Toshiba 42H83 42-Inch TheaterWide HD High-Definition Projection TV

by Toshiba

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 18.7 x 39.4 x 46.5 inches ; 130 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 152 pounds
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B000093URL
• Item model number: 42H83
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,220 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This midsized big-screen set offers most of the features and all of the quality of Toshiba's larger projection sets. With screen dimensions optimized for your favorite widescreen movies, the HD-ready 42H83 produces smooth and detailed images from DVD players, digital TV set-top boxes, digital satellite systems, cable television boxes--you name it. Heading its great features is IDSC Pro, a digital scan-conversion system that accepts and displays both progressive-scan and interlaced HD (1080i) video signals. IDSC Pro uses line doubling, frame doubling, pixel doubling, and double sampling for the best possible progressive-scan images.

The 42H83 uses a TheaterBright screen, whose double lenticular (two-lens) configuration combines a Fresnel and fine, 0.72 mm pitch Blackstripe screen. The screen is tinted for increased contrast, and a surface layer diffuser concentrates the tinting on a thinner layer of the screen's surface, giving you a bright, high-resolution screen with a wide, 160-degree viewing angle.

Dual-tuner, 9 MultiWindow, split-screen PIP gives you picture-in-picture without requiring a VCR for a second tuner. Scan through all stations on nine boxes across the bottom of the screen--you can even preset your favorite channels in the boxes. The split-screen feature shows two channels simultaneously without distorting either image.

Toshiba's TruView enhancement suite combines black-level expansion, fine white, flesh-tone correction, and color detail enhancer, automatically reproducing accurate pictures with true colors. A 3D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter with Vertical Contour Correction provides accurate processing of RF and composite-video signals for a sharp, clean picture. This high-end filter significantly reduces detail noise, seen as shimmering or flickering, in complex or intricately detailed scenes. CableClear digital noise-reduction circuitry optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable.

The set's DVI-HDTV input allows a direct digital connection with a DTV set-top box or receiver, while dual ColorStream HD component-video inputs provide the ultimate picture quality from high-definition analog component-video signals (as from DTV receivers, satellite receivers, and progressive-scan DVD players).

DFine high-speed velocity-scan modulation improves contrast and overall picture sharpness by changing the speed of the electron beam as it transitions between bright and dark areas of the picture. HD Dynamic Contrast continually analyzes picture information and sharpens and deepens those parts of the picture with the most detailed information.

Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown switch) identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce a film's original 24-frame-per-second material, obviating distortions caused by DVD's 30 fps rate. Further, the TouchFocus automatic digital convergence system creates perfect corner-to-corner focus at the press of a button. Manual override adjustments are available.

For audio, the 42H83 offers SRS WOW, combining SRS 3D (which creates a wide, three-dimensional sound field), TruBass (which boosts bass-frequency perception for more dramatic low-frequency effects), and Focus (which raises the sound image vertically to create clearer voices)--enhancing sound quality through the set's own two speakers (which are powered by 15 watts per channel). StableSound maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal, and Toshiba's Sub Bass System (SBS) boosts a program's actual low-end audio for heightened dramatic impact.

What's in the Box
TV, illuminated universal remote control, remote batteries, user's manual, QuickConnect guide, and warranty information.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High Fidelity Video, October 12, 2003

By 

F. DeFreitas (Allentown, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toshiba 42H83 42-Inch TheaterWide HD High-Definition Projection TV (Electronics)

Being an avid audiophile for years, I felt lost in the new arena of high-fidelity video. However, even on the showroom floor, this model had "something" about it that set it apart from the pack.

I have to say that after several evenings of fine adjustments to suit lighting conditions, and personal taste for contrast, hue, black level, sharpness . . . this set has far exceeded my expectations on delivering a high-fidelity image. Simply put, it is extraordinary.

I would suggest however, that you brace yourself for the "out of the box" image-quality experience. If you are in any way aware of what an accurately reproduced image should be, you will be assaulted by the intensity of the factory settings. Don't panic . . . there are plenty of customized preferences for all parameters that can be set to your taste.

I would also suggest that you perform the 9-point convergence adjustment once you have the unit to your liking. It does have an "auto" feature -- but this really is more for in-between quick resets of the manual 9-point feature once performed and set. If you have experience with service-mode, you can also perform an extremely accurate 56-point adjustment (56-points each of RGB -- the set is synched to G). Once performed and in-place, this set is capable of showing such detail, that you will see the individual threads and fibers of clothing, etc. and entire scenes take on a dimensional quality that I have never experienced before.

The bulit-in sound (all things considered) is superb, and the field-expander setting is as pleasing as anything I've ever heard . . . coming close to the famed Carver Sonic Hologram Generator for creating an accurate, "expanded" sound stage. Kudos on the quality of this circuit for "standard" listening in the home when external audio components are not wanted or needed for material.

I am rarely as happy and satisfied with a product's quality as I am with this. But, once again, remember . . . the quality is up to YOU. It IS there, but you're not going to get it out of the box with factory settings. With proper calibration of all parameters, I will go out on a limb and say this is as close as one can get to plasma -- with it's look & feel -- with a rear-projection system, and at this price.

