Featuring an ultra-thin flat panel LCD screen for viewing versatility in home or office settings, the Syntax Olevia LCD-TVs blend robust functionality, stylish design and exceptional quality with a unique customer-friendly support program.
1 Its going back to be replaced with another set.
Got the LCD Set (30 inch) at the beginning of March 2005 after reading all the feedback on here. Was happy with it, I don't have a DVI enabled HD cable box from TW New York so use the ypbpr connection and thats fine - HD channels look great but not stunning - regular channels are okay but it seems that they carry to much red and the controls on the set don't fine tune it out enough. I have a DVD and the quality was just as good as the HD channels through the component cables.
Then the problems started - A flash to a blue screen for 3-4 seconds when their was a large influx of bright light (usually white) and back to normal. Tech support were good and sent a part (new tuner box) with in the week of telling them about this problem.
While waiting for the part I noticed that one speaker was not working and contacted tech support again, but this time it has taken 3 weeks for the part to arrive even though they kept telling (after 4 calls to customer support and 2 from them) me it would be here with in the week.
Part finally arrives and we organize for a technician to come and replace the broken/dud parts - this is done today May 2 2005 but the speakers don't work. So its back onto customer support.
First guy Miguel (one of these people who completely rubs you up the wrong way from the start - and its not the first time I have had the misfortune of speaking with him) - tells me its this and that and we will send another part etc...etc. I told him I wouldn't be happy with that and that the part they have just replaced is defective - I hung up to calm down.
Second guy Chris - I tell him exactly the same as the chief muppet above and first thing he said was "I'll organize customer support to replace the LCD Set with a new one", simple as that, no ifs or buts,
I'll give them a chance with a new set and see how it goes but after that its refund time. I think this set looks good on paper and for the price but from what I've seen written about it on other forums their seems to be to many little problems to make it a really good 5 star product.
Pros
Price, Set looks great, excellent cable connection set up choices, no waiting for customer support to answer the phone.
Cons
Picture quality isn't the best (to much red), sound is a bit tinny and not enough bass, some at customer support need a good slap for being rude.
2 Don't buy this TV if you're expecting a rebate...
While the product itself is OK, I purchased this TV back in November 04 and am still waiting on my rebate from Syntax. Customer service is poor and I suspect I will never receive my $100. Avoid them at all costs.
3 A great TV at a great price
This LCD HDTV would be a great television even at a higher price, but at it's current price point it's hard to see why anyone would buy anything else. I got mine the day after Thanksgiving, and have been watching it every day since. I have a good friend with an Aquos, and though it's far more expensive, I can't see any difference. I sure don't miss my old CRT TV . . .
I agree with the criticism that the volume is too high at the minimum setting - but it isn't a major annoyance. I believe they've fixed the remote-code issue as well, but in case you are still wondering, the volume, on off and channel selection use RCA code 001.
Buy it now - once you go flat you'll never go back.
4 Great value with great picture
I purchased this LCD TV a couple of months ago on sale and have thoroughly enjoyed it. I downsized from a 27" standard tube TV to the 20" Syntax Olevia. The setting is a built in bookshelf unit in a library size living room. My old "big black box" TV was dominating the space and overwhelming my collection of books as well as the entire room. The 20" Olevia vastly improved the aesthetics of the space. It was not a bad transition for me because I have a 46" widescreen HDTV in the basement for games, PS2 and movies.
The picture quality is great, although it does look a little grainy from about 2' away. The ideal viewing distance would be about 10 feet or so. I use a standard S-video hook up to DTV receiver and it looks great. I find the colors to be very crisp and clear. As others have pointed out, there is a little adjustment period for getting your settings to the ideal level. There is a tendency to have a lot of whites or too much darkness without the right settings. Once you find a good level, it is fine after that.
The cons are that the volume is a little on the loud side even at the lowest setting, but not a big deal. I have not been able to find the codes to program a universal remote yet. So having to use the extra remote for on/off, and volume is a little annoying.
The pros:
It sure was nice to carry a TV that did not weigh a ton into the house!
The quality of the picture for watching general programming is just great.
I happen to love the design. Very sleek without looking flimsy.
The price was definitely right.
If you are looking for a low priced alternative to your standard TV, this is the one. The 20" TV can be had for less than other 15" or even 13" LCD TV's. I am all about value, and if you are too, I would seriously take a look at this product.
5 Price keeps my rating fairly high on this 30" LCD.
I read most of the reviews here and agree on the following points.
1. No, it's not a Sharp. This would not compare favorably with a 30" Aquos in screen response time and perceived resolution, although colors are vivid.
2. Operation of this is clumsy, with no direct source selection on the remote. My hope is that the IR codes are somehow embedded and someone will discover and publish them on remotecentral.com.
3. I am using this in my exercise room/home office situation, and it is very well suited for that kind of purpose, where a larger size & HDTV resolution is desired.
I was able to obtain 1600 X 900 landscape resolution with my Mac G4/ATI 9800 card, which enables dual portrait web pages side by side using the VGA port. I had no luck with the DVI but gave up trying maybe to quickly.
In conclusion, having seen, owned or installed many HDTV displays & projectors, I would save my money and buy a Sharp if this purchase is intended for your main viewing screen, but this product has many uses and suits me just fine for my purpose where in no way could I justify a $2000 expenditure.
6 Works great for a computer @ 720P with ATI video card
I bought this for a computer monitor/ entertainment system. With ATI AIW 9800 pro video card. Before hooking up the tv just go into control panel and advanced monitor settings: and pick the troubleshooting screen (its in there) then check the "force 720p" checkbox. its that easy resolution will be 1280 X 768. Gaming on this screen is excellent with no classic lcd problems. I would definately use the DVI cable though as the vga cable has slight image ghosting due to RF interference. The tv tuner is basic and the picture is mediocre but if you're just using it for digital media like me ... an excellent choice!
7 Did not received my $100 rebate either.
I too have not received my $100 rebate either. In several emails with Customer support, they claim the rebate can not be given without "proof" of delivery within a very small 15-day rebate period. Unbelievable.
If they are this hard to work with to get a rebate that I am entitled to, I sure hope I don't have a warranty claim, I can imagine how hard that would be.
Overall, picture is ok, I also get a loud buzz if you change the settings and the remote is badly designed. But be ready to have your rebate denied for any possible reason.
8 Excellent support and a great TV/Video center
I bought this to go into our small (Sili-valley) apartment as an upgrade/replacement for our sony 24in trinitron.
The input selection is great. I've got the following devices connected.
1) Bose 321 GS II progressive scan dvd/home theater receiver
2) Apple Mac Mini via DVI connector
3) Directivo via s-video.
4) VHS tape player via composit video
5) Eyehome (from elgato) via component video
So quite a collection of devices and the output is excellent! In fact my only complaint is the lack of a quick way to switch sources (as you can guess I switch sources a bit) The screen menu then arrow keys to select the source then the volume + to choose that selection is a bit of a hassle but not impossible. Well OK,two nits, having a way to rename the inputs would be nice too. But really that's about it. I've had a few friends come in take a look at the progressive scan video from a dvd or the DVI input from the mac and go off an order units the next day.
I had to deal with support to get my unit upgraded to the 'new firmware' this was an easy and quite enjoyable process thanks to their excellent technical support group. I'd give 'em a 6 if I could!
9 Good TV - Monitor
I received my Olevia 30" TV approx. 2 weeks ago. It is in the bedroom, and used as both a TV and as a computer monitor.
The TV performance is very good. Hooked up to cable (RCN). Can really see difference in broadcast quality (those stations broadcasting regular/cable and those using HD). [Hopefully, won't have to get HDTV converter - what's televising now is very, very good.] Have on 4:3 ratio rather than widescreen (viewing in widescreen makes the picture stretched and fat). This gives a viewable screen size of 25inches. View TV from 13feet - picture size comfortable. Also, the remote works fine from 13feet away. [remote model RC-LTS]
As a computer monitor - PERFECT. Use VGA at 1024x768 resolution, display DPI=normal (96dpi). Set on 4:3 ratio rather than widescreen (viewing in widescreen makes the picture stretched and fat). This gives a viewable screen size of 25inches. I can comfortably sit at the desk with the TV approx. 24inches from my face and work at the computer. NO MORE HORIZONTAL SCROLLING!!! Also, to do picture adjustment (menu - picture - auto adjustment - press volume up key) ---> use remote.
Did try to use the DVI cable (from a previous monitor) - but only worked sometimes. Don't know what the problem is, and cannot have both VGA and DVI cables attached - nothing displays - blank blue screen. Since I can't visually tell difference between VGA and DVI performance, VGA cable connect fine.
Easier to change SOURCE using remote [source - channel up or down key to select - press volume up key finish]. For some reason cannot use keys on TV directly to change SOURCE [correction - can use but cumbersome]. This is the one inconvenience to this system.
Because I wanted a device that could be used as both a TV and as a computer monitor, this was the perfect choice. I have used Sony VAIO entertainment computers since 1997, so I've had that dual ability - but I had to have the computer on in order to watch TV - now I don't.
To have a decent viewable screen (25inches on a 30inch TV); to have the capability of viewing TV without having to turn on the computer; to have a decent computer monitor - THIS IS THE ONE TO GET. I think it is well worth the cost.
