Breathtaking LCD Projection Quality from those who know technology best!

Author's Rating:

Pros: Beautifully Constructed Picture, Huge Display, HDTV, Energy Star, Center Channel In, Burn-in Resistant

Cons: Price, Lamp Replacement, Pixilization, Burnt Pixels, Lack of Upconversion, Stand is almost mandatory

The Bottom Line: 
As the LCD age has evolved, Hitachi has created a magnificent machine. It's shortcomings are FAR outweighed by it's superiority

Author's Review
After having stared at the same old 27” CRT tube for most of my life, it was time to finally make a change. College was over and a steady income was now present, making it evident that it’s NOW time to buy the toys…before marriage sucks me in! I never actually realized until I started looking just HOW many types of TV formats there are out there. Immediately a CRT tube was flushed out, cause I didn’t really want any smaller then a 42”. This left me with 3 options, a rear projection TV, LCD rear projection, or plasma. Having heard the complaints of previous rear-projection owners, I decided to flush that immediately out of mind despite its gigantic size screens and pleasing price tag of around $1500 or so. As I found out, the next 2 classes of TV’s are at cheapest, almost 2x the price of a rear projection TV! This narrowed it down to LCD or plasma. I really didn’t feel like spending $7000 for equivalent sized plasma 50” TV, so it was clear I wasn't going to be leaving with anything plasma. As usual, I did my homework for about a week, and found that based on consumer reports as well as sales information, Hitachi seemed to have the edge on LCD technology, which finally brought my new baby home to me, the Hitachi 50V500.

When originally looking on the ½ dozen sales floors I visited, I found many name brands of TV’s to check out. Among the many I found were Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, Panasonic, Samsung, Mitsubishi and Philips. I’ve always been fond of Panasonic products, but after looking over the quality and picture of them all, I was surprisingly NOT swept off my feet by Panasonic. 3 companies seemed to be stealing the show. Of all of them I was impressed with the Sony, Hitachi and then Panasonic. Concern of price differences were immediately put aside considering how all 3 models were within a $100 price range (which is minute when looking at $3000 TVs). The overall design of the Song WEGA seemed very sleek and smooth, but the pictured appeared to be a smidge on the soft side. The Panasonic didn’t seem quite a sleek, and it’s picture seemed to be fading in comparison to BOTH the Sony and Hitachi. It wasn’t until I started to start doing my homework that I realized that it should have been a CLEAN sweep between the competition. Hitachi has been known to have the edge on the big screen market, especially in the LCD department. Consumer reports showed it to be the LOWEST rated of problems, as well as higher up on the quality end. When all was said and done, it was clear that I was gonna be walking out with the 50V500.

Appearance

Running with the ongoing craze of silver, this TV is no different. Its box was GIGANTIC; almost large enough to believe there’s 2 of them in there! After working for about 15 minutes to just get all of the well secured straps and wrapping off, the screen finally smiled through. There is a front panel which clicks in and then flips down to reveal the basic channel and volume buttons as well as Video Input #5, which yields a composite set of RCA inputs as well as an S-video input. In the right lower hand corner of the TV are 3 lights, which represent power, lamp and temperature. All of them have meaning to their blinking patterns on power up. Oddly, the power switch is located in a “grove” on the TV, making it a simple but stupid task to bend over and find it (if you’re a tall person). If you opt for the stand which Hitachi makes, it is almost seamless and you almost can’t even tell where the TV ends and the stand begins. I opted to get a different stand, which looked a lot sleeker. Since the TV is in 16:9 format, it obviously is wider then tall, making it tricky to place on almost anything other then a designated stand (which you WILL want to figure into your finances). If not placed ENTIRELY on a flush surface, the image can actually start to warp from side to side. Everything else on the TV seemed to be either concealed on located on the rear side.

Dimensionally speaking, the TV does seem to weigh a little more then comparable competitors. When out of the box, the TV itself weighs a little less than 120 lbs. (119lbs to be exact). Obviously, the 50 in 50V500 stands for 50”, which is the diagonal measurement from one corner to the adjacent one. While the LCD rear projection TV’s do run much more shallow then the regular rear projection televisions, you’ll still have to make room for this honey, cause she still does manage to be approximately 16 3/8” deep, while sitting about 35 ½” high, and a total of 54 5/8” wide. Given it’s not very tall, it is pointless to sit the television on the floor. While it’s not NEAR as bad as a regular rear projection television, LCD TV’s still require you to sit close to eye-level with the TV, or else the picture quality and clarity will be greatly diminished. This is the primary reason why it would be VERY wise to finance in a stand as well, even if it is another $300. The overall size of the TV proved to be VERY user friendly when moving the TV into my place. Even around the tightest 90-degree turns, she swiveled like a pro. Just be sure NOT to have the TV on end for very long AT ALL, if you even have to in the first place.

