Westinghouse W33001 30-Inch Widescreen LCD Flat Panel HD-Ready TV
A fantastic bargain
The Backstory: I wanted a 30\\" LCD and headed to my local Best Buy. The 3 models they had on display had picture quality that matched the price difference. The $2000 TV looked best; the Westinghouse, at $1100, looked horrible- colors were extreme, etc. I figured I would fiddle with the settings on the set, and sure enough the contrast was jacked up. A salesman quickly approached as I was tuning the contrast down, and quickly informed me that \\"they just plug the TV in straight out of the box, I shouldn't need to do that\\". After successfully completing my mission, I stepped back for another comparison, and voila, the Westinghouse was absolutely on par with the Sony. Conspiracy? You be the judge. I got lucky enough to score a flawless open box, bringing my price under $980.  <br /> <br />The review: The TV comes with a set of 3' component and RCA cables, so if your receiver is going to be close enough to your TV, don't splurge on the monster cable. <br /> <br />This unit fits stably on my mantle above the fireplace. It looks spectacular, and the colors are brilliant and vibrant. Glare in my bright apartment is not a problem.  <br /> <br />The speakers seem adequate, but of course you'll be hooking up your own. The menus on the set are extremely intuitive, and easy to figure out without having to read the instructions. The 3 aspect modes were not well documented; in order to see the difference I paused a DVD on a scenic shot, and then flipped between the modes, noting the image boundaries and cut-off or distortion. <br /> <br />The tv in-box was awkward for me to move up 3 flights of stairs on my own. The set itself is relatively light, and was easy enough for me to lift to the height of my mantle. <br /> <br />The best value in LCD TV's to date. Highly recommended.