Syntax Olevia LT30HV 30-Inch HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV
Incredible for the price. Read on...
First let me just state for the record that I rarely buy off-brand electronics, and when I do it's minor equipment like cables, etc. But after reading reviews from around the web it sounded like the Olevia held it's own when it came to quality and features. So my journey began...    I was very close to spending (...) on a 26\\" Sharp Aquos (...). Then I saw the Olevia. For (...) for a brand new set I figured this was a hell of a deal. Not only does the Olevia beat the Sharp in connections and features, it was almost (...) bucks less. So I got one...    First thing I did was hooked it up to my PC. On 1024x720 the text was clean, winamp visualizations were awesome, and some of my wallpapers looked incredibly real. Half Life 2 with all settings highest and 16:9 looked fantastic. Then it was time to give it the TV test...    I watched a number of sets (Sharp, Panasonic, LG) with regular cable hook-up. They looked like absolute trash, but clearly it was the signal that was coming into the Best Buy/Circuit City stores because the analog cable on my Olevia looks superb. It blows away our old tube tv, and while some channels obviously come in better than others, the general quality is much better than I expected.    The Olevia has awesome PiP and PoP features. They allow you to watch more than 1 source at the same time (e.g., dvd and tv, dvd and playstation2). There is a regular picture in picture, a split screen, a 3 PoP (one channel in a big box and 3 others in 3 smaller windows on the right) and even a grid PoP that allows you to view 12 channels at the same time. However, if you're using these to watch different tv channels, be aware that in 3 PoP and the grid PoP only the \\"main\\" box displays the picture at normal frame rate. The other channels show picture at about 5 frames per second and not at the same time, but consecutively in order. Not a big deal, but something to consider.    The connections on the back of the Olevia are more than you'll probably need, and are easily hidden because there are removable panels which allow you to direct the wires through one or two small openings. Awesome.    I then put my playstation 2 to work, hooking it up with component cables. The quality CRUSHES composite (red/white/yellow) hookup. You'll never go back. And I played two games, Tekken 4 and Burnout 3, with the progressive scan feature enabled (displays game at dvd quality, 480p). Very, VERY nice. Colors are fantastic, and blacks are very well done.    Then I hooked the Olevia up to my Bravo D2 dvd player via a DVI cable. The player features upscaling that can display any dvd in 720p or 1080i (as well as the standard 480p if for some reason you want to use it). With a bit of tweaking of brightness, contrast on both the dvd player and TV I sat down and watched Alien vs. predator widescreen dvd on 720p. WOW!!! The picture is clean, the colors are beautiful, and the sharpness is great. LCDs are known to be bad at reproducing blacks (in other words, the color black, usually it is some sort of dark gray). I cannot complain here. The bravo d2 olevia combination produces dark and rich blacks.    How about the sound? TV has two detachable 10w speakers that are surprisingly strong. I hooked the speakers up to an audio reciever and they are now my surround speakers. The TV does have multiple audio outs and even subwoofer out.     So, the conclusion? First realize that my comments have one underlying point in mind: I spent (...) on the tv. For that price the quality and features are unbeatable. Most of the other brand name sets costing (...) and up don't even have the features that this tv does. While I'm sure the picture quality on the Sharp, panasonic and sony is a little better, I don't see the point of spending money on those sets unless you are ready right now to get a serious home theatre system.    If you're like me, just wanting something good to hold you over until you spend serious cash, buy this tv, and don't hesitate to do it. It has ALL the connections you need, it's dvi has hdcp (which is a copyright protection system which you will need in the future), has awesome PiP and viewing features, 3:2 pulldown, detachable speakers, and a great look (blue led when tv is off is hot). I have had the set for almost a month and have had no problems with the remote, picture or the sound.     I wouldn't take this thing back for anything. I got it for under a grand and with the refurbished bravo d2 (...) i have myself a really solid entry level home theatre setup. E mail me at photekxl@hotmail.com if you have any questions.