but no movies. Pictures app has a lot of different transitions that make the slideshow and normal photo viewing great.
- The passive glasses are much lighter and more comfortable than active shutter glasses I had tried before. I wear glasses so I have to wear these on top of my existing ones and they have been much easier to handle than other glasses. I believe one can get clip-on type attachments (generic variety not from Vizio) for prescription glasses as well.

CONS:

- None that I can think of. The TV has surpassed my expectations for its price. To nitpick it is not 240HZ, or LED backlit, does not support PIP or POP. There are less options available compared to TVs that cost more than twice as much.
- After a couple of weeks of use I can definitely say that the TV is a little slow to start compared to my older HDTV, granted this one has internet apps (implying an embedded processor with an OS that needs to boot) but it is a noticeable difference. Since, this feature was not something I could test with other floor models, this could just be the norm for internet enabled TVs.

UPDATE APRIL 16th 2011:

- Confirmed that movie playback from usb disks is not supported as mentioned in the manual.
- I had a chance to watch some more 3D content (Tangled 3D, Super stardust HD, mortal Kombat 3D demo, KillZone 3 3D demo) and played around with some internet apps like Vudu and netflix and all looked great. I have not tried the wifi n link as I have it connected via wired ethernet. Vudu has a test festure built-in that tells you what format (SD, 720P, 1080P would be most suitable as they are priced differently. There are not a lot of choices though and the prices are pretty high (4.99 - 6.99 for 720p to 1080p rentals) but they are sometimes better than Sony Playstation Network especially for 3D movies.

UPDATE APRIL 25th 2011:

- Added more information and my thoughts after a couple of weeks of use.
- I also tried IZ3D with every setting but could not get 3D (for PC)to work over HDMI. Maybe it will work over RGB but for my setup HDMI looks and works better so that is not an option I was going to try.
- I would also like to add that sound quality is actually decent on this device, depending on the source of the original material sound is clear. I was going to buy a sound bar for this TV (since it is in my bedroom) but i guess i can wait until the next version comes out in July instead of buying last years model.

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VIZIO XVT323SV 32-Inch Full HD 1080p LED LCD HDTV with VIA Internet Application

This is an excellent TV. I got it on eBay for $475.00, the setup was very easy and it connected to the Internet without any problems. The only application that wouldn't work was Pandora. A live chat with technical support wasn't any help. They wanted me to clear the entire memory. But I knew that all of the other Internet applications were working just fine and that it wasn't a problem with the Internet connection. Pandora would load all of my radio stations and then it would just freeze up. The little loading circle in the top right-hand corner would just keep going around and around. I started doing an Internet search and found the solution. I will share it with you in a moment. I really feel that Vizio Tech support should know how to fix this problem, after all people have been complaining about this for more than seven months now. So if Pandora doesn't work here is the simple solution that I found on a Facebook thread. God bless the person who figured this out.

From the HDTV settings widget;

1. Go to "Network"
2. Manual setup
3. DHCP - Off

This fixed Pandora on my set as well as many people on Facebook who also have a wireless connection. However, those with an Ethernet connection may not find that this solution works, but it might be worth a try.

I would like to see a widget for an Internet browser. This seems like the only thing that is missing from this fabulous WiFi TV.

Netflix does work on this television. You need to have a subscription to Netflix. To set it up go to the Netflix widget on your TV and get the code. Then log on to your computer and find the TV set up on Netflix's webpage (this took a little searching to find but it is there). Enter the code on the webpage and wait a few minutes. You will be able to watch all of the instant downloads after that.

This television has a 120 Hz refresh rate which is much better than most TVs in the same class. You get a lot for your money with this model. I would highly recommend it to all my friends and family with confidence.

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VIZIO E320VA 32-Inch Class LCD HDTV

This review is for the 32" and the 47" Vizio as I have recently bought one of each. As far as I can see the menus, remotes and operations of the two units is identical. The screen size is the only difference.

The picture is bright and sharp on both units. The 47" is hooked to 1080 HD (I use DishNetwork HD receiver) via HDMI cable and it is impressive - as you might expect for HD. The 32" is hooked to the coaxial input distribution system I use at my home and it is also a top notch picture for a simple coaxial cable hookup. However, please note that there is NO S-Video input at all and the COMPOSITE input (single yellow RCA cable) simply plugs into one of the three RGB COMPONENT RCA inputs. That's maybe a bit confusing but not a deal breaker for me.

The remote is full featured as it controls screen size, input selection, Closed Caption and the like with dedicated buttons. Very convenient. The remote also accesses an extensive menu system that allows detailed adjustments of audio and video. Also found in the menu is a JPG viewing feature that allows you to watch slide shows and sort photos by plugging in a common USB drive. I plug the SD card from my camera into a USB card reader adapter, plug it into the Vizio, and review my photos right out of the camera. The USB jack on the rear left is a little difficult, but not impossible, to get to if the TV is flush mounted on a wall.

PROS - these are not top of the line TV's, but I am of the opinion that most TV's have a pretty good picture if set up correctly. I use an Avia DVD to calibrate and it really does make a difference. I never use factory or preset audio or video settings - I turn them all off. More on that later as it pertains to complaints about poor audio performance from some reviewers. Also, the manual is written well and is useful and concise. I address the audio issues below but can say that the small stereo speakers on this TV sound pretty good although a bit weak in the deep bass. (Please note that anyone running this TV via HDMI but not using a surround audio system is missing half the fun of HD TV - namely the great stereo or 5 channel audio now available on most HD channels).

