RCA D52W23 vs Toshiba 51HC85??

[littleb]

I recently purchased the $999 RCA RP monitor from BB. I am not thrilled with the SD PQ on this set. I had to use component cables since using composite cables left the set unwatchable. I am considering returning it for the Toshiba 51HC85, since the PQ in the store seemed to be superior. I have not seen SD on this set and I was wondering if it would be just as lousy or superior to the RCA??

[edtyct]

A bunch of things are relevant. First of all, a TV of that size showing SD material is at a big disadvantage, since it will magnify all of the inherent flaws in the signal. A small screen with tight scan lines will hide them better. Second, the quality of the original SD signal will have something to do with how the screen looks. What's your source, cable, satellite, or OTA? Third, you need to use a calibration disk, like DVE or AVIA, to set up the TV correctly. All of the user controls can impact PQ negatively, and it is virtually impossible to set them up correctly without outside help. Fourth, Toshiba generally makes better TVs than RCA does. People seem to have the impression that if CRT is superior to every other display technology (which is debatable in certain respects), then every CRT is created equal in superiority. Not true. There's a reason why the RCA is available in some places for as little as $900. This is not to say that HD or ED material won't look good on the RCA; I'm willing to bet that it will. But it may look even better elsewhere, and the quality of the various elements that produce the picture may not be optimal for SD. I've heard many complaints about SD on this RCA set. You could always invest in a modest signal processor for SD--sometimes called a line doubler--from DVDO, for example, maybe a used one on ebay, with extra controls. But your cost would probably go up to Tosiba levels, but you'd still need a test disk for the preliminaries on the RCA, if not for the signal processor itself. I'm not recommending this route; I'm just trying to be complete.

If you're willing to get a test disk and tweak the set yourself, you'll be able to tell whether it's worth keeping. Unfortunately, you can't rely on what floor models display to make comparisons. The situation isn't completely hopeless, but you don't have any control over how the signal is delivered and how the set's parameters are adjusted. From a purely abstract position, I'd say that the Toshiba is a safer bet in every respect, but if money's an object, then delving further into the RCA before possibly returning it may be the way to go. If you do decide to exchange it, adjusting your expectations downward for SD may be a good idea, anyway (see above), but you can set your sights high for genuine 480 signals and all HD signals.

Ed