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Princeton AF3.0HD
Princeton AF3.0HD
MSRP: $ 4100.00

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Rating
Reviewed by:
David
(Casual Listener)

Review Date
November 25, 2000

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

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Review 1 of 2

Price Paid:  $4000.00

Summary:
I bought this TV monitor based on favorable professional
reviews on the net. There's no doubt that it has
one of the finest line-doubled 16:9 images available
for consumers. Nevertheless, I'm arguing with the
dealer now about returning it. Here's why:

1) TV arrived with busted audio. It distorts terribly
at any volume and hisses even when the volume is at 0.

2) Signal synchronization is INCREDIBLY annoying. I've
tried two different VCRs connected either to the composite
or SVHS inputs. In both cases, switching TV stations
using the VCRs tuner or using fast forward or reverse
will cause the TV to black out for a few seconds and then
display once it has synced onto the signal. This means
that quick channel surfing or accurate tape searching
is basically impossible.

3) I tried to get service on the audio. The on-line
service was prompt (admitting that they didn't put much
effort into the sound), but my repeated attempts to
even talk to a service rep much less arrange a service
call have been really exasperating. It has left me with
no confidence in the maintenance of this TV.

4) The remote control sucks. Changing aspect ratios,
for example, requires navigating a menu when it would
be simple just to toggle through the settings with a
single button.

5) The look of this thing is horrendous. Not until I
got it into my house did I realize how huge and box-like
the 145 pounder is. If I had seen it in a showroom first
I probably wouldn't have got it just by the looks of it.

6) Component inputs only handle progressive scan. One
of my DVDs has non-progressive component out, but this
is useless.

7) The picture had some undesirable blurring in the
corners when I hooked my laptop up to the monitor input.

Strengths:
Amazingly beautiful picture

Weaknesses:
Terrible service, awful audio, signal sync issues, bad controls, ugly form


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Rating
Reviewed by:
James Mamone
(Audiophile)

Review Date
June 20, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

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Review 2 of 2

Summary:
* NOTE : This unit is also known as the Unity Motion UHD-3200... You can read a FULL review on this set after our grand re-opening July 2000 at www.dvdmonthly.com.

First, the specs:

32-inch (30"viewable) Color HDTV Monitor
Toshiba 16:9 CRT with Microfilter ™
0.63mm Super Fine Pitch
Displays all ATSC HDTV formats
Special color-corrected phosphors
Factory presets memories for 480p, 720p, 1080I, VGA
Wide video bandwidth: 40MHz
30-50kHz horizontal scanning frequency
2 sets of YPbPr to RGB Transcoders. 1 each for HDTV and NTSC
Built-in video line doubler
3 Color temperature settings: 6500°, 5400° and "custom"
Multiple inputs support all HD, video, computer apps
True 75 Ohm BNC connectors for YPbPr, RGBHV and Video
2 Remote Controls are provided: User/Installation
FCC Class B certification

When making this set, Princeton just didn't make a set. Guess what they did? They went to Joe Kane, former Chairman of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) Working Group on Professional/Studio monitors, and said "What can we make that will even blow you away?"

He fired away what he wanted. An impossible pipe dream. And guess what? They made it to his EXACT specs...

Read more on this at http://www.princetongraphics.com/products/af30hd1.htm

There is NOTHING that I can say wrong about this set. Some of these unity motion versions have been around for 4 or 5 years, and STILL kill what's coming out new now. Why? Because this set was designed with Joe Kane in mind, and to be the best set in the universe... And it is.. And it will be... For a while...

Not only that (not to undersell Princeton), but you can get the Unity Motion sets for $1800 to $2200 on the net and on ebay if you really look! You can't beat that. I am sorry, if you can get this, get it.. I don't care if the size is just 32" ... GET IT!

I would go into more detail, but this is really repetitive for me.. Please keep an eye out for the review at WWW.DVDMONTHLY.COM...

Thanks for reading...

James Mamone
Editor
DVD Monthly

Strengths:
Incredible picture (.66), Supports ALL ATSC standards for HDTV. Built in Line Doubler (although externals are better), supports Progressive scan DVD.

Weaknesses:
No such thing with this set.. Okay, one.. The component input only supports progressive scan DVD, so you have to use SVHS or external line doublers with other players...This is sort of a drawback, but a blessing in other respects.

Similar Products Used:
Everything under the sun. I am editor at www.dvdmonthly.com, the first DVD website on the internet back in March of 1997, so I have used just about everything under the sun.


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