Clear, crisp picture when used with DVD player; Good price

Minor "repair" required out of the box; Limited adjustability

I purchased this TV new for $517 on sale at Circuit City; I've since seen the identical model in stores for $650. As a monitor for my DVD player, the picture (through an S-video cable) is crystal clear and virtually noise free. I did have to adjust the tint slightly toward the green end to compensate for somewhat pinkish flesh tones, but this setting has remained consistent from one DVD to the next so I haven't had to change it since. I happen to have a JVC VCR, and I notice the pause function provides a clearer picture on the new TV than on the non-JVC TV it replaced (don't ask me why).

Straight out of the box, the set had a minor "defect". When letterboxed movies were played, the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen weren't level. When I called the JVC customer service center, the representative told me I was entitled to a whole new set if I wanted one. Instead, I opted to have an authorized repairman from a local shop make a housecall, and he was able to correct the problem in fifteen minutes by making a slight adjustment to the deflection yoke on the picture tube. JVC footed the repair bill, and I've had no problems since.

Because I don't have cable, the reception from channel to channel varies widely. On some channels the picture is fine as is, but on others sometimes the picture is poor to the extent the television's controls don't have enough range to compensate. For example, watching some of this past season's football games, some teams' helmets would "flare" in longshots to the point that all detail (i.e., the helmet insignias) was lost. The general effect was as if you cranked the contrast all the way up to its limit. Trying every possible combination of contrast, brightness, and sharpness settings failed to produce an acceptable picture. Since on other stations this problem wasn't evident, it appeared not to be a problem with the TV per se, just an inability to compensate for poor reception.

Because I have a home theater system, I don't use the television speakers and can't comment on their quality.

My overall assessment is that if you're purchasing the TV primarily to use it as a monitor for your VCR and DVD, buy with confidence. If, however, your viewing habits include a steady diet of television broadcasts, make sure you compare this TV to several others in terms of its picture quality from an antenna signal.

Similar Products Used:

Sylvania 25"; Quasar 27"

REALISM OF PICTURE,FACIAL TONES,GOOD BUILT-IN HYPER-SURRROUND SOUND

WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEEN THE CONVENIENCE OF FRONT AV JACKS FOR CAMCORDER PLAYBACK

I PURCHASED THE FLOOR MODEL OF THE JVC AV32020 FROM A
DEPARTMENT STORE WHICH WAS CLOSING OUT THEIR ENTIRE
ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT. AT 499.99, I FEEL THIS SET IS AND WAS
A STEAL!! I WAS LOOKING AT THE PANASONIC SUPERFLAT 32" MODEL
AT 999.99 AS THE ONLY VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FOR MY DISCRIMINATING VIEWING PLEASURE. THE JVC OFFERS NEAR PANASONIC PICTURE SHARPNESS AND COLOR CLARITY, AND FOR SO MUCH LESS OUT OF POCKET, I WAS ABLE TO CASH IN ON A DVD
PLAYER AND HOME THEATRE AUDIO SYSTEM WITH MY SAVINGS.

Similar Products Used:

PANASONIC

Great picture

Poor tuner

The picture on the tube has been fantastic for me so far. Calibrated (somewhat) with the Video Essentials DVD, and it did a fair job. The reds are too red, but that is normal I guess.

What I can't believe no one else mentioned, is that it does "The Anamorphic Squish". Anamorphic DVD's look wonderfull with this setting, even my wife can now go thru the service menu to toggle the setting.

Having a DirecTV system, I have to use an antenna for locals. This TV is not always the best at picking them up, but I rarely watch them anyway.

This set gets 5 stars for value for being the lowest price set I could find capable of the Anamorphic trick. Gets 4 stars overall because I would really like a more accurate color decoder.

Similar Products Used:

None

Excellent picture, multiple AV inputs

not flat screen

I picked this item up at Best Buy online for only $570. It has a great crisp clear picture. I am currently using the Video input from my Toshiba DVD player but am going to try a S-video cable soon. I choose the JVC after reading the reviews here at AudioReview and am not sorry. It doesn't have PIP but I don't use it anyway and am glad I don't have to pay for it like many other manufacturers make you do.