Good deal from Amazon.com (1200.00, free shipping; also got during promotion - will receive 100.00 credit certificate to use at Amazon.com).
[***I did not ask delivery personnel, and they did not volunteer, to stay and fully set-up the TV. Delivery simply unpacked the TV. I considered myself lucky - there was nothing wrong with the TV. However, I would suggest setting up and testing as much as possible BEFORE the delivery personnel leave.***]
10 WOW!
Wow! I am impressed with the image quality of this LCD TV. I had seen "low-cost" LCD TVs from Dell and Gateway, and they were disappointing in contrast and image quality. The Syntax Olevia is definitely the best I've seen for this price class. If you take a Sharp Aquos or a Panasonic LCD TV side-by-side with the Olevia, the Sharp and Panasonic will be better, giving a more vibrant image, but they cost almost twice as much as the Olevia! If you are into the best LCD quality, you have to get a Sharp; they are the best. If you want value and don't want to sacrifice much in quality, this is the best balance.
11 Really really disappointing
I bought the TV from CompUSA for 699 (after MIR).
I got the product home and since I did not have a HD reception I connected it to my DVD player. Since it was DVD and I know the resolution difference between the DVD and HD, the quality was acceptable.
Now that I have HD reception from my cable provider (Comcast), I find that the quality of DVD and the HD channels that I see now, is almost identical.
Since one would buy the HDTV for picture quality, if the difference is not significant, then spending the money over such a product in my understanding is useless.
I would discourage anybody thinking about this TV.
12 Outstanding with OPPO scaling DVD player
Perfect plug and play with the OPPO using DVI input to the Syntax 27". DVD's look like they really were HDEF in the first place. Can't be outdone for $1200 for the pair. BTW, the only size difference between the 27" and 30" Olevia's is the border around the screen, so think twice about the 27" For $200 more the 30" is even better.
13 Great LCD for the money
I purchased the 30" model and I am very pleased with the overall performance. I use this TV in the bedroom and have regular cable connected. I have not purchased HDTV from my cable provider, but I'm excited about getting that set up in the near future. Without HDTV, the picture is very clear with regular channels and even better with premium movie channels. I would definitely recommend this TV for those looking to save a few bucks.
14 The practical use review
Bought mine in February and I am quite happy with it. Picture is crisp and the colors are bright and realistic. As others have said the remote lacks some simple shortcuts like 1 touch input select as I use this item for Cable, Computer and Xbox. It can be a pain to have to go through menus and then use the volume button to enter the selection.
Cable - picture quality of regular cable is pretty lame especially when using the new HDTV box Time Warner gave me. It is unfortunate that they have chosen to pick the aspect ratio for you... you cannot get a regular 4:3 on normal programming. So everyone is fat. But change it to HD channels and I am in heaven... didn't stop watching Discovery HD for a week... Not to mention NASCAR Races in HD are an awesome thing to watch. One bug to report... Using the Yr Pl Pb setting for the input the screen goes blue whenever there is a large amount of white filling the screen... I am sure this would be resolved using the DVI cable which I haven't gotten yet.
Xbox - got the Olevia and Halo 2 at the same time. I have never appreciated a video game like that. The monitor just opens a whole new world to video games bringing you so much closer to the action. I regularly move out of the way of incoming projectiles... so the reality factor is out of this world.
Computer - I just bought a new Sony Viao and cannot get the screen to work well. Aspect Ratio is again an issue - everything is fat. Pictures are not as sharp as HDTV so there is some kind of resolution mismatch. I am very good with computers and haven't figured out a fix yet.
Sound - good for a everyday TV but not excellent. There is also a compressor built in - I guess to protect the speakers. Home Theater setup is a must. As soon as a sound gets loud the compression kicks in and lowers it.
If this monitor worked well with the computer I would have given 5 stars. A solid purchase with lots of upside and only a a little downside. Don't pay more than this machine for some name brand job - mostly they all use the same components anyway.
15 Did the research. This is the one!
First, kudos to Amazon! My first unit malfunctioned right out of the box and Amazon immediately shippped me a replacement. Great customer service!
As for the television, it is superb. Packaging is very good and protective. Build quality is excellent. Performance exceeds my expectations.
I am using it with Dish Networks hi-def service and the picture quality is astounding. DVDs are crisp and clear when played from our Sony 6800DP Home Theater in a Box setup.
We are also running an iMac Mini with Bluetooth KB and mouse into it via the DVI connection and the set functions perfectly as a monitor. We have copied several hundred hi-res images of our favorite paintings from the web into the screensaver so when we are not watching TV or using the computer, the set plays music from iTunes and displays random art images on the screen. Very nice!
The only weakness is the speakers, which I removed since we are using the Sony setup for surround sound.
I highly recommend this set. For the money, you will be hard-pressed to find a better deal. [...]
16 great price for a 27"
i got mine from compusa for $699. of course the salesman wont let you walk out of the store without purchasing their compusa warranty. the manager said if you dont buy the compusa warranty, they WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE UNIT. COMPUSA DOES NOT ACCEPT RETURNS UNLESS YOU BUY THEIR WARRANTY. so i was forced to buy a 2 year service agreement for $150. what a pain. the manager also tried to sell us an hdtv receiver or else the unit wont work. i told the manager i already have hdtv digital cable but didnt beleive me.
anyway, i dont have complains with the unit. it is much better than the one i got from costco, a maxxent 27". this one did not have red spots when you turn the unit on. i noticed that progressive scan dvd picture is sometimes not centered so you have to turn off the source. also component video is much better for dvds and i use the ypbr inputs for hdtv. march madness games are excellent when i watch it in hdtv. now im looking towards getting a component cable for my ps2 so i can see what it looks like.
17 FAQ's missing. Hopefully this will help
I saw there were problems with the aspect ratio. 3 reviews below me says that the picture looks stretched. There's a solution for this and mine may not be the only solution.
My computer was set to 1024x768. When looking at DVD's through my computer or videos through Media Player or Divx the picture looked stretched. I finally found the Olivia help and told them about this. They say that many movies come in wider than the screen. I knew this but I was looking at a TV source and knew that this could not be wider than HDTV standard.
I looked around and finally found that answer in a site about a software program that lets you change the resolution from what Windows gives you. I did not use the program. I found that to get the correct resolution from your computer you need that (powerstrip progam) only for the 27" monitor.
The fix for the 30" monitor is easy. Change your settings to 1280 x 760 (760 always remains the same). I changed from 1028 to 1280 and now movies and everything else from my computer do not look stretched.
However, the fonts are a bit difficult to view at this setting so if I'm reading I leave the setting at 1024. I also found that with Divx Viewer I can stretch the picture to the correct size (But not with windows media 10. It may be possible with Windows Media 9)
I also found what a lot of people have said. Standard TV, especially with the mediocre Comcast signal I received, doesn't look good. In fact HDTV magnifies any errors.
I've seen some HD videos through my computer through VGA cable that looked very good.
There are lots of connections on the back. I've done some "research on the DVI cable and there's not much information. I can accept that it gives a better signal than the RCA cables (white red and yellow old technology). What I can't figure out is if it's better than VGA. What I've learned is that DVI is supposed to be better because you don't have to convert the signal in the computer from digital to analogue and then change that same signal back to digital for the LCD monitor. If it's digital from the computer the DVI cable will render directly from the digital signal. I do not know if DVI is better than any of the other cables (component especially). If I get one I'll try to update reviews.
If you need more help with the stretching problem, go to the Powerstrip forums. They may have the answer. I found that I did not have to download the Powerstrip program but if you have a 27" TV and you are using it from a computer, you may need PoweStrip. However Microsoft may also have a program to render 1024 x 720 or whatever the best resolution is. The problem is that, from what I heard, Windows XP does not come with 720 as a vertical resolution and this is what the 27" monitor needs.
So far I am happy with this. I gave it 4 out 5 because Syntax does not handle this stretching (aspect ration) problem, although it doesn't seem that difficult.
I would highly recommend that you also consider getting a wireless keyboard. I do not have one yet, but the monitor is very bright and overwhelming if you sit 6" away (This is as it should be) I plan on getting a wireless keyboard and mouse to control windows media player etc... Like a very expensive remote control... I plan on getting DVI cable and maybe component cables (though I may not need them if I get DVI)...
I also will get a simple signal splitter. My computer already comes with a TV tuner. I need to split that signal so that I can also feed the Olevia TV with the cable signal...
I believe that this is a better TV than a computer monitor. I find that sometimes there are not enough pixels to render text. A coma like this "," is only two pixels. Not a big deal. I think I still like the fact that I can be 3 to 6 feet away and still read it.
There is also a program called TrueType from Microsoft. You can look it up and understand the technology easily enough from their website. You can also click "turn on" TrueType and you won't be able to tell the difference on a standard monitor. However on the Olevia LCD you will immediately see the difference. However, I think TrueType only comes wit Windows XP. Those with older operating systems may need to download a special program from MS. However, TrueType only does about a 10%-20% improvement, so if you do not have XP, it may not be worth getting TrueType.
