New Syntax Olevia TV models

[Ryan711]

for those with the 537h could you put some pics up, thanks

[elgibby]

If anybody bought the 537H at J&R, check the price. I just got off the phone and they're crediting $100 back to my CC to reflect price drop since I bought the set.

[ca_bigwolf]

Hi elgibby and others:

For the digital cable channels detected (SD or HD) using 537H, do you see image corruptions or dropped signals?

I bought 532H which can detect lots of SD and HD cable channels. Buy when I tuned in to a digital channel (either SD or HD), the image either had corruptions or signal went off and on from time to time. I returned the 532H but cannot find any other brand with the same picture quality at the price range. I am thinking to take a look at 537H to see whether the problem is still there.

[buzzard767]

If anybody bought the 537H at J&R, check the price. I just got off the phone and they're crediting $100 back to my CC to reflect price drop since I bought the set.

Gracias, Senior. I paid 1195 and will be giving them a call. Thank you.

[sickface0]

Just to let everyone know, Newegg now has the 3 series in stock.

[elgibby]

Hi elgibby and others:

For the digital cable channels detected (SD or HD) using 537H, do you see image corruptions or dropped signals?

I bought 532H which can detect lots of SD and HD cable channels. Buy when I tuned in to a digital channel (either SD or HD), the image either had corruptions or signal went off and on from time to time. I returned the 532H but cannot find any other brand with the same picture quality at the price range. I am thinking to take a look at 537H to see whether the problem is still there.

As I'm coming to understand this QAM tuner thing, the lack of HD channels detected seems to be because Charter cable is scrambling ALL of HD channels. I get a lot of other digital channels that are not scrambled, incl. locals.
I bought HD service from Charter this afternoon, and the PQ is amazing. The one local affiliate that is not carried on HD is ABC, and I can get it OTA if I keep moving the damn antenna. It is prone to breakup, as are the other HD OTAs. All depends where you are in relation to the transmitters.
Are your picture breakup problems with OTA or with a direct cable run to the set?
barry

[ca_bigwolf]

Hi elgibby,

My picture breakup problems were with the direct cable, for both SD and HD channels. I use Comcast. It appears Comcast does not scramble the HD channels. I only got one digital channel with OTA, most likely because my anntena is a low quality one.

Do you have breakup problems with the unscrambled SD channels from the cable?

[elgibby]

Hi elgibby,

My picture breakup problems were with the direct cable, for both SD and HD channels. I use Comcast. It appears Comcast does not scramble the HD channels. I only got one digital channel with OTA, most likely because my anntena is a low quality one.

Do you have breakup problems with the unscrambled SD channels from the cable?

Hey big
I am not an expert, but it sounds like a signal strength issue.
In St Louis, Charter uses Motorola DVRs with Moxi, and that's a huge issue with these boxes. I haven't had problems, but lots of folks have.
What box are you using? If it's the Motorola 9012 or 9022D, check here for info on what correct readings should be: http://users.adelphia.net/~ksoltmann/SPLMoxiFAQ.htm
I did not have any breakup probs with the unscrambled SD channels.
barry

[elgibby]

This may not apply to many people, but if it saves one other person from spending 3 hours on the phone with Harmony tech support, I'll be happy.
I have the 537H.
Here's the thing: I was not ending back on the correct source input when changing activities that had to pass "antenna". It was stopping one or two inputs short.
Specifically: Play DVD to Watch TV (via STB), with the DVD on HDMI and the STB on Component1. I have a Silver Sensor antenna hooked to the RF/Antenna input ONLY for one HD channel, 30-1.
As the TV, resonding to the Harmony, is cycling thru the inputs to get from HDMI back to Component1, it stalls on antenna to find a signal; when it doesn't find one on 30, it looks for 30-1. When it finds it, it moves on. But it's already missed 1 or 2 "source" commands from the Harmony. Thus it lands on S-Video1 or S-Video2 rather than Component1.
Three hours on the phone finally resulted in delays being built in so the Harmony takes some more time before sending another source command to let the Syntax tuner find 30-1.
Now this DOES NOT happen when it locks on to a signal right away, cable or antenna. As long as the tuner finds a signal, it's fine.
Sorry for the long-winded explanation; hope this saves some other folks time and aggravation.
barry
(btw, the Harmony tech people -- I got bumped up to a level 2 tech -- were friendly, patient and ultimately helpful, and Harmony TS has been excellent ever since I started with the Harmony remote)

[indecision]

Hey guys got my 532H installed today. I spent a good deal of time making system changes to accomodate the unit and haven't spent much time watching it. I was wondering if anyone has found a Dish Network remote code that works to control it? The Olevia site says that Yamaha, Philips, and RCA all work but none did for me. I even did a power scan and no dice. I have a VIP622 with the newest platinum UHF PRO remote (which sends IR to other components).

I am really disappointed because I checked this specifically before I purchased. I will send it back if I can't get this figured out. The wife will kill me if we are back to multiple remotes.

Thanks

[Olevia37HD]

Hey guys got my 532H installed today. I spent a good deal of time making system changes to accomodate the unit and haven't spent much time watching it. I was wondering if anyone has found a Dish Network remote code that works to control it? The Olevia site says that Yamaha, Philips, and RCA all work but none did for me. I even did a power scan and no dice. I have a VIP622 with the newest platinum UHF PRO remote (which sends IR to other components).

I am really disappointed because I checked this specifically before I purchased. I will send it back if I can't get this figured out. The wife will kill me if we are back to multiple remotes.

Thanks
You can try Goldstar.
But if you did a power scan time to find a new wife. :rolleyes: :eek:

[DaGamePimp]

Don't know if this will help with the remote codes but I just had a new 40" Samsung LCD here and everytime that I would use the Samsung remote it would operate my older model Olevia as well (just not sure if the older Olevia uses the same ir codes as the new models) .

--------- Jason

[ank]

Can someone help me decide between the 537h or the 342i. The Tuner (or QAM descrambling) isn't that important to me. Neither are the extra outputs, or digital audio output. The picture in picture and split screen isn't that important to me either. Again, with regards to the warranty, the exchange vs. onsite isn't that big a deal.

Guess the question is, how much difference is there between the chipsets? Are there any other differences. Where do these chipsets come into play? Will both look about as good for 1080i etc. Help.

[indecision]

On this remote code thing, the newer models remote codes must have changed. This is really frustrating! The Olevia site specifically says that "Any code listed under the RCA, YAMAHA, LG, or Philips will work". This is definitely not the case. The Dish Network remote is so much easier to use because of the PVR and specialty buttons so I really wanted to use it instead of purchasing a universal. I feel a bit mislead.

[elgibby]

just noticed on the Olevia website, specs say 537H has clear QAM tuner.
So much for that issue, Charter's gotta be scrambling.

[pointfive]

Am considering purchasing my first HDTV and I have a couple of questions.
Do LCD units shipped still have problems with stuck/dead pixels? I have an LCD computer monitor and that came with one dead pixel. If spending $800, I rather not have any.... Is Syntax any worse when compared to Samsung, Panasonic as far as dead pixels are concerned?
Will the price drop much during black Monday (day after thanksgiving)?

[elgibby]

Am considering purchasing my first HDTV and I have a couple of questions.
Do LCD units shipped still have problems with stuck/dead pixels? I have an LCD computer monitor and that came with one dead pixel. If spending $800, I rather not have any.... Is Syntax any worse when compared to Samsung, Panasonic as far as dead pixels are concerned?
Will the price drop much during black Monday (day after thanksgiving)?

My 537 has no dead or stuck pixels that I've noticed (my LCD computer monitor, a Sammy, had a couple outta the box a few years ago). I'm assuming that with every generation, stuck pixels become less of a problem as the technology matures. But it's probably a crapshoot. Check the "dead pixel" policy for each manufacturer you're interested in; some will replace if there are X-number, etc.

barry

[buzzy_]

So officedepot is selling the 427V and the 432V ... is anyone selling the 437V (http://www.olevia.com/jsp/products/detail.jsp?pid=437V), or is there a time frame for its release?

[ank]

BRO Chaos: Any idea when ComputerBrain is getting a shipment> They have the lowest price by far, but it shows backordered and they can't give me an ETA.

[phipp01]

OK I ordered the 537h from JR.com today finally after months of researching I will be joining the HDTV world Thursday or Friday. Paid 41 bucks more for 2 day shipping but unlike the previous post to save 70 dollars I'll be watching mine while computerbrain customers wait.......LOL j/k. I promise to try to post pictures of all material (sd/hd/ps2/dvd) asap......

[mixtapem]

332h(pixelworks) vs 532h(ati) better PQ will be used stricly pc and xbox 360
is anybody having problems with the 332h like they are with the 532h

[Aero968]

I too ordered from Computer Brain (542i) and am curious as to when they will be available for shipment.

[salth2oj]

Finally pulled the trigger and purchased the 542i, did not get a chance to get it out of the box yet.
I was able to find, what I think, was a great price as well as they had it in stock.
[EDIT]
Now just to find the time to hook it up.....I hope it is as good as you guys are stating.

Jim

[indecision]

I am a little curious about the 332H too. Other than the lack of an ATSC tuner, there does not seem to be much difference in this and the 532H. I don't know a thing about Pixelworks vs. ATI, but at the prices I saw during a quick search, the 332H is crazy cheap for the size.

[salth2oj]

WELL...i thought I had a good price right up until I saw Computer Brain price. :confused: O-well, I have it in hand and no shipping.

[Aero968]

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush,so to speak!

[rabblerouser]

Finally pulled the trigger and purchased the 542i, did not get a chance to get it out of the box yet.
I was able to find, what I think, was a great price as well as they had it in stock.
[EDIT]
Now just to find the time to hook it up.....I hope it is as good as you guys are stating.

Jim

Don't take this the worng way, but what kind of freak are you :) Open up that box man!

[ca_bigwolf]

Hi salth2oj,

How did you get Microcenter to match DataVision's price?

bigwolf

[ank]

Yeah, I'm sticking to the JR order. [EDIT]. Computerbrain can't give me an a date at all. They said might be weeks, might be months. So, whatever.