Instruction Manual

To say it quite frankly, the instruction manual is massive. Topping out at 83 pages (and YES, ALL English!), it has almost anything and everything you could fathom to know about this TV. While not in color, endless black and white illustrations seem to lead the way through any question. All of the TV’s features seem to be covered pretty well. As with any type of manual, after spending some time alone, and sitting around to read a good part of the manual, I found it to be very helpful when setting everything up. Charts appear neatly organized, which helps to cut down on frustration when looking for answers. The troubleshooting section has successfully became one of the first I’ve ever seen that’s actually helped, giving more insight then the regular simple questions, such as why power doesn’t turn on.

Unique Features

Although I know I could barely even begin to touch the surface on all of the features, toys and gizmos this thing has, I’ll try to hit all of the high points. Most of the things I mention are items that I felt stuck the TV out a little more then other TV’s of similar comparison. Some of its signature features that separate if from other LCD TV’s are as follows:

Photo MC jack - Very unique to the Hitachi family, this jack allows you to view pictures taken on a digital camera through the jack located in the front. The pictures are displayed as quite breathtaking.

Speakers as Center Channel - In my own opinion, this was a GREAT idea…designed horribly. If you have a surround sound system plugged up to the TV, you’ll find that it’s hard to find a place to put your center channel. Just as it sounds, this allows you to plug the speaker wire up to the TV and allows amplified sound to be passed through the TV speakers. The biggest downfall to this is the fact that you have to keep tweaking volume levels on both the TV and receiver when this is engaged (even when “perfect sound” is turned on, which is supposed to equalize the sound input). At high volumes for movies (which you WILL have) the speakers true 24 watts shine through with an annoying symphony of tweeter burn. I guess this is what you would expect from ANY TV speakers though.

Day/Night Screen Modes - Of all the options this TV offered, this has to be one of my favorites. Simple enough, by the push of a button, you can switch between 2 different types of screen display. The Day mode displays everything brighter and with more contrast and depth. Even in some of the brightest of surroundings, this setting works great and is very easy to see above any glare. For those nighttime movie excursions, flip on over to Night mode, and you are left with one of the most BEAUTIFUL pictures I have ever seen. Attention to detail is wonderful, and the picture is very friendly and soft on your eyes.

Screen Size Formatting - Just as if sounds, this option allows you to manipulate the input image into a number of different screen sizes. For 4:3 sources (such as regular cable), you can chose to watch in the broadcasted signal in a 4:3 size box with bars down the side. However, you also have the following options for ANY source you are viewing; 4:3 standard, 4:3 expanded, 4:3 zoom 1, 4:3 zoom 2, 16:9 standard, and 16:9 zoom. The 4:3 expanded view does a wonderful job of filling the entire screen and making even the worst stations looks amazing.

Easy-to-follow On-screen menus - It’s nothing new to see on-screen menus, but what sets this one apart from the rest would be it’s ease. Even the most clueless technology illiterate person would be able to follow the on-screen guide, which solves endless questions you might have.

Inputs/Outputs

To no surprise, you’ve got quite an abundance of inputs to choose from. Why you would EVER need this many inputs on a TV is beyond me, but if you don’t have a receiver, you’ll find yourself ready to take on the world! Of the pickings, you have the following to choose from:

2 Component Video In
3 Composite Video In
3 S-Video In
Center Channel In
1 DVI-HDTV In
1 Composite Video/RCA Out (Monitor Out)
1 S-Video Out (Monitor Out)
2 Antenna In (A/B)
1 Antenna Out
1 R/L Audio Out (to Hi-Fi)

Do keep in mind that 1 set of Composite-In and 1 S-Video-In is located conveniently behind the front panel. You still have 4 other inputs to choose from on the rear side, but the fifth one is not to be confused with the rear quarters of the TV.

