Toshiba 62HM196 62-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV

by Toshiba

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 57.1 x 18.8 x 39.3 inches ; 103 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 131 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: B000FEJNLI
• Item model number: 62HM196
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,999 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Get the sharpest and clearest images possible from HD and standard TV and your favorite DVD movies with the 62-inch Toshiba 62HM196 DLP rear-projection television, which offers both 1080p and 720p progressive resolution. As 720p is rated as high-definition, Toshiba has dubbed this TheaterWide TV XHD--2X Resolution, as its 1080p rating has twice the pixel count of 720. This set is loaded with the latest in video and audio processing technology as well as loaded with a wide variety of connectivity options, including an Ethernet port for playing digital audio and images over your home network. The set's built-in ATSC (DTV) tuner pulls HD signals (480p/720p/1080i) right from the airwaves, and its QAM tuner is fully compatible with unscrambled HDTV cable reception. The CableCARD port means the set will also receive digital cable television systems services directly from a compatible cable operator without requiring a bulky, external cable box. A standard analog NTSC tuner receives standard-definition (SD) programming.

DLP (which stands for Digital Light Processing) uses an optical semiconductor to recreate source material with a fidelity analog systems can't match. While other technologies lose a certain amount of light in transit, the microscopic mirrors in a DLP projection system bring more light from lamp to screen. It also features better color uniformity over time--no burn-in, screen aging or color-shifting possible. It's the leading display technology for products like small portable conference room projectors and professional venue entertainment systems.

This DLP set is powered by Toshiba's TALEN X digital light engine, which utilizes Texas Instruments' xHD4 chip, advanced optics, and Toshiba's DEEP Picture and Xtreme BLAC technologies to provide high resolution with improved brightness and contrast. This model also includes the new PixelPure AT Digital Video Processing, utilizing the new Adaptive Technology to create further improved picture quality. It also features the Radiance 150 Hi-Bright lamp for noticeably brighter images and a TheaterFine DFP Screen with anti-glare coating for increased detail and noticeably deeper blacks.

The 62HM196 set features Toshiba's CableClear DNR+ technology, which optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable sources to eliminate video noise ("snow") for a clean crisp image. It utilizes the digital 3D/YC comb filter to compare frames and determine the existence and extent of video noise. It then applies the needed amount of digital video noise reduction, and the appropriate sharpness adjustment to keep the picture clear. This feature now works on RF, composite and S-Video inputs, and can be selected by input.

The aforementioned 3D Y/C comb filter separates brightness and color signals better in 3D domain to eliminate cross-color, cross-luminance and dot-crawl distortion. It performs field-by-field comparisons of the television image to accurately separate the color from the black-and-white information and remove both horizontally and vertically hanging dots, as well as dot crawl, resulting in a razor sharp image. The Cinema Mode feature performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture. This set also offers five TheaterWide modes that expand letterboxed images--which is particularly useful when watching narrow letterboxed Panavision or CinemaScope films.

The Movie Mode feature changes the basic picture setup conditions to create a more theater-like picture, while the Sports Mode feature automatically adjusts appropriate picture levels to produce enhanced color, detail and brightness. Other convenience features include TV Guide onscreen interactive program guide, color temperature control, auto aspect ratio detection, closed captioning on mute, sleep timer, tri-lingual on-screen display, video input labeling, channel labeling, channel/video lock, and V-Chip parental controls.

This set has two stereo speakers that provide 15 watts of power per channel (for 30 watts of total power) and SRS WOW virtual surround sound. The StableSound feature maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal. This helps to eliminate the annoyance of normal program volume being followed immediately by extremely loud commercial messages or drastic volume fluctuations while changing channels.

It's easy to connect to brilliant imagery with the component and HDMI connections--the latter offering pure digital audio/video performance with no degradation of signal from just one convenient cable. This set also includes the new THINC (Toshiba Home Interactive Network Connection) home entertainment networking capability (Ethernet port), which allows you to connect the TV to your PC and play MP3 audio files and JPEG pictures using only the TV remote. It features the following video and audio connections:

• Composite A/V: 2 (1 front) in, 1 out
• S-Video: 2 (1 front) in
• Component Video: 2 in
• HDMI: 2 in
• RF: 2 in
• Ethernet: 1 in
• Digital audio output: 1 optical

Tech Talk
A DLP television (Digital Light Projection, also referred to as microdisplays) typically offers a large screen with a cabinet that's deeper than standard LCD and plasma screens, but far more compact than old-school cathode-ray television (CRTs). This rear-projection TV projects red, green, and blue light that's filtered through a pixel-filled microchip color wheel and directed onto a digital micromirror device (DMD), a chip with millions of hinged, microscopic mirrors attached, which switches on and off up to 5,000 times a second. The reflected light is directed through a lens and onto a screen, creating an image. Unlike rear-projection CRT sets, all microdisplays can get quite bright without losing detail, so they're perfectly watchable in brightly lit rooms.

HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any audio/video source (such as a set-top box, DVD player, or AV receiver) with your TV--all over a single cable. HDMI supports standard, enhanced or high definition video, plus multi-channel digital audio on a single cable. It supports all ATSC formats--standard (SDTV), enhanced (EDTV), and high (HDTV).

Component video (also called Y/Pb/Pr) features a three-jack video input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. You will need a separate RCA left/right audio cable for sound.

SRS WOW virtual surround sound processing technology consists of three separate sound expanding systems, which work together to extract "buried" highs and lows. The three systems are, SRS 3D, TruBass, and FOCUS. SRS 3D creates a three dimensional sound field from just two speakers, thus giving the listener the feeling of hearing a multi speaker surround sound system. TruBass produces a powerful, yet low, frequency sound by utilizing a process called psychoacoustics. From only two small speakers, TruBass will give the effect of an expensive sub bass woofer that will leave the listener amazed by the quality of the sound. FOCUS was added to direct the energy from the speakers of the television set in a vertical direction up towards the listenerÕs ears. The addition of FOCUS means that there is virtually no loss of sound from the speakerÕs position on the bottom panel near the floor, which achieves a clear, undistorted range of audio.

What's in the Box
DLP TV, remote control (with batteries), printed operating instructions

Product Description

62" 1080P DLP PROJECTION TV

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So far so good..., August 31, 2006

By 

M. Jessing "Wryker" (Nash-vegas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toshiba 62HM196 62-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)

Toshiba continues to make some of the best TV's on the market and this one is no exception. A few notes for people looking to get the older models (XXHM195); this model and the 196's all have the improved/new lamps so the problem the 195's experience will not occur with the 196's. That's one reason I waited for this 'round' to come out. The 196's also have 2 HDMI inputs which is crucial as HDVD and Blu-Ray come into fruition. With this TV handling 1080p I am 'set' for the next decade re: picture quality since HD DVD is 1080i but Blu-Ray is 1080p and I foresee Blu-Ray 'winning' the war in the long run.
My 42" Toshiba resides in my living room while this big boy is in my "Man's Room". For now, bought a Toshiba 6980 HDMI upscaling DVD player and it works flawlessly. I run it through my Denon AVR-987 (which is the SAME receiver as their AVR-2807) since the receiver has 2 HDMI inputs and HDCP compatible (also needed for 'future' video).
WARNING for ComCast customers: their HDMI PVR cable box does NOT support HDCP receivers so another good reason to get a TV w/at least 2 HDMI inputs - one for the Comcast 'box' and the other for the output from the receiver (where everything else is connected).
Why don't I use the CableCard feature you ask? - It's $6.99 and the current TiVo doesn't record in HD so for $9.99 I'll take the HDMI output HD PVR that records 2 shows at once. Plus - this cablecard is not 2.0 compliant which means if I ever want to watch VOD you CAN"T without a box. (Yes, the new TiVo Series 3 will support CableCard 2.0 but at $600 estimated pricing - not worth it and yes, Comcast WILL have a Comcast TiVo PVR by the end of the year but I don't know the specs yet but it will be powered by TiVo software!)
And yes, the current Comcast PVR pales in comparison to TiVo and does not work 'that' smooth..
Any questions? Feel free to email me. I shoot straight from the hip.

111 of 133 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT buy this Toshiba 62HM196, September 26, 2006

By 

J. Burgoyne (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Toshiba 62HM196 62-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)

