Customer Reviews

Toshiba 19HLV87 19-Inch LCD HDTV with DVD Player

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I found it curious that most of the customer reviews for this TV on Amazon were negative, whereas the reviews on Circuit City's website were almost all very positive. Although I tend to go with Amazon reviews, I went against my better judgement and purchased this TV. I really wanted a 19" with built in DVD and the reviews for the alternative brands/models were worse. Plus, all the other Toshiba LCD TVs get outstanding reviews.

After only having the unit for a couple of weeks, I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't have cable and use an antenna. The SD picture is average, pretty much the same as every other LCD TV I've viewed. However, the HD picture is excellent, really eye-popping color saturation, contrast and sharpness. And the DVD playback is equally exceptional. (Contrary to what one previously reviewed stated, I have experienced no loud noise from the DVD player - I can't even hear it running.) Set-up was a snap and the tuner picked up a multitude of digital stations and did a better job of picking up analog stations than the CRT TV this one replaces.

So while I won't speak to long-term quality of the 19HLV87, since I've had it for such a short time, I will say that my initial impression couldn't be better. Next, I'll be replacing my larger CRT with another Toshiba LCD.

It's no 50" HDTV (which I already have in our playroom) but for a person looking for a "space-saver" and still get the "Picture and Sound" of an true HDTV unit that I'm used to getting, look no further. When playing Andrea Bocelli "Under the Desert Sky" Live Concert, I was completely floored at the stunning picture and color. Even the powerful sound on this "little guy" was also pleasant surprise. In a small Den (11x13), this beauty has met and went beyond any expectations I originally had. Great Job Toshiba!!

When my tiny Casio LCD died, I needed another TV for the Kitchen. Bought a Sharp TV/LCD 19". When I set it up, the sound was garbage. I tried a set of external Lansing speakers, and it was difficult to get the sound right. After adjusting, When I turned the set off, then on, I needed to reprogram it. Customer service at Sharp tried to help, to no avail. Took it Back. Got a 20" LG. Nice set, fair picture, borderline sound. Took IT back. When I got this Toshiba, I got GOOD sound (for tiny speakers- don't need external speakers) and the DVD is wonderful! No issues re: programing or set up. I am far from a tech whiz, but really, If you are literate, and can read on a 6th grade level, you will have no problems with the manual.

I had the same thing happen to me. After the unit was programmed for channels in my area, it froze up and the TV did not respond to the remote or the actual controls on the TV. Followed the recommended steps of unplugging for ten minutes however this did not help. There is no reset button on the TV. The manual is very poorly written. I did not purchase the unit through amazon this time but I felt it was important to write a review because as you can see this is identical to the review before me. I hope Toshiba can fix this problem. I will hold off buying another until more research is done.

. . . out of the box it had problems. The DVD player had a line of dots across the bottom of the screen. It would come and go, but was evident even when a DVD wasn't inserted, i.e., on the splash screen.

Also, the component inputs were defective. I tried them with three different component sources and all I could get was a green, grainy screen. The HDMI input worked fine, but I really wanted to be able to use the component, since that's what my cable provider offers. Frankly, I expected better of Toshiba. I've got an ancient Toshiba tube TV which still works fine. This LCD was a disappointment. It went back.

Purchased as a birthday gift for my wife. Arrived quicker than I expected...a good thing. Appeared to be in "new" condition (original box). Hooked it up, started the programing process...froze up during the auto channel programing about 2/3rds the way through. Wouldn't power off via the remote or the power button on the unit. Ended up pulling the plug. No picture on the restart....not a very Happy Birthday thus far.
NO STARS

I purchased this set for a bedroom replacement. It is perfect! The picture is clear and it is a nice bonus to have a DVD player installed. The only negative was incomplete instructions for setting up the HD features. Once I managed to figure that out, no problems at all. I bought this set based on the Consumer Report recommendation and I was not disappointed. I also received it very quickly. The delivery man was surprised when I told him it was a television, not a monitor, because it was so lightweight. It takes very little room and makes me want to change all my CRT sets to LCD.

My reasons for purchase: fits a small space on a bookshelf, has a built-in dvd player, HD enabled, and price. Also extremely easy to get out of the box and have up and running. But - my knowledgeable techie friend said I wouldn't be happy with the quality of the picture unless I upgraded to HD servie from my cable provider. He's right. I really saw the difference when I watched a DVD - very good picture. However, overall a good purchase because it met my needs even if the picture quality is not showroom worthy without HD service..

To start with when I purchased this TV, I was expecting that due to the price and the brand name that I was buying a quality set. I was completely wrong. The other LCDs in my home are generic sets from Funai, Emerson, Symphonic and the like, and they are miles better then this Toshiba. There are four things about this set that I find unacceptable. The first is the picture quality of broadcast signals (analog cable) is absolutely garbage. When I connect my $249 LCD side by side with this Toshiba that sells for $550 at most retail stores the difference is nothing short of astounding. The toshiba looks like it is connected to rabbit ears, waves, lines, snow, just terrible. The second issue is the volume control, when you watch a DVD from the built in player you must turn the volume to its highest setting to hear the movie, but then when you switch back to watching TV the volume is so loud that you almost jump. How a major name branded TV could have been designed this poorly is a mystery to me. Third, most TVs when they are powered up for the first time they auto-program the channels. Not only does this set not do that, but after finding the programming option in the incredibly complex menu system, it then takes over 5 mins to seek and program the channels from a simple 96 channel analog source. And my final complaint is the remote control, it is HUGE, and is the most complex and un-intuitive remote I have ever had the displeasure of using. All in all, I can NOT believe that Toshiba released a product this poorly designed, with this low of quality, and this price point. The ONLY positive thing I can say about this set is the color, its BLACK, which can be hard to find these days with the sizes and options that you need.

I placed a comment on another review here stating that we also had problems with the component cable hook-ups. We returned our first Toshiba for an identical one and had the same problem; the hdmi hook-up was fine, so we just gave up on the component hook-up. We also felt the picture was washed out compared to our larger Sharp LCD TV, but we weren't expecting the little 19" combo to measure up to that. We preferred the design and look of the Toshiba cabinet to the high-gloss Sharp, and we liked the ability to adjust the tilt. And after reading reviews on many sites we saw that the Toshiba was rated more highly than the Sharp, so we decided to just stick with it. However, when a second cable guy commented on the poor quality of the picture, we decided to give up on Toshiba and try the Sharp. We exchanged it several days ago, and we couldn't be happier. The Sharp was incredibly easy to hook up, the picture is much, much better (crisper, better blacks, more contrast) the sound is comparable, the time it takes to change channels is comparable (many people have complained about that; it seems the same on all these new tv's to us). I still don't like the high-gloss cabinet, and I do wish it tilted, but we are so glad that we finally gave up on the Toshiba and went with the Sharp.