For those of you who haven't bought this yet, be careful with the tracking system on Amazon. It's very bad. My Olivia arrived here last Wednesday. The tracking system at Amazon either said "We do not have information right now" or "Leaving xxx on date XXX". The problem was that it was not leaving. It had already arrived and I had missed the phone call. So I had to schedule on Friday for Next Tuesday (6 days after it arrived). I looked at the Amazon tracking every day, and everyday it said the same: "no info" or "Left dock". I knew who their carrier was (Eagle) did a Google search for their web site. I was stymied for 3 days, until I finally found the site (there's many companies with the same name and this carrier has also changed websites so their empty website points you to the correct place). Their tracking system actually has the correct information!!!! It said it arrived at my local area and the exact date!!!! However this was not reflected on Amazon.
When the Olevia arrived, the carriers were very nice and courteous and accommodating. My wife called and when I arrived they were waiting for me with the Olevia unpacked and ready to be connected. I turned it on, on the floor, plugged the cable on after disconnecting it from my regular TV, tried picture in picture. I signed the paperwork. The movers were very nice and were even going to take the packaging but we chose to keep it.
The Olevia only comes with a VGA cable (I downloaded the instruction book weeks ago and it tells you what it comes with). I chose to use that one rather than the one I had. It's a simple matter to connect the cable from the computer to the Olevia....
New edit. It took me about 4 days but I finally fixed the video. I am using this with a computer only so far. with 1280 x 768 My ati RADEON 9200 would not render text well. (You should use that resolution for movies to have the right aspect ratio). The solution, and mind you there may be other solutions, was to use the powerstrip program. I changed all their setting to the reccomended setting, but not untill I set the Frequency to 80.00 did the text become perfect. If you are having a wigly screen when used as a computer monitor, do a search for powerstrip, and look to their forums. You may also be able to do something by changing the setting on your video driver some other way, but I wasn't able to.
18 What is this thing?
My wife helped my in the house and remarked "what skippy brand thing in the hell is this?" and I laughed my head off! I have been doing 3 seporate tech project systems in the house and bringing in names like "Loewe", "HSU", and now "Olevia"!
I did a lot of research in this this thing and recalled an article saying LCD prices would be falling big this year and thought i would save this purchse for last given it would cost less. Last week CompUsa ran a deal for $699 and I jsut ran over and purchased it. I am a big fan of Amazon, but this deal was too good, and financed for 21 month no interest! For little over $33 per month for the next 21 months, how can I go wrong! Even if the tv stinks, this is one hell of a computer monitor for the money!
I think most of the reviews said most of what needs to be said. The high def picture is just stunning! Its hard to compare to the sony as the store images are so bad given the split signals, but the blacks were blacker on the sony. At $699 I could have bought 3 of these vs. just one 23inch sony! The DVI input off my Bravo D1 was just incredible.
Synatax just released a new 26' lcd for list of $899 with some improvements. The specs on the Syntax line are incredible for the money, and the 27 set I have has impressed me with its build quality. I have the new remote, and while its not the best, I really don't mind it at all. I will be using the cable box one until I get a universal one figured out.
In conclusion, if this thing proves durable I will be very happy. The Warranty does not include the lcd itself so read up on it and consider a suppliment. At $149 I did spring for the compusa one, although I hate them! It is very liberal. I took the 2 year.
Pro: Picture quality, state of the art imputs, good looks and VALUE!
Con: Skippy brand you'll have to explain to all whom ask!
19 LT27HV 27" HDTV-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV
I just got this TV from CompUSA for 699 AR. I am very happy with the purchase. The picture is not bad and it is perfect for my bedroom. I also purchased a wall mount and the unit looks great. I am just using the cable hookup (TimeWarner Service) and the picture is very good. I was skeptical at first and almost passed on this unit, but I'm glad I got it now. I have no problems with the remote as others have had (make sure your batteries are strong!).
Pros:
2 tuner PIP
Unit looks great
Price...can not beat 699 for a 27" LCD
Cons:
On screen menu is cumbersome and hard to see from my bed (10-12 feet away) but the remote works from anywhere in the room....just hard to see the small letters in the menu. This really no biggie, but.....
I can't get the supplied remote to work from a universal remote (still working on this) and I have contacted Syntax.
When the TV is on widescreen mode it seems a little stretched out...not bad, but it should be mentioned
If you are looking for a great space saving TV for a bedroom or kitchen, there is no better value on the market right now in my opinion. I think I got more than I paid for and I may get another one for my gameroom.
Good Luck.
20 problems with remote control
just bought 27" syntax olevia. the picture quality is good. however, i have the infamous remote control problem that many 27 and 30" models seem to have. the remote only works from 2 feet. needless to say it was not what i expected. i'll try contacting their support and have it fixed and post an update.
21 Am I missing something here???
I saw the 27" version of this TV on the floor of our CompUSA store for $700 (with the rebates) and wondered what was the catch. Got onto Amazon's website (in CompUSA) and read some of the reviews . I bought it right there and then. Picture quality with standard cable is good. I connected it to the three different DVD players in my home via the component input. All are progressive scan DVD players. Picture quality is only acceptable. Also, I had to turn the "blue gain" way down. There seem to be a slight blue tinge on my unit. I've seen the models from Sony and Sharp and I did not expect that kind of quality output, but I am a bit disappointed. Picture is not clear, blacks look more like dark blues.
I haven't tried it with a DVI output DVD player, but did hook it up to my computer to see if there is any difference in the quality of picture from a DVD. There was none. I'm wondering if my unit is defective? I think I'll pack it up and exchange it to see if I get better results....
Update: Well, I got a replacement unit and added a Samsung DVI upconverter DVD player. Quality is Excellent! Folks, the Component inputs on this TV is crap, if you want a very good picture you have to get a DVD player with a DVI interface. I'll be getting the 30" soon. Also, I've noticed that my unit hangs, but this rarely happens. I have to power it off to get any response from the unit. Other than this, I've got not complaints. It was money well spent. Just wish I got my damn rebates!!!!
22 Outstanding choice!
I purchased the 27" Olevia this past weekend at a great price [...]
. I had been considering the LCD option, but wanted value for my bucks. After much research, and reading lots of reviews, I decided it was time.
Brought the box home and immediately it was up an running. The stand is already built-in, and only needed to hook up the cables. Factory settings are pretty off target. After some minor tweaking, this thing was blowing my mind! I knew the images would be better than on regular tube TV's, but I was not prepared for the magnitude of improvement. The "Two Towers" extended DVD played beatufully on this TV. I did not imagine how much detail I had missed at the theater!.
Today, I hooked up the laptop with the included VGA cable and was able to read an electronic newspaper on this thing from my couch. Had to set the screen to 4:3 for best rendering. I'll set up a screensaver of my best family pictures tomorrow. I can't wait to explore all the features of this great piece of electronic wonder. So far, I'm ready to throw out the box. This one's a keeper!.
23 WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A $1200 LCD TV
I too have experienced what Gary Bergman has described in his review. On Occassion, my Syntax LT30HV's screen goes black. I simply unplug it for a few seconds, plug it back in and the picture re-appears. But I can't complain, this TV cost $1000 less than a major brand. Todays price is even better. Makes a good TV for the kids room.
James Dorsey, I too have not received my $100 rebate either. The manufature online rebate status has no record of my rebate.
Amazon should look into this since they sold and promoted the rebate.
24 Do the RESEARCH the Olevia is tough to beat!!!
I used to sell electronics a few years back when I was working my way through college and it is amazing how inept the majority of salespeople are in the retail environment. For the most part, if the TV does not offer a high percentage commission you can bet that the salesperson knows diddly about the product. There are however a few people who take pride in their work and do there best to fulfill the needs of the customer. But sometimes you have to do some research and footwork for yourself if you want to save some cash.
Case in point the "no name" Olevia HDTV (ready) by Syntax. I did a lot of research both online and in-stores before deciding to go with the Olevia. Originally I was skeptical of a brand I did not know, but after some research I learned that the LCD panel is actually produced by Phillips, now Phillips/Maganavox. My old Tv is a 14 year old 32 in Magnavox console. So if this Olevia lasts even half as long as the Magnavox then I am one happy camper.
Despite what the saleperson told me the TV is capable of True HD, has PIP, and very easy hookup. I was disapointed with the picture at the store, and the sign on the TV did not mention HD ( or any of the great features on this set). The salesman told me "no that ain't HD", he turned pointed to the bright crisp picture on a very expensive Sharp Aquos and said, "that's HD". If I had not already done the reseasrch I would have believed the salesman and thought the TV was just EDTV (Enhanced Definition-one step down from HD).
It really pays to know what your looking at when you are preparing to make such a large luxury item purchase. If you did not have time to research a specific TV at home you might benefit from asking a salesperson to see the companies product description booklet(not all store have this, I know SEARS does), this is usually kept near the register and will have everything from dimesions to (most if not all of the) special features of the set.
Believe me, it was not just PRICE that swayed my to the Olevia, I also chose the TV because of the picture quality. BE AWARE! At retail stores very often the expensive TV's are hooked up directly to a high quality signal while the more economical models are hooked up on a split feed which has a weak signal and therefore a poor picture quality.
ALWAYS ask to see the TV through a Component hookup directly off of a DVD player or HD source. You will be astonished at how much clearer the picture is vs. the split feed most sets have in store. This is exactly what I did when testing my Olevia, and I would say the picture is 85% to 90% of the Sharp Aquos at around half the price. It really is a fantastic Television at a great price. And once I got the TV home I was able to tweak the settings and got the picture even clearer!
Be careful, take the time to test TV's with the proper cable hookups, if a salesperson refuses to help you talk to a manager. Satisfying the needs of the customer is their job, don't let a poor salesperson keep you from getting a deal or the treatment you desreve!
