Haier HLT10 10.2-Inch Handheld TV, Black

by Haier

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.3 x 10.2 x 7.5 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001OXKPDO
• Item model number: HLT10
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (122 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,555 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #16 in Electronics > Portable Audio & Video > Portable & Novelty TVs
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 8, 2009

Product Description

The Haier HLT10 portable LCD TV gives you the ability to enjoy your favorite television programs anywhere, any time--in your home or away. Watch the morning news without having to get out of bed, or while sun bathing in the back yard. Does someone else have dibs on the TV room? Pull out your HLT10, and you've got your own TV room. This handy little portable TV has a 10-inch LCD high-resolution display that switches between a 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratio. It has a built-in ATSC/NTSC tuner enabling you to receive crisp reception of your favorite channels - even after the digital-to-analog switch in June 2009. The HLT10 connects to other devices with an audio/video and coaxial outputs. Watch with others using the built-in twin speaker system or plug your headphones into the included jack to enjoy your favorite programs without disturbing those around you. The rechargeable battery offers up to 2.5-hours of life between charges -- enough time to watch an entire movie or several episodes of your favorite show without a recharge. With the help of the built-in stand you can conveniently set the TV on any table, desk or counter. The HLT10 includes an AC power adapter, a car adapter and a remote control. Note: Reception of over the air signal depends on your location. Lack of reception does not indicate a defective product, but merely a weak transmission signal. Try moving the unit to another location, or connecting to cable, satellite, external or an indoor antenna.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

177 of 180 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Little TV, March 30, 2010

By 

Randy W (El Segundo, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Haier HLT10 10.2-Inch Handheld TV, Black (Electronics)

The HD picture is bright and clear, surprisingly good for a TV this small. The Black Levels are better than i expected too. The screen's aspect ratio is a bit odd - it's 16:10 (not 16:9). The screen is matte/non-reflective. The casing has a rubbery soft skin.

The digital tuner in this TV is QAM capable, and i discovered that it stores and remembers the Over-The-Air (OTA) channel map and the Cable channel map separately which is really handy. I can have it connected to TWC cable straight from the wall and watch all my local QAM "HD" cable channels and analog cable channels, then when i take it down to the garage and connect it to my UHF/VHF rooftop antenna lead, i just go into the Channel Menu and change the Antenna setting from CABLE to AIR and the previously stored OTA channel map then becomes available. When i bring it back into the house and connect it back to cable from the wall, i go into the same menu and switch it back to CABLE and all of my QAM channels become available. If you switch sources on virtually all other small to large LCD and Plasma TVs you have to re-scan for the channels every time you change sources and that takes several minutes. But with this TV it's accomplished with just a quick antenna mode setting change. To set up both tuner modes, connect it to a good antenna, put the TV into AIR mode and run a scan the OTA channels. Then for cable TV, connect it to your cable feed from the wall, put the TV into CABLE mode and run a scan for your cable channels.

The Channel menu has a Show/Hide setting where you can select or de-select any of the Cable or OTA channels that have been scanned into the tuner.

You can directly enter the actual channel number using the number keys and the dash (-) key on the remote which takes you directly to that channel (7.1 or 4.2 for instance). Do not hit the Enter key afterwards, that doesn't work for channel changing.

I can disable any unwanted channels from the "Favorites" list by unchecking them in the setup submenu and the TV will not tune to them when i'm hitting the CH+/CH- keys, but if i enter the direct channel number on the remote the TV will tune to that "disabled" channel.

The Picture Settings Menu doesn't have a Color Temperature setting, but i discovered it hiding in the Options Menu so don't be alarmed. It gives the choice of Cool, Normal, or Warm. Normal looks best to me.

The remote is a nice full-featured unit with real buttons, and takes two AAA batteries. Many other little LCD TVs have a cheap flat credit-card type remote where the membrane "buttons" crack over time. It has a Zoom key that gives you the choice of FULL or NORMAL. Both modes are available for all channels so you can always select the correct aspect ratio for SD and HD programming. See the Picture of the Remote to see all the keys it has.

The Antenna signal meter is very basic and is displayed along with other various info when you press the INFO key on the remote. It doesn't have a numeric range or any sort of strength bar - the only information it gives is BAD or NORMAL or GOOD. When a station's reception is NORMAL, there is some digital screen freezing and macroblocking so they should have labeled it FAIR instead.

It has a built-in fold-out easel stand with two lean-back settings, and it also comes with a nice removable tilt-adjustable oval-base pedestal stand that snaps into the back of the TV.