[phipp01]

Ank JR will do price matching once its in stock. I looked up their price matching policy. so hopefully they get some in stock next week and I'll get a price match.

[ank]

Ank JR will do price matching once its in stock. I looked up their price matching policy. so hopefully they get some in stock next week and I'll get a price match.

I don't think they will. They said that Computerbrain is not an authorized dealer and is a basically gray market. JR told me that you might get a tv or you might get a bag of bricks. Basically they BSed me and said that they won't pricematch. If anyone gets the PM let me know what you said. I ddon't think the stock will make the difference.

[WebTalk]

The 532H I ordered on Aug 26th from Datavision for my GF is tracking "on schedule" for delivery 9/13.

I was worried I had made a mistake by not paying J&R a premium of more than a hundred bucks. They didn't even try to match the pricing on Datavis web site.

I had to make about a dozen CS calls to Datavision and only yesterday did they confirm the UPS tracking number. I sure would like to know what went on between Syntax ( Brochaos posted they were no out of stock ) and Datav ( claimed Syntax wanted to ship them 30 units they had on order instead of drop shipping my order ). Anybody add any experience?

[bd8653]

I don't think they will. They said that Computerbrain is not an authorized dealer and is a basically gray market. JR told me that you might get a tv or you might get a bag of bricks. Basically they BSed me and said that they won't pricematch. If anyone gets the PM let me know what you said. I don't think the stock will make the difference.



We will have to see how the experience of people who buy it turns out. Their $$ are terrific!

[a224932]

I don't think they will. They said that Computerbrain is not an authorized dealer and is a basically gray market. JR told me that you might get a tv or you might get a bag of bricks. Basically they BSed me and said that they won't pricematch. If anyone gets the PM let me know what you said. I ddon't think the stock will make the difference.


Or you just might get a bag of bricks that does 1080p! :)

[vhnguyen1]

I've been following this thread and other Syntax threads for a while, waiting patiently for brave pioneers to test out the new models before I pulled the trigger on a 537 from JR, especially once the 1K price kicked in. Ordered on a Sunday, got it on Thursday. No dead or hot spots to report. I was happy to pay the pretty small price premium for a dependable vendor instead of taking a chance on borderline resellers. Considering that comparable (or lesser) models from other manufacturers were routinely selling for 60-70% more, no need to quibble.

Dish will be here tomorrow to install new HD setup. Meanwhile, SD on regular Dish looks pretty good, much better than old CRT. Pixelation, ghosting and other artifacts hardly visible considering the SD source. But then I'm not as picky as many of the forum participants.

HD on OTA looks stunning even though cheapo rabbit ear antenna was used and I didn't try very hard to orient it since HD was coming soon anyway. In auto search for channels, picked up 11 digital channels but not Fox (?).

480p from DVD over component cable was rock solid, no jitters, freezing etc. Picture at Zoom2 setting was grainy but still acceptable.

Minor complaints:

- Monitor is much better looking than LT37 (I don't like how speakers on the side make the LT37 really wide) but still won't win any design awards. Simple and understated, but a little short of elegant. Fits well in my living room, I'm not trying to show it off.
- Remote doesn't list my LiteOn DVD/VCR or non-HD 301 Dish receiver. Conversely, according to the online manual, Dish remote doesn't know about Syntax (I will have a VIP622 receiver, does anyone know what the Syntax code is for that?). Sent e-mails to Syntax and to Dish, probably will never get answered. Trying hard not to spend more $$$ on Harmony remote.
- There's got to be a better way of selecting source on remote than going through entire cycle every time
- No front inputs for viewing pix/video from digital camera
- Big Olevia logo showing up each time you turn on the TV is annoying

Overall, my best tech purchase in a long time, thanks to AVS posters. I feel bad (a little) for Olevia for being so overlooked by the general public but at the time that's how it is such a bargain for those of us willing to spend research time!

[salth2oj]

Bigwolf,
I went back to see the same sales person, showed him the printed "shopping cart" price from Datavision web site, and asked him to match it.[EDIT]


Hi salth2oj,

How did you get Microcenter to match DataVision's price?

bigwolf

[salth2oj]

I guess I'm a little sadistic.

I hope to get it open before the weekend.



Don't take this the worng way, but what kind of freak are you :) Open up that box man!

[BroChaos]

never heard of computerbrain...so i have no idea whats in the works for them.
no clue whats going on with datavision either. honestly, i don't get involved with sales that much.

we are using UNIQUE codes for the 3/4/5/7 series! there will be no programmable codes available at this time. we are in the process of being listed with the remote code creators. this will take several months.

the 3 series does not have ANY tuner at all. not even an NTSC (unless it's the 323).

[bd8653]

Thanks for the update BroChaos!

Hey, do you have any idea when shops like CompUSA will have them on hand? I am trying to decide between the 37 and 42 (5 series) and would love to see them in person. I am in Oregon, and CompUSA is the only store I have seen Olevia's at- are there any other stores you are aware of that will carry them here? (open to anyone)

At this point, I wish I could afford the 47"- what a sweet tv.

[n4fw]

Is the 537H's digital audio output AC-3 or PCM?

[indecision]

BroChaos,

With regard to the remote codes, your tech support folks are saying that there is a firmware update in the works to allow for other codes to operate the TV at some point in the future. Is this the same information that you have heard?

Thanks

[elgibby]

we are using UNIQUE codes for the 3/4/5/7 series! there will be no programmable codes available at this time. we are in the process of being listed with the remote code creators. this will take several months.

Do you mean "discrete" or unique? Cuz my Harmony controls the 537 just fine. I guess Logitech already added the code to its database via learning methods?
If you mean discrete, it would be great to have a code for each input; cycling thru is a pain.
barry

[Techaholic]

Well according to Bright & Sleek my 747i is shipping this Friday :rolleyes: , I find it hard to believe as no one has confirmed that that are actually shipping any of these yet. Hopefully Cedia will give us a real preview/review.

[a224932]

Hurray! Only have to wait till next Tuesday for my 537H. I can't wait... Does anyone with a 53h or 537h notice any lip sync problems?

[elgibby]

Hurray! Only have to wait till next Tuesday for my 537H. I can't wait... Does anyone with a 53h or 537h notice any lip sync problems?

I've had some lipsync probs with my 537H, but only with a crappy OTA signal that was constantly breaking up.
I haven't noticed any problem with HDMI (from DVD) or component (from STB/DVR) inputs. And the TV does have a sync delay control, tho it did not solve the problem with the OTA signal, which was wildly out of sync.
barry

[bd8653]

Are the stands/bases removeable for the 542i and 537h? Looking at the pictures on the Olevia site, they don't look like they are intended to be removed.

[buzzard767]

Are the stands/bases removeable for the 542i and 537h? Looking at the pictures on the Olevia site, they don't look like they are intended to be removed.

I have a 537H and it is wall mounted. It takes a fairly long phillips screwdriver to get the stand screws out but it's no big deal. I don't know anything about the 542i but would assume the stand is removeable.

[phipp01]

Well jr.com screwed up my order so no FREAKIN TV!!!!!!!! Cancelled the order and I am done with online retailers. This is BS!!!!! I'll go to CC or BB and spend the extra $$$$$ and bring the F**KING thing home with me. Anyone from Syntax reads this they lost a customer thanks to JR.Com. Their customer service SUCKS!!!!!!!!

[dad1153]

Calm down phipp, what happened? I've had nothing but good luck with my J&R shopping. What did they do to get you so riled up?

Well according to Bright & Sleek my 747i is shipping this Friday, I find it hard to believe as no one has confirmed that that are actually shipping any of these yet. Hopefully Cedia will give us a real preview/review.

Or it could be a bitter reality check Techaholic! Please start getting your sources and camera ready because we want hands-on info and PIIIIIIIICTURES!!! ;)

[12bob21]

I believe Beachcamera is rated a little better than J&R. They are slightly higher on the 537H but they have Free shipping.

[vegenigma]

How are the new 32 inch models for gaming? Has anyone experienced any noticeable lag in any video mode while playing video games?

[phipp01]

[QUOTE=dad1153]Calm down phipp, what happened? I've had nothing but good luck with my J&R shopping. What did they do to get you so riled up?



Something about they were supposed to call and confirm thru some other department and they never did nor did they ever email me nor did the saleman Eric ext. 1041 return phone calls. His Supervisor looked into it and told me he will "try" to get me a tv b4 Friday.....Then I had a real experience with Datavision regarding price matching and was threatened by an employee of Datavision to delay any order i have for Syntax that might be dropped shipped from my cell phone number and he read my number back to me. I didnt realize #1 Online retailers have your number when you call and #2 thats it's legal to interfer with commerce or trade. Huh i must be a hick or something.......Oh well thats another thread I stared check it out

[Raistlin_HT]

Well jr.com screwed up my order so no FREAKIN TV!!!!!!!! Cancelled the order and I am done with online retailers. This is BS!!!!! I'll go to CC or BB and spend the extra $$$$$ and bring the F**KING thing home with me. Anyone from Syntax reads this they lost a customer thanks to JR.Com. Their customer service SUCKS!!!!!!!!

Exactly why are you blaming Syntax for JR's screwup?



Also, you do realize that there are B&M stores that carry Olevia TV's?

[Olevia37HD]

Well jr.com screwed up my order so no FREAKIN TV!!!!!!!! Cancelled the order and I am done with online retailers. This is BS!!!!! I'll go to CC or BB and spend the extra $$$$$ and bring the F**KING thing home with me. Anyone from Syntax reads this they lost a customer thanks to JR.Com. Their customer service SUCKS!!!!!!!!
I live in NY and I wouldn't spend a dime in jr's, but that doesn't mean I didn't buy a Syntax TV. If fact I did from NewEgg.

[elgibby]

Well jr.com screwed up my order so no FREAKIN TV!!!!!!!! Cancelled the order and I am done with online retailers. This is BS!!!!! I'll go to CC or BB and spend the extra $$$$$ and bring the F**KING thing home with me. Anyone from Syntax reads this they lost a customer thanks to JR.Com. Their customer service SUCKS!!!!!!!!