25 Important Defect: Zoom, so 27
: Would like to re-rate at 5 stars (but can't).
I called my cable company (comcast) and asked if there was a way to zoom with the cable box. They said no, but I pressed on, saying that the installer had done something to bring up a menu. I was told that pressing power (off) and then menu brought up a menu, in which I changed a setting, (the 3rd one - 4:3 off) and now the Olevia's zoom works properly!
More info, making this a comprehensive review:
I got mine from Amazon, and just got my (...) (we gotta buy stuff from Amazon to show our support for cool features like the reviews. Amazon's reviews were helpful, and they're good netizens, so I didn't wanna screw 'em; thank you fatwallet for informing me of this great TV!) I made the delivery guy wait while I unpacked and inspected it, as Amazon refuses returns of 27"+ TVs.
Issues:
1)Quite Grainy with standard TV quality signal (good otherwise), but if I turn the sharpness to 0 and the noise reduction to high, it's OK (but there are annoying side effects of this solution - the picture becomes cartoony, and the noise reduction option is disabled on component video in, which I mostly use!)
2)channels: I had a regular TV plugged into cable, and it got ~80 channels. The Olevia was only able to display channels up to channel 31, 'till I figured out that I needeed to switch it from TV to CATV mode.
3)PIP - was confusing to get working -
The UI(User Interface) of the remote is weird - e.g. with many remote UIs, there's a consistent way to select something. In this TV's UI, to select something,
1)sometimes you just move the cursor to it and hit menu to exit,
2)sometimes you move the cursor to it and hit enter,
3)sometimes you just move the cursor to it and hit the button.
For PIP, you have to use method 3).
I tried to resolve these issues:
1-888-Syntax8 (1-888-796-8298),Tech:2 - no answer - tried 2x, then got through and they were helpful.
Oddly, their FAQ suggests 1280x768 resolution, while 1280x720 is better IMO (perhaps because it's hard to set up a computer to run at that resolution-I used EnTech's PowerStrip software, which is great!) I can hook up my 14" iBook too, but can't customize the resolution, so I see 1024x768, which looks very good anyway.
Mine has one dead pixel, which is in the corner and only the blue part of the pixel is defective, and it is always dark, so I don't care. It's hard to find w/o displaying a static blue image. The picture is bright and contrasty, as the impressive specs made me expect.
Lots of great reviews, but here's some key missing info:
Review the 3 customer images I uploaded.
Zoom mode is defective - instead of being straight zoom it's zoom+extra horizontal stretch, which is not very useful. Instead of simply zooming in on a letterbox image, it distorts it as well, cutting off the sides and making the image look unnatural. So for stuff shot in HD, but broadcast in regular NTSC format (which I expect will be an increasing proportion of programming for several years - until everything is HD) I end up viewing a 20" image on my 27" TV!!!
Newer episodes of The West Wing and a few other major shows are like this, ESPN is mostly like this, etc.
I spoke to Syntax support and emailed them, and spoke to management, but they said sorry, they see the problem but won't fix it. I'll updateD this review.
Support was helpful in getting PIP and CATV working right.
Otherwise, it would be (IS) a 5-star.
26 No picture after less than 2 weeks of use! UPDATE
I did a lot of research on LCD TV's, and in my research Syntax Groups kept on popping up. It received very good reviews from most electronics magazines, and so with much antipation I ordered the 30" TV. When I received it I hooked it up to my cable, DVD, and stereo. I immediately had problems. When I tried to route my TV through my stereo system, I found out that by turning my stereo on first, I would loose all power to the TV. The blue light would go out; my remote control would not turn the TV on, nor would the manuel buttons work on the TV. The only way I could turn it on would be to unplug it from the outlet and plug it back in. I called Syntax support and he couldn't figure it out either. I tried using a different outlet for my stereo, but to no avail. I purchased a surge protector, by that did not prevent it either. And now, just the other day, the picture went completely black in the middle of a TV program- no blue screen or anything when I turn it on, although the sound works. It is broke after less than 2 weeks! I am really disappointed. I am considering returning the product back to the on-line store where I bought it from. When it was working, I was completely satisfied with the quality of the picture. This is a good product when working, but I wonder if LCD technology is all that reliable. I might revert back to the old CRTV until they get it right. So if you're thinking of buying one, good luck. I hope it is much more reliable than mine was!
April 4: This is an update to my previous review dated March 6, 2005. When I discovered that my 30" Olevia was defective as discribed in my previous review, I decided to call Syntax support to report the problem. They were very curtious and knowledgable and immediately recommeded that I return the TV to them for a new one. Everything was arranged by Syntax. UPS picked up the old one and one week later, right on que, my new one arrived. I immediately hooked it up and it has been running great ever since. At first I had some streaking in fast-action scences, but I retuned the TV with my cable box turned on, and that solved the problem.
One week later, my telephone company installed a new digital cable system. This is the latest technology and far superior to the old analog system. Their cable box is a small modem through which comes my telephone; DSL, and cable TV.
Some notes of advice: If you have the connections, use the S-Video input on your Syntax to view either cable or Satellite TV. Even though it will not be High Def. it will be much superior to the RF connection. The picture is much brighter and clearer and the flesh tones are great. Also, use your Component connections for your DVD player/recorder. This also is much superior in quality to the RF connection.
I am very happy with this TV. I'm glad I made the dicision to return the old one. I would recommend this TV to anyone. I rate this product 4 1/2 stars
27 Great TV , but I stlll have not received my $100.00 rebate
The TV was all that advertised - the price and color is great. However getting my $100.00 rebate, as promised, is a different story. My documentation was mailed as requested on December 2004, to date March 1, 2005 my rebate has not arrived. Please be aware! I would hate for Amazon to lose a customer due to this rebate issue. Because the 30 inch version was such a great buy, I had plan to buy the Syntax 20 inch lcd tv from Amazon, but because of the rebate problem I now have concerns.
28 Couldn't get a better picture
I purchase the 30" Olevia and hooked it up to my receiver and got a fuzzy picture so I up graded my receiver to a Yamaha 5760, but the signal kept dropping and I would get streaks with a momentary blue picture. It turned out that the Yamaha 5760 dosen't handle the video transfer well. Don't buy this receiver if you want great video and the convienence of switching from DVD to cable or VCR. When I purchased an onkyo TX-SR702 to transfer the video I could not believe the quality of the picture. I can not believe that any other set could produce a better picture. It takes my breath away! You can spend more money if you want for the brand name, but you will be wasting your money. They didn't have the 32" at the currant price or I may have purchased it. This is just a great buy!
29 Olevia LT20HVK 20" Flat Panel LCD TV - Reviewed
If you see this TV going for cheap and your needs are anything like mine, buy it immediately and resist all the techno-junk TV manufacturers are forcing on consumers.
First, consider the input into your TV. If it is normal cable like I have, this TV is perfect. Its resolution will exceed your cable feed. In fact, an HDTV or even an EDTV, will have to down convert to your feed signal and you may end up with a worse picture than you'd get from this set. Heck, the resolution of this TV exceeds a coventional DVD. Also, for occasional computer use this TV has a VGA input, Perfect!
Second, consider what you watch. If you watch movies all the time, maybe you'd want a widescreen. I usually watch most anything other than movies, so the conventinal aspect ratio I prefer. Normal programming and sports seems streched and annoying looking on a widescreen to me. AND GET THIS, a 20" conventional aspect TV has 12% MORE pixels than a 20" Widescreen. The truth of the matter is, TV manufactures push widescreens on consumers not because consumers visually prefer them, but because they are much cheaper to manufacture and they can advertise bigger screen sizes, sneaky!
The good:
1) Great Price
2) Low power consumption (60W, the thing will pay for itself)
3) Its less ugly than it looks in the picture
4) Great menus and picture control
5) Crazy inputs
6) Lightening response time (no digital lag)
7) Usable speakers
8) Good black display (tends to challenge LCD TVs)
9) Hey, its a flat panel TV, you just feel cooler watching it and chuckle to yourself for not supporting Sharp and Sony's elitistism promoting advertising and huge profit margains...he he he ha ha ha
The bad:
1) Whites too bright. Don't try to watch the winter olympics on this set. Snow, basketball courts and generally light scenes are glowing bright and if you take the brightness and backlighting down to compensate, the darks are too dark.
2) Lowest volume setting still too loud if your watching TV and your loved one is trying to sleep.
3) Short power cord
I've seem some reviews of this TV complaining of dead pixels, I don't have any. Also gripes on the audio filter, no problem here. This is a good TV, exceeds my needs, and maybe yours? Please research my rantings, judge for yourself, and don't get fooled into buying more than you need. Cheers!
30 Great for the price if you wait for a good deal
Its not a computer monitor grade LCD. But for movies its just fine. The picture is better than your average TV, but not as good as a good computer monitor LCD.
The speakers are pretty bad. But that's okay I got a deal on some Altec Lansings.
I run this LCD off my laptop for watching movies. Its got a great handle on the top. I keep it behind the couch and bring it out when I watch a movie.
31 Not a good buy
I have a 30" audiovox LCD already, and I was shocked at how much better the picture on the audivox was compared to the Syntax. The product specs say the Syntax is a better telivision but the proof is in the picture. The picture quality was very poor and the colors are just not normal tones. If you plan on hooking up your cable with this TV, buy a differnet TV. The picture is very poor quality. I was very disapointed.
