Westinghouse

[tatteredpotato]

I've always thought of Westinghouse screens as cheepo screens I should stay away from, but they have been becoming more and more popular. Are they reliable? I realize not to expect the same PQ you get out of the more expensive panels, but are they not "crap"? They have some nicely priced HDTVs that have caught my eye lately.

 

[Alone]

They're definitely good. The 37" Westinghouse is one that you'll see used a lot.

 

[venkman]

They are good and reliable but the trick is finding one that is defect free. I went through 4 Westinghouse TVs before I got my 42w2. The others had problems with dead pixels and vertical banding. The more recent of the last generation (47w1 and 37w3) are MUCH better than the 37w1 and the early 42w2s so those that bought from Costco should be ok. The new models that have just comes out (TX line) should be ever better. My 42w2 actually did end up failing on me (blue sparklies on the screen when using HDMI from a PS3 during BR playback). Westinghouse said they could fix it with a firmware upgrade if I ship it to them but Best Buy said I could just bring it back and get a new TV under my extended warranty. BB didn't have any Westy TVs at the time so i ended up trying out Plasma (Panny 42"). Other than that issue I LOVED my old Westy.

 

[SLCentral]

I'm really getting a little sore from seeing in every "I'm looking for a HDTV" thread Westinghouse being mentioned. Yes, Westinghouse is reliable for the money you pay, and they really aren't bad sets, but they are by no means a quality picture compared to any high-end offerings. I'm glad the OP seems to realize this, but there are so many people I see here on AT that seem to assume a Westinghouse = Samsung = Sony, which is simply NOT true. When you see a Westinghouse next to any high end LCD, you'd understand why the others can cost 2x as much.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: SLCentral
I'm really getting a little sore from seeing in every "I'm looking for a HDTV" thread Westinghouse being mentioned. Yes, Westinghouse is reliable for the money you pay, and they really aren't bad sets, but they are by no means a quality picture compared to any high-end offerings. I'm glad the OP seems to realize this, but there are so many people I see here on AT that seem to assume a Westinghouse = Samsung = Sony, which is simply NOT true. When you see a Westinghouse next to any high end LCD, you'd understand why the others can cost 2x as much.

I do agree with you but just remeber one thing. Just because it says Sony or Samsung on the panel and it costs two times as much it doesn't mean it is a good TV. There were some Sonys a while back (Bravia LCDs IIRC) that had pretty bad problems with their black levels making it appear as clouds were forming on the background. The best advice I can give someone is research and demo. Read AVS, reviews and buy from a place with a decent return policy so you can find the set that best suites your tastes, your lighting, and your budget.

Remember that image quality, much like audio quality, preference is a subjective art. I personally prefer a slightly cooler picture with a a decent amount of saturation and slightly crushed blacks. What one might call more of a video game look. Therefore what TV you should get is also a subjective art.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Thanks for the input guys. Like I said, it wouldn't be the ideal brand for me, but for a college student looking for a decent TV. I'd seen that 37" 1080p, and $800 for a 1080p screen seems really cheap to me, and it seems like that extra resolution would be more noticeable than the better PQ that a better 720p TV gives.

I'd most likely stop by Best Buy and check it out before I buy anything though.

 

[Snakexor]

i think the conversation should be less focused on the fact that he is buying a westinghouse and more focused on the fact that he is buying an lcd when plasma is clearly the superior technology.

 

[Shawn]

Westinghouse is garbage. They have the worst picture out of any of the HDTVs.

 

[Slammy1]

Thing about HDTV buying is research, research, and more research. Then watching the displays, figuring out what looks good for you. There will be compromises no matter what technology route you take. As an owner of a 37w1 I'm both awed and disgruntled; yet I spent a couple of years research before I bought oh so long ago. One key question to consider is what are your sources? Then there's viewing habits, and a whole lot of minutia that will make the decision complicated. In the end, it's what you find as acceptable compromise to your viewing habits and experience.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: SLCentral
I'm really getting a little sore from seeing in every "I'm looking for a HDTV" thread Westinghouse being mentioned. Yes, Westinghouse is reliable for the money you pay, and they really aren't bad sets, but they are by no means a quality picture compared to any high-end offerings. I'm glad the OP seems to realize this, but there are so many people I see here on AT that seem to assume a Westinghouse = Samsung = Sony, which is simply NOT true. When you see a Westinghouse next to any high end LCD, you'd understand why the others can cost 2x as much.