And I bought my 537H from J&R, pushed the buy button Aug. 26, had the set Aug. 31 (two weekend days in there) and when I called them Saturday they refunded 100 bucks to my credit card w/o complaint to reflect a price drop. I'd say give them a chance to make good.

[rabblerouser]

Okay I got tired of waiting for you guys who bought a 542i to post a review. My theory is that you all must be watching it instead of reading avs.

I just ordered one from Beach Camera after checking them out as best I could. They apparently don't take any returns, but neither do many of the other online sellers and I am confident in the Syntax warranty. I will put up a full review of the whole process and panel as soon as I get it.

[thebarn]

I just picked up the 537H at HHGREGG in OH - 20% off sale made it barely over a grand. So far it's great - only issue so far is my VGA connection from PC won't allow anything over 640x480 in 32 bit - not sure why since it did work at higher resolution at 60 and 75 refresh until the first reboot... Maybe I need a new video card<?>

HDMI is awsome - no synch issues
QAM picked up about a dozen digital channels on TWC and about 40 Music Digitals on WOW
Optical OUT works great - no synch issues
Still working out the PIP settings

[lostdog19]

I just placed my order for a 537H with J&R last night. They called this morning to verify the order and said it'll be released today for shipping. I paid a little extra for the 2 day shipping, so I hope it'll arrive tomorrow, though I don't really expect that. More like Monday or Tuesday (depending on when it actually goes out).

I actually bought this to replace my old Sony 32" tv which I bought in '99, and finally died on me 2 days ago. So I didn't get much time to research, however based on the great reviews of the previous Olevia models, and the positive comments here at AVS, I made up my mind. Thanks!

[ca_bigwolf]

Hi thebarn,

For the digital channels the QAM on your 537H picked up, do you see flawless pictures? Is there sync problem between the audio and video? Are there image corruptions, distortions?

Thanks,

bigwolf

[Durls]

Ordered my 537H from J&R (great service) and was delivered in a couple of days, and was up and running last night! The TV is great so far. The QAM is allowing me to get over 100 channels + the music channels. Most are of good quality but a few don't have a good signal, picture/audio gets distorted. Audio tuner sounds great hooked up to my external speakers. I had to call customer service for a question and the answered almost immediately and helped me through my problem in about 2 minutes!

[Pete]

I'm at CEDIA and finally got to see a 747i. It was amazing. Hard to believe it was LCD...really good blacks. And I was suprised to learn that it uses Realta, not Reon HQV. They were feeding it 1080i from a PC (ESPN) so there was no way to see how it does with SD signal. But there's no question that this is going to be among the best of the best.

[wpwj40e]

I'm at CEDIA and finally got to see a 747i. It was amazing. Hard to believe it was LCD...really good blacks. And I was suprised to learn that it uses Realta, not Reon HQV. They were feeding it 1080i from a PC (ESPN) so there was no way to see how it does with SD signal. But there's no question that this is going to be among the best of the best.

Now thats just a teaser:) We need more info!!! Have you seen the sharp? Have you seen a Sony XBR? How did it compare?

So many questions.....:)
Therese

[Raistlin_HT]

Pete,

Woah ... it doesn't use Reon?? That's pretty sick.


What would you compare the black level to?

[Techaholic]

I'm at CEDIA and finally got to see a 747i. It was amazing. Hard to believe it was LCD...really good blacks. And I was suprised to learn that it uses Realta, not Reon HQV. They were feeding it 1080i from a PC (ESPN) so there was no way to see how it does with SD signal. But there's no question that this is going to be among the best of the best.

Pete you just made my day, my pre-ordered 747i is supposed to ship tomorrow. I just knew that pup would rock :cool: ... well ... maybe. :rolleyes:

[bd8653]

I just went and looked at some of the XBRs tonight, how does regular 1080i compare with the olevia? Is it like the Bravia series or better? I wasn't impressed with the 40" Bravia at all- could have been settings? I haven't been able to make any real comparisons because everywhere I go 1080p tv's are connected to their own HD source (possibly blue-ray HD-DVD) and non 1080i or less are on Discovery HD.
I guess I could wait for the 747- but that is a bigger budget than originally anticipated- I assume.

[thebarn]

537H

ca_bigwolf:
I'm not having synch problems on any those digitals here - I'm getting PBS, CBS, NBC and one other semi-local station. What I've seen so far, there's been no image problems either. I am using the basic TWC - not OTA antenna.

I am noticing menu items freezing up strangely. Like CC won't switch on/off, Aspect won't switch, etc. Maybe I've hit something wrong and caused this... I should call CS/TS to see if it's me or if maybe firmware is the answer. Has anyone else experienced this?

[badself]

Pete you just made my day, my pre-ordered 747i is supposed to ship tomorrow. I just knew that pup would rock :cool: ... well ... maybe. :rolleyes:

My 747i shouldn't be far behind yours. I ordered it on Tuesday...Waiting on shipping information from Bright and Sleek.The thing that pulled me into this set is the Optix Realta. My delivered price is $349 more than a delivered kdl46v2500. Initially, I too thought this set would be out of my price reach. The beefed up 50 watt speakers/subwoofer should serve me till I can afford a decent audio system. All things equal, I think prices will drop quicker on the v2500 than on the 747i due to the limited number of dealers who will handle the 747i. Hopefully, prices on both these sets will fall as quickly as xbr prices. Maybe I'm just trying to justify my purchase; yet, it seems the 747i is potentially more set than any of the Sony or Samsungs of comparable screen size and resolution.

I wish I was at CEDIA right at this moment!

[cburbs]

Looks like Newegg is getting more of the new models in -
Price wise though J&R seem the cheapest...

[badself]

I guess I could wait for the 747- but that is a bigger budget than originally anticipated- I assume.

You know what they say about assumptions.

The 747i costs slightly more than the 46v2500, virtually dead-up in price with the 46xbr2 and 4696.

[vegenigma]

I purchased the 432V yesterday and here's what I think so far:

Good:
- Xbox 360 games look amazing in 720p and 1080i.
- More screen sizing options than on my previous set, a Samsung Slimfit CRT
- Sound is stronger and clearer than on the Slimfit CRT.
- SD TV looks better than I expected. From my viewing distance it looks as good as a CRT.

Bad:
- Remote control could be better.
- No PiP unless I just haven't found it yet.

I should also point out that I do not experience any of the the problems others have experienced when using 480i/p sources. I do know that I bought this LCD from a Office Depot store that had just gotten it in the same day, so maybe Olevia fixed the problem?

[vegenigma]

I am looking to hook up my laptop up to my 432V and was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what type of cable to buy and where to look for it.

I did some searching on Newegg and it appears as though I can get a VGA to DVI cable or a VGA to VGA cable. Would the PQ be better if I hook into the DVI port or the VGA port on the LCD, or does it not matter?

[badself]

The following link contains pdf files for new syntax models, including 7 series (but not 4 series):

http://www.syntaxbrillian.com/products/olevia_hdtvs.html

[cburbs]

Here is the link for 4 series...
http://www.olevia.com/jsp/products/detail.jsp?pid=427v

[fanatik]

So is the only difference between the 427v and the 527v, the color? I used the link posted above to compare both and couldnt find anything else different. Could someone tell me which one is better than the other?

Also I was wondering if one antennae could be used to give out two signals? I have a 5 foot antennae I`m using right now and want to use it for my syntax when I buy and want to know if I can use one antennae for both OTA tvs for HDTV.

[vegenigma]

So is the only difference between the 427v and the 527v, the color? I used the link posted above to compare both and couldnt find anything else different. Could someone tell me which one is better than the other?

It seems that way. Also the 427v is only found at Office Depot and typically costs a little less from the research I've done.

[cburbs]

If I recall this model # scheme is similiar to how Denon handles some of there stuff - certain stores sell the 4 series and others sell the 5 series.

The only difference was the color and where the speakers were mounted if I recall correctly.

[fanatik]

Thank You guys. I think I`ve made up my mind and went with the 432v from OD. I like the speakers on the sides better than on the bottom anyways but would of preffered black but oh well. Also jr sells the 532h for 100 more after shipping.

[vegenigma]

Thank You guys. I think I`ve made up my mind and went with the 432v from OD. I like the speakers on the sides better than on the bottom anyways but would of preffered black but oh well. Also jr sells the 532h for 100 more after shipping.

Congrats! I hope you like it. As I stated above, mine does not have any of the jittering or picture quality issues others have reported when using 480i/p sources, so hopefully yours won't either. I would have kept mine even if it did though, since it's an amazing value for the money and Xbox 360 content looks spectacular on it.

[buzzy_]

So is the only difference between the 427v and the 527v, the color? I used the link posted above to compare both and couldnt find anything else different. Could someone tell me which one is better than the other?The 427V here (http://www.olevia.com/jsp/products/detail.jsp?pid=427v), in the "Compare Model Specifications" pull down to find the 527V, does a line by line comparison. No differences I can see in a quick runthrough, unlike some of the other 5-series which have different remote and different warranty.

Hard to figure out from the manuals (http://www.olevia.com/jsp/support/downloads.jsp), though it's not really clear and I haven't tried to find the differences:

ATI 427 and 432 User Manual
ATI 526, 527m and 532 User Manual

[Raistlin_HT]

Congrats! I hope you like it. As I stated above, mine does not have any of the jittering or picture quality issues others have reported when using 480i/p sources, so hopefully yours won't either. I would have kept mine even if it did though, since it's an amazing value for the money and Xbox 360 content looks spectacular on it.


Have you noticed any control lag while playing games?

[Denon_Kid]

the 3 series is tunerless.
the 5 series is combo tuner (1ntsc/1atsc).
the 7 series is the "pro" model.

.

the Olevia website says the 323V "Featuring best-in-class video, with a built-in NTSC tuner"

so what does this mean? it does or does not have a tv tuner built-in ??

[cjarrettgsu]

Has anyone received the 542i yet? If you have, please tell me how it is. This is my first hd purchase and want to make sure that I am spending my money wisely.

