Price Paid:  $450.00 from A&B Sound

Summary:
I've now had this TV for about a year, and I must say, I haven't been happier. I find myself choosing to watch moves on DVD with this tv (24") vs my roommates 32" Sony Trinitron with Surround. I used the "video essentials" DVD to setup the contrast, brightness, etc. And I must say, its got better color than any Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi... pretty much anything i've seen. Even the 2channel stereo coming from the built-in speakers is alot better than most tv's I've heard. I DID notice the 'audio jump' that alot of people are commenting on, between the '4' and '5' setting, but after a while, I got used to it. And it was kinda hand for at night, with a quick 'quiet' volume if you hear something go bump. hehe. As for that buzzing/hissing sound people have sometimes heard, I only heard it through headphones with the BBE turned on. Otherwise, it was quiet. And the remote was nice too. Large 'common' buttons, easy to navigate the menus, and although the 'reset' button isn't in the best place on the remote (could have put it more towards the bottom of the remote, away from where your hand usually sits) but I've yet to hit it once and screw up my settings.

Has to be some of the best money I've spent on something in a LONG time (not counting my 5disc Toshiba DVD player hooked up to it). Oh, and thats 450 CDN... so about 322 USD, and about 279 Euro.

Strengths:
Beatiful picture quality/color.
Decent audio from a 2channel built-in speaker set.
Excellent selection of inputs for size of TV.

Weaknesses:
'4 to 5' audio jump (although you do get used to it).

Similar Products Used:
Hitachi, Sony, Panasonic (sizes varying from 20" to 27" direct views).

Price Paid:  $349.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
I bought this unit in December 2002, so I'm assuming it's a 2002 model year unit. But if TVs are like cars in that respect it might be a 2003 model year. But regardless, I love this TV. I went to Best Buy looking to get the Sony KV-24FS100, but then I noticed the Toshiba sitting next to it. I was surprised that the Wega picture quality was slightly surpassed by the 24AF42, since I'd had the impression that Wega was tops. But since the Sony was actually more expensive I was happy to get the Toshiba. I bought this one for my bedroom, and it's a great choice. Love the component input from my DVD player! My only gripe is the sound volume jump that others here have noted. (It's nice to see I'm not imagining it.) Indeed, at volume 4 the sound is too quiet, and at volume 5 the sound is too loud, at least at night when the ambient noise is nominal. I almost returned the TV because of this, but now that I see it's not unique to my unit I've decided to keep it. The pluses of the 24AF42 outshine this one drawback, if only barely.

Strengths:
Picture
Large assortment of input options
Sound leveler (BBE?)

Weaknesses:
Volume jump from level 4 to level 5

Price Paid:  $299.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
I purchased this TV as an "open box" discounted unit. Very good picture, but side by side with the Sony KV-24FS100, the Toshiba doesn't have the clear "see through" quality of the Sony. Also on the Toshiba, I saw some color splash/smearing through the S-VHS input with my Mitsubishi HS-U770 VCR, which was not evident on the Sony. Both models were about equal on geometric accuracy.

However, the 24AF42 has better audio adjustments, where the Sony has really none, and the Toshiba comes with a universal remote while the Sony has only a basic remote and no composite or component inputs.

In the end, I returned this TV and exchanged it for a 20" Wega.

Price Paid:  $250.00 from Theater 31

Summary:
This TV has a nice picture and great its a great size for a bedroom. The one thing that really bothers me is the volume jump from 4-5 as was mentioned previously. Half decent remote. Also the humming does bother me some times. but that comes with alot of TVs

Strengths:
Nice inputs
Nice picture

Weaknesses:
Volume Jump 4-5
Slight Hum

Similar Products Used:
Magnasonic 19'

Price Paid:  $345.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
In a search for a bedroom TV, I found this set and the Sony's. I feel that the picture quality of the Toshiba FST was slightly better than the Sony. It also had a better set of video inputs on the back of the set than the Sony (Toshiba allowed 2nd set of inputs to be composite or component video; Sony 2nd set of inputs is component only). The BBE sound enhancement is also a useful feature. The only feature I feel is missing in the set is color temperature control (the Sony does have this).

One problem I encountered with the Toshiba was that when turning up the volume, there is a huge jump between "4" (barely audible) and "5" (almost normal volume). I call to a Toshiba CSR claimed that this was normal behavior for this TV. Since I need lower volume levels occasionally, I was forced to return this TV. A second unit had the same problem. Just be aware of this if you are considering purchasing one of these for your bedroom.

Strengths:
Excellent picture, good number of inputs, BBE sound.

Weaknesses:
Quirk in volume control make this set annoying to use in a quiet environment.