I researched my new DLP tv for months before coming across information for Toshiba's launch of this new Toshiba 62HM196. I scoured the web and new exactly what I was looking for. Dollar for dollar it was the best value out there. It tested very well and if you research on the web you'll find information of it being tested against other tv's in this price/size range. The tv was delivered fine-shipping was great. Unfortunately can't say the same for the tv. It was delivered to me at the start of September,06. Never worked out of the box. I had also bought new surround sound (Infinity) and a new receiver Onkyo SR-604 (Deck and speakers are really nice). I was setting everything up-so happy it arrived before the football season. "Oh my Patriots on the big screen-doesn't get any better". Well TV turned on fine--then the blue light on the front started blinking and wammo within 2 minutes the nice colors turned to purple, black and white-blotches everywhere-couldn't make out a person on the screen. TV is still in the shop. I spoke to a Toshiba manager of "TV" customer serivce-I could have asked what color the sky was and I would have gotten-verbatim, a line read directly from their manufacture warranty-they were like robots and could care less whether I was a satisfied customer. The Toshiba certified technician that came to my house to look at the tv said, "Oh boy you got yourself a lemon, there are too many things wrong with this tv to list." I had to take multiple days off from work for tech people to come to my house to look at the tv and to pick it up. It is still at the shop and Toshiba finally told the technician that it needs-they believe- a new mother board--it'll take "around" 3-10 business days to ship--then it will have to be worked on--got no confirmation from the Toshiba technician when they could do this once they receive the part...bottom line is Toshiba customer service is very poor and I am still without the tv that I ordered with no idea when I am getting it back-and if it will even work like I expected it too. Stay VERY clear of this Toshiba 62HM196 tv and Toshiba. If you buy it, make sure that the company you buy it from will take it back and REPLACE it if it doesn't work as expected. Otherwise all the risk is on you and trust me--working with Toshiba has been a nightmare--they will gladly sell you a tv and could care less if you are satisifed. That's not a risk I will take again-live and learn.

UPDATE: The Toshiba certified repair company got back to me today 10/02/06, told me my Toshiba 96HM196 needs a new "Digital Sine Module" for the repair-He spoke with Toshiba-they DO NOT have avaiable yet this part for repair-he said the tv model is so new that parts are not yet available-TV came out in June 2006--that's 4 months ago. Toshiba is selling TV's with no parts to repair them--what does that tell you about how much they care about a happy customer?! I asked for a timeline and he had no idea of one. I called Toshiba and spoke with the manager. He said he has no idea of a time frame and could not talk about options to solve this problem until they recieved a copy of my sales receipt--then at that point he would talk to the parts department about "options". I asked, "What are these options?". He said, "I can't get into that until I get a copy of your sales receipt". I scanned it and emailed it to him--well to the open customer service mailbox. See, he doesn't give out his company email address or his direct phone line, so into the general public customer service email it goes. Now I am suppose to wait for a phone call from the parts department which he said I will receive by tomorrow 10/03/06. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT do business with TOSHIBA. Ask youself, is it worth this aggrevation?

UPDATE: Toshiba parts department was suppose to call me back to give me a timeline of when the part to repair my TV would be available. They never called. I called back to Toshiba customer service. The customer service person would not give me his last name. I asked to speak with the manager I spoke to yesterday. He said he is unavailable (When I got off the phone my finace called into the same number asked for the manager by the name I gave her and wammo..he took the call-he was obviously avoiding my call). I asked when the parts department was going to call me. He said, "Let me check your file...oh it says they called this morning and left a message." I said I didn't recieve any call--I had my cell phone with me at my hip all day. I asked for the person's name in the parts department who had called me and their contact information so I could call direct--he wouldn't give it to me. I asked if I could speak with that person now--"oh he is not at his desk I can try and leave a note to have him call you back." They were beyond rude. I asked them since there is no part to repair my tv what are you going to do for me. Got no answer. I ended up having to hang up when he said, "ok have a good day." that was it..no resolution or any options given just a sarcastic remark. Well I got my retailer on the phone he promised to return my money when he has receipt of the tv..which he says should be tomorrow. I've kept the name of the retailer out because up till now they have at least returned my calls and been simpathetic. Toshiba has not and has been evasive as can be. I don't know how they can do business this way. The retailer offered to ship me a new Toshiba 62HM196 tv..I said no thank you I'll take my money back please. I'm buying a new Sony XBRII and going to pay the top dollar through a retailer that will give me a grace period and take it back if it malfunctions out of the box. This expereicne with Toshiba has made me furious. Never again will I purchase their products and I'll pass this word to anyone considering electronics that I speak too. We work too hard for our money to give it away to a company that doesn't respect and honor our business. Say NO to Toshiba!