I do agree with you but just remeber one thing. Just because it says Sony or Samsung on the panel and it costs two times as much it doesn't mean it is a good TV. There were some Sonys a while back (Bravia LCDs IIRC) that had pretty bad problems with their black levels making it appear as clouds were forming on the background. The best advice I can give someone is research and demo. Read AVS, reviews and buy from a place with a decent return policy so you can find the set that best suites your tastes, your lighting, and your budget.

Remember that image quality, much like audio quality, preference is a subjective art. I personally prefer a slightly cooler picture with a a decent amount of saturation and slightly crushed blacks. What one might call more of a video game look. Therefore what TV you should get is also a subjective art.

I'll actually disagree with you. For the most part (and I mean 99% of the time), the Sony or Samsung name on a LCD/plasma is a pretty good sign that it is a good set. I don't know if you ever did see the Sony XBR2/3's (the ones with the clouding) in person, because AVS Forums tend to make the littlest problems a huge deal. In person, clouding really isn't a severe issue, and the XBR's are still the best LCD's on the market right now.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: SLCentral
I'm really getting a little sore from seeing in every "I'm looking for a HDTV" thread Westinghouse being mentioned. Yes, Westinghouse is reliable for the money you pay, and they really aren't bad sets, but they are by no means a quality picture compared to any high-end offerings. I'm glad the OP seems to realize this, but there are so many people I see here on AT that seem to assume a Westinghouse = Samsung = Sony, which is simply NOT true. When you see a Westinghouse next to any high end LCD, you'd understand why the others can cost 2x as much.

I do agree with you but just remeber one thing. Just because it says Sony or Samsung on the panel and it costs two times as much it doesn't mean it is a good TV. There were some Sonys a while back (Bravia LCDs IIRC) that had pretty bad problems with their black levels making it appear as clouds were forming on the background. The best advice I can give someone is research and demo. Read AVS, reviews and buy from a place with a decent return policy so you can find the set that best suites your tastes, your lighting, and your budget.

Remember that image quality, much like audio quality, preference is a subjective art. I personally prefer a slightly cooler picture with a a decent amount of saturation and slightly crushed blacks. What one might call more of a video game look. Therefore what TV you should get is also a subjective art.

I'll actually disagree with you. For the most part (and I mean 99% of the time), the Sony or Samsung name on a LCD/plasma is a pretty good sign that it is a good set. I don't know if you ever did see the Sony XBR2/3's (the ones with the clouding) in person, because AVS Forums tend to make the littlest problems a huge deal. In person, clouding really isn't a severe issue, and the XBR's are still the best LCD's on the market right now.

Once again it is a matter of research and demonstration. Ones mans mole hill is another mans mountain. Everyone has different sensitivities to banding, clouding, flickering, dead pixels,rainbow effects, burn in, green blobs, etc etc. These issues have transcended the entire gauntlet of TV manufacturers and TV Types.

I would argue while that you are more likely to get a good set by going with a Sony that a Vizio, the Sony Premium is going to place you at a price level where you can pickup a much better TV. For less than the current price of last years 46" 1080p XBR2 line you can pickup this years model 50" Panasonic 1080p Plasma. For the price of this coming years XBR line, you are in the ballgame of pioneers new 1080p super high contrast plasmas.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: SLCentral

Originally posted by: venkman

Originally posted by: SLCentral
I'm really getting a little sore from seeing in every "I'm looking for a HDTV" thread Westinghouse being mentioned. Yes, Westinghouse is reliable for the money you pay, and they really aren't bad sets, but they are by no means a quality picture compared to any high-end offerings. I'm glad the OP seems to realize this, but there are so many people I see here on AT that seem to assume a Westinghouse = Samsung = Sony, which is simply NOT true. When you see a Westinghouse next to any high end LCD, you'd understand why the others can cost 2x as much.

I do agree with you but just remeber one thing. Just because it says Sony or Samsung on the panel and it costs two times as much it doesn't mean it is a good TV. There were some Sonys a while back (Bravia LCDs IIRC) that had pretty bad problems with their black levels making it appear as clouds were forming on the background. The best advice I can give someone is research and demo. Read AVS, reviews and buy from a place with a decent return policy so you can find the set that best suites your tastes, your lighting, and your budget.

Remember that image quality, much like audio quality, preference is a subjective art. I personally prefer a slightly cooler picture with a a decent amount of saturation and slightly crushed blacks. What one might call more of a video game look. Therefore what TV you should get is also a subjective art.