32 Very Happy
I purchased my unit shorly after the first of the year. I have my computer (via the DVI), as well as direct cable, my HDTV cable box, my VCR and my DVD all connected simultaneously. Am very pleased with the performance regardless of which device I am using. The HDTV is simply stunning. The only drawback I can think of is that I can't have progressive DVD input if I have HDTV as well. Although small price to pay for a device that does so much.
Cheers.
33 Review of 30" Olevia
I just recieved this unit today.
1. Packaging is absolutely first class. The unit comes double boxed in very sturdy cardboard. Everything in putting the pakage together appears to have been done with care for the product.
2. The unit itself is very modern with the silver accents and glowing blue stand-by light. The speakers are removeable, but arrive attached and wired. The remote I received was the standard version. Also included was an XGA cable, power cable, and all necessary manuals and warranties.
3. Performance.
I have the unit hooked up using the most basic connection, a 75 ohm cable (regular cable wire), from the wall to the unit. I have an HD box coming from Comcast. I will post a follow up once it arrives. I have found that the unit out of the box is 7 out of 10. There is some red push, but tweaking the controls allows you to get a decent picture. I would highly recommend using a calibration disc such as AVIA to set all necessary functions. I performed all calibrations by eye and achieved decent results.
Colors are very punchy especially with animation, which I would use to show the set to my friends until HD arrives. Very clear and vibrant. I used this as a benchmark for what the set could achieve if properly set. Again maximum settings can be had using AVIA. Unfortunately, the DVD player has yet to arrive, so I will have to make do by eye.
I tend to use the Weather Channel to calibrate my sets due to the computer colors they employ; plus the fact they have people on screen to allow correct setting of flesh tones. You get the best of both worlds on one screen. Blues in the background were very full. The contrast detail was very good. General human appearance was natural and not to over done. Be patient doing your tweaks. It took me three tries over the course of two hours. Not a straight two hours, but you get the idea.
My settings ended up with sharpness being way down, most color setting near middle, brightness and contrast on the lower side of center, backlight to soft, full screen mode, and noise red. to high. I was pretty impressed by this sets ability to present a decent picture using the worst possible signal.
Pros:
Color saturation
Tweaking flexiblity
Relative clarity on a poor signal
Cons:
Some appearance of motion drag; minimal at best, and could be attributed to signal strength.
Lack of picture streching modes; however full screen does an excellent job of rendering 4:3 material. It should be noted that I have had a 16:9 HDTV for about 3 years so I am a bit more used to what the signal supposed to be.
Shadows are more of a dark grey than black, but no real information is lost in the shadow. I took me a while to get it, but tweaking can get you a decent shadow detail. Again AVIA will reduce your time in doing this.
Summary:
I will be using this set as a second HDTV in the living room. I have a 65" HD set in the theater room and a 17" HD set in the work out room. I took a chance on this set and have been pleasantly surprised. I gave it the worst signal I could and still felt comfortable giving it 4 out of 5. My only question I have now is whether to go to the 32" or stick with the 30".
I will post a follow up once the HD box arrives, and I have a chance to correctly calibrate the set.
PS: the standard remote works fine, and the buzzing sound is barely noticeable beyond 3 feet from the set.
34 Incredible for the price. Read on...
First let me just state for the record that I rarely buy off-brand electronics, and when I do it's minor equipment like cables, etc. But after reading reviews from around the web it sounded like the Olevia held it's own when it came to quality and features. So my journey began...
I was very close to spending (...) on a 26" Sharp Aquos (...). Then I saw the Olevia. For (...) for a brand new set I figured this was a hell of a deal. Not only does the Olevia beat the Sharp in connections and features, it was almost (...) bucks less. So I got one...
First thing I did was hooked it up to my PC. On 1024x720 the text was clean, winamp visualizations were awesome, and some of my wallpapers looked incredibly real. Half Life 2 with all settings highest and 16:9 looked fantastic. Then it was time to give it the TV test...
I watched a number of sets (Sharp, Panasonic, LG) with regular cable hook-up. They looked like absolute trash, but clearly it was the signal that was coming into the Best Buy/Circuit City stores because the analog cable on my Olevia looks superb. It blows away our old tube tv, and while some channels obviously come in better than others, the general quality is much better than I expected.
The Olevia has awesome PiP and PoP features. They allow you to watch more than 1 source at the same time (e.g., dvd and tv, dvd and playstation2). There is a regular picture in picture, a split screen, a 3 PoP (one channel in a big box and 3 others in 3 smaller windows on the right) and even a grid PoP that allows you to view 12 channels at the same time. However, if you're using these to watch different tv channels, be aware that in 3 PoP and the grid PoP only the "main" box displays the picture at normal frame rate. The other channels show picture at about 5 frames per second and not at the same time, but consecutively in order. Not a big deal, but something to consider.
The connections on the back of the Olevia are more than you'll probably need, and are easily hidden because there are removable panels which allow you to direct the wires through one or two small openings. Awesome.
I then put my playstation 2 to work, hooking it up with component cables. The quality CRUSHES composite (red/white/yellow) hookup. You'll never go back. And I played two games, Tekken 4 and Burnout 3, with the progressive scan feature enabled (displays game at dvd quality, 480p). Very, VERY nice. Colors are fantastic, and blacks are very well done.
Then I hooked the Olevia up to my Bravo D2 dvd player via a DVI cable. The player features upscaling that can display any dvd in 720p or 1080i (as well as the standard 480p if for some reason you want to use it). With a bit of tweaking of brightness, contrast on both the dvd player and TV I sat down and watched Alien vs. predator widescreen dvd on 720p. WOW!!! The picture is clean, the colors are beautiful, and the sharpness is great. LCDs are known to be bad at reproducing blacks (in other words, the color black, usually it is some sort of dark gray). I cannot complain here. The bravo d2 olevia combination produces dark and rich blacks.
How about the sound? TV has two detachable 10w speakers that are surprisingly strong. I hooked the speakers up to an audio reciever and they are now my surround speakers. The TV does have multiple audio outs and even subwoofer out.
So, the conclusion? First realize that my comments have one underlying point in mind: I spent (...) on the tv. For that price the quality and features are unbeatable. Most of the other brand name sets costing (...) and up don't even have the features that this tv does. While I'm sure the picture quality on the Sharp, panasonic and sony is a little better, I don't see the point of spending money on those sets unless you are ready right now to get a serious home theatre system.
If you're like me, just wanting something good to hold you over until you spend serious cash, buy this tv, and don't hesitate to do it. It has ALL the connections you need, it's dvi has hdcp (which is a copyright protection system which you will need in the future), has awesome PiP and viewing features, 3:2 pulldown, detachable speakers, and a great look (blue led when tv is off is hot). I have had the set for almost a month and have had no problems with the remote, picture or the sound.
I wouldn't take this thing back for anything. I got it for under a grand and with the refurbished bravo d2 (...) i have myself a really solid entry level home theatre setup. E mail me at photekxl@hotmail.com if you have any questions.
35 Olevia 30inch LCDTV is great!!
I didn't order this from Amazon.com, I purchased it from a local retailer. I have to say this is one excellent piece of technology. LCDs have always been way out of my price range... that is until I saw this TV. The picture quality is great, even standard definition looks good (regular cable). Digital cable looks better, DVDs look great and HD is excellent. The speakers are loud enough, but if you are buying an LCD chances are you already have a home theater system. I love the look, the PQ and the layout for all the wiring. That doesn't mean this TV is perfect.
There are some flaws, but none that are bad enough for me to return it. There is a buzzing that comes from the back light or the power supply, fortunately to make it go away, set the back light to BRIGHT. As I said earlier, the speakers are loud but not really great, they are very easy to remove. The OSD doesn't give you the greatest control of the color saturation, but if you call Syntax they will send you a software upgrade and a new remote (mine will be here next week).
In the end, this TV isn't really for the home theater enthusiast (those are the guys that buy boutique items or that 60 inch Sony plasma I saw in town), but for the general public, especially with such a low price. You do get the best bang for your buck, especially when the next comparison model is on average $1500.00 more.
PS: Someone on here stated that it will distort 4:3 pictures if you use full screen. That is true, but the distortion isn't that bad. Anamorphic DVDs and HD come in without distortion using the full screen. Widescreen programming on regular cable 4:3 can be zoomed in to use the full screen without seeing the black bars on top or bottom or without any distortion.
36 What a fantastic LCD panel for the price!
From the very moment I took it out of the box and set it up which was very easy to do, I have been 200% completely thrilled with this LCD panel's superb performance as well as the incredible quality of the picture. Using it in the master bedroom, the 30" size is just right.
Especially using a DVD player and hooking up your computer produces exceptional results. I am completely happy with this TV every single day I use it and enjoy it greatly! I can highly recommend this 30" LCD panel.
37 Syntax Olevia 27?
Had this monitor for 3 months now. Used almost exclusively as a computer monitor and xbox monitor. Great for xbox using progressive component. For the most part very good for computer using vga and 1280x720 with ATI Radeon Video. Ran into huge problem when I upgraded my video card to Nvidia 6600gt. Although the card says it supports 1280x720 the picture looks like it is running at a non-native resolution. (very blurry similar to running at a resolution other then 1280x720). As far as the tv side, the picture quality is horrible using the standard catv inputs on the back. I have not tried hooking this up to a hdtv decoder or satalite but would assume those would look very nice given the quality of the xbox signal. Overall I like the monitor and for under $1000 it is probably one of the best buys out there for a 27 inch monitor/tv.
