Great Deal!

Author's Rating:

Pros: EASY setup, light, very good price for the size and type of technology.

Cons: Tinny speakers

The Bottom Line: 
With a low sticker price and decent picture quality paired with tons of inputs, this TV is a great deal.

Author's Review
PLS NOTE: I have the LT27HTX model (which is black, but seems to have the same features - only difference is a faster response rate and no sub-woofer out)

I needed to replace my 27" Toshiba behemoth in the living room and wanted to replace it with and LCD TV mostly because of the flat panel and the fact that it weighs about 1/6th of the traditional set. I had looked around at many websites and decided to check out the deal at BJs on the various sets.

Well, this set did not disappoint me. The price on the set was $699 which was a bargain compared to its JVC and Sony counterparts. BJs had the sets lined up side by side on a display and set to the same channel. I found it VERY difficult to find any difference in picture quality between this model the other sets. Couple this with BJs 30 day return policy (no questions asked and no restocking fees) and a $34.00 extended warranty, I couldn't resist.

Setting up the set out of the box was a snap. All of the component jacks on the back are clearly marked. It has plenty of inputs for other devices including PCs. It can also do a PIP or split screen if you want to watch TV AND work on the computer.

The menus were a little confusing at first because I wasn't sure what to press to enter a selection until I saw the "enter" key on the remote, (DUH!)

The picture quality is clear and there are many options for setting up size, picture warmth, enhanced flesh tones, etc. There are two equalizers for audio - one adds reverb effects and the other changes the bass, mid, treble settings to accommodate different music. I found the "live" settings to give the best sound.

The audio from the built-in speakers was the only disappointment that I have seen so far. They sound a bit "tinny". The set does, however, offer a generated virtual surround sound. Also, the remote is a little touchy and it is possible to have the menu jump 2 items if you are not careful.

All negatives aside, I think you get a lot of bang for the buck on this TV. If you use a separate home-theater for audio, then the sound is not an issue at all. I think you would be hard-pressed to find anything comparable at a better price.

The final surprise was when the receipt printed out from BJs, there was a $200 rebate! So who can say that they were able to buy a 27" LCD - HDTV ready flat panel monitor for $499 (after rebates).

Finally, CNET wasn't too thrilled with this model set, but the folks who wrote in who actually bought one and set it up in their homes vehemently disagreed with CNET's opinion- they were all pleased.

UPDATE: I couldn't deal with the tinny sound, so I went and bought a cheap Cyber Acoustics powered speaker set from Best Buy (2 speakers & sub-woofer for $29.00) which was a great improvement on the sound. Yes, I bought an extra component, but even with the extra money spent, it was still a MUCH better buy than its competitors.