Remote Control

I’d probably say that the remote that came with the TV was a little better then some of the others I’ve seen, but definitely not the best. It does illuminate up numerous buttons when pressed, but fails to have an option to illuminate all of the buttons that light up. I guess I just thought it was pointless to have a button light up when you press it, but not when you really need to find it…when you’re looking for a specific button in the dark. Much to my surprise, the remote is NOT a learning remote, which is devastatingly amazing for a $3000 TV remote. It does have multi-function use for the following components though – TV, VCR, CBL, STB, DVD, CD, PVR, and AMP. Oddly enough, none of the AMP codes matched up with the Panasonic AMP I have, which is no more then 3 years old. Everything else on the remote seemingly worked great, and I must compliment the fact that they FINALLY made separate buttons for each of the Inputs, so that you don’t have to push the same Input button 5 times just to jump around to the input your looking for. The general shape of the remote is friendly and comfortable, and seems to sit comfortably in your hand.

Picture Quality

As previously mentioned, I initially found the picture quality of this TV to be superior to any of the other I had seen in person. It’s depth and color blend seemed very solid, steering away from any of the color saturation and bleed present with some of the other TV’s I had viewed. Since there is no phosphor layer on an LCD TV, problems with “burn in” images are a thing of the past. This used to be a frequent problem with computers and video games that were played on projected screens. Although it may not be 100% resistant, you would have to leave an image on this screen for a VERY long extended period of time (we’re talking weeks) for it to become burnt. Even more, the TV comes standard with “screen savers” which will activate after a given time to keep any time of ghost “burn” from every appearing. A very large amount of picture quality really does lie with your connection though. I’ve used all 3 types of connections, and will break down how each one seems to sit on the screen from lowest quality to highest quality.

Composite Video - Seeing as to how these cables are about the cheapest you can get, your picture isn’t going to win any awards. After having ran a few signals through the composite video input, I was not surprised at all to find numerous bleeds in color, especially in red. Motion seemed a little cleaner then when used on my old 27”, but justice can never really be done to composite cables. Sadly, the best image created by the Composite input would have to be when a DVD was paused. Then again, who buys a $3,000 TV to use $2 cables anyhow?

S-Video - Trying to regain its original glory from the days of old comes storming in the S-Video. S-Video (S standing for Super) was originally invented for the use of Hi-Fi VCR’s, and was originally designed with soon-to-be Digital Video Disks (DVD) in mind. When ran through the 50V500, the S-video did do an impressive job of cleaning up the bleeding residue originally witnessed by the lesser composite cables. Brightness doesn’t appear to have changed much, however attention to detail on the smaller things on certain DVDs now begins to show clearer. The transition from Composite Video to S-Video is a very distinct jump, displaying a difference that is probably more discernable then the jump from S-Video to Component. While nothing compares with the beautiful picture of Component cables, the S-video does trail very shortly behind.

Component Video - Now comes the big guns. Component video has always carried the bragging rights, but nothing can really prepare you for the first time you watch a DVD w/progressive scan, or a 1080 line HDTV source. After having run a set of these gold medallists through the 50V500, it was enough to almost knock you on your butt. I wasn’t able to find any signs of bleeding, discoloration or differentiation. DVD’s flowed like you were in a Cinema, and flicker and flash are now a thing of the past. The lifelike images found on the screen are made entirely by the cables, which were designed PRIMARILY with optimal DIGITAL picture quality in mind. As you could imagine, component cables tend to run more expensive in price…quite a bit more then the 2 lesser cables. If you plan on running ANY type of progressive scan image to the 50V500, it WILL be done through Component cables, because neither Composite nor S-Video sources are able to carry the load. Very unique to the Hitachi family, this jack allows you to view pictures taken on a digital camera through the jack located in the front. The pictures are displayed as quite breathtaking.

Power

When first powering up the set, you immediately can tell this is not a regular TV. Power-up tends to take a total of about 30-40 seconds for the picture to be 100% bright and contrast set. Powering off the TV also follows similar rules as well, making it a little different then regular TVs. When turning off, the lamp tends to take a moment to cool down. Usually this does not extend past 3-4 minutes, but it is evident when it is complete (the light stops blinking and the fan turns off). Although most people really just don’t care about this aspect anymore, I thought I’d toss it in here anyhow…the Hitachi 50V500 is energy star compliant, making it relatively cheap to operate. As a matter of fact, compared to most Rear Projection TV’s of considerable size, the LCD format TV is known to run for about 60% LESS. Although that may not seem like a big deal to most, it’s just a little more food for thought.

