Customer Reviews

Toshiba 40RV525U 40-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Background
We decided a while ago that we wanted to upgrade all tube TV's in our household with decent wall mounted HDTV's. So we started of researching and initially bought the Samsung LNT series. This HDTV @ 1080P had a great price point for the specifications listed (contrast, resolution, available ports).
The second brand we bought was the Sharp, more specific the aquos series. Again, very similar to the Samsung although a bit more pricy and not necessarily as nice looking.
We then ordered a Marantz from the Philips outlet and boy was that a pice of junk. Cheap but it had sever ghosting and was impossible to use. That one moved to the family room.

Finally we needed the 4th TV and wanted it for the kids' XBOX 360 and PS3 experience in their gameroom. When checking over Thanksgiving we wanted to get another Samsung as that was the best one in our experience but no good deals were out there and most that had them were out of stock on the reasonable deals.
So we ran into the Toshiba 40RV525U as the cheapest 1080P 40" HDTV with (supposedly) a fast screen rate for gaming.

About the 40RV525U
First of all this is NOT a REGZA from Toshiba, which is more high end than this item. However, this TV does look good with its black piano laquered front bezel (although it is not as shiny as the Samsungs but less wobbly in its reflection, so it is equal in aesthetics).
It comes with 3 HDMI ports. Very important for the furture as the switch boxes are trouble in our experience.
What we noticed MOST during the reasearch into this item is that Toshiba is not very forthcoming with specs other than Gamer Mode being great for next gen console requirements, 1080P and the number of HDMI ports. Even downloading the manual for spec sheets gives you nothing on contrast or the milliseconds is requires.
We took the gamble since the item was hundreds cheaper than the next best thing and are VERY happy with it. The contrast ratio is not as good as a Samsung since you need to put the contrast and brightness up a bit but there is no ghosting or fuzziness when playing XBOX or PS3. We have noticed the same issue another reviewer had: the XBOX does not produce sound when connected via HDMI but this is a known XBOX 360 NXE issue and not a Toshiba one. The component cable connection is great and the screen looks wonderfully crisp.

Another few comments: the side buttons are very plasticky but luckily hidden. The remote is simple and effective (not a button laden brick) and most of the interface is VERY simple to navigate through. Make sure you switch the gamer mode on as it is of by default. It does make a visible difference.

Pros:
Great piece of technology at 1080P for a very low pricepoint
3 HDMI
Plenty of other connections
Gamer mode
Looks very sleek and expensive

Cons
Little heavy compared to Sharp and Samsung
Lack of information on contrast ratio and other key specs (but it is excellent in what it delivers so not really a ding)
Wallmount screws are placed relatively far aparts so if you want to adjust screen horizontally you will need to buy a wide mount. Samsung has the mount holes really close together, as a contrast.

This is my first HDTV, got it for $679 + tax from Amazon over thanksgiving.

Initially I was a little skeptical because of the low price tag and lack of reviews but I decided to take the plunge and buy it coz Toshiba is an old and reputed brand.

Pros:
- The picture quality is simply amazing on this TV. Blacks are pitch black and the colors are sharp.
- Blu ray DVD's are crystal clear at 1080p.
- Response time, while not great has not been a hindrance in gaming so far (GTA IV and LittleBigPlanet on PS3)
- It was extremely easy to set up. Remove packaging, screw in stand, plug power and you're good to go.
- Lots of HDMI inputs (3). I have a PS3 and an upconverting DVD player plugged to two slots. will be plugging in my desktop to the third one once I get my DVI-HDMI cable.
- PC VGA input with stereo sound jack, makes it easy to plug in laptops.
- Sleek stylish looks.
- Remote buttons glow faintly in the dark :)

Cons:
- A little on the heavy side compared to the newer flat screens, It weighed around 50lbs+, I was able to lift it alone onto a VESA mount around 4.5ft in height but I lift weights.
- The picture is a little too dark, I've been fiddling with the picture settings but I haven't been able to get a perfect balance of light and dark.
Had to turn up the brightness considerably while watching some dark movies like Underworld.
- Mediocre sound, would recommend investing in a surround sound system.
- PC VGA input doesn't go beyond 1368x768, haven't tried a dvi to hdmi yet.
- Screen is a little reflective, tubelights especially messed up the picture completely.

Overall I'm extremely satisfied with this purchase, can't beat the features at this price for a 1080p.

I bought this TV for our bedroom two weeks ago based on the price and the positive reviews I read about it. I was a little skeptical that such a low-priced LCD could provide the kind of quality I was looking for but this is the real deal. The picture is bright and crisp even using the component cables I'm stuck with until my new HDMIs arrive. There's definitely some motion blur and the sound is above average at best, but think it would be tough to find a better value than the RV525U at the current $700-$750 range.

This t.v. was purchased about a week ago and I love it. It fits perfectly in our living room. The tv has excellent 1080p resolution. That coupled with the deep blacks and quick response time makes my 360 look spectacular. The game mode does seem to improve my gaming experience as well. For the price, this tv really cannot be beat. I've seen other reviews discussing that the sound and 60 hz response time are downfalls...First of all, the 60 hz is perfectly fine unless you're a videophile. It's hardly noticeable to most - and as for the sound - it is RARE that tvs put out great sound. The sound is fine. It sounds like a tv. The only genuine negative mark I can find with it to this point is that the remote really needs to be pointed right at the sensor to function properly which is a little annoying. Still, this is a GREAT value. If you're on the fence, allow me to shove you over...get this set!!! Great job, Toshiba.

I've had this HDTV for about a month. I love it, especially in HD. Beautiful picture! Brightness is great, picture from TV and DVD's are just great!

Great TV with excellent picture. I am happy overall with the purchase.

