Vizio L32 - Page 3

I can't answer this question, send an email to techsupport@vinc.com

I currently have the Proview 32" from Costco but the PQ (black level), the lack of hidef inputs and the inability to adjust the picture (only brightness and Contrast are adjustable - Saturation is boosted and cannot be reduced!) in HDMI mode (1 of only 2 hidef inputs) leads me to think the Vizio is a better set to try.

I downloaded the manual but it does not state what picture adjustments are available in HDMI mode. Can any one look at the video menu while in HDMI mode and tell which of the variables (brightness, contrast, saturation, etc) are useable (not grayed out).

Also, I hope I can still find a Costco with one of these in the store. I only found them in one store a month ago in the Puget Sound (Washington State).

Thanks.

Any Vizio folks out there?

This forum moves faster than any other I visit here. Front page news gets old quick here.

Isn't there a store locator on Costco's site?

I have the Vizio, and can only tell you my indirect impressions of mine vs. the Proview I've seen at costco many times.

I'd say that the Proview has sharper HD, and better blacks than my Vizio. They are the same price and I would have bought the Proview but for me, the very limited inputs on the Proview were a deal killer.

All the same adjustments are available in HDMI as are available in component.
Backlight, Brightness, Contrast, Color, Tint, and Sharpness.

Hope this helps...

Thanks Robert. I'm sorry to hear that the blacks are better on the Proview. I don't think they're that great on my Proview. Although it may be more of a bad grayscale. The blacks are about the same as my Maxent 26". I have seen worse blacks though. I do think the blacks look good on the Set in the Costco warehouse. I find that I need to watch a program with low contrast and low light levels in order to really test the blacks. The show "LOST" helped me decide to take the Maxent over the 30" Sceptre. A lot of details in the darker areas just could not be seen on the Sceptre that I could see with the Maxent. And I did a lot of adjusting of variables because I wanted the bigger, and more user friendly, TV.

The HD on the Proview is pretty good but the over saturated colors ruin most of the HDMI input stuff. And there is only one other HD input.

I'm wondering if I shouldn't just bite the bullet and get the Sharp. Although the odd (I think it's odd) TV stand is 14" deep and I built a wall shelf that is 11" deep. hmmm.

The Philips is the other challenger and there are negatives about it.

I really like the versatility of the 26" Maxent. I can hook up a subwoofer to it and the sound is quite good and controllable with my TV remote. And I can add an external receiver to it and the TV remote can still control the sound as the audio output can be set at Fixed or Variable. I read a poor review of the 32" Maxent so I doubt if I'll get it, though. No 3:2 pulldown and one can't turn off the Edge Enhancement.

So - I'm not sure what I'll do. But the Proview has to go.

Have you seen the Winbook 32" from MicroCenter?

It's nice too...

Jim,
I've used the locator to find all the Costcos within 60 miles or so but I need to call each one to see if they have the Vizio. So far none have it in the store.

Robert,
I really want to only use Costco for this purchase. Buyer's remorse is easier to deal with through Costco. And I don't have to worry about warranties.
Thanks for your help. The info about the HDMI adjustables is excellent.

Just wanted to mention that although I have dissed the Proview 32 I must say that its PQ is better than our 26" Maxent. The color is better and the blacks seem better (but not much). The viewing angle is FAR superior. (I mention this because I am presently watching "LOST" on ABC in HD and it is easy to compare and contrast.)
EDIT: Strange but the detail in the dark areas is much more discernable in the Maxent than in the Proview, even though the Proview seems to be blacker. I have adusted the Contrast and Brightness on both to see into the black as much as possible.

Anyway, wanted to mention this in this thread that is about a completely different LCD.

I am still returning the Proview. Maybe for the Vizio. Maybe for the Sharp 32. Maybe for the Philips 32. Or something else.

I was on the fence like you Cyrano, but my Sharp is now running off of DVI and i'm drooling. I've made up about 98% of my mind already.... keep up the search.

i feel the cost is justified over the Maxent and the Vizio.

Thanks for the input bluesxtreme. Sounds good!

I am using two Vizio L32s as monitors on my Mac G5. The left (Main) monitor is on the VGA connection. The right is connected via a DVI/HDMI cable. When I tried hooking up the left screen using a DVI/HDMI cable the overscan prevented me from seeing the menu bar and the bottom half of the Dock. Does anyone know how to adjust the overscan when using the HDMI input on the Vizio L32?

In the Mac G5's Display Preferences, what does it say the pixel resolution is?

A friend of mine was trying to decided between the Proview and Vizio. They had them side by side at our local Costco. One thing we noticed was the Vizio cut off about 1/4" of the picture left to right and a little off the top too.

We both felt the Vizio had a better picture, along with the capability to display 1080i. It was our understanding that the Proview was only able display 720p. As a result of this both of us now own the Vizio. Neither of us have HDTV feeds yet. I know this will improve the picture greatly; but the SD picture from my Directv Tivo is unimpressive and poor.

Cyrano, you mention Costco and buyers remorse. How many LCD TV's have you purchased and returned?

I tried this Vizio 32" LCD back in early July.

It will not pixel map 1360x768, or any other resolution- i.e. it scales all inputs.

I could not get it to display anything from a PC with Radeon 9000Pro card via DVI. The highest I could send it was 1024x768 via analog RGB from the PC.

I took it back the next day.

I own the Winbook 32" LCD from Microcenter. It works with PC's as a big LCD monitor with 1:1 mapping, good NTSC analog cable picture, very good to excellent HD and 480p DVD. The Winbook is less than the Vizio after MIR.