CONS - I have noticed that once or twice the TV has turned off when I hit the EXIT button on the remote. While clearly a harmless software glitch, it has happened so infrequently that I debated even mentioning it. However, some others may have had more serious trouble with that issue so in the interest of full disclosure I mention it here.

There are also complaints from reviewers concerning audio being too loud, too soft, and the volume going up and down! Folks, please turn off all audio enhancements on your receiver/cable box and the TV. Useless stuff with silly names like "Super Surround", "Big Bass Synthesizer", "Wide Sound Enhancer" "Video SuperSharp" and other useless factory settings should be turned off and left off! Check you receiver, your Vizio menus, and anything else in the signal chain and turn all of that extra crap off. Think about it, if you have both the receiver and the TV doing strange things to the pure, clean digital audio/video feeds - there is no telling how all those settings may affect each other. Did I mention turning off all audio/video helpers, enhancements and conditioners? If you want big sound buy a 5.1 surround system. Even the cheap ones sound pretty good these days and watching HD TV without 5.1 surround is like eating Oreos without any milk. This also explains why some of us really don't care how the TV sounds as we never use our TV speakers/audio at all!

COMPARISON - my cheap 47" Vizio looks better than my neighbors very expensive 50" Sony TV. We both have DishHD service, we both use an HDMI cable and are using 1080i resolution. Why does my cheap tv have a better picture? Simple - buy or borrow a calibration disk and take 30 minutes to set up your TV - then write down the settings for future use if needed. I use an Avia but there are others just as good. IMHO most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between these TV's and the high priced units some people buy - particularly if the video is calibrated correctly. If browsing in a showroom, be careful to ignore picture brightness as a selling feature as every TV salesperson knows that uninformed buyers will go for the brighter picture every time.

Lastly, please be kindly advised that any digital HDMI or Fiber Optic cable will provide pristine, perfect audio and video feeds. The nature of digital means that the cable either works or it doesn't! The cheap HDMI cables sold here at Amazon and elsewhere will provide exactly the same 1080iHD picture and 5.1 audio as the "Super Monstrosity Mega" cable for ten times more money. Sales people may tell you different, they may even believe their lies, but I have no reason to lie to you as I don't want to sell you anything. One caveat though - if you are running a long HDMI cable run (say 25 feet or longer), you could have trouble trying to use a super cheap HDMI cable.

I really appreciate the thoughtful reviews of others as a valuable buying tool and I hope this review has helped you too. Whatever brand you decide on - enjoy your new TV! er brand you decide on - enjoy your new TV!

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VIZIO E260MV 26-Inch Class Edge Lit Razor LED LCD HDTV

Purchase Experience: fine, smooth and painless as always.

Product Comments:

Size: fantastic - super thin, and light, which enables keeping shoved toward the back of its surface to keep the kids' fingers away from the screen.

Picture: Excellent, very crisp (using HDMI cable). Easy enough to modify settings to get the right picture for your lighting conditions. My set is in a naturally-lit room and I have had no problem with the picture or colors as a result of the bright sunlight.

Sound: fine. If you just want to watch TV/movies, the built-in speakers are fine. They won't make you go ga-ga, but if that's what you want, you'll already have (or soon hereafter acquire) a speaker system.

Heat: Here's a really trick of the LED backlighting - it produces surprisingly little heat compared to a more traditional LCD. Most LCDs generate a fair amount of heat, but the LED LCD doesn't generate nearly as much.

Dust: For whatever reason, the bevel seems to attract more dust than other LCDs in the house (TV and computer screens). Dust doesn't collect so much on the screen as around it - odd, but easily dealt with and doesn't affect the picture.

Bottom Line: Great TV, especially for the price.

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VIZIO E220VA 22 Inch Class Edge Lit Razor LED LCD HDTV

I bought this TV to replace the old one in the bedroom of our motorhome. I love it! Since there were only two reviews on this specific set when I bought it, I took a bit of a chance relying on the multitude of reviews of one of the earlier (sister) models...I think it was the M220. The two big negatives for the small Razors were the darkening of the screen at viewing angles below straight on and the audio quality.

Like the other similar models, this one does darken if you try to view it from below head on. Maybe the back-lighting does not extend across the bottom of the screen...I wouldn't know. For me it was not an issue, since I needed to rig a way to tilt the TV forward anyway so it could be comfortably watched from the bed. I just added another 4 degrees of down angle to compensate for the backward tilt built in to the set when sitting on its base (oh, yes, the base is a bit difficult to get on, but follow the directions, be persistent, and it will snap into place snugly). For those who want to use the TV in a location that places it higher than the viewer's eyes, consider spending $15 for a swivel wall mount. This set is so light that any wall should support it easily.

As for the audio, it was indeed pretty bad when I first turned the set on. But a few minutes with the easy-to-use on-screen menus took care of that so well I changed my mind about getting some external speakers to go with it (and we like good sound with our movies).

I love the features of this little set! All the right connections, nicely organized. Terrific picture, and an excellent owner's manual. Read it! You may be really surprised how quickly it answers all your questions and points out features you probably would never have dreamed this little TV could offer! The remote is very nice, too!

If I had not been prepared to deal with the viewing angle issue, I'm sure I would not have considered rating it higher than 4 stars. Although we have not gotten a great deal of use out of this TV yet, we have been very pleased with it. For what it's worth, it scans for channels fairly quickly (which is important when you're in a different broadcast area every couple of days), and we noticed that its tuner picked up probably two or three times more channels as our main TV using the same digital over-the-air antenna.

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