Another question (probably dumb) is whether or not speakers that are not shielded will still leave stains on the screen. My sony has a permanent stain in one of the corners and do not want to run into this problem again.

[sickface0]

The 323v is the only 3 series model to have a tuner. So yes it does have one.

[vegenigma]

Have you noticed any control lag while playing games?
None, and I have tried the following:

1) Gamecube at 480i over S-Video:
Game: WWE Day of Reckoning 2. No lag noticeable. Timing has to be right to counter attacks, and I have no problem countering.

2) Xbox at 480p over component:
I tried a few different games, namely Battlefront II and Halo 2, and noticed no lag or problems aiming accurately.

3) Xbox 360 at 720p and 1080i:
I've tried Oblivion, Dead Rising, Fight Night 3, and several game demos and experienced no lag. I must say that these games look amazing on this screen after being used to playing them at 480i.

I understand your concern, considering how inexpensive this LCD is. It seems too good to be true at the price and I was almost expecting there to be lag when gaming, but there is none. Good thing for me, since gaming is primarily what I plan to use it for and lag would have meant an immediate return.

[wtfer]

can anyone explain what Reon is?

[buzzy_]

The 323v is the only 3 series model to have a tuner. So yes it does have one.While that's true, just to be clear it's not an HD tuner, like some of the other models have now.

323v specs (http://www.olevia.com/jsp/products/specs.jsp?pid=323v)

HDTV Ready
Tuner Type NTSC

So it has a standard definition tuner, but not an HD tuner (aka ATSC)

It doesn't help that when they did the specs pages for the 4 series and the 5 series, they used a template and left them all saying "HD Ready" even though they all have an ATSC tuner.

[buzzy_]

So officedepot is selling the 427V and the 432V ... is anyone selling the 437V (http://www.olevia.com/jsp/products/detail.jsp?pid=437V), or is there a time frame for its release?So it's turned up at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16889022026)

Also, Beach is doing something interesting with the 527V and 532V (http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/SearchResults.aspx?kwd=olevia)

[jesh]

any one have pics of the 537h going to pull the trigger soon jandr is OOS though

[elgibby]

any one have pics of the 537h going to pull the trigger soon jandr is OOS though

i'm hoping to get some 537 photos up this afterooon...

[smaybee]

Apparently Olevia doesn't want to sell these TV's, I can't find a single online retailer listing the 742i (the one I am interested in) Does anybody know where one can be found?

[cjarrettgsu]

Okay I got tired of waiting for you guys who bought a 542i to post a review. My theory is that you all must be watching it instead of reading avs.

I just ordered one from Beach Camera after checking them out as best I could. They apparently don't take any returns, but neither do many of the other online sellers and I am confident in the Syntax warranty. I will put up a full review of the whole process and panel as soon as I get it.

Please let me know what you think about this tv as soon as you get it set up. I think I want it but havent heard anything about it. Also, are the speakers on this set removable? I have all the speakers i need and dont need more in the way. I hope you can, it would clean up nicely.

[jvernon]

can anyone explain what Reon is?

The low priced version of the HQV chip; the Realta being the higher priced and higher performing one.

Probably more info than you want : http://www.hqv.com/technology.cfm

[ank]

Apparently Olevia doesn't want to sell these TV's, I can't find a single online retailer listing the 742i (the one I am interested in) Does anybody know where one can be found?


It's the 742w , I believe. Try that maybe.

[Techaholic]

phone Bright and Sleek...

[pointfive]

So it's turned up at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16889022026)

Also, Beach is doing something interesting with the 527V and 532V (http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/SearchResults.aspx?kwd=olevia)



What's the 532V? I've only heard of 532H... any difference?
is beach camera provide good cust support?

[elgibby]

Tried to post some 537 pics, but the photos came out really bad. Kind of vertical colored stripes. Anyone know what causes that?

[Shurik]

So Olivia TVs are good??? No major problems with it?

[badself]

Apparently Olevia doesn't want to sell these TV's, I can't find a single online retailer listing the 742i (the one I am interested in) Does anybody know where one can be found?

Bright and Sleek may have access to this model. I ordered the 747i from them this week. They appear to be a reputable outfit. Very friendly on the phone, also.

[westcoastnative]

I called Computer Brain last week to check their availibility on the 537H. They told me they had no stock which I knew but they would most likely get some inventory in a month. The girl on the phone asked me what was with this TV because everyone was asking about it. I told them they had a really good price compared to the other online retailers. A week later I checked their web site and they had raised the price one hundred dollars. What a bunch of B.S.

[malibuxboy]

I called Computer Brain last week to check their availibility on the 537H. They told me they had no stock which I knew but they would most likely get some inventory in a month. The girl on the phone asked me what was with this TV because everyone was asking about it. I told them they had a really good price compared to the other online retailers. A week later I checked their web site and they had raised the price one hundred dollars. What a bunch of B.S.


so next time dont tell them they have such a low price. what did you expect? your doing the work for them lol

[badself]

The low priced version of the HQV chip; the Realta being the higher priced and higher performing one.

I figure if I don't like my 747i, I can always tear out the Silicon Optix Realta and sell it on ebay!

[snowmoon]

Tried to post some 537 pics, but the photos came out really bad. Kind of vertical colored stripes. Anyone know what causes that?

The camera's "vision" is much better than ours and is seeing the individual RGB sub-pixels. Usually taking a few steps back will solve the problem.

[Pete]

CEDIA Update:

Syntax-Olevia person at the booth said that delivery on the 747i had been pushed back another month to sometime in October. The 742i follows, he said, in November.

[jesh]

Finally pulled the tirgger on the 537h from newegg was a little more than jandr but jandr is sold out and wont be getting them for a couple weeks and they have now raised their price by 200 so newegg is the cheapest now and its coming in 3 days :) I hope this is a good set thanks for all the reviews

[Rendition]

What's the difference between the 537 and the 437? Is it worth $100?

[vegenigma]

What's the difference between the 537 and the 437? Is it worth $100?
The differences are very minor. The 537 has a comes with a universal remote and has an on-site warranty while the 437 has an "express exchange" warranty, although I'm not sure what that really means. According to the spec sheets at Olevia.com, the actual dimensions of the unit are slightly different, although the screen size is obviously the same. The sets are different color as well.

[buzzy_]

The 537 has .[..] has an on-site warranty while the 437 has an "express exchange" warrantyI don't know that I'd call that a minor difference, given that the thing weighs 60 lbs or so. Plus, I've been assuming (maybe I'm wrong) that "Express Exchange" means you get someone else's refurb, the one they scratched/dropped/let the cats climb on. Though different people will have a different idea of what it's worth to them.

Also, there seem to be some model variations (V and H) where the speakers are either side or bottom. On a few models the speakers can be removed / reoriented, though most are a fixed part of the case. Just be sure you know what you're getting.

[vegenigma]

I don't know that I'd call that a minor difference, given that the thing weighs 60 lbs or so. Plus, I've been assuming (maybe I'm wrong) that "Express Exchange" means you get someone else's refurb, the one they scratched/dropped/let the cats climb on. Though different people will have a different idea of what it's worth to them.

I would imagine both types of warranties would allow for an exchange if the set becomes unfixable, so what makes you think an exchange under one warranty would result in a refubished unit while an exchange under the other would result in a new one?

I think the difference in warranties lies more in terms of how the unit is serviced; i.e., your set is shipped off to be fixed under the express exchange warranty while a visit by a repairman is in order under the other one.

I'm just guessing though. I'll look it up later when I have more time :)

[n4fw]

A question for 537H owners:

Does the 537H provide a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal from the digital audio outputs?

[buzzy_]

I would imagine both types of warranties would allow for an exchange if the set becomes unfixable, so what makes you think an exchange under one warranty would result in a refubished unit while an exchange under the other would result in a new one?

I think the difference in warranties lies more in terms of how the unit is serviced; i.e., your set is shipped off to be fixed under the express exchange warranty while a visit by a repairman is in order under the other one.

I'm just guessing though. I'll look it up later when I have more time :)"if the set becomes unfixable" is a leap, covers only a fraction of the possibilities.

I haven't read the details. With other companies
- on-site = they bring the parts and fix it at your house.
- exchange = you box up the thing, wait for a pickup, and they send you a refurb replacement. and maybe they even send the replacement at the same time they schedule the pickup. still more work and an exchange

[bd8653]

I also wonder about the dolby digital 5.1 output. I haven't found anything in a quick search that comcast's (which I have w/o hd currently) Motorolla STBs have dolby digital output, if so that would work for me if the 5 or 7 series don't offer it.

[thebarn]

A question for 537H owners:

Does the 537H provide a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal from the digital audio outputs?


Yes - both from the optical and coax. (that is IF DD is being sent in the digital signal) This is from the digital tuner, but the optical will pass the stereo / mono from analog stations as well.

**what I can't get to work, is Bitstream audio input via the HDMI, vs PCM (which is fine) - Any thoughts on this issue?

[bonecrusher1]

Since the Syntax Olevia 542i only has a single HDMI input, doesn't this present a problem to folks like me who plan to connect their HDTV to their cable set top box via HDMI as well as hookup an upconverting DVD player? Is an HDMI switcher a requirement to obtain the best picture without having to manually switch input to the HDMI port by yanking cables? Or is there a better way to get along with only one HDMI port?

[Olevia37HD]

Since the Syntax Olevia 542i only has a single HDMI input, doesn't this present a problem to folks like me who plan to connect their HDTV to their cable set top box via HDMI as well as hookup an upconverting DVD player? Is an HDMI switcher a requirement to obtain the best picture without having to manually switch input to the HDMI port by yanking cables? Or is there a better way to get along with only one HDMI port?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10110&style=

[a224932]

Finally pulled the tirgger on the 537h from newegg was a little more than jandr but jandr is sold out and wont be getting them for a couple weeks and they have now raised their price by 200 so newegg is the cheapest now and its coming in 3 days :) I hope this is a good set thanks for all the reviews


Funny thing was that two weeks ago I was worried I was paying too much for the 537H. Now I am glad I pulled the trigger when I did as it saved me two hundred bucks. Now I can "justify" buying my Oppo 970 as I can use the money that I "saved." Hope my wife views it the same way as I. :)

[rabblerouser]

THis is a little helpful. http://peripherals.about.com/od/displaysmonitors/fr/olevia542i.htm

[smaybee]

CEDIA Update:

Syntax-Olevia person at the booth said that delivery on the 747i had been pushed back another month to sometime in October. The 742i follows, he said, in November.


