Pointyskull

Due to some price, ocation restrictions, as well as my viewing area, I have whittled one of my main television purchase possibilities down to the Toshiba 42H83 widescreen HD-Ready Rear-Projection TV w/ 2-Tuner PIP (currently about $1320 at BB).

I've seen the set 'in person', and have been quite impressed by pic quality and brightness. I've read some online reviews and done some net research, etc, but I'm looking for a real world testimonial (pro, con, otherwise) from any DVDTalkers who might have this set.

thx

HDTVfor30th

I have the 42H82 which I bought in November of 2002 and absolutely love it. Everyone comments on how good the picture is, even with Comcast's "digital" cable feed, and how the compact size of the set doesn't overpower a room.

Also HDTV is absolutely stunning on this set, if you can get it, and DVD's never looked better. It's easy to set up too!

I also considered the Panasonic 47" when I was shopping but it didn't have a screen protector like the Toshiba. Since we have many nieces and nephews as well as one child of our own now, the screen guard was a no-brainer. It does cause some glare though.

So I guess you could say that I do recommend the 42H83. It won't disappoint.

Walter Neff

The latest Panasonic 47-inchers do have a screen protector. That may not have been the case when you were shopping, but they do now. Just FYI.

Pointyskull

Any scan line problems?

I've read (since my original post) about some lines appearing across fleshtones, or sky/fog sequences, even in 1080i mode.

HDTVfor30th

Nope. No scan line problems. Remember that mine is an older model though.

When I was shopping I read reports of Toshiba RP's producing a buzzing or hissing sound but I've never had that problem either. It has been absolutely flawless since I bought it 15 months ago.

Jaspear

I've noticed lines on the 42H83, but I don't think they are scan lines. I've seen them only on the s-video inputs and I believe they are the "brushed aluminum effect" horizontal lines discussed in the Toshiba section of the Home theater Spot forums.

The solution for me was to switch to composite. My source on either s-video or composite is DBS. Given the PQ of Dish Network, I noticed no loss of quality using composite. Garbage in, garbage out.

Like you, space was my consideration, the Toshiba was the only RPTV that would fit in my viewing room.

Out of the box, the grey scale on the 42H83 was more like a green scale - shadows and low light scenes had a green cast to them. After burn-in, I went into service mode and adjusted the green cutoff and red drive settings. After that, blacks were black and I now have a decent grey scale. I used Avia to calibrate the user controls and make some minor geometry adjustments. I've not seen HD on this TV yet, but the PQ from a progressive scan DVD player on the component input is stunning.

My 42H83 also has a mild red color imbalance on the right side of the screen which is caused by the short optical path length of CRT RPTV's. The fix, which I will do at some point, is a "lens striping" on the red lens. Why RPTV manufacturers don't fix this problem in quality control is beyond me, as it is noticeable and probably results in some sets being returned.

Overall, I'm happy with my 42H83. If you decide to pull the trigger on one, Best Buy has a 10% off coupon good this weekend (Feb 13 - 16).

Good luck!