Syntax LT27HV 27 in. HDTV LCD Television

Author's Rating:

Pros: Bright and clear picture. DVI digital and all analog inputs. Low price.

Cons: Marginal remote control, manual, and menus. No video driver. Annoying buzz from the dimmer.

The Bottom Line: 
If you need HDTV and your budget is under $1000, give this bright and sharp LCD unit a try. As of 7/8/05, Fry's has it for $699 when on sale.

Author's Review
General:

For this review, I’ll assume you know the basics of TV and have done some research already. With the migration of TV from analog to digital, perhaps you’ve decided it’s time to buy a new digital set. The question you should be asking yourself is: EDTV or HDTV?? A couple of years ago, HDTV was far more expensive but now the gap has significantly narrowed. It’s pretty much a no-brainer: HDTV is not that much more and looks noticeably better with a good HDTV signal. In all the major metropolis’, there are many HDTV local channels, and can be received by almost any antenna you can come up with.

Description:

Check out the http://www.syntaxgroups.com for a description and details:

They also have a slightly larger unit (LT30HV) with is identical except for the display size.

The unit has all possible inputs for video and computer. It even has a standard NTSC tuner. To get local HDTV channels, you will need some kind of external source.

Appearance:

The unit is sleek looking with a silver plastic cabinet and removable pedestal base suitable for wall-mounting. The speakers are detachable or removable, which is good for those with an HTS (Home Theater System).


Picture:

The picture I’ve seen on all the inputs is quite good. I have not tried the tuner yet, however. The picture is very bright and sharp. I don’t see any ghosting at all, however some digital programming does not have very natural and smooth coloring. This is probably a defect with the programming, and the LCD does a great job of showing these deficiencies.

The backlight has three different brightness settings. Even the lowest setting seems quite bright to me, so I leave it there. There is not much of a reflection problem, which is quite an improvement for me over my old CRT unit in my living room.

About the only complaint I have is with the dark black areas of the picture. This is common with LCD units, so don’t expect really dark blacks with any LCD. Compared to the brightest areas, the difference is tremendous and you quickly get used to this.

Documentation:

I must say that the manual is sufficient but somewhat limited. Your average Joe with little HTS experience may have trouble with it. Let’s just say it has the basic info there, but little more. There are no computer drivers, so I was on my own there. Most video cards do not have a 1280x720 setting. If you change the display and the monitor does not support the resolution or refresh, you get a blue screen. So I went to the Nvidia website for the latest driver for my card and much to my relief there was a new setting for me. Using DVI makes for the best desktop and DVD output. I advise using WinDVD V6 by Intervideo. My video card supports dual monitors but I just use the DVI for computer output. You need to setup the audio to send the digital output to the external output (if your sound card supports it) for the full HTS effect.

Convenience: I found the remote control and menus to be somewhat annoying. You need to point the remote directly at the lower part of the screen to get any response. Some functions are not available unless there is an input signal, such as PIP. Some functions are selected by pressing the middle navigation button, while with others you use the right arrow button. Without taking the time to learn how this works, I can easily see a person getting quite distressed. The INPUT and MENU buttons are nice, but I would like to see an ASPECT RATIO shortcut button for easily switching from 4:3 to 16:9 without having to navigate from the main menu. Another annoying feature is that the remote seems to operate some of my other equipment, so care must be taken where the beam is directed.

Noise: At first I did not notice it but the unit puts out a soft but annoying buzz. I must first tell you that I have very sensitive hearing. At first I noticed the sound from the left speaker, so I disconnected the speaker wires. This helped but there is still a faint high-pitched buzz coming from the back of the unit in the left side. After using the controls, I realize that the sound goes away when the backlight setting is set to the brightest setting. It must be the dimming of the backlight which causes the noise. It’s not REALLY loud, and with normal volume and audio from my HTS it does not present a problem. Nobody else who has been over has noticed or commented on this besides myself. At least the unit does not have a built in fan.

Summary and Conclusion:

Considering the picture quality, price, specs., and features, this unit is a very good deal. It’s difficult to find an HDTV monitor with all the inputs and specs this unit offers. Now I’m crossing my fingers in hopes that the unit lasts a few years.

Reviewer’s System:

Denon AVR3802 see full review here: http://www.epinions.com/content_69172235908
4 each Klipsch RB3 mains and surround speakers
1 each Klipsch RC1 center speaker
1 each Klipsch RS12 subwoofer
Panasonic DVD-F85 DVD changer with progressive scan
Philips VRA999 SVHS VCR
AMD 2600 Athlon with Gainward Nvidia Gforce4 ultra 750 VIVO (with DVI and svideo output)


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Update: 7/8/05

After some more usage, I've decided to drop my complaint about the buzz / noise when the screen is dimmed. I've gotten used to the bright screen and no longer use the dimmer. Therefor, no buzz! For more info about HDTV, please join us at pc-friends.com.


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Update: 9/28/06

This unit is still going strong for me. One problem I have not mentioned is the unit does have some difficulty with component video inputs from my DVD player (Panasonic DVD-F85). Every few minutes while video is playing, the picture begins to tear and may totally break up for a couple of seconds. This usually happens with a very bright scene or menu. This is very annoying so I am using SVHS input instead, which is not nearly as sharp a picture. I'm not sure if this problem would go away with a different DVD player or cable because I have no way of testing it. I've had no other problems from the DVD player, so I am assuming the problem is the Syntax.