38 Good but not great.
Owned for 2 months now and for the price I cannot complain too much. Have my laptop, Playstation, and CATV plugged into it. Let me start out with the units contast. Contrast, though more like a 550 ratio not 750, is pretty good except in the darker images and scencs. Played around the the brightness, backlight and contrast adjustments to try to bring out the darker images but could not. If its kinda dark it might as well be Very Dark. Unit is not good in showing the variances in darkness.<br />
The units color saturation is very good almost vibrant. are Brightness levels are not a problem; even if you have sunlight shining through a window. The biggest thing that bothers me about this set are the settings for Aspect Ratio.<br />
Native on this is 16x10 not 16x9. This is not really a problem as many other set are this way. The problem lies with when a Wide screen DVD is played. If you use the 16x10 widescreen setting is makes the picture seem strecthed extra wide. In this setting you can still see the 2 black bars on the top and bottom. I hate this because I feel the reason for buying a wide screen tv was to avoid this. If I switch it to 4x3 aspect ration the picture now is even smaller. The horizontal black bars are now joined by 2 vertical bars on the left and right making the picture seems like it is comming out of a 17 inch screen. The last setting is ZOOM for aspect viewing ratio. The nice thing about this settings, i now feel that I'm looking at the full 27 inch screen. There are no more black bars on the top, bottom or sides. But the problem here is that is zooms it too far. Picture is lost or chopped off of the sides and the top and bottom. The only other thing is the proccessor speed in the unit is very slow. It takes a long time to move between your different sources, CATV, VGA, DVI, and S-video. Also going in and out of PIP mode is also a lengthy transition. Otherwise the rest of the unit is fine. Remote control problem fixed. I can aim the remote at the wall opposite the TV and the remote still works.
39 Great Product. Exceeded expectations
I did a great deal of research and shopping around before committing to the Syntax/Olevia 30" set. From what I found, there is no other product out there of this quality and image level at this price point. Hats off to Syntax for a great product. The unit performs as good or better than expected based on other reviews I have read. Many bad comments on the remote, but mine works fine from just about any distance, but is a little sensitive to angle. FYI If you have a universal remote, you may not find Syntax codes in the manual, so try the various RCA codes available... one of these should probably work... it did with my SA Cable Set Top Universal Remote.
I have not seen the TV operate with and HD input yet. Still anxiously waiting for my cable company to come out and hook me up. The quality on standard Digital Cable is still outstanding, exceeding my expectations, even on an S-video input. I plan to use the DVI-D interface for HD Cable ..... can't wait! DVD's are awesome when using Component inputs (Y Pb Pr). Sound is fine with built in speakers... not great, but more than acceptable. I did not notice the audible noise or humm that others reported.
The unit is very sleek and stylish and put together well. It would make a nice addition to anybody's home theater or bedroom, which is where we have ours set up.
40 The Bargain of the Year!
My 30" Olevia LCD TV was delivered two days ago. I plugged it in, hooked up my regular cable connection, turned it on and fell in love!
I had extensively researched both LCD and Plasma TVs and this model has exceeded my wildest dreams in every way, and I haven't even taken the time to try out all the features. The price was unbeatable...I ordered from Target, got 10% off and free shipping. The delivered price (excluding state tax) was $1,259.99, cheaper than I had seen anywhere for a 30" LCD TV. I bought it for my bedroom and quickly realized that a bigger screen would have been TOO BIG. Unless you are into really massive screens, this size would fit in nicely in any living room.
I just have regular cable..not digital or HDTV and the colors and sharpness are unbelievable. I could easily have spent twice as much on another brand and I can't imagine the image being any better. I can't say too many good things about this TV.
My ONLY complaint? The alarm feature doesn't give you the option of what channel comes on..just whatever the last channel you were watching. I can't wait until this weekend so I can really study the manual and learn how to use all the great features.
Way to go Syntax!!!!! I'm telling all my friends!
41 good value
originally bought the 27" around Christmas time - watched iRobot and played some Xbox but took it back when the HH Greg rebate increased at the end of the month ($1100 after incentives)... happy with the decision (using the LCD for a computer monitior, also, and the resolution seemed to sync better on the 30")
my 30" came with a superior remote, as well - would be nice if it glowed in the dark, though :P
initially, i was disappointed over the DVD aspect ratio/zoom situation already mentioned but i choos to blame Hollywood (boo widescreen!)
definitely recommend using composite (Psyclone)/DVI (Monster)cables - noticed a "swimming" effect (imagine TV static fuzz) inside of white content without them; also detected pixelation in the sky of Matrix:Revolutions end fight scene but that was the only time and i was only a couple of feet from the screen (already watched following: Kill Bill 1/2, Hero, Anchorman, Matrix II/III, and Dodgeball with exceptional results)
i can't say that i noticed any ghosting (inability to correctly transition images from one position on the screen without simultaneous display of intermediate images) while watching movies or playing Xbox; haven't tried Unreal on the PC, yet, but i'm confident that any problems will be a function of my video card's inadequacy
the Xbox looks great on this screen - played KOTORII and Top Spin so far; it's not the quality that i hoped for but the clarity is superior to analog TV
i've heard reports that the light/dark contrast isn't so hot; i'm pretty picky and i'd say that this device has no difficulty reproducing deep black and bright white
also, people have complained about the absence of specific color (red) settings - adjusting this value is possible when using composite inputs; i'm currently using the default, factory, settings, though, and am thoroughly pleased
it doesn't offer the 1200x1600 resolution of my laptop monitor but it can achieve 1400x700 using a DVI input cable which is suitable for a desktop machine (i'm a coder, not a graphik artist); in Win2K the text is crisp and clear and should be better with XP since it's got built-in LCD friendly character interpolation; try Virtual Desktop (similar to Sun's multi-screen) if the screen space isn't sufficient; also, the applications suggested on other sites for adjusting the input resolution work well ("powerstrip") but "multires" from the same company is fine, easy, and free
one aggrevation about the TV is that there is an annoying noise when it's on; my speakers are disconnected (they're trash - about the same as come with cheap computers) so it's not feedback as i first suspected...it's not audible when the monitor is off or there's audio content playing (i said i was picky!)
warning: one of the review sites i read mentioned that it's possible for LCDs to exhibit a type of burn-in that appears to be reversible in certain circumstances; fact or fiction, i don't know but recommend not leaving the thing every night while the CNN ticker clicks along
speaking of standard TV, i plugged the coax cable into the TV tonight and was surprised at the quality of the picture; it's not as good as on an analog set but certainly would suffice except for a couple of channels (4 out of 70 were pretty bad: CNN, MSNBC, FOX, and Comedy Central - everything else looked decent); i'm guessing that HDTV would be spectacular (much like DVD) but it will be a while before i buy into that...
my only complaint thus far is a defect pixel; it's not dead but appears to be dying (on the no-input blue screen it's black, however, when there is video content it's not noticable); this is one major disadvantage to the technology which simply must be accepted for now; i decided that it wasn't worth boxing it up and returning it
with regard to aesthetics, i think it's a sharp box; there's a strip of brushed aluminumish accent near the bottom where the buttons are; the glowing blue light which indicates standby mode is a neat touch; the top of the base is clearish along the lines of a Macintosh (ripoff, true, but shows a little extra effort)
to conclude, this is a stupendous piece of equipment at a bargain basement price; yes, there are superior units available if you have $ to burn but seriously consider the Olevia when balancing cost/performance
42 A very big bang for the buck
I have had the 27" Syntax/Olevia LCD T.V. for two months.At the price it sells for there is no other T.V. in it's class that even comes close to it's superb performance.It's nice to be able to have the option of changing aspect ratios.The picture is brilliant and razor sharp.Contrast is amazing.I haven't seen it on H.D.T.V. yet,but when I play a DVD it is a revelation.Much sharper than the picture on a movie screen.I researched LCD T.V.'s for three months before I purchased the Olevia;including reading many reviews and looking at them in stores.The only other T.V. I saw that can equal it's performance in the 26"-27" range is the Sharp Aquos and it COSTS TWICE AS MUCH.If you want to save a thousand dollars and still have an awesome T.V. to watch buy the 27" Olevia.You won't be sorry.P.S. not even one dead pixel! Jim McCluskey Hermosa Beach,CA.
43 Great bang for the buck.
I gave this 4 stars since I have not received my Amazon rebate yet. Picture quality is very good expecially the HDTV. I truly don't think the extra grand or two for a brand name LCD will be worth it once you view the picture quality. I highly recommend buying this TV.
44 Great TV - Buyer BEWARE of Amazon rebate restrictions!
While I am extremely happy with the quality of the TV the $100 rebate (one reason for ordering it through Amazon) restrictions did not coincide with typical shipping dates (rebate had to be postmarked *before* I got the tv even though I bought it in the right time frame!). And I *just* received the "product and warranty registration" card returned to me in the mail stating "return to sender, attempted - not known, unable to forward". Now keep in mind that the warranty card came *in the box* pre-addressed to Syntax out in "City of Industry, CA". So I have to try to track this down today to ensure they honor the date of my submission on the 1 year warranty!!!
