Samsung LTP227W 22-Inch HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV
Excellent TV for use with component input
To clarify the title a bit, it's not that there's anything wrong with the TV without component inputs, just that it doesn't take real advantage of the Tv's strengths if you don't at least hook up your DVD player to it. :-) <br /> <br />My setup is relatively minimal: it's hooked up with my DVD player and to satellite TV (with antenna broadcast stations). I haven't hooked this up to any external speakers, and much of my TV viewing isn't HD. <br /> <br />Anyway, the picture is excellent, especially if you have a progressive scan DVD player and/or an HD receiver (obviously).  The blacks aren't the blackest of the blacks, but the TV does have a few preset color and brightness settings, and offers a custom setting to the user.  There's a fair amount of customization available to the user for the picture and sound, including fine tuning analog signals.  My parents have a rear projection TV that isn't so great with NTSC (analog) signals, but this thing doesn't show the pixellated effect to anywhere near the degree that their TV does.  The DNIe algorithm does a good job with boosting color and contrast too, and there's a nifty demo mode that does a split screen of DNIe on one side and no added effect on the other on top of the current signal.  DNIe and some of the preset color settings do exaggerate colors a bit, but not to the point of a major color shift.  If you're a purist with regard to color, you would want to leave DNIe off, set any presets to \\"Standard\\" or \\"Movie.\\"  It has two zoom modes for those rare occasions when you want to clip off the top and bottom of a 4:3 signal.  The second zoom seems to strech things vertically I guess to fill the screen from wider cinema formats.  (I never use it.)  The sidebars when in 4:3 mode are black, but screen burn-in isn't a real issue with an LCD. <br /> <br />The sound from the internal speakers is good for what you get in one package, and while I'm generally skeptical of these whiz-bang features like WOW stereo (or DNIe above), it works well with the internal speakers at least.  It's probably superfluous if you have a surround or better quality external speakers, but for me, it does somehow make ambient audio sound deeper and more peripheral.  For example, sounds that happen offscreen sounds like they coming from way off to the right or left at a proper distance. <br /> <br />The design of the TV itself is nice, though some might not like the black border around the picture.  Viewing at angles is not an issue at all -- the picture is great at pretty much any angle, and the frame doesn't block out the picture.  The case is a lot of plastic painted a good metallic silver, with a heavy base (not too heavy -- the whole thing wieghs about 24 lbs.), and has a good level of fit and finish.  It's not to the level of an Apple computer, but it's as good as the Sony and Philips I looked at. <br /> <br />Samsing makes a pretty big deal about using it as a PC monitor in tandem, with picture in picture (PIP), and a button in an important spot on the remote. <br /> <br />Setup is pretty easy.  Cables in the back face down, but it's easy to remove the cover there and get them in place.  There are a few extra outputs that are exposed on the back for quick access.  Configuring the TV options is easy, and the menu system is clear.  It has a quick setup mode when you first turn it on, and it's easy to find that option again later in the menus.  Menus are big and easy to read with a semi-transparent background so you can see the effects on the picture behind. <br /> <br />The reason it gets 4 stars and not 5 is because of the average remote.  It has all the stuff you need on it, obviously, and some nice and accessible options are on it like the picture mode, the picture size, the audio mode, component switching, etc.  It has a covered panel that slides down to access some.  It isn't really a complete universal remote, and I think Samsung expects users to buy a real one to replace the included one.  The finish, the buttons, and the contours of the remote are OK, but not designed to the same level as the TV proper. <br /> <br />Did I miss anything?  Probably, but overall it's a very good TV.  I use mine in my living room, though I'm guessing a lot of people will use it in a den or bedroom because of the size.  I sit about 6-8 feet from it and it looks and sounds great. <br /> <br />FYI: Be sure to let your DVD player know you're using a widescreen TV, or else it will stretch the picture in widescreen mode and still leave bars at the top and bottom.  It took me a few minutes to figure that out.