Similar Products Used:

Toshiba

I had JVC AV27050 for a few month. It's a top of the line JVC with 27" screen (from the line that doesn't offer a component input). When I realized the size of my living room allowed for something bigger, I decided to be open-minded and, instead of going straight for 32" JVC, audition a few other candidates. I felt no need for PIP anymore for it was hardly used at all in AV27050. Among the candidates were all 32" sets the local Best Buy, Circuit City, and Sears could offer. At the end, there was only one group of sets that won over in quality of picture and connectivity, however, not in sound or ease of use: Sony 32" line. But their prices were much higher and although the quality of picture was superb, it seemed just a bit washed out. Their reliability, moreover, was as not solid as that of JVC.I've bought AV32020 and am happy with it completely. For $650, it's a wonderful set with pleasant sound and excellent picture. I was especially attracted by how close to reality it reproduced the colors. A little advice: if you hook this unit to a HT, use its audio outputs set on "fixed", not "variable". Otherwise, the sound may have hiss to it and may be distorted.
Caution: I've heard some rumors about JVC TVs having a mediocre tuner. I didn't find it true. The tuner of the set I have is performing better than a tuner of my Panasonic VCR -- and their tuners, according to many, are very good.
The set easily deserves five speakers throughout its performance and value.

Great picture! Very sharp out of the box, though the default setting for contrast ("picture") is much too high, overdriving and causing blooming. Dark screen gives excellent blacks, much better than Sony Trinitron. And sharpness/clarity is outstanding. Sensitive tuner, though I do notice some adjacent channel interference. Screen is slightly flatter than competition. You get a lot for the low end JVC: digital comb filter, S-video inputs, 2 RCA inputs, excellent remote (though unlighted), Hypersurround, and great JVC quality.
Quibbles include poor sound (irrelavent with HT system) and slightly tough to navigate menu system.

Highly recommended in the 32" category...

Low price, multiple video inputs, excellent remote

Excessive red color saturation

The JVC 32020 TV is an excellent buy. I calibrated it using AVIA Guide to Home Theater and the picture is outstanding although I had to compensate for excessive reds in the picture. The remote is easy to use with well placed and large buttons. It has two video inputs (one S-video) and an RF input along with stereo output for your receiver. I have had no problems with reliability and its overall performance has been great.

-Good out of the box picture and presets
-Great price / performance

-Reds tend to blossom (have not had it calibrated yet)
-AV CompuLink is fairly worthless
-Fair amount of glare

Overall, the JVC 32020 is a basic, no-frills set where you're buying essentially the picture tube. I have not yet had it calibrated (let's see if Santa delivers the DVD player), so the reds tend to blossom and show "noise". Other than that though, it is a great out-of-the-box picture.

The glass tube it self could use an anti-glare coating. It seems to reflect more than many other tubes I've seen.

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-Replaced a 27" Trinitro with this unit

Very clear, vivid picture, nice features, S-video

none. (No component input, but S-Video is just fine).

I finally upgraded to a 32" from a 26". I did a lot of side by side shopping and found that this JVC-AV32120 offered the best bang for the buck, at $499 you can't go wrong. I found the factory settings weren't to my liking (too much red, bleeding etc.)so with some minor adjusting and tweaking, I have the picture to the point where it rivals the Sonys and Toshibas of the world. And when you connect your DVD via S-Video, the picture will blow you away. The built-in speakers are average and will pass when you decide not to run your whole HT. The remote is easy to use. I am extremely pleased with this set and you'll be too.

Similar Products Used:

Sony, Fisher (Toshiba tube)

Stable, high quality picture. Excellent value. Looks like it should have cost more.

Video noise...flimsy I/O panel.

Excellent picture quality with fairly easy-to-use remote. Seems to have good construction though back input/output panel has a flimsy feel. I liket the front firing speakers...and they are as good as you'd expect in a set at this price. Wish I'd known more about DVD's and TV's and opted for one with component inputs.
Still looks fine with the S-video, though, and my wife thinks it's marvelous. I watch local channels off an aerial and the set introduces some video noise at times that the previous Toshiba didn't. All in all considering what I paid, except for the component inputs, I have no regrets and would by again in a heartbeat. If you get it around $500, you won't find a better set at that price.