45 Distortion in Aspect except 4::3
You'll see a circle as a circle only on Aspect 4:3. The other aspect "zoom" make the circle looks like an egg. No adjustment in vertical or Horizontal. The manual stated the "ZOOM" will enlarge the 4:3 without distortion. But it is not, it enlarged more in Horizontal than Vertical. Tech Support said that it is pre-set in manufacture, they can't correct it. I need the ZOOM aspect to watch the wide screen movie.
I compare it with Westinghouse, the Westinghouse is better, more options, easier use on Remote.
Some credits I have to give to both TV is that No Dead Pixel.
46 Beware of the reviews - This TV is average at best
I bought this 20" Olevia in the throes of a day after [...] I figured it would be a great TV for the bedroom (or maybe the kitchen someday). For the price, I was not too concerned about all the technical details but when I finally got it home and played around with it: I knew that it wouldn't be in my house for long.
PROBLEMS:
1. Adjusting for proper brightness/sharpness/hue/contrast is all over the place. Just when you think you've got it tweaked to a reasonable picture - change to a different channel and you have to start all over again. I'm sorry but I'm not going to adjust all those options every time the channel changes.
2. No sleep timer??? Whoever decided to omit this very basic feature was definitely asleep at the drawing board. I've got $50 TV's that have a sleep time on it.
3. Sound was pretty weak on it too but the least of my problems.
I cannot believe that people are raving about this TV. I understand the 27" and 30" are better than the cost-saving measures they applied to the 20".
Even though it was a cheap TV (almost disposable at that price). I decided to box it back up and pay a couple hundred bucks more for quality. Buyer beware.
47 Great BIG TV for a very low price!!!
I ordered this on January 3rd and just received it today and set it up. I did extensive research before buying an LCD TV and this was what I finally decided on. I haven't made any changes to the picture yet and have only viewed the set from regular CATV but am anxious to hook up my XBOX and DVD player via component cables since the set looked wonderful at HHGregg watching the Discovery Channel in HD. The audio output via RCA cables to my receiver is unfortunately not as good as the output on my old CRT. Not a really big deal though. The set is very well put together and I like the fact that you purchase an extended warranty through Syntax. The set is of course very bright and vibrant the way an LCD is advertised to be. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in front of this set and believe it was the best bang for my buck.
Updated: I have now messed with all of the settings on this TV and the colors it can display out of any input are amazing. Blacks look black for an LCD with the backlight on just normal. Red is a little overwhelming but blues and greens never looked better. If you intend on watching regular cable make sure to have noise reduction on high. Another thing that is nice is that you can set color and other video options for each individual input. The remote really is something to be desired. Sometimes it works and sometimes it just decides it doesn't work, I can't figure it out(guess it's just cheap). I would like to get a better universal remote but I'm not sure on the codes. I have heard Philips codes work possibly? I might also add that I have removed the speakers that came with the monitor since I use my own home theater speakers. This really makes the monitor itself look very clean and cutting-edge. I was skeptical at first but please do yourself a favor and get this set!
Updated again(January 11, 2005): I have hooked up my dvd and xbox via component video cables to this set. To anyone that doesn't already know, this set does do progressive scan, only on one of the component inputs though. I saw someone say it didn't do progressive content but it does, 480p and 720p as well as 1080i. Also, 480p is NOT HD, 720p and 1080i are HD though. Video games look absolutely detailed and stunning however I wasn't as impressed with DVD content displayed at 480p. DVD content was very good overall but the sharpness that I experienced when playing the XBOX in 480p just wasn't there. I have also found it a bit difficult to find the correct picture settings that give me the most pleasing picture. I am still tweaking the settings though and hopefully I will have them the way I want soon. My main issue is getting skin tones to look accurate on both regular TV and DVD...the skin color always looks a little washed out but I'm sure I can fix that. I have also seen some people mention the buzz on this set. There is a very slight hum that is only audible if you put your ear right up behind the set in a perfectly quiet room. I swear, this set is super quiet as an LCD monitor should be. Read the reviews on www.extremetech.com and www.anandtech.com, I only saw one poor review and that was on CNET.com. PC magazine even gave it 4/5 stars! Great set, I'm really pleased.
48 very awesome
this tv is just flat out the best for its price. i compared it to the 30" sharp aquos and the specs on the olevia are so much better than that. i just got mine in yesterday and TV works great, no dead pixels, sound is clear, and works perfectly fine. the only downside on this TV is that you need to buy a seperate HDTV tuner. HDTV-ready does not mean you plug it in and its HDTV. you would need to buy a seperate tuner and thats the only down side of this really. but other than that its just one great machine. i highly recommend you to get this product only because its half the price of the other brands.
49 A Great Value even if not Quite Perfect
After 5 months of researching HDTV's, I purchased the 30" Olevia LCDTV in December. It was simple to install and had it up and running in minutes. Using a Zenith DVB318 DVD Player connected to the component port of the unit, the 720p and 1080i video modes are very impressive (no motion blurring). My analogy CATV looks best when plugged directly to the TV, although bright and vibrant, I observe more motion blurring than the 27" Gateway Destination CRT monitor/TV I previously had been using (to be expected). I initially had my CATV going through an ATI AIW 9800 Pro video card on my PC, but found I got a better looking picture plugging the CATV cable directly into the Olevia (I guess it means the TV tuner on this unit is top-notch). I'm now using a DVI output card on my Shuttle microATX silent PC, which inputs to the DVI port on the 30" Olevia, to use the unit as a PC monitor. The on-board NVidia video controller on my PC's MB is great in that I was able to download a 1280x768 driver from NVidia's website to drive the Olevia as a PC monitor at its native resolution with Window XP's "plug and play" monitor driver (looks beautiful). I was therefore able to avoid using "Powerstrip" to make a custom driver (recommended by anandtech.com, which has a great review on this particular unit).
I do not use the included speakers and am able to get the remaining 28.5" wide TV unit in an existing closeable TV cabinet (a must feature for my wife!) The audio out from the TV goes to my Onkyo 6.1 Home Theater Receiver, via RCA cables. The DVD Player and PC sound have full quality digital inputs to the receiver for great surround sound (LOTR sounds awesome!) My VHS player connects to the S-Video port on the TV. Therefore the VHS and CATV sound can be, at best stereo, (or all speaker stereo), which sounds great for analogy signals!
I found one dead pixel, which is imperceptible at normal viewing distances.
Although this unit is not perfect, is a great value when compared to other LCDTV's in its class, especially if you can get a rebate in the process.
50 Avoid Buying This Item From Amazon - but do buy it
AVOID BUYING THIS ITEM FROM AMAZON.
The TV itself is probably excellent. But unless you're home all the time to receive it, getting the shipment from UPS or getting a customer service response from Amazon is pure hassle.
UPS had this item `out for delivery'. I took a day off and stayed in earshot of the door. Nothing. At 6am the following morning (this morning) I called UPS. They won't make the shipment available for me to pickup. The call center forwards two messages to the facility. But there's no point in attempting delivery. This shipment requires a signature. No one will be home to sign for it.
So I drive to the UPS facility, knowing darn well this box is on a truck and they can pull it off. Which the agent at the counter does. But while I'm staring at the box, I get a call from UPS on my cell phone. Janet (UPS agent at the facility) says the shipment is out for delivery, sorry about that. In other words, she doesn't feel like going and getting the box to put in will call. I am not making this up. And it gets worse.
While all this nonsense is transpiring, I examine the box closely (it's good and beat up) and see that it is a LT27, NOT the LT30 that I paid for. So after all this, I have to refuse the shipment because it is the wrong merchandise from Amazon.
For Amazon's part, like others have commented, there is no real customer service. I dug around clicking and looking. You can send an email. Obviously customer service is not one of their strengths.
My unit will go back undelivered, despite my efforts to retrieve it myself. Amazon, eventually, I assume, will credit me for the failed order fulfillment. Eventually.
Now I'm looking to buy the Olevia elsewhere, as I definitely still want it. Somewhere with a customer service phone number. And who ships FedEx.
*******UPDATE*******
There are plenty of places to buy this unit with good customer service and who ship FedEx. The folks at IBuy Digital called me (not me trying in vain to reach them) to verify information about the order. And as always, FedEx was right on schedule. I can just about set my clock by these guys.
Important points about the LCD buyers may value, in no particular order.
If using as a monitor, you need a deep workspace. I had to rework mine. The minimum comfortable distance for me with this LCD is more than 4 feet. Most desks aren't that deep.
Resolution and refresh are critical. I settled on 1280x960 at 60Hz. I also found a ClearType Tuner power tool to finesse the text to be as clear as possible.
I am using a 2PC KVM, with just a VGA connection to the Olevia. With resolutions and refresh set the same, the only issue is sometimes switching back and forth the Olevia sets brightness and contrast back to defaults. It takes 10 seconds to fix.
I have a PC attached to the Olevia with an ATI All In Wonder. Easylook Media Center with remote is a nice way to use this unit.
Text is OK. My wife thinks detailed graphics work might be difficult. I will probably try it anyway. Games look fantastic.