It comes with a special Audio/Video adapter cable with male yellow/red/white RCA jacks on one end, and a 3.5mm male A/V pin connector on the other end to stick into the TV's A/V Input jack (this cable is not listed as being included in the product details on the various websites so it was a nice surprise to find it in the box).


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Cons:

The screen resolution is 480p. It is not HD, but it does properly fill the screen when watching an HD program either through the TV's tuner, or through the A/V input from an HD STB.

Screen aspect ratio is actually 16:10, not 16:9 like a normal widescreen TV. Round things look a little oval, and people look a little thinner than they really are (as compared to how they normally look on my various 16:9 Plasmas and LCD TVs). A little irritating.

Does Not have bass or treble settings in the Audio Menu, but the tone is decent and acceptable for a small TV like this.

While i can't get skin tones looking completely accurate, they're close enough for casual viewing and don't look horrible or anything. Different channels look more accurate than others too.

The analog basic cable channels don't look very good, but that's to be expected on an LCD TV. But SD programming on the digital channels looks pretty good. HD channels look very good, except for that 16:10 thing.....

There are no Vesa mounting holes on the back or any other way to attach a wall mounting bracket to this TV.

The included antenna is virtually useless unless you're really close to the broadcast towers so don't expect much out of it. I'm 29 miles from the towers on Mt. Wilson and the antenna can't pick up a thing - and i can see the towers on the mountain. This TV needs to be connected to Cable or a good indoor or roof antenna. Some of the digital channels here in L.A. are on VHF, but most are on UHF. The TV gets a perfect signal from my roof antenna on all channels.

Be very careful when removing the clear plastic film covering the screen. It's kinda tucked under the edge of the bezel and if you just yank it off (like i did) it leaves a bunch of little pieces of film stuck around the edges of the screen. I had to very carefully pick a few dozen pieces out with my needle-tipped tweezers.

140 of 142 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars ATSC, QAM, external video input: for half the cost of a CCTV monitor, November 14, 2010

By 

videobruce (Buffalo NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haier HLT10 10.2-Inch Handheld TV, Black (Electronics)

After reading many reviews complaining about poor reception, let me state: a monopole antenna (the one included with most of these sets) IS NOT, NEVER WAS and NEVER WILL WORK PROPERLY for a 'TV' antenna! In the first place, it's only half an antenna (unless you are really close to your local transmitters). Even 'Rabbit Ears" (a dipole antenna) borders on being called a "TV antenna". The one to use is a "Silver Sensor" (or it's clones) for UHF indoors. This also might work for areas that reverted back to the VHF high band. Remember, I'm talking about the PHYSICAL channel number, not the virtual number they insist to use, which in most cases, is NOT the same!
Hooking this up to an decent outdoor antenna under known conditions, this tuner receives as good as most any other TV. There are a few exceptions, but nothing drastic. It does have some trouble locking on to known good signals sometimes (unknown just why), but for the most part if you are having trouble receiving any local station, the fault is not the TV.

After researching the individual components, I found this is a older design. My set had a manufacturing date of 9/09;
LCD Panel is a Innolux 800x480 LED backlit panel from 2006.
Demodulator is a Samsung VSB/QAM tuner from 2007.
Battery pack is a 'Yoku Energy' 3.7 volt, 2.6 amp Lithium-Ion Polymer pack that occupies just over 1/2 of the battery compartment. There is room for a pack almost 2x in size. Unlike common NiCd or NiMH cells, these are 'flat', staked one above the other. Running time is around three hours. Charge time is more than stated. Six plus hours for a full charge, not three as stated in the manual (with the set in standby or off).

Regarding the previous reviewers comments;
1. On the absence of the "tint" control in the A/V mode. Not true. If there ISN'T a signal connected, the tint control is grayed out (quirk with TV), but with a source connected, it IS available.
2. On the 'stretched' image, looking at a standard alignment pattern, there is very little 'stretch' in the vertical direction. Noticeable, unless your are really looking for it. Under normal viewing, I find it very difficult to see it.