Problems and Disadvantages

With Rear Projection LCD TVs still being a relatively new technology, it would be naive to believe that it comes without any downfalls. Most of them are minor, but may be enough to drive any 1 person away from the decision of purchasing one. Here are some of the biggest downsides of the LCD world:

Replacing the Lamp - Oh yes, they more then likely won’t mention this part when you are out to buy a new TV. Since this TV is not composed of a CRT Tube (TV tube), it has to have other means of creating the light which shines on through the LCD screen (known as backlighting to most) and giving you the “bright” and clear picture you can see. However, the lamp that is inside the TV only has a life ranging from 3000-7000 hours of operation. On average that breaks down to about 2-3 years of TV. After that, the lamp burns out (just like a light bulb would). While it is relatively simple to replace the lamp, the price seems to be what kills you. As of now, the Hitachi replacement lamp runs a little over $250. Granted that after the lamp is replaced, the TV will look BRAND NEW again. However, it can be a little dampening to some to think of actually replacing a $250 lamp every 3 years.

Pixilization - Not unique to the Hitachi name, this is general with any LCD TV you will buy. Because of the way that LCD screens are composed as oppose to plasma, the spaces between LCD pixels can only get so small. If the TV is viewed from too close (HINT HINT – KIDS!) the will cause the picture to look very boxy, or become “pixilated”. This effect is not really noticeable if viewed from the minimal distance of about 10 feet or further. While it may be a problem to some, most are able to see past this minor detail.

Burnt Out Pixels - This can be a problem as well, but really isn’t noticeable unless you are either obsessive-compulsive about your TVs ) like me, or if you have a BUNCH of them. When looking at the technology again, it is possible for the screen to have defects called “burnt” pixels that fail to light up when simulated by the light engine. This will cause the pixel to “stick” on the screen, and it will usually remain one color at all times. When initially buying a LCD TV, it would be WISE to open YOUR actual TV on site and check for any burnt pixel (by lighting up the WHOLE screen with the “Video Wipe” feature found on this TV). Statistically proven, more then 60% of the TV’s that come off the line are rejected because of the number of burnt pixels that is contains. This also helps to prove why the prices on these sets never really get cheaper. Once a pixel is burnt, it is done, and cannot be fixed unless the WHOLE screen is replaced.

Lack of Upconversion - I’m still a little unclear as to why this TV doesn’t have some sort of Upconverter (AKA Line Doubler) to offset all of the 480p signals that it gets. Most TV’s seem to have some features to help produce an artificial 1080 line image. However, unless you are getting in a true 1080 source, the most you will ever be seeing it 480p (p stands for progressive scan). I believe I have heard someone else try to tell me that this has some sort of upconverter, but according to the onscreen info, I have never gotten past 480p. It’s not necessarily a bad picture either, it just sounds like it’s almost standard on almost all other TV’s now days.

Overview

In hindsight, I wouldn’t even think twice about buying this TV. Hitachi continues to lead the way in TV production, setting the standard for other companies. However, I wouldn’t think twice about putting down $300-400 for a 5-year warranty. As mentioned, this is a relatively new technology, making it prone to just about any type of freak problem that no one has thought of. As for the price, it does start to become apparent that this type of TV more then likely will not be for everyone. However, if your set in mind that this is your baby, keep your eyes peeled, cause it’s not really hard to find 0% financing for up to about 24 months. However, when it all comes down to, you be the judge. Does the Hitachi 50V500 stand up to the competition? It doesn’t hurt anything to swing by your local Sears or Best Buy to get a gander at a few of these LCD TVs. I back the Hitachi 50V500 whole heartedly, but in all honesty would like to say congratulations to anyone out there who is even looking into the whole LCD market. In both the short and long run, I don’t feel as though you could lose out with these TVs. Plasma TV’s lifespan is MUCH shorter then an LCD, and really isn’t a well enough established technology yet. Speaking from years of experience, I wouldn’t think twice about investing a little money into the Hitachi 50V500, cause it is here for life. Just as Hitachi’s saying goes…Inspiring the Next!