Well this is a little disappointing. Has anyone who mentioned already ordering a 700 series TV
been notified that their ship date has been pushed back? I was hoping to see a review or two
show up here soon for a 747i or 742i.

[Pete]

Has anyone seen the Olevia TV commercial on ESPN? Looks like they are building the brand name.

[bd8653]

here is an acticle I found on the 542i being reviewed- I would presume it's going to basically be the same for the 537: http://peripherals.about.com/od/displaysmonitors/fr/olevia542i.htm

I do wonder, for people who have used the 537 connected to a computer, can you read text on it or is it blurry/fuzzy as this reviewer describes?

[steelyken]

Text from the computer looks kind of blurry to me, but the tv is fresh out of the box and still on the floor of my den. I got to have some time to play with it some more to see if that can be improved upon.

By the way, my connection is component attached to the dongle on my ATI X1900 AIW. Don't have an HDMI/DVI-I cable to try with it yet.

[vegenigma]

I'm experiencing some easily noticeable motion blurring on my 432V.

In DVDs, for example, there will be a closeup on a couple people's faces and everything looks very crisp and clear. The moment their heads move even the slightest bit, their faces lose a lot of detail.

Is there anything I can do to remedy this?

[Naylia]

Text from the computer looks kind of blurry to me, but the tv is fresh out of the box and still on the floor of my den. I got to have some time to play with it some more to see if that can be improved upon.

By the way, my connection is component attached to the dongle on my ATI X1900 AIW. Don't have an HDMI/DVI-I cable to try with it yet.

What resolution are you running over component?

[Naylia]

"if the set becomes unfixable" is a leap, covers only a fraction of the possibilities.

I haven't read the details. With other companies
- on-site = they bring the parts and fix it at your house.
- exchange = you box up the thing, wait for a pickup, and they send you a refurb replacement. and maybe they even send the replacement at the same time they schedule the pickup. still more work and an exchange


With folks that have had trouble with the older models, I have heard of the following occuring...

1) They send you the part and you get to fix it yourself....they only do this if it's something very simple.

2) They send the parts and dispatch a technician soonest possible/same week to repair the tv in your home.

3) They replace the tv...there are two variations on this that they offered.
a) They send a delivery service to fetch the tv, when tv arrives in factory they ship a replacement tv to you all at no cost.
b) You provide your credit card number and allow a hold in the value of the tv to be placed against it in the value of the tv and they put a new one out for delivery right away and your old set it picked up. This gets you a replacement tv faster, once again at no cost.

[fattyhotdog]

has anyone purchased the 342i? I was planning on getting the 542i but i found the 342i on microcenter for a great price after rebate. I have Directv, so i was wondering if i would notice any picture quality loss with the 342 compared to the 542.

thanks for the help.

[n4fw]

Here's some info that may be of interest:

The UL certification number on the back of the 432V is registered to Digimedia Technology Co Ltd.

UL certification info (http://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISEXT/1FRAME/showpage.html?name=NWGQ.E247591&ccnshorttitle=Information+Technology+Equipment+Including+Ele ctrical+Business+Equipment&objid=1076964690&cfgid=1073741824&version=versionless&parent_id=1073990497&sequence=1)

Digimedia Technology Products (http://www.digimedia.com.tw/Product.php)

[a224932]

Do any of you know what bit color processor the 537H has? I looked through all the materials I could find and did not find anything. From what I understand it should be either an 8bit or 10bit processor.

Also, on a happier note, my 537H is due for delivery today! Yeah! Will let you all know what I think...

[Xcalibur_255]

Assume 8 bit. If it's anything higher it usually gets bragged about in the marketing. Although there are benefits (mostly smoother grey ramps), they're not big since the panel is 8-bit and is limited that displaying that many colors regardless of how many gradients are available in the look-up table.

[buyersremorse]

Just got a Moto 6416 HD DVR box and have it connected to a 532 via HDMI. Found 2 issues. First, the volume cannot be adjusted from the box (although can be muted). Second, several low numbered channels (2, 5, 7) intermittently are unwatchable with vertical instability and terrible banding. If I unplug and replug the HDMI cable a couple of times, the problem goes away. Does these sound like problems with the box, the TV, or a combination of both?

[cjarrettgsu]

Any one have the 542i yet or am i just being ingnored? have read everything i can find on it except personal opinions on it. If anyone hears anything good or reads anything that I am missing please leave a link. Thank you in advance.

Buyersremorse, how many hdmi outputs did your comcast hd box have?

[lostdog19]

I just placed my order for a 537H with J&R last night. They called this morning to verify the order and said it'll be released today for shipping. I paid a little extra for the 2 day shipping, so I hope it'll arrive tomorrow, though I don't really expect that. More like Monday or Tuesday (depending on when it actually goes out).

I actually bought this to replace my old Sony 32" tv which I bought in '99, and finally died on me 2 days ago. So I didn't get much time to research, however based on the great reviews of the previous Olevia models, and the positive comments here at AVS, I made up my mind. Thanks!

My tv arrived today, and man did UPS have fun beating up the box. Luckily the tv was unharmed inside. I haven't had time to hook it up to anything more than my standard cable, but man, did that look sweet. QAM picked up a bunch of digital channels, and I've been watching a few things in HD. This tv was an upgrade for me (replacing a Sony 32" CRT from 1999). I don't have much experience with HDTV, but I know this looks good, and I don't regret buying it. I'm just glad I ordered when I did since J&R still had the $999 price on it.

Tomorrow I'm going to see what I need in order to mount it and get it into a more permanant place. With 3 kids running around, it's just not safe to let sit around.

[a224932]

537H arrived last night!!!

Here are my thoughts...

Much to my wife's dismay, I spent the majority of the night tweaking my 537H. Inial impressions:

- Set-up was a bit confusing, mine came with "Showroom" setting turned on and took me an hour to figure out you need to change it to "Home" setting before you can make the majority of the settings (i.e. auto tune analog channels)

- I have one dead pixel, unfortunately it is in the middle of the screen and it shows when the screen is completely black. Luckily, it is not visible when watching shows, only when the screen goes black.

- Remote is awsome, it really lights up and all the buttons are illuminated. I have buttons galore. I will program it to work with my DVD player and receiver. I do wish it did have dedicated buttons for HDMI, Tuner, ecad. because switching between them gets tedious.

- Tuner works great. I am a cheapo and do not have cable/sat just plain old OTT and I picked up 17 additional channels, some YD some digital in addition to the 16 analog channels.

- SD quality is pretty good. Wife noticed immediately the difference between YD and analog. If she can notice, and be impressed, all is well. The picture is clean and is good enough to make me sad that all channels are not coming in as YD (I am waiting for Fib. 2009)

- I only get 3 true YD channels OTA, but man they look really good.

- No problems with lip sync or picture blackness. Auto tuner works great.

- I do not have a good picture with my progressive DVD player (phillips 2 years old) using the component settings. I am going to blame this on my cable/DVD player. My cables are 10 years old and I am just using three separate cables (they are monster audio l/r cables and one video cables). I will buy true component cables today. Also, I ordered a Oppo 970HD yesterday and plan to run HDMI anyway, but want to see how the old DVD player runs.

I have not tried hooking up my computer to the 537H, will try tonight.

Also I will hook up my audio receiver and run my sound through that. With that being said, I was actually surprised at the sound coming through the 537H speakers. Pretty darn good for stock lcd speakers.

Anyway, happy with my purchase, sad about the one dead pixel but all in all I feel good about my purchase and what I am getting for my money.

[GooglyBear]

This ---- Syntax-Brillian's has developed two new patent-pending feature technologies that are included in the new Olevia Signature HDTVs. Big Picture Technology™ delivers up to 11% more of the digital broadcast image and up to 37% more of analog images without distortion so viewers can see more of the picture displayed on each side of the TV. Director's Image™ enables viewers to see realistic content in the same way that the director intended images to be displayed. Director’s Image features calibrated color temperature (6500 degreesK) at 2.2 gamma, red/green/blue gain controls and offsets, optimized gray scales, black level adjustment for NTSC and ATSC, full range contrast adjustment, color and tint colors for red/blue saturation and sharpness. ----- is what's caught my eye more than anything else about these sets. Sounds awesome. When are they shipping? And will Boscov's be carrying them? Too many questions!

that's interesting if true.. actually that's pretty groundbreaking.. everyone knows about ISF calibration/etc/etc etc and more-often than not, the only logical question that follows and even up to now you'll almost always see it is, "why doesn't the set come pre-calibrated/tuned already?"

if Olevia does indeed ship and they stay true to their so-called "Director's Image" feature which is listed in the olevia website spec sheet
"Director's Image™— calibrated 6500K color and a full range of brightness, contrast, color, tint, sharpness and mode controls available to tune image quality. "

---then not only is that a first of its kind, but pretty much groundbreaking stuff

dang, maybe I should've held off on my purchase and waited Olevia's out ^^ of course if true as well that their prices are around 4Large for a 42" :P maybe not :D

[rabblerouser]

I got it via Beach Camera in about 6 days from when I pressed the button on 8-10 day shipping. I was a little nervous when the Fedex info didn't update until it arrived on the truck, but it came on the tracking schedule. It was double boxed with foamies- the outside basic box was a little roughed up, but the inside Syntax box was flawless.

This thing really resembles the older 42, except for no glass. So its light enough for one strong person to move it. What that also seems to mean is that the noise in bad pictures is a tic more noticeable than the old one, but a good signal really stands out. I turned off my sharpness and really liked the results.