Pros:
1. Cost. Great bang for the buck.
2. No problem with lack of memory for it's channel 'database' unlike their earlier 7" model that looses the channel list when powered off according to dozens of other reviews.
3. Standard 'F' fitting (that hasn't been mentioned in any review) for the antenna input. No odd connector requiring another adapter.
4. Able to do ATSC and QAM even though there is no mention of this anywhere (poor marketing).
5. Able to store separate databases for both OTA and CATV (more poor marketing).
6. Able to receive analog channels (OTA & CATV).
7. Able to add channels that weren't in the original scan. Since there is no 'Add channels" in the menu, this is imperative! Stations usually are received from different directions, doing a scan in one direction will miss any signal not from that direction. If you re-scan, you loose your original database. Most sets now have had the ability to add channels. This does, but in NOT documented (as usual). Just enter the actual PHYSICAL channel number, press enter. If signal is good, the set will ID the main channel and any sub-channels.
8. Doubles as a low cost CCTV monitor, costing half as much for a similar 4x3 CCTV set, but see below.
9. First small, low end LCD that has a three position color temperature control. Surprisingly the "Warm" setting is way too 'warm', almost pink when viewing B&W test patterns. Leave it on the 'Standard" setting. It's close to the TV studio standard (6500 degrees).
10. Choice of the built in flip out stand, or a external pedestal type stand for a more permanent location.
11. Wide/ narrow aspect ratios (improperly named "Zoom"). But, see below.

Cons:
1. This is almost a deal breaker that hasn't been mentioned yet: THERE IS NO STANDBY BUTTON ON THE FRONT PANEL!! You can't put this into standby to fast charge the battery pack without the remote. If you turn the set off via the hidden slide switch and power it up again, the set goes into the 'on' state, NOT the standby state. If you want to charge the battery pack you have to use the remote to place the set in standby. If you loose the remote you are SOOL! HUGE OMISSION!
2. Typical narrow vertical viewing angle (just like all Laptops). Ok from side to side (within reason), but the sweet spot for viewing is within 5 degrees (plus or minus) of around 5 degrees just above being perpendicular to the screen.
3. Older digital tuner (2007). A couple steps below current technology, but adequate for the purpose.
4. There is no signal indicator. 'Good, fair, bad' is not a signal indicator. I can see if the picture is breaking up easier that going into the info screen and seeing what it says. Really dumb feature.
5. Useless balance control and no tone control (not that it would probably matter with 2" speakers).
6. Small buttons on the remote, especially channel up/down.
7. Wide/narrow control should not be available for a digital channel. This only should come into play for analog. When changing channels on CATV systems, one has to keep switching back and forth between wide and narrow unnecessarily.
8 Low audio output including the headphone output when connected to an external amp. & speakers. External audio good, but you have to 'crank' it to get suitable output even when the level is full on the TV.
9. Aux. input needs the color level set almost full, but doing so, it affects color decoder output, running each primary color 'step' together into a continuous 'bar' instead of a stepped pattern from a test signal generator.
10. Brightness level on either input is very low, especially the TV input. See my calibrated settings below.
11. Non standard four contact 1/8" mini plug used for the A/V input. Unlike a typical mono or stereo plug (used for headphones), this plug uses a four circuit pin. A standard 1/8" mono mini would work, but for video only instead of using the bulky supplied A/V cable.

Calibrated settings. The default Contrast (too high) & Brightness (way too low) settings for 'TV' are way off base. (this will probably vary from unit to unit):

Contrast-......TV- 40....A/V- 75
Brightness-...TV- 87....A/V- 75
Sharpness-...TV- 30....A/V- 15
Tint-..............TV- ..0....A/V- ..8
Color-............TV- 55....A/V- 95


Recommended carrying case from CaseLogic;
I found a suitable carrying case for this TV. Model VNA210 for $15. It's a little tight, but not excessively. There is a separate pouch for the 'brick' AC adapter though I would recommend additional protection between the two compartments with the LCD screen facing IN, not out.

(Updated: corrected A/V settings & added case recomendation)

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Haier HLT10 Digital TV, January 30, 2010

By 

John R. Huerkamp "Jack Huerkamp" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Haier HLT10 10.2-Inch Handheld TV, Black (Electronics)

I already own an older analog Haier 7" LCD TV that I have been using a a monitor. I feed the signal from a MallinCam astronomical video camera into it and observe live images in that manner. I wanted a larger viewing platform, so I ordered the Haier 10.2" digital TV. I quickly learned that all LCD screens are not the same. The screen on the new 10.2" is not capable of being adjusted as dark as that on the older Haier. For normal TV usage, that will not be a problem. But for those wanting to use this device as a monitor, it will. Also when in A/V mode (using the 10.2" Haier as a monitor) the TINT function is disabled. It is available when viewing the TV. THis makes no sense, as one critical adjustment when using the TV as a monitor is the ability to adjust tint.

Regarding the TV reception, it was poor. I set up the unit in my office in New Orleans, and it tuned in over 12 digital stations. However, I could only watch one. the rest were either highly pixelated or not visible at all. At my home 40 miles north of New Orleans, no stations were detected, making this TV useless during a power outage.