I'll actually disagree with you. For the most part (and I mean 99% of the time), the Sony or Samsung name on a LCD/plasma is a pretty good sign that it is a good set. I don't know if you ever did see the Sony XBR2/3's (the ones with the clouding) in person, because AVS Forums tend to make the littlest problems a huge deal. In person, clouding really isn't a severe issue, and the XBR's are still the best LCD's on the market right now.

Once again it is a matter of research and demonstration. Ones mans mole hill is another mans mountain. Everyone has different sensitivities to banding, clouding, flickering, dead pixels,rainbow effects, burn in, green blobs, etc etc. These issues have transcended the entire gauntlet of TV manufacturers and TV Types.

I would argue while that you are more likely to get a good set by going with a Sony that a Vizio, the Sony Premium is going to place you at a price level where you can pickup a much better TV. For less than the current price of last years 46" 1080p XBR2 line you can pickup this years model 50" Panasonic 1080p Plasma. For the price of this coming years XBR line, you are in the ballgame of pioneers new 1080p super high contrast plasmas.

Out of all the LCD's, which do have their benefits (bright room, anyone?) the XBR's still have not been beat. This comes from a guy who owns practically nothing Sony.

Now when you're talking plasma, and I usually am, since I prefer them tenfold over LCD, yes, you can do much better for the money. The new PDP-5080 is already at Best Buy's warehouses for $3499 .

 

[venkman]

The first HDTV I ever fell in love with was a Pioneer Plasma showing a High Def Golf Game at Best Buy. It just blew away all the other HDTVs. Man, I felt like I could reach out and touch that grass. Of course the TV was $10,000 and I was a poor college student but I think I might have to eventually pick up a Pioneer for pure nostalgia.

 

[blurredvision]

Originally posted by: venkman
The first HDTV I ever fell in love with was a Pioneer Plasma showing a High Def Golf Game at Best Buy. It just blew away all the other HDTVs. Man, I felt like I could reach out and touch that grass. Of course the TV was $10,000 and I was a poor college student but I think I might have to eventually pick up a Pioneer for pure nostalgia.

Not to mention the they most likely were pumping their best signal into that TV. There are too many games being played between Best Buy and the customer when it comes to feeding signals to their showroom TV's, you just can't believe it. You basically have to ask for a dedicated HD player to be hooked directly into the TV you are looking at to get an accurate feel of it's picture quality. Even then, you're still looking at it in a possibly bright, wide-open area.

 

[ultimatebob]

Woot by itself sells thousands of refurbished Westinghouse LCD TV's every month. That should tell you something about their reliability right there.

 

[SLCentral]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: venkman
The first HDTV I ever fell in love with was a Pioneer Plasma showing a High Def Golf Game at Best Buy. It just blew away all the other HDTVs. Man, I felt like I could reach out and touch that grass. Of course the TV was $10,000 and I was a poor college student but I think I might have to eventually pick up a Pioneer for pure nostalgia.

Not to mention the they most likely were pumping their best signal into that TV. There are too many games being played between Best Buy and the customer when it comes to feeding signals to their showroom TV's, you just can't believe it. You basically have to ask for a dedicated HD player to be hooked directly into the TV you are looking at to get an accurate feel of it's picture quality. Even then, you're still looking at it in a possibly bright, wide-open area.

Prove it. At our Best Buy, we don't do ANYTHING like that whatsoever. We constantly move TV's and plug them in various cable outlets, and none of them have a better signal than others. Prove what you're saying or STFU.

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: blurredvision

Originally posted by: venkman
The first HDTV I ever fell in love with was a Pioneer Plasma showing a High Def Golf Game at Best Buy. It just blew away all the other HDTVs. Man, I felt like I could reach out and touch that grass. Of course the TV was $10,000 and I was a poor college student but I think I might have to eventually pick up a Pioneer for pure nostalgia.

Not to mention the they most likely were pumping their best signal into that TV. There are too many games being played between Best Buy and the customer when it comes to feeding signals to their showroom TV's, you just can't believe it. You basically have to ask for a dedicated HD player to be hooked directly into the TV you are looking at to get an accurate feel of it's picture quality. Even then, you're still looking at it in a possibly bright, wide-open area.

IIRC all the TVs were playing the same golf feed but that was YEARS and many dead brain cells ago. The only TVs that I see today with the "non-standard" feed are the Sony sxrd sets which play 1080p demo content off a custom HTPC. I see this at almost every retailer sellling the sxrd sets.

 

[eplebnista]

Some relatives of mine have a westinghouse and while it works/looks fine, they can't stand the seemingly endless delay that occurs while changing channels.