I have found the tuner to be much improved in many regards, and on par with my H20 directv box. THe single OTA input is nice to have as well.

The color is great and totally customizable. The color detail is far superior to my LG based plasma (sitting right behind it.) THis is after I cranked the color down and contrast up from factory settings.

I do not see a problem with the blacks at all, even compared to the plasma pushing the contrast burn-in barrier. I can see how a purist would complain about not reaching total black, but all I care about is the shadow detail- which is very comparable and great for an LCD.

I thought the XBox 360 looked awesome. Some of the stuff looked absolutely perfect. I even checked it on 1080i and it handled it well. A DVD looked about as good as you could expect.

As for the supposed blurry computer text, I think that reviewer needs glasses. It was fine. I played some HD material from the 1080P site. Robotica and Dolphins both were fantstic for those who are familiar.

The remote, is far better than the last, but still lacks the individual input buttons, which is my biggest complaint. The "source" button cycles pretty easy, but it kills me to have to go past the S video settings I will never use.

THe menu is fabulous. Much better than the old 42. It is very easy to navigate.
I checked to make sure my sharpness setting stayed put when I cycleded inputs and powered off.


So far the only things I notice out of the box are:
1. Out of the box, the little noise line is peekeing out on some 4/3broadcasts. THis is common on flat panels that don't overscan and can be remedied in a number of ways, especially since this set has screen placement settings, which I have not yet played with.

2. I saw a bit of motion blur on smallville when one person walked in front of another in a close-up , and a little in the baseball game, but its possibly the source. Some pretty fast dance scenes in wedding crashers showed little if any blur.
3. Not having the glass is a double edged sword- you can see more detail, but you get a better view of the problems with your source material. Therefore I give the SD a B.

Overall, I am very happy with the set so far. With the upgrades I think its worth it over the deals on the older set. The only down side is the single HDMI.

I also noted that Office Depot's Tech Depot is getting these things in too if you want a happiness guarantee. I doubt you will be disappointed.

[buyersremorse]

cjarrettgsu-
It's an RCN moto 6416 box and has one HDMI out. The RCN service tech will be swapping the box tomorrow, so I may have an answer/solution then. BTW, while troubleshooting, I had the 532 side-by-side with my Panasonic 50 inch 8uk plasma and I think the overall picture quality is comparable--nice color out of the box once switched from showroom to home setting.

To update, a new 6416 box took care of the problems with poor picture on channels 2-11, but did not fix the issue of being unable to control volume using the HDMI connection from the box. This is a bigger problem than it seems since the box remote does not have a code for the new olevias.

Can anyone confirm they are able to control volume via HDMI with one of the motorola HD DVR boxes and a 532 (or other new syntax set)?

[elicious80]

I just bought this set last night because the price was really nice.

However, the brightness of the backlighting is very uneven. On a black screen, or very dark scenes, you can clearly see the 4 corners are much brighter than the center of the screen. During normal scenes, it's hardly noticable, if at all.

[badself]

For anyone interested in the availability of the 747i, Bright and Sleek has informed me today that my unit will ship the middle part of next week, most likely Wednesday. Currently, no dealer I am aware of (including Bright and Sleek) has information on the 742i in terms of price or availability.

[justinblair2]

QAM picked up a bunch of digital channels, and I've been watching a few things in HD
I got my 527 today, and it too picked up a bunch digitals channels. It said 91 and a few other numbers? Is that suppose to be the channel number? or how many channels are digital. I dont have an antenna or anything this is just through basic cable, But i cant seem to find the digital channels? When flipping through i see nothing different.
Could some one help me out

[Pete]

For anyone interested in the availability of the 747i, Bright and Sleek has informed me today that my unit will ship the middle part of next week, most likely Wednesday. Currently, no dealer I am aware of (including Bright and Sleek) has information on the 742i in terms of price or availability.

Delivery on the 747i has been pused back to October. Olevia announced this at CEDIA last week. Bright and Sleek must not have gotten the word. Sorry.

[cburbs]

Has anyone seen the Olevia TV commercial on ESPN? Looks like they are building the brand name.

I actually heard a commercial on the radio this a.m. on sports talk station....

[badself]

Delivery on the 747i has been pused back to October. Olevia announced this at CEDIA last week. Bright and Sleek must not have gotten the word. Sorry.

Actually, I had learned about that announcement through your posting while at Cedia (thanks for the heads up). Bright and Sleek maintains this is updated information from Olevia within the last day or two. At this point, even October is acceptable assuming the set lives up to the hype.

[Pete]

I can't find the 747i on the Bright and Sleek web site. Are you sure they have access to it? At CEDIA I overheard a rep saying that 7-series was not going to be available via mailorder or internet or mass merchants...only through specialty retailers, integrators, custom installers and the like. I was planning to get mine through an installer friend who says he can buy it from one of his distributors.

[rantanamo]

I actually heard a commercial on the radio this a.m. on sports talk station....

Interestingly I recieved the 537H last night from New Egg. Hooked it up to the cable box and went immediately to ESPNHD. What was the first ad we saw? Olevia..

BTW, love the 537H so far. For my tiny bedroom its almost overwhelming. This is my first real HD tv. I've been watching on the computer monitor for years via HD tuner card. This experience is much more fun. Especially after all the research on the best model to buy for myself. After seeing the 537H in person at Microcenter I had to have it. What I had not realized is how much more I'd be impressed in the home as compared to any showroom I've been in.

I think it makes a great computer as well. I almost want to use it as my full-time monitor. It really doesn't have the blurry text I've heard about so much once I cranked up the resolution. Excellent for games, and certainly excellent for the 100s of video files I've accumulated. The most impressive thing I saw on day one was the WMVHD clip of Super Speedway. This experience just may cause me to buy a 332 for a monitor.

Now on to trying to build a nice setup as some of you guys have already.

[badself]

I can't find the 747i on the Bright and Sleek web site. Are you sure they have access to it? At CEDIA I overheard a rep saying that 7-series was not going to be available via mailorder or internet or mass merchants...only through specialty retailers, integrators, custom installers and the like. I was planning to get mine through an installer friend who says he can buy it from one of his distributors.

Olevia requested that the 747i be removed from Bright and Sleek's website in order to maintain its specialty status, and in return for their compliance they've been allowed to sell the set via phone order. If you email them, I'm certain they will return your inquiry, as they are a reputable outfit (i.e. check reseller ratings, CNET review, and their actual written policies on their website). They even have a strong return policy spelled out in black-and-white.

In direct contrast, Sony xbr3 was to have only limited/exclusive availability, and there are at least several each day available for purchase on ebay.

[betweenthepipes]

is anyone ever going to post pictures of their newly aquired Olevia sets? Everyone says they will, and then we never get any...I am interested in seeing the 542i.

[brnichols]

The 532H is reviewed in the October/November issue of The Perfect Vision magazine. It can be downloaded from The Perfect Vision web site. (http://www.theperfectvision.com/)

[steveoz]

Beach Camera just dropped their price on the 542i by a c-note. Considering they're an authorized Olevia reseller, and they have the set in stock, I just had to pull the trigger.

Ha, cancelled my 2nd order with Computer Brain. Anyone still waiting on them, I wouldn't hold your breath. Sad too, I got my order in when they dropped the price down to the lowest point it reached, before they "wised up" and jacked their price up to the market average.

Oh well, for an extra $80, it's worth getting the set within a reasonable time, and from a reputable Olevia reseller.

[phipp01]

Heres my update jr.com has an EXCELLENT Supervisor for phone sales his name is Kenny....did not get his last name wish I had cause he was great. Shipped out last Thursday next day air (no extra charge) received at 10:34 am the next day. Packaging Not impressed with just a cardboard box with styrofoam at the top and bottom with nothing protecting the screen. Fortunately arrived in great shape. Hooked up a Brighthouse Network SA 8300 HD-DVR very easy setup HD is unbelievable.....SD is pretty good also a lot better than I expected it to look. Put a splitter before the STB so I'd be able to record to HD shows while watching something else thru the tuner but getting the tuner to autoscan was a BITCH. Also do not like having a Cd-ROM for an owners manual I personally prefer a booklet to read thru. Other than that although was aggravating for a big purchase i am very happy with this TV and would recommend the 537h to anyone looking for a good tv at a great price. BTW i got it at JR's lower price for less than 1K.....

[jesh]

I recently received my 537h from newegg. Came in about 2 days which was awesome for only 34 bux. The box was packed pretty well and ups did a pretty good job handeling it. I didnt have any dead pixels or other defects. My first impressions on this tv are really good.

- SD is pretty good well exceeded my expectations.
- HD is excellent i tried both OTA and through my cable box.
- DVDs looked awesome too, but all i had was my xbox dvd player but they still looked good.
- I picked up quite a few channels with the QAM tuner as well.
- The remote control is ok nothing great.
- It was really easy to setup the menu the UI was pretty good.
- Inputs are easily accesible optical out is nice :)
- XBMC looked amazing !!!


I havent tried the PIP yet.

[rantanamo]

is anyone ever going to post pictures of their newly aquired Olevia sets? Everyone says they will, and then we never get any...I am interested in seeing the 542i.

Here some to appease. I've been so busy I've had no time to play with it(or clean up at all). Hopefully I get better pics up as soon as I tidy up and buy a nice console for the equip.

[Firehawk69]

Do the new 3,5,7 series have Super-Ips?

[bd8653]

Here some to appease. I've been so busy I've had no time to play with it(or clean up at all). Hopefully I get better pics up as soon as I tidy up and buy a nice console for the equip.


Thanks for the pics, they are awesome! What resolution was your vid card set to? how was it connected (vga/dvi)? Much better resolution on the text that I would have expected from other reviews!

Also, which model is that, looks like the 537?

[phipp01]

Ok the first picture is The Ryder Cup on HD NBC.....The second picture is from Discovery HD.......The third picture is USA network is SD......On certain channels there is a line of something like white noise at the top of the screen and I have to use the vertical adjustment to get rid of it. Happens on SD and HD. and only on some channels. Also I'm starting to notice pixelation if the camera sweeps to quick or like during a football game and the graphics they show for stats when that disappears. Other thabn that for the price you cant beat it. Btw I am using a SA 8300 HD-DVR hooked up thru component. I ordered an HDMI cable Feriday from Monoprice I'll post when I get that hooked up to see if theres a difference in picture quality.

