Zenith C32V37 32-Inch HDTV Integrated TV
There seems to be a problem with component video
First let me say that I really wanted to like this TV, and there are a lot of things that I do like about it very much, but today I'm returning it to the local store where I bought it.<BR>Mine has some serious problems- I believe it's the power supply- that cause it to overheat after it has been on for 4-5 hours.  At that point I begin to hear a sparking sound inside and the picture blinks briefly.  At first this happens only once every few minutes, but the longer you watch the more frequent this becomes until finally it is occuring every 2-3 seconds and becoming extremely annoying.  By this time the remote control no longer functions, in fact none of the buttons on the front of the set work either, including the power button.  I have to unplug it to turn it off- that is if it doesn't shut itself off first.<BR>So I have a defective one, I can accept that and would be willing to simply repair it (under warranty) or exchange it for another.  Instead I am going to exchange it for another brand because of a far worse problem.  I have a very good Panasonic DVD player (actually a DVD recorder) with progressive scan and component video output.  What I have found is that when I connect this DVD player to the Zenith using component video cables the picture quality is FAR worse than it is with either S-Video or even composite (RCA) cables.  The picture is very grainy looking, particularly in dark scenes.  This isn't the nitpicking of a videophile either- there is absolutely no doubt in the picture quality: component video is much worse than S-Video or RCA.  I have tried setting the DVD output for both 480i and 480p, it doesn't matter.  In fact, it isn't even just with a DVD movie that I see the difference; any signal coming through component video cables looks worse, even just watching a cable TV channel using the DVD's tuner.  There is nothing to adjust or configure on the set either (confirmed by Zenith customer support), so that isn't the problem.<BR>I have taken my DVD player to a friends Hitachi HD-ready set, and on his the component video signal is clearly better, so it's not my player or cables.  I have also tried a different DVD player with my TV.  Finally I went back to the store and asked the salesman to connect one of their own DVD players to their own floor demo Zenith using the various cables and they were as surprised as I was to see the obvious difference in picture quality.  So this problem doesn't seem to be with my set alone, or have anything to do with the power supply issue (on mine) mentioned earlier.<BR>I called Zenith customer support, and while they answered the phone promptly and were very friendly, they could offer no insight whatsoever as to the problem(s), and only gave me the number of a warranty service center.  Given my luck so far however, and especially considering the similar behavior with a second set in the store, I don't have a lot of confidence in a repair (at least for the component video issue), and I really don't want to carry a replacement set home only to find it has the same problem.  This is a big, heavy TV.<BR>So sadly I am giving up on this and switching brands.  As I said, I really wanted to like this set.  The features it offers for the price are unmatched by anything else I could find, and I like the menus and general \\"feel\\" of this TV very much.  It just seems like in order to squeeze everything in they may have skimped on the quality.<br />I would recommend that anyone else with this model try comparing the various video inputs, and I would be very interested in reading their comments.<br />One final comment: while it's nice that this model has both cable and HD tuners built in, virtually all cable and satellite providers use their own digital and HD tuner boxes with scrambled signals, thus the built-in tuners won't receive anything.  So unless you are going to receive HD off the air (i.e. using an antenna, which unfortunately I can't where I live), I would not let this feature be thedeciding reason for buying the TV (assuming you don't mind the component video problem).