JVC HD52G886 52 inch HDILA Rear Projection HD Ready TV
Still The Envy Of My HD-Owning Cohorts
I got this set a little over a year ago and couldn't be happier.  I wanted to wait awhile to write the review, because people are overly-biased when they have recently purchased a product.  When I was out shopping around, I viewed numerous models and types of HDs.  I wasn't impressed with the DLPs, and the LCDs didn't really capture my attention either.  Plasmas were still a little too costly, so the salesperson showed me this set.   <br /> <br />I was blown away with how incredibly bright the display was.  This particular retailer only handles higher-end models, so the sets I got to compare it to were some of the better models available.  Side-by-side there was no comparison to my set.  Even competing against plasmas, I still chose this one. <br /> <br />The picture is bright and crisp, the viewing angle is unbelievable for a rear-projection, the stock speakers are exceptionally clear and sufficiently loud, and there are more than enough inputs on this model.  Another thing I really like about his set is that you don't experience any glare.  My living room is really bright, and I can watch TV in the middle of the day without drawing the blinds or anything.  Also, my standard broadcast Dish Network looks great on it.  I haven't jumped on the HD bandwagon yet, but I purchased a relatively inexpensive HD-Upconvert DVD player ($150) for it (using the HDMI interface), and I couldn't believe how incredibly spectacular the picture was as compared to a regular DVD player.  The only gripe I have about this set is that the blacks aren't as black as I'd like, but that is to be expected with a rear-projection TV.   <br /> <br />As for the allegations from particular people that say the fan noise is too loud, I suggest they have a JVC tech come and check that out, because I have had absolutely no problem in that area.  I have a relatively small living room, so one would think I would be able to hear the fan.  I can ALMOST hear it when the TV is muted, but that's about it.  <br/> <br />So 15 months later, I am still the envy of my Hi-Def-Bigscreen-owning buddies.  I have a friend that's a die-hard plasma fan, and my set shut him up about the ills of rear-projections.   <br /> <br />