[phipp01]

Also picture quality is limited due to file size upload. I had to set the resolution on the digital camera to the lowest seeting to be under 500kb to upload

[satirev]

On certain channels there is a line of something like white noise at the top of the screen and I have to use the vertical adjustment to get rid of it. Happens on SD and HD. and only on some channels. Also I'm starting to notice pixelation if the camera sweeps to quick or like during a football game and the graphics they show for stats when that disappears.

White line is the closed caption info being sent on the first few scan lines.

The pixelization you mention is macroblocking. This is an artifact of MPEG2 compression and is a problem at the source end. You will see this most during live broadcasts since they need to compress on the fly and it is compute intensive. As compute power improves over time, so will digital broadcasts.

[plschwartz]

Do the new 3,5,7 series have Super-Ips?

I was told by Syntax tech support that the panels in the 5 series were LG Philips which are s-ips.

BroChoas in an early thread, did I believe mention that the 7 series would be samsung

[phipp01]

Thanks for the info satire.....I believe I remember reading something a few months ago mpeg2 and mpeg4 with the 4 being the industry standard some time soon????

[Firehawk69]

Thanks for the info on the lcd panels. Any body using the 537H with an xbox 360? are the black levels good. Ive got a Vizio 37, and a Polaroid 37 FLM-373B from Walmart and returned them both.

[phipp01]

Blacks are black on my 537h....Of course no 360 just a ps2 until the ps3 comes out

[waterguy48]

does anybody know if the pic quality on the 337 is any different from the537?

[phipp01]

337vs 537

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"does anybody know if the pic quality on the 337 is any different from the537? "

The difference is in the video processor chip. The 337h uses a PixeWorks DNX chip while the 537h has the MTK MDDI chip which is supposed to be the better processor chip but not quite as good as the chip in the 7 series. I believe theres a thread dealing with a firmware issue in the 3 series 32" lcd also. So my guess would be yes there might be a difference in picture quality between the 2 sets. Only way to know for sure is to compare them side by side in a B&M store. Hope that helps.

[phipp01]

Also silver frame on the 337 compared to the black on the 537. I like the way my 537 looks in black. You also get 1 less component input on the 3 series. No tuner either which in turn you lose PIP I believe. Different warranty also.....express exchange on the 3 series compared to onsite for the 5. And to top it all off no universal remote with the 3 series. For 200 dollars more I think IMO that the 5 series is the better deal....

Just my .02

[waterguy48]

tks for the info,i thought the 537 was better ut i wasn't sure.its going in the bedroom and i will be using a cable box. i'm going to check both out tomorrow at beach camera and 6th ave electronics.

[elgibby]

A couple of issues/questions on the 537:
1. Favorites scan on OTA channels: It seems to go thru a few clicks and then stops working. If I use the channel up/down and go back to favs, it works ... and then doesn't. Anyone else?

2. OTA channel scan: I live in an awful neighborhood for OTA; all I really need it for is ABC affiliate, which is not on HD on Charter cable. I can get it with a Silver Sensor, but nothing else. If I move the antenna and rescan, I can get a couple of other channels ... but I lose ABC. Each scan overwrites the results of the previous scan and there's no way I can find to "lock in" results of a scan. Nor can I key in a digitial channel, say 5.1.
Am I missing something? It's my first HDTV, so I don't know whether what I'm trying to do is a feature on more expensive brands. (Another antenna I tried said something about using the TV's signal level meter to tune in channels! I know I don't have that...)
thx
barry

[justinblair2]

Can anyone tell me what a Grayish white line about 3\4 down the screen could be? Goes all the way across about 1\4 of an inch thick, and only occurs when watching Standard Def. I have the 527V.

Also, when i try and get my new set to look for channels on auto it says cable band detection failed? I have my channels but i had to do them by selecting standard cable. This is all new to me so any help would be awesome.

[lostdog19]

A couple of issues/questions on the 537:
2. OTA channel scan: I live in an awful neighborhood for OTA; all I really need it for is ABC affiliate, which is not on HD on Charter cable. I can get it with a Silver Sensor, but nothing else. If I move the antenna and rescan, I can get a couple of other channels ... but I lose ABC. Each scan overwrites the results of the previous scan and there's no way I can find to "lock in" results of a scan. Nor can I key in a digitial channel, say 5.1.
Am I missing something? It's my first HDTV, so I don't know whether what I'm trying to do is a feature on more expensive brands. (Another antenna I tried said something about using the TV's signal level meter to tune in channels! I know I don't have that...)
thx
barry

Not just OTA, but QAM as well. I was pondering this since the first time I scanned I got certain channels, but when I rescanned they weren't there. I couldn't change directly to the channel anymore since it was no longer captured from the scan, and it appears that Channel add doesn't allow for any "dash" channels.

Am I also missing something or is there a way to manually add the "dash" channels?

[vegenigma]

Can anyone tell me what a Grayish white line about 3\4 down the screen could be? Goes all the way across about 1\4 of an inch thick, and only occurs when watching Standard Def. I have the 527V.
I had the exact same problem with my 432V before I returned it. Occasionally the line would be in a slightly different position on the screen on mine.

[crombiesooner]

I will be receiving my 537h on thursday. I can't wait to check out the hd quality. Does anyone know if its possible to get ota hd channels with bunny ears w/ amplifier from about 30 - 40 miles away?

[induna]

I will be receiving my 537h on thursday. I can't wait to check out the hd quality. Does anyone know if its possible to get ota hd channels with bunny ears w/ amplifier from about 30 - 40 miles away?

There are too many variables to give a definite answer. Try and see.

[betweenthepipes]

no one will pay that price for this television. I really like this set at around $1,300-$1,400...but never for what they are charging currently...

[cjarrettgsu]

Thats what I was thinking. Too rich for my blood.

[cjarrettgsu]

Does anyone know if buydig and beach camera are under the same ownership? They are both currently out of the 542i and always have the same price up for things.

[phipp01]

Does anyone know if buydig and beach camera are under the same ownership? They are both currently out of the 542i and always have the same price up for things.

I believe they are the same store just different names.

[Ole42]

I have been using 542i for several week now (I bought it in MicroCenter). I wanted to share a few things about this TV. If they have already been mentioned, I apologize.

(1) The picture menu has a section called "Idea". Interestingly, it is described in the manual that came with the TV, but not in the manual that is posted on Olevia's website. This section allows one to adjust the black level, flesh tones, noise reduction, white peak delimiter, etc. Also interstingly, this "Idea" section is not visible for all inputs. For example, it is not accessible with HDMI.
(2) Dynamic AI lighting option is described in the manual, but is not available on the TV.
(3) I am not able to turn on CC on HDMI input (from Comcast cable box). I am able to do it with other inputs, but not with HDMI. Is there something specific to HDMI and CC?
(4) Not clear what the Picture/Mode/Input menu does. Does anyone know?
(5) Probably the most annoying thing about the remote is switching between inputs. I use VGA and HDMI and have to cycle through a bunch of other inputs in order to switch. There should be direct access buttons for different inputs. They could be mapped to channel number buttons, for example.
(6) Two HDMI inputs would have been significantly better than one - but that was known (by me) in advance.

Other than that, the picture is great. Color is probably too intense at the default setting. Viewing angles are absolutely awesome. Moving objects are generally very smooth - I was surprised. Another surprise was the quality of regular TV channels - much better than expected and better than regular (CRT) TV. I also played a youtube video via the VGA connection and it looked much better on the TV than on the laptop: video was much smoother and the pixalation was visibly reduced.

[bennynihon]

what's the word on the price of the 747i? Is it still going to be the MSRP of $3999 that was announced in the January press release?

That seems fair, given that it'll be in direct competition with the 1080p Sony 46" LCDs which is also at $4K.

[badself]

what's the word on the price of the 747i? Is it still going to be the MSRP of $3999 that was announced in the January press release?

That seems fair, given that it'll be in direct competition with the 1080p Sony 46" LCDs which is also at $4K.


MSRP on 747i ........$4,999

MSRP on 742i ........$3,999

Only one internet dealer (to my knowledge) taking orders, and that's only for the 747i (which is slated for release prior to the 742i). Delivered price approximately the same as cheapest xbr3 deal on ebay at this time. I'll be damn surprised if the HQV Realta fails to deliver superior video processing as compared to Sony or Samsung's 10 bit processor that neither manufacturer identifies specifically.

[GooglyBear]

MSRP on 747i ........$4,999

MSRP on 742i ........$3,999

Only one internet dealer (to my knowledge) taking orders, and that's only for the 747i (which is slated for release prior to the 742i). Delivered price approximately the same as cheapest xbr3 deal on ebay at this time. I'll be damn surprised if the HQV Realta fails to deliver superior video processing as compared to Sony or Samsung's 10 bit processor that neither manufacturer identifies specifically.

by all reports so far it seems that the Olevia may be "the set to beat" for those who like to think as these hdtv's being in direct conflict with each other -.-

truthfully, HQV, Director's Image, etc etc etc.. if any set makes me feel a twinge to return my Sony, it's the Olevia's.

[Olevia37HD]

by all reports so far it seems that the Olevia may be "the set to beat" for those who like to think as these hdtv's being in direct conflict with each other -.-

truthfully, HQV, Director's Image, etc etc etc.. if any set makes me feel a twinge to return my Sony, it's the Olevia's.
I couldn't agree more.
The more I read in this forum, I am so glad I didn't buy a Westinghouse. :eek:

[Xcalibur_255]

I couldn't agree more.
The more I read in this forum, I am so glad I didn't buy a Westinghouse. :eek:

Well, that's all a matter of value and priorities. Right now you can buy TWO of either the 42" or 47" Westinghouse models for the price of one 742 or 747i set. I'm very familiar with Realta HQV and it's as impressive as people claim, but not enough to warrant a two-fold increase in cost to me over what is otherwise a same sized and very similar performing set. Combined with competent sources and in the hands of informed users the Westy sets present too much of a value over these Olevias. Once the street prices on them drop a thousand dollars I may feel differently.