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 6 Of One Half Dozen Of The Other But If I have To Choose I Say 5 Is Closer Than One, December 11, 2006

By 

Dr.Scooter (St.Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toshiba 62HM196 62-Inch 1080p DLP HDTV (Electronics)

I find it interesting that the reviewers either gave one star or five, however, so far an even split. I purchased this TV about 3 weeks ago and so far I'm pretty impressed. Mind you everyone who reviewed the Samsung here at Amazon and there were more than 30 gave it 5 stars. I read my first reviews in "Consumers Report" which listed this Toshiba as their number one choice. I buy alot from Amazon but the sale was from Amazon "through" Tiger Direct and to be honest Tiger just offered the better deal Direct. I'm having mine hooked to a Satelite System soon so I will post an up-date. First they say the down fall is the bulb. I've read that the bulb life is much better in the 96 as opposed to the 95 but time will tell. To hedge my bet, although I almost never get the extended warranty even Consumers Report suggested for a DLP TV it "might" make sense. T/D had a 2 year warranty that took effect after the one year manufacturer for $150 so that gives me 3 years for less than the price of one bulb. Delivery was free and again it was Eagle and although some have had there problems mine arrived in one week and the guy (with my help) put it right in the den, so I was very pleased. The picture with my up-converting DVD player is great. I didn't do a side by side but the picture seems top notch. I like the 2 HDMI inputs. I run the DVD in the one and will run my Satelite into the other. With the "Optical" sound out to my amp I don't have to switch anything to keep the sound going. The on board speakers are okay but who gets a set like this and doesn't have a system with a sub-woofer? Plain old cable while not HD is still pretty good compared to a SDTV. The TV was fairly easy to set up and the remote was a breeze to get both my receiver and DVD player to work with it so that is a big plus. For south of $2000 with a 3 year warranty and placed in my den I find this to be a pretty groovy deal, maybe even peachy keen. Tis odd that the few reviews are either love it or hate it but that is just the way it is. The whole Theater Wide thing is cool with the push of a button you can change how the picture fills the screen. Most movies I leave the way God intend......I mean the Director intended it but usually fill the screen with the SDTV and that can be done with minimal distortion should one choose or leave in it's native format. With an upconverting DVD player one can watch movies in 1080i (not 1080p) not sure if there is that much difference myself 720p kind of looks the same to me as my DVD player switches between these with a push of a button and they both look pretty good to me.


[edit] 720p versus 1080i
Some United States broadcasters use 720p60 as their primary high-definition format; others use the 1080i standard. While 720p presents a complete 720 line frame to the viewer between 24 to 60 times each second (depending on the format), 1080i presents the picture as 50 or 60 partial 540 line "fields" (24 complete 1080-line fields, or "24p" is included in the ATSC standard though) which the human eye or a deinterlacer built into the display device must visually and temporally combine to build a 1080 line picture - in CRT type display. To get all 1080 interlaced lines to appear on the screen at the same time on a progressive high-definition display, the processor within the HD set has to weave together both 540-line segments to form the full-resolution frame. It does so by holding the first field in its memory, receiving the next field, then electronically knitting the two fields together. The combined fields are displayed at once as a complete 1080p frame. The main tradeoff between the two is that 1080i may show more detail than 720p for a stationary shot of a subject at the expense of a lower effective refresh rate and the introduction of interlace artifacts during motion. 720p is used by ABC and ESPN because the smoother image is desirable for fast-action sports telecasts. Fox Broadcasting Company uses the tagline "the nation's finest high-definition standard" in advertising its 720p programming.



The proceeding was added just to give some factual prosepective but clearly 1080p has the bragging rights. So if you compare Sony, Samsung and Toshiba I don't know just what would be the BEST. Again, since "Consumers Report" liked this one it was my first consideration between the 3 brands I'm not sure that one is so much better than the other that I wouldn't pick the best price. At the time of purchase the Toshiba had the best price/warranty and free delivery so that's the way I went and as weird as it sounds seems like a reasonable choice. Seems to have lots of connection options and I really like the 2 HDMI plugs. It also has an RJ45 to hook to your "network" me I got a "cross-over" cable and will most likely just show photos from the laptop but who knows. I will return after I live with my Dish for a bit but I would say any decent 60 plus inch HDTV for under $2000 although not cheap is clearly better than the 2005 prices.

Okay due to the whole LOS I get no DISH Network-upgraded Charter, took 3 service calls to get the cable card(?) but that seems to work fine and hey HDTV is pretty cool when offered. Mind you Charter just lost our Local Channel 4 in HDTV for "some" reason" gee and SUPER-BOWL will be on, oh, gosh darn that very channel? Now I have found a rather annoying quirk shall we say. There are three "setting" Sport, Movie and Preference. These all have the factory settings, designed to sell the TV on the showroom floor. Mind you, I like the overly bright, overly green "Sport" setting for football. However, bear this in mind, should one set up the Preference setting either by eye or using one of them there fancy setup disc and then click on the Sport or Movie settings and make "ANY" adjustment what-so-ever then THAT becomes your Preference and all your original (Preference) settings are lost? Click back to Sport or Movie and they are at the original factory setting?? Puts some meaning into the phrase "don't touch that dial".