Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
46, November 20, 2007
This television replaced a Sharp Aquos set (LC-46D62U) of the same screen size in my home theatre system after careful research. I have accumulated a large library of Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, and was anxious to view them using a 1080p/24 output, as is recommended by all home theater reviewers. The Sharp did not accept a 1080p/24 signal and surprisingly, neither does their most recent 120Hz model (LC-46D92U).
After finding a buyer for my Sharp TV, my initial choice for a replacement was the Sony XBR5 model; but, after finding that its overly-wide surrounding bezel made that set too large to fit into the armoire I am using for my system (which is in the master bedroom), I chose the Mitsubishi. The bezel of this set is much narrower than most, which allows it to fit into tighter enclosures. Compared to the Sharp and Sony sets with the same diagonal screen size, this Mitsubishi fit in my armoire nicely, with the additional benefit of opening up extra ventilation space at the top.
This set has many state-of-the-art features that make it desirable for the high-end videophile. It has three rear-mounted HDMI v1.3 inputs that are compatible with x.v.Color; it accepts 1080p/24 signals; and has a 120Hz display. The stand, which came attached to the set, has a swiveling base. Additionally, the remote control unit is well designed and backlighted.
One of the best features of this set is that the video adjustments are readily accessible and are independent of each input, allowing for fine-tuning of settings for different video sources. A simple click of one button on the remote will allow you to scroll through all of the video adjustments one at a time, with a bar graph displayed at the bottom of the screen, allowing full view of the picture. This I found to be a major improvemnet over all other sets in my experience. Calibrating the picture using the Video Essentials DVD was efficient and easy. Furthermore, the "Low" color temperature setting is stated in the owner's manual to be factory set at the ISF standard of 6500 degrees Kelvin (I am not equipped to verify this with instumentation, but it appears correct to my eye). There are three settings available for the intensity of the display, labeled "Natural", "Bright" and "Brilliant". I found the middle setting to be the most "natural" one in my room. Picture quality after proper calibration was superb, and noticably better than the Sharp Aquos set it replaced.
A couple of weeks after I initially set up this set, I ordered the HD-DVD version of Digital Video Essentials (available on [...] for $[...]), which includes separate red, green and blue color filters to use as a tool for proper calibration. Having this disc and filters made it possible to take advantage of an additional feature in the setup menu that is separate from the basic video adjustments menu, called "Perfect Color" which allows precise level and tint adjustments of each of the six components of the color system. I was amazed at how easy and effective this feature was in fine-tuning the color calibration of the set, when used with the Digital Video Essentials disc and filters. This was the first time I have ever seen a display that could be so perfectly calibrated from within the user menu.
The only caveat I found is that the HDMI inputs will only accept a two-channel audio signal, even though there are optical and coaxial digital audio outputs on the rear of the display to connect it to an external audio system. This omission of compatibility with 5.1 surround audio signals necessitated routing all of the audio signals from my sources externally; if the HDMI inputs on the TV would accept all digital audio signals, I could have used the digital output from the TV to provide surround sound without additional switching.
My last criticism--a minor one--is that this set does not have detachable speakers; most plasma and LCD sets don't, but most serious videophiles will not be using the internal speakers, and would prefer to remove them entirely from the display. However, it is possible to switch the internal speakers off from the Audio menu.
Although this set goes for a higher price than most other available 46" LCD sets, it is highly recommended to the videophile who wants the best available display. The overall picture quality at the proper color temperature setting, in combination with three rear HDMI 1.3 inputs, 120Hz display, 1080p/24 compatibility and the superb menu system allowing for easy and accurate calibration, makes this set a serious contender in the field of current high-end LCD displays.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Would Downgrade to One Star If I Could - 2009, MITSUBISHI REPLACING THESE FOR BUYERS WITH DEFECTIVE TV'S, July 3, 2008
MAY 7, 2009 UPDATE - Mitsubishi is replacing these for buyers with defective TV's. We received our LT46246 yesterday - and purchased an extended warranty from the local audio-video store as I am taking no more chances on Mitsubishi products. I will do a review of the replacement TV in a few months, just to be sure it is still working. In March, we were told that a new panel had been ordered; then, in early April, we were told the panel was backordered and the delivery date was unknown. In mid-April, we were told Mitsubishi was replacing, for previous purchasers, this defective model with an LT46246.
