Price Paid:  $1699.00 from Sears

Summary:
This is a great 16 x 9 HiDef ready TV! I use mine strictly for DVDs, but cable looks ok too. Very good choice for small to medium rooms. Best picture on the showroom floor! (Better than Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Sony and Samsung). I had a 47" Panasonic, but returned for my money back when I saw this. The Toshiba 42" was $100 more than the Panasonic 47", but worth it! Auto convergence / focus works fast and well. Steady audio level line out to receiver. Plenty of inputs. Great value. Excellent first 16x9!!!;

Strengths:
Great picture. Easy to adjust settings. Sounds good. Only 18 inches deep. Warranty is good. Unit looks nice. Easy to use remote. Remote lights up.y

Weaknesses:
Sits a little low, but not bad. If that's the only problem, buy it! I had no problem with my center channel speaker sitting on top, some thought it was too narrow. It is an Infinity Entra Series.¿

Similar Products Used:
Panasonic 47" 16x9n

Price Paid:  $1499.00 from Electronic Express

Summary:
Like everyone else when I saw this tv for the price and picture quality, I fell in love. I originally wanted to buy a 36" Vega and bought this instead. Big mistake! After a month it started turning off and on again. Called Toshiba and they were no help at all, called the place I bought it and they said they could only take it back if I had the original box(Who can keep a box that big in their house?). Service techs say that the problem is hard to fix because it is so infrequent and hard to pinpoint. How I wish I had bought the Wega or the 48" JVC.

Strengths:
Good picture quality, Cheap price

Weaknesses:
Cheap for a reason, Bad ciruitry/on-off issues.

Similar Products Used:
Zenith 27"

Price Paid:  $1600.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Couldn't pass up the $1,600 / 18 months no-interest deal at Best Buy. Viewing distance is only ~ 10 feet in my basement theater, so this 42" Toshiba is a good fit.

I'm pleased with the ease of setup, quality of picture, light weight of the unit, and the way it looks (as furniture). I tuned the picture with the Avia DVD, and it definitely improved. However, when the picture from any source is too bright, the horizontal scan lines become quite apparent, and the picture then looks very grainy. This is a minor problem however, since most scenes aren't bright enough to bring out this flaw.

The various stretch modes are a welcome feature, but with the exception of the 4:3 and full (16:9) modes, they all have problems. Parts of the screen which should be visible tend to be slightly out of view near the edges. Try viewing CNN or ESPN with the preferred 4:3 mode (Theater Wide 1). The scrolling news/sports ticker at the bottom of the screen is slightly clipped off.
Digital Cable looks good, not great. I believe the up-convert to 540p produces some artifacts. DVD with my new Toshiba progressive-scan player (outputs 540p) looks very good. XBox and Gamecube games in HD look very nice too. I have not viewed HD television broadcasts yet.

Convergence setup is easy, but unfortunately convergence gets *slightly* out of whack very easily. If I want it perfect, I have to adjust it daily. But so far it stays within 90-95% of perfect for extended periods.

The rear input panel is very flimsy. When I plug into one of the ColorStream component inputs, especially, the entire panel flexes inward and it feels like it will eventually break. That panel should not flex.

Finally, I wish this set had 720p. It's a good standard. I know it would be an added cost, but I'd be willing to pay more. Some videogames are in 720p, and I believe ABC has been broadcasting in 720p instead of 1080i.

Realize I'm being very picky about any complaints I have. I really enjoy the set, and it's an excellent value.

Strengths:
Nice picture
Attractive piece
Light
Affordable
Lots of inputs
Simple setup (and use Avia!)

Weaknesses:
No 720p
Very bright images = visible scan linesQuestionable cabinet quality
Possible 540p upconvert artifacts
No 1-800 Toshiba support?

Similar Products Used:
None; 10-year old 27" Samsung

Price Paid:  $1799.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Great picture when the source is good (DVDs through progressive scan are incredible). Sound is adequate for TV watching, but not for HT. "Off-air" reception is nothing remarkable. Only one preferred setting allowed--the "factory" modes are pretty poor. I feel like I'm mentioning only the "down" side of this otherwise great RPT, but glowing praise doesn't help the prospective buyer. I really haven't had any problems with the unit, and the picture is great for HT at a great street price, so I'd buy it again (and that's better than a recommendation for you to buy it).

Strengths:
Great picture (I had to go way higher in price and to plasma to beat the picture quality), many line-level input options gives you connection versatility

Weaknesses:
nothing significant, but it would have been nice to save more than one preferred setting

Similar Products Used:
first RPT, but audtioned all others in the stores.

Price Paid:  $1699.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
The Toshiba 42H81 has probably the best projection tv picture I have seen. The size is excellent for smaller rooms. I was all set to buy a Sony Wega 36 XBR, then looked at the Toshiba HDTV - and bought it instead for less money.

Strengths:
Picture quality is excellent, low weight - easy to move. Setup menus are clear and easy to follow.

Weaknesses:
Not really a weakness - but you need a separate rack for audio gear, ie dvd, satellite box etc.

Similar Products Used:
Sony 4x3 tv's