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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