MARCH 9, 2009 UPDATE - The official service center in San Antonio just told me that Mitsubishi has extended the manufacturer's warranty by one full year. It appears these TV's have a lot of problems, so it is nice to see them stand behind the product. Hopefully, those of you who have purchased this item will be able to resolve your issues with the item as easily.
March 8, 2009 Update: The panel separation problem occurred again - 12 days outside the manufacturer's warranty period. The service center is going to talk to them about covering a replacement, but based on other comments, I am not hopeful. Will update this once we hear something.
July 15, 2008 Update: Mitsubishi did, indeed, replace the defective panel on this set. Now, we'll see how long it lasts.
INITIAL REVIEW - We purchased this directly from Vann's, an Amazon partner. Their service was fantastic, during the sale. We selected the Mitsubishi over a Sony because the bezel was narrow and we were able to get a larger screen that would fit in our living room wall-unit.
The first Mitsubishi TV was delivered and worked fine - for the first 15 minutes. Then it simply would not power on or off with the universal remote from our cable company. Further, the Mitsubishi remote did not work.
We called Vann's immediately and they suggested we call Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi's customer service is a joke - the reps can barely speak English and are lost if something happens that is not scripted for their response. The rep kept blaming the cable remote and told us to get a new cable remote. If that did not work, then we were told to call on Monday when the parts department was available. We drove to our cable store-front and obtained a brand new remote - which did nothing.
Disgusted by it all, we took our Mitsubishi remote to Best Buy where it worked perfectly on their LT46244. Their staff determined it was the TV that was defective, so we called Vann's and they immediately started the process to get a new TV to us and to pick up the defective TV. Beware, if we had not called within 24 hours of receiving the TV, we would have been on our own. At any rate, the second LT46244 worked fine and we were very pleased with its performance.
But woe is me... Exactly 4 months after getting the second TV, we noticed a solid black line, 2 1/4 inches from the left screen edge, that ran from the top to the bottom of the screen. We called Vann's where we were told that they could do nothing since we had not purchased an extended warrenty (which was never offered). We then called Mitsubishi and again got a rep whose English was not the best. She told us to call the authorized service center which was listed on their web site. We did so, but there was no answer and no answering machine. After numerous attempts to reach the service center, we called Mitsubishi again. The rep put us on hold, contacted the service center - which was not the one listed on the web site - but is San Antonio's premier source for audio/video equipment - and connected us to the service writer. That individual had a service technician call us back; after hearing about the problem, he said the panel was going bad and that it would have to be replaced.
We have not yet heard whether Mitsubishi is going to stand behind their TV or not, but we would not ever spend the money on their product again. Additionally, we're not sure, even with the savings, that it's worth purchasing a big screen from anyone but a local source. This TV rates 3 stars only because it is a decent TV when it is working - but the length of time it works is still a question. Otherwise, it would have gotten 1 star.
In my initial review, I failed to comment on the quality of the picture color - it is excellent, if you set it according to the instructions. We use our TV in a brightly lighted room, and the "normal" setting produced a somewhat washed-out picture when compared with our Sony KDL52XBR5. I remembered that the picture when viewed in the showroom had been significantly better - in fact, that was one reason we chose this set. In reviewing the manual, I discovered the setting should have been "bright" - this made a significant difference and produced a much higher quality picture.
One plus is the matte screen on this model; we use the TV in a brightly lighted room and there is virtually no glare from either sunlight through the windows or from lamps at night. This is a real problem with other sets, so you may want to take a chance on this TV if your room is bright.
The sound quality is adequate, if like my spouse and I, you are tone-deaf. We don't watch movies or listen to music stations, so the speakers are fine for us. If you are an audiophile, you will probably want to look into add-ons.
I do recommend purchasing an extended warranty on this set. I wish we had!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great LCD Choice, April 15, 2008
I have owned this set a 52244 for 2 months and except for the poor speakers its the best tv for the money I have found.
I see that music man has it in for Mits so dont listen to his reviews as they are very wrong (he wrote 11 bad reviews for Mits and you know he does not own them and just is bad mouthing them)
Roy
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