There are a couple things that stand out as being a bit less then expected. The sounds can be a bit flat and off with a slight echo. I don't really notice unless I am playing music through the TV. I plan on remedying this by getting a decent surround sound system.
The video also can be a bit tricky if you are switching types of input. I have an HD box from Time Warner that will switch outputs depending on the channel. Some are 480i, some are 720p, and some are 1080i. The TV can be slow to switch when it changes and sometimes it is faster and easier to turn the TV off and back on to get the signal synced with the source. I've noticed the same thing with the PC being connected to the TV when switching display modes. Both are connected to the HDMI inputs.

Overall the price and display make these just minor nuisances. I saw this same set in the local Best Buy and compared to similar sizes this set's picture is much sharper, clearer, and has better blacks. I'm glad I got it.

Although I actually have the Costco version 40RV52U. They seem to be the same model.

Tuner: I'm very pleased to find that the tuner can bring in several digital HD channels off of my very basic ($[...] / month for 13 channels) analogue cable connection without any extra boxes, antennas or subscription fees.

Picture: I get all the local channels in either 720p or 1080i and they look great. The inauguration looked fantastic and I can't wait to watch the superbowl in HD from my own couch. SD channels are fine. 4:3 pictures are the equivalent of a 32.5" CRT so replacing our 27" was win-win. Lowering the sharpness helps SD. Upconverted DVDs and Netflix (both via XBox 360) look great. I'm sure a BlueRay player will be fantastic.

Sound: Great for TV speakers. I don't need the stereo on unless I want the big sound. The RCA output on the back is variable so you can set the stereo at a good volume and control it all with the TV remote.

Settings: They are straight forward and probably layman friendly, though I'd like a little more control over some features. I'd like to be able to disable the SmartSound feature during gaming example.

Remote: Not great. It needs to be aimed a lot more precisely than any of my other remotes. It is prone to double taps (jumping over settings in the menu / channels in the guide etc...) The keypress timing seems to be set too fast. Even though it is a "universal" remote (quotes used because it can't be programmed to my audio system) I'll probably replace it with the Harmony designed for the XBox 360.

Gaming with an XBox 360 and a Wii:

Audio: There is an issue with the 360's audio via the HDMI cable BUT I understand from a Microsoft friend that there is already a fix in Beta to resolve the issue. The SmartSound feature (to keep commercials from blasting) cuts the volume in video games sonmetimes so I have it wired directly to the stereo anyway.

Video: I've only had one moment during a particulary bright scene in Rock Band 2 which produced an odd slow-down effect. I changed a video mode to Gaming and haven't noticed it since. Fast paced FPS and driving games are smooth. The Wii is only 420p of course but Wii Tennis is a lot more fun in widescreen.

Other: There are enough inputs and outputs to keep me happy for a long time. It's light and easy to move around. The base is a little flimsy for my taste but not a concern. The shiny frame is not noticable though it might be if you have it in a bright or sunny room. I like that you can turn the backlight off behind the "Toshiba" nameplate on the front of the unit. Left side controls are easy to access and simple to memorize.

If I could remove 1/2 a star for the remote I would, otherwise it's a very nice TV, especially at the $[...] price point.

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1 month down the road: XBox 360 HDMI audio issues have been resolved by microsoft, but new HDMI issues have come up. The HDMI connection drops occasionally. Switching to another source and back resolves it, usualy until the next time I use the TV. Seems to be more prevalent while watching Netflix or a DVD and almost never does it during a game. Component inputs seem fine.

I think I'll swap it at Costco for a new one. If it continues I'll be getting another brand.

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PROBLEM SOLVED! The replacement has no issues at all. I just had a unit with flaky HDMI inputs. I've played a few hours of XBox 360, watched several episodes of 30 Rock through Netflix and watched a couple of movies witohut any cut-outs. Perfect!

I recently purchased this tv about 2 weeks ago. I had about a 1 and a half month long process of comparing/contrasting tv's. I compared the samsung 40 inch a550 to this one. only big difference is contrast ratio. 30,000:1 (samsung) 15,000:1 (toshiba). as well as $80 price difference. I finally came to a final decision on the toshiba. I went to a local best buy and compared the toshiba to other top of the line lcd's (sony, samsung). I virtually saw no difference in the picture. I also have my blu ray player hooked up via hdmi. COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!! the picture is awesome. my xbox 360 looks absolutely stunning as well. the reviews are true that the sound on this tv is not up to par. but not many lcd's have great speakers because of the small size the speakers need to be to fit in tv. Which is why home theatre systems were invented, problem solved! I definetly recommend this tv to anyone looking to stay around th $700 range. its the best lcd you can purchase in this price range! I'd save yourself a $100 bucks or so and try out this toshiba! you will not be dissapointed!

Great image. I'm surprised by the black that it displays. To those unsatisfied by the sound, I suggest turning OFF the QSOUND (this is a simulation of surround sound (other TVs have done this for years, as well)). I put the Bass at 13 and the Treble at 15 without QSOUND and I'm pleased with the sound quality (might tinker a touch more).

Only downside I've seen is that it has VGA instead of DVI, but c'est la vie. I doubt I'll ever hook a computer up to it anyway (VGA isn't terrible).

PS3 looks nice :)

I don't know what else to add. I'm pleased all around.

Purchased this TV about 4 weeks ago. Great picture and even better after a little tweaking, I have it hooked from my Dish 722 via HMDI cable with sharp picture and sound....I am going to connect it with a Panasonic sc-pt960 Home Theater system, so I'll comment further later on. I find this Toshiba TV to be a great product and IMOP feel it is as good as any Sony or Samsung model. I highly reccomend this TV for it's quality and value. Price can't be beat, Paid $679.00