[Olevia37HD]

Well, that's all a matter of value and priorities. Right now you can buy TWO of either the 42" or 47" Westinghouse models for the price of one 742 or 747i set. I'm very familiar with Realta HQV and it's as impressive as people claim, but not enough to warrant a two-fold increase in cost to me over what is otherwise a same sized and very similar performing set. Combined with competent sources and in the hands of informed users the Westy sets present too much of a value over these Olevias. Once the street prices on them drop a thousand dollars I may feel differently.
Don't forget to buy the warranty on the Westy, you will need it!!!! :eek:

[Pete]

Only a few more days until it is officially October and then the final countdown begins for my 747i. I can't wait!

[badself]

Only a few more days until it is officially October and then the final countdown begins for my 747i. I can't wait!

I contacted my dealer today for updated shipping information regards the 747i that I ordered some two weeks ago. The information passed at CEDIA was accurate. The 747i will ship by the third week of October, and those waiting on the 742i will need to wait an additional four weeks beyond the 747i release date. Yes, I am somewhat disappointed, but not enough to shoot myself in the foot by going out and purchasing the Sony KDL46-V2500 or the Costco version of that set right now for just $300 less than the delivered price for my 747i with state-of-the-art Realta processor.

[smaybee]

I contacted my dealer today for updated shipping information regards the 747i that I ordered some two weeks ago. The information passed at CEDIA was accurate. The 747i will ship by the third week of October, and those waiting on the 742i will need to wait an additional four weeks beyond the 747i release date. Yes, I am somewhat disappointed, but not enough to shoot myself in the foot by going out and purchasing the Sony KDL46-V2500 or the Costco version of that set right now for just $300 less than the delivered price for my 747i with state-of-the-art Realta processor.


Did your dealer indicate that they would be carrying the 742i? Also I know no price talk, but If they gave you any idea on prices for 742i could you pm me with it?

[steveoz]

For anyone interested in the 542i, the speakers can indeed be removed, and the screen can be lowered on the stand. You just need to remove two rubber mounts glued on to the front of each leg of the stand (presumably there to provide vibration dampening for the speakers?)

Once the screen is lowered and the support screws are screwed into the lower holes, the screen sits about an inch and a half above the base of the stand. I'm attempting to attach some pics, hope they come through.

[Ole42]

For anyone interested in the 542i, the speakers can indeed be removed, and the screen can be lowered on the stand. You just need to remove two rubber mounts glued on to the front of each leg of the stand (presumably there to provide vibration dampening for the speakers?)

Once the screen is lowered and the support screws are screwed into the lower holes, the screen sits about an inch and a half above the base of the stand. I'm attempting to attach some pics, hope they come through.

That's a great info, thanks! I wanted to remove the speaker so that I can buy a taller TV bench. By the way, your TV bench looks nice. Where did you get it? :)

[steveoz]

That's a great info, thanks! I wanted to remove the speaker so that I can buy a taller TV bench. By the way, your TV bench looks nice. Where did you get it? :)

Thanks! It's a Bush VS13988 stand, which is the black model. They also have a Cognac Maple model (VS13588). I bought it online from Racks and Stands, shipping is free, and their prices are very reasonable. The only thing with their free shipping is that it's what they call "back of the truck", meaning you have to move it after they unload it off of the truck to wherever you're taking it. For me, that was up three flights of stairs. Not fun doing that by yourself with a handtruck. :eek:

The stand itself rocks, very solid, with lots of space for components. I fit the monstrously deep Sony 400 DVD changer in it and still had space to spare. The three drawers are convenient too. Perfect for the assortment of remotes and manuals I've collected over the years.

One other thing I just remembered to mention is that the Logitech Harmony remotes have settings available for the 542i. I have the Harmony 688, and after I entered my Olevia model number in their software, it came back and loaded a fair number of the 542i commands automatically. I used the "Learn" feature to add a few extra, but for the most part, it's fully functional for controlling the TV. And the "Activities" the Harmony remotes have are fantastic. One push of a button to turn on my HD cable box, receiver, TV, and switch the input to HDMI. Can't recommend it highly enough to anyone looking for a universal remote. :cool:

[Sinatrafan]

Regarding the 432 and also the 532 Olevias; I understand that both of these models accept HD inputs (including 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i) from digital devices like HDTV set-top boxes, DVD players and game consoles. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I would imagine that they also OUTPUT 480i,480p, and 720p on the screen. My question is, do both of these models also output 1080i as well ? Nooby here; just asking because I really don't know. Thanks !

[badself]

For anyone interested in the 542i, the speakers can indeed be removed, and the screen can be lowered on the stand. You just need to remove two rubber mounts glued on to the front of each leg of the stand (presumably there to provide vibration dampening for the speakers?)

Once the screen is lowered and the support screws are screwed into the lower holes, the screen sits about an inch and a half above the base of the stand. I'm attempting to attach some pics, hope they come through.


Thanks for the pictures and the detailed information, my future 747i will have the same flexibility to remove speakers and drop stand, or side-mount them with an optional kit. Your 542i is very nice, particularly for the price you paid. Enjoy it! I considered it before Beach Camera rocketed its price upward, now I'm going all the way with the 747i for about three and a half large, delivered. It may be the end of October before it's in my home. A six month journey from a Samsung lns-4096d to Sony 46 xbr3 to 46v2500 to the 747i, largely by what I have learned from others on this forum.

You know, around a week ago, one seller on ebay had a buy it now on an unopened 542i , delivered for less than thirteen bills, but I wasn't comfortable wiith the seller's record and payment method, and the warranty implications were bleak.

[phipp01]

Received my HDMI cable from monoprice.com for less than 20 bucks shipped but when I hooked it up from the SA HD-DVR 8300 no audio.....Can't figure out what the problem is but anyway I saw no difference in HD compared to component. SD thru HDMI is HORRID. So I'll stick with component then use the HDMI for PS3 when that comes out.....BTW still love the TV......

[steveoz]

Thanks for the pictures and the detailed information, my future 747i will have the same flexibility to remove speakers and drop stand, or side-mount them with an optional kit. Your 542i is very nice, particularly for the price you paid. Enjoy it! I considered it before Beach Camera rocketed its price upward, now I'm going all the way with the 747i for about three and a half large, delivered. It may be the end of October before it's in my home. A six month journey from a Samsung lns-4096d to Sony 46 xbr3 to 46v2500 to the 747i, largely by what I have learned from others on this forum.

You know, around a week ago, one seller on ebay had a buy it now on an unopened 542i , delivered for less than thirteen bills, but I wasn't comfortable wiith the seller's record and payment method, and the warranty implications were bleak.

Glad I could help! The 747i sounds like it will be quite amazing, the 1080p is sure to look incredible. If you have a good center speaker, I think you'll be happy with the look of the set without the factory speakers. I find the height once the screen is lowered makes it a little easier to watch, I felt like I was looking up a bit too high with the speaker attached. But that is largely due to the height of the TV stand I'm using.

I really feel fortunate that I was able to get the 542i from Beach Camera for such a good price. I guess my obsessive-compulsive nature finally paid off. I think I was checking their site about an average of 5 times a day for a month, waiting for them to lower their price. He he :D

I was pretty shocked that I ordered the set on Friday night after their business hours, and yet I had a FedEx tracking number from them by 11am Monday morning. 8:30pm on Wednesday night, the FedEx Ground truck shows up outside. It's a crime that Beach had to raise their price so high, and now they don't even seem to show it on their site at all. I'd have recommended them to everyone I know who was interested in the 542i.

I did actually see that fellow in California who was selling the 542i on eBay. It was a great price, but you're right, it just seemed a little sketchy. Especially since he would not accept PayPal, only check or money order. AND he claimed it would be a 20 day waiting period after payment was received before he would ship it out. No thanks, that to me just sounds like a bad story just waiting to happen.

[goat47523]

I few weeks ago I got the LT37HVS. However, if I had it in split screen Composite1/Composite2 and had sportcenter on the right side, I would get a vchip error message. Syntax kindly sent me a 537H as a replacement unit, no charge. I got the unit on Friday. The TV is great except one thing. First thing I go to check is the split screen problem. However, the menu will not let me choose Composite1/Composite2 as a split screen option. If you have composite 1 as the main pic, you can only select HDMI/Componet1/Componet2/VGA/VGA-Componet as the sub picture. If you have the main pic set to Tuner, you can only select HDMI as the sub picture. Anyone else have the same results? This is really disappointing. I really liked watching two football games at once using split screen on the LT37HVS. Hope they can fix it with a firmware update.

[Wdnuwndr]

Hello,
Trying to find the actual screen dimensions on the 537 vs 542.
Does anyone have them?
All I can come up with on every spec page is overall measurements.
Thanks!

[Supersix7]

I recently purchased the Olevia 537h. I love the picture quality on the HD side, however it seems to be pretty fuzzy (gohsting) on the non-HD channels. I have tried to make some adjustments and can't seem to dial it in.

I'm not sure if it's my cable box (Motorola DCT6412 III) or my monitor. The picture does clear up a bit when the TV aspect is set on the "Aspect" setting however I'd like to keep the aspect on full screen. Also, let me add....I have my cable box and DVD connected using component cables. Should I use the HDMI connection and if I do, do es anyone know if the DCT6412 will work. I know the DCT6412 has several plug-ins in the rear, however they are not activated.....Insight Cable.

Can you guys give me any ideas or mabey a link to go to for information about correcting this.

[Olevia37HD]

I recently purchased the Olevia 537h. I love the picture quality on the HD side, however it seems to be pretty fuzzy (gohsting) on the non-HD channels. I have tried to make some adjustments and can't seem to dial it in.

I'm not sure if it's my cable box (Motorola DCT6412 III) or my monitor. The picture does clear up a bit when the TV aspect is set on the "Aspect" setting however I'd like to keep the aspec