Good info Jeff.

Okay - Soul baring time.

I bought a Maxent 26" and a Sceptre 30" (Sceptre via online sale) expecting to keep them both. Side by side showed the Maxent to have the superior PQ. I would have kept the Sceptre but the black level was just way too bad. The Maxent's Black level isn't great but it's much better than the Sceptre's.
I returned the Sceptre after 1 week.

I then got a 17" Proview Costco had that had a good picture in the store and I thought I'd try it on the coffee table in the Living Room instead of using a bigger screen far away. It worked all right, for a week or two. Then we started comparing the Maxent to it. Dark scenes were all but impossible to make out on the Proview. And unless the scene was daybright human faces were "clayface".
So we returned the 17" Proview after two weeks.

We put the Maxent in the Living Room, (It will end up in a coffee table I'm building as a set that will be hidden under the table top and fold out when needed. It looks really good when viewed close up!) and got the Proview 32" for the bedroom. (11 foot viewing distance) It seemed all right, especially with the RS HD tuner ($90!) added to it. But the HD tuner uses the HDMI input. I've related its lack of adjustments. The DVD is in the only other HD capable input.
I've related my impression of the Proview's black level probs. I will be returning this set soon. I've had it for two weeks. I don't like returning so many items but they are all like new. I'm glad to have the ability to check these expensives items out and be able to change my mind. Most of the retail money we spend is in Costco.

I would like the next set to be the one I stick with so I'm asking a lot of questions.
Thanks to all for all the helpful answers.

How's the black level on the Winbook? And what Picture adjustments are available with DVI (or HDMI) (Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Hue, Sharpness, etc)?
And is there an edge enhancement defeatable checkbox in the menu?

BTW, I have the same PC card.
Thanks!

Left screen (VGA) is 1024X768. Right screen (HGMI) is 1920X1080 interlaced. When the left screen was using DVI/HDMI cable and was overscaning at all resolutions.

Any other news from anyone on when the 37" might be out? I was looking at the 32" yesterday at Sams and I like it a lot, but I currently have a 30" CRT and I don't think 32" is worth the expense or trouble. I think I'd be all over the 37", though.

Vizio told me the 37" would be out somtime this fall or winter. You should call them and ask.

They are in most Sam's Club Stores.

Thanks.
I buy at Costco because of their excellent return policies. (And I like their corporate integrity.)
I ended up getting a Philips 32" @ Costco. It cost more but it is quite good.

Sam's Club has the same excellent return policy as Costco. So no worries buying from them.

FYI on the Vizio 37" LCD:

VIZIO LCD TVs
Offering 1366 x 768 native resolution, and true 8 ms response time, the 37" widescreen VIZIO L37HDTV is great for home theaters and for fast-moving games. Built-in HD ATSC and NTSC tuners, 3:2 pulldown, powered speakers and stand, a universal remote control, PIP and POP, component, VGA-type and HDMI video inputs along with multiple video settings allow it to be in high demand by the entire family. Supporting WXGA 1366x768, 1280x768, 1024x768, 800x600, 720x400, 640x480 via the RGB 15-pint dSub input and a 176 degree all angle viewing, this product is a perfect fit for the office or boardroom. Standing up to the VIZIO's high quality picture and service reputation, the L37HDTV will offer a unique ??Zero Bright-pixel" defect guarantee. The VIZIO L37 will be in stores in mid November at a suggested retail price of $1,499.99.

Check the VINC site for the picture and the full write up.

Has the same look as the L32 so hopefully Costco\\Sams will have this before Thanksgiving with a great Sub $1500 pricetag with 8ms response and built in ATSC tuner to boot.

Chartman

Good afternoon Mr. Karp,

The L37 will be available on Black Friday (November 25) Costco stores nation
wide and they will hit Sam stores shortly after. They are available NOW
through our on line store at: the vizio website or over the phone at
888-846-4623 option one for sales.

Best regards,
Bertha Villasenor


-----Original Message-----
From: Marshall Karp
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 1:30 PM
Subject: Vizio L37

I saw a tech article that said that the L37 will be out mid-November. Will
that be at Sams Club and does that mean the week of November 14? I am
looking to buy this.

Thank you.

Marshall Karp

Thanks for posting that, Marshall. I was just looking up the Vizio website to check out this very thing.

I just returned the Viore plasma on Friday and haven't replaced it yet. I'd really like to see this set before I do anything... If it won't be much longer. Nov. 25 is later than I was hoping, and I'm still not sure about all the pluses and minuses of plasma vs. LCD.

BTW, besides being a solid value and a very nice-looking set (IMO), it's good to see the response time improved from 12ms to 8ms in this one.

Oh, one thing I forgot: Does anyone know anything about the HD tuner in these? It would be nice to eliminate my STB if the tuner in this one is equally as sensitive.

What STB and ATSC chipset do you have now?

Well, I'm not sure of the chipset, but it's the Accurian STB from Radio Shack. As I was saying on the thread on that box somewhere else on this board , it's quite a bit more sensitive than the Samsung SIR-T151 I had before. I'm in a fringe area and had almost given up watching HDTV because two weak stations 40 miles away required constant antenna adjustment, but the Accurian brings them in just fine every time I turn it on.

I'll see if I can find out more about the L37HDTV's ATSC tuner.

FYI: L32 will be on sale at SAMS next Friday. Have enough people confirmed as to whether you can get at or near(like 1360X768) native res through HDMI and/or VGA with a PC?

BTW, L37 will be $1499(original MSRP even though Vizio now has it at 1699 on their website) at Costco next Friday.