Stunning.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Toshiba 42H83 HDTV Rear Projection, November 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Toshiba 42H83 42-Inch TheaterWide HD High-Definition Projection TV (Electronics)

After a brief but intense period of widescreen HDTV comparison and study, we picked the Toshiba 42H83 rear projection HDTV (HD-ready). Tons of features, lots of inputs (including a DVI input) and it looks great. On the showroom floor, its picture outshone many other tv's two or three times its price, very bright, detailed, intense colors. The 42H83 is very compact depth-wise, and weighs only 130 pounds - pretty amazing. I have a small viewing room, and went with the 42" (once it was placed in the room, it was clear 42" was plenty, almost too big). GREAT price, got a 10% discount, with the money left over (plus a little extra) we also grabbed the new Samsung DVD player with DVI 1080i output.

Got it home and fired it up. I believe (if I read the manual correctly) that the 42H83 upconverts regular signals (S-video, etc.) to at least 540 lpi (?) Scan lines are non-existent, even on regular broadcast/cable signals. Picture is brighter and has more accurate color than my old Panasonic Superflat CRT. The picture using the Samsung DVD with DVI connection is like looking at a Kodachrome slide - no scan lines whatsoever. The Samsung HD931 upconverts DVD to 1080 lines interlaced and the picture and color are absolutely stunning.

The 42H83 has different screen modes to allow widescreen viewing of 4:3 signals. One in particular stretches the sides of the image but leaves the center relatively unmodified. This provides for a pleasing widescreen view of non-HD signals, and the effect is more or less transparent - nice. Also featured are multiple Picture-in-Picture modes, which go far beyond the small image in the corner that you might be familiar with.

Due to the built-in resolution, any flaws or artifacts in the signal will be magnified; it is easy to tell which cable channels are strong and clean, and which are not. Plenty of rear inputs, including two sets of component, two S-video, coax, etc., as well as DVI input (DVI is the ultimate input for HDTV signals - requires a very expensive computer cable). Also has front panel S-video input set for easy connection of your camcorder or console video game box.

This TV has scads of features that I won't try to recall at the moment, but it is a complete package. I haven't delved completely into fine-tuning the picture yet, but the adjustment menus provide plenty of tweaking if that is desired. The set also features Touch Focus which automatically adjusts the focus quickly and accurately with the push of a single button - for most folks, this handy feature is all that is needed to obtain a good, sharp picture. The 42H83 has a very full-featured and advanced sound system, although I've bypassed it altogether to use my home theater sound setup, so I can't describe here how it actually works.

Reservations: By using the 9 point manual convergence, color bleed can be minimized to a large extent, but there seem to be some types of signals where it isn't completely tuned out (although it comes very close). Some DVD's have a lot of dark scenes, which do not come out pure black, but have a dark grayish tinge - although this may be particular to RPTV's. These might also be remedied by going deeper into the picture settings. Much of it depends, of course, on the quality of the signal... One last nit-pick - we've had some experience with occasional momentary signal "dropouts" using the rear S-video input - it's possible these are due to a complex home theater switching system I'm using, but time will tell on that one.

But I'm being a perfectionist here - the picture is truly amazing for a RPTV. We are very happy so far with the 42H83 (we hope we don't have any reliability problems, but so far so good).. Huge amount of features, small footprint, gorgeous picture, and a truly reasonable price. We can't wait until ESPN HD comes to our area.
Update: 1 month later of steady use, and no quality or reliability problems. Still churns out a big, beautiful widescreen picture - Monday night football is truly satisfying and DVD's are like going to the theatre without getting gum stuck to your shoes. Forgot to mention - we were a little shocked to realize this set was "Made in the USA." Nice surprise these days.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Buy?, August 14, 2003

By 

J. Rea (Sachse, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toshiba 42H83 42-Inch TheaterWide HD High-Definition Projection TV (Electronics)

Unfortunately, my deluded fellow reviewer has posted that same comment on many different sites. Nice strategy Best Buy.
I just ordered and picked up this machine last week. It is a tremendous addition to my rather small living room. I would have liked to go bigger and I almost purchased the 46H83 model because it is a table top version of this tv with an extra 4" viewing area.
I was quite happy to see that this tv was easy to setup and operate. My wife likes the remote and she was able to figure out the menus herself. Personally, I like the fact that you can really drill down into the setups and manipulate the settings.
The viewing angle of projection tv's is what had always kept me away from purchasing a set. With this box, I have a slight darkening of the picture when I get to >45 degrees, but the picture is still excellent. You should really see the set in a showroom before you nix it for something you might have heard elsewhere.
The picture itself is quite bright and we have had no problems with viewing programs even in mid-afternoon. You won't need blackout curtains to watch this projection television.
The only thing that is lacking for me right now is the Toshiba HDTV tuner. Once I have that I will be able to crank out HDTV with no problems. . .but th 42h83 only has one DVI-HDTV Input and that means that I will only be able to pull in one HDTV input source at a time.