Composite video and DVD from a PC also look fantastic. Analog TV shows itself for what it is, crap. This is something that goes unnoticed until you directly A-B analog TV with composite DVD video. I will switch to HDTV immediately. Which brings up PIP. This unit has true dual NTSC tuners, which is true PIP. But for HDTV, you still need a set top HDTV box from the cable company. So there's a compromise in there.
There's also a limitation with split screen and PIP. Inputs are in 'groups', so you can't always get the combination you want.
I'm having no trouble with the remote. But I'm always in proximity to the LCD. As others have commented, you have to use the right arrow key in lot of settings where Enter makes more sense. It's stupid, but you just get used to it.
Overall, you will get immediately spoiled with one of these. The dual 19's at my mixing console suddenly look a little small. Did I mention games and video look fantastic?
51 Good Value
The picture from HD Cable or a progresive scan DVD player is great. The picture from regular cable is OK. For the money, I have yet to see anything that approaches the picture quality of this set.
Some reviewers have commented on the poor quality of the remote and the owners manual. Neither are top rate, but they are are not awful, either. My most significant complaint is that transitions between scenes or to/from commercials, and sometimes in scenes with explosions or flashes of light, appear to momentarily confuse the set, causing the screen to go blank for a split second.
52 Price to Quality Leader
I was attracted to this product because of its very low price and a mail-in rebate. I had been shopping for a traditional crt tv and had thought I was years away from getting a flat panel TV.
While the price certainly attracted me, it was so much cheaper than the norm that I was concerned about quality. I've had the device for a week now and am pleased to report that it appears to be very good.
Although not quite High Definition, this LCD is of a higher resolution than most of the flat planels you may have seen in stores. Its 800 x 600 resolution is so, so much better than the poor 640 x 480 res on most of the fore mentioned panels. And it's half the price of most of those low res screens as well!
I did not previously have alot of experience with LCD flat panels and didn't know if the screen's advertised response time was fast enough or the contrast high enough. I can report that I see absolutely no image blur during the fastest scene changes.
However, I would have liked a little more contrast. If you increase brightness enough to see adequate detail in dark scenes, the true blacks become slightly greyish. I find it a little annoying that the letter box areas are therefore grey - but not even close to being annoying enough to go back to an "old fashioned" TV.
The image quality, after setting up unit with the included composite cord, was very nice. However, after connecting my DVD player to this panel's COMPONENT inputs, the picture was great. I found that I was actually getting the sensation of "being on scene" rather than just watching a piece of glass. Note that this panel does not support progressive video, but the component cable improvement was well worth the cable investment anyway.
Although the picture is better in a dark room, it can tolerate normal room lighting as well. My display arrived with zero bad pixels.
The tiny 5 watt speakers were surprising clear and pleasant. The panel surround is well designed, appears to be well built, and looks good. The remote is surprisingly bulky especially when pared with such a sleek machine, but is easy to use and has equal range to any sony remote I have.
I have some concern over not really knowing anything about this manufacturer or their reliability, but I couldn't be happier with my purchase at the moment. I know of no better way to get into flat panel, or a similiar quality product at even twice my price.
53 Great TV for an unbeatable price
I bought this TV for myself as a Christmas present, and I love it so much! Regular TV programs and video images looked beautiful right out of the box. The color is vivid and pictures from my new progressive DVD also looked very sharp and gorgious. I do not have HDTV so I can't say anything about that. The only complaint I have is that all the connections are in the rear, and since I placed the TV in a shallow bookshelf close to the wall, it's not very convenient to connect/disconnect game box or camcorder. The TV itself is heavy - I imagined it to be very light like a picture frame but it's about as heavy as, if not more than my 20" CRT TV. However I have nevered owned another LCD TV before so I have nothing to compare with other than my 17" computer LCD monitor. Overall I am very satisfied w/ this TV. Its quality is probably about the same as those name brand sets that cost twice as much for the same size. I bought it from Target while on sale and even including tax the total price comes to less than $950 (shipping was free too).
54 20"- For small rooms and aspirations
I too found configuring the color to be difficult on this one, and the limited resolution for serving as a computer monitor was noticable. But overall, it's many inputs and ease of use are big plusses, I've heard it uses standard VESA-100 mounts and its not too heavy to carry between rooms. The glow, caused by the left and right bezels pinching the lcd, are only obvious when the screen is more than 85% dark. A 20" is not a home theater size anyway, and an LCD still exposes all the imperfections of my VCR and Playstation. There is no ghosting or other glitches and the speakers are quite adequate, obviously minus deep bass but similar to a subwoofer-less computer set. I think it will allow me to wait until the larger, higher resolution sets get more affordable, or until I'm in a bigger apartment.
55 got it yesterday beautifull piece
i got it yesterday hooked it up in 5 min with my hdtv cable box from cablevision the pic is just as good as a sharp mabe better in my opinion the tv came packaged very well very satisfied so far
56 Love this tv
I ordered the Olevia 30 and received it in 5 days. The box was in perfect condition and I didn't have to fight the crowds.
Being a cautious sort, I took my time reading the enclosed manual and then set it up. The manual is lame in my opinion. The TV is excellent.
I programed the remote I use with Direct TV by using the scan mode 000-999.
57 Great LCD for the price
Got this TV on December 22. Set it up in about 20 minutes. The picture is just outstanding. I have directv and have been watching tv the wrong way until now. I will never go back to a regular tv again. I have not had the remote problems that some others have had. If you are in the market for an LCD Tv then for the price you can't beat this one.
58 average
i hade to return this tv within a week because there was no piture but there was audio
59 Heck of a deal for the price
I ordered this at the end of November when it was on sale. So, I could have spent $2500 -$3000 for a Sharp Aquos and I would not have been any happier. I just have standard cable for now and the picture is still very good. Also, the PIP work very well (I watched 2 game at once). By with confidence, I search the internet for a month and this was the best deal I could find.
60 Best value in LCD TVs
I researched LCD TVs carefully before buying the Syntax Olevia LT30HV. There's not much info out there on this set. Fortunately, I was swayed by the positive reviews on Amazon. This TV has a great picture, looks nice, can be used with or without its side speakers, and is one of the cheapest on the market. HDTV and DVDs look absolutely fantastic. Drawbacks include a menu system that's tough to figure out, difficulty in switching between widescreen and 4:3, and blacks that look gray. However, the savings more than make up for these shortcomings. Also, as expected, standard cable does not look very good on this (or any other LCD TV). I recommend this TV highly and will definitely consider Syntax when I am ready to upgrade.
61 Value AND feature/content
If one can find this LCD (actually physically find it, in a warehouse somewhere, from any authorized reseller/retailer/etailer - there are rumors of these things being hijacked from overseas containers in California, which - who knows - could be true), this is a super-value buy for those of us without multiple-thousands of dollars in disposable income. No it does not quite have the picture of a $4000 or $5000 plasma or more-expensive projection LCD, but, it is simple to set up, has all of the appropriate connections (except an optical audio-out - bummer), and, plays DVD and HDTV beautifully. For the small picture quality sacrifice (compared to units twice and three times its price), Syntax puts this TV within the financial reach of working-class folks. Some bemoan the remote - it really isn't that bad.
Buy with confidence - but - see it in person if you can before buying to better preset your expectations. When compared to others in its class (by Westinghouse, Albatron, etc.), this machine rocks.
62 AMAZON RIPP OFF 3 DAYS BEFORE X-MAS
Tried to order this TV 4 times. Each time amazon cancelled the order for one reason or another and said they would credit my cards back for the sale. 3 days before christmas whet to pick up my lay-aways and my credit card is over limet. Turns out amazon has over $4,000 in holds on my credit card for orders that THEY CANCELD AND HAD NEVER BEEN SHIPPED. Nine kids and amazon ruined our christmas.
PS My credit card said that amazon could cancel the holds put on my credit card in ONE DAY if they wanted. Of course 4 days later they are still using my money.
PSS Forget trying to call amazon slow e-mail only WORTHLESS SUPPORT.
RECOMMENDATION: -FORGET AMAZON- Do a google search for Target discounts and get a 10 percent off code. I found one in less than 30 seconds. Go to target.com and get 10 percent off and free freight. At least they have a phone number for support.
63 *****Beware - QC Issues with Olevia*****
Dear Amazon Shoppers,
Beware of ordering this Olevia LT30HV 30" HDTV-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV.
My experience was 180 degrees different from the November 4, 2004 review from MIM
I'm a very big believer in buying through the Internet. Unfortunately, after reading that review, I did order the Olevia for my Son's birthday. The TV arrived defective. The audio worked just fine, but the video would not work.
Olevia packages the TV with a sheet directing you to call their toll free number in case there is a problem. I called the 800 number and described the problem to them. Olevia's tech support advised that the motherboard needed to be replaced. Olevia offered to send me a new motherboard that would be installed by a local technician, BUT advised it would take 3 days from date of shipment to receive, and since it was now Friday, I would have to call back on Monday since all shipments were already picked up. Compounding the issue was the fact that I couldn't schedule a tech until the motherboard arrived.
Olevia suggested that I contact Amazon. After an hour of searching Amazon's site, I realized that Amazon does not offer an option to call them. There's no phone number on their site. You must submit a form, explain the problem in writing, and request resolution. I submitted the form and didn't hear back for 3 days.
Here's the email response I received:
==============================
Greetings from Amazon.com.
I realize that you have experienced a lot of inconvenience. I
sincerely apologize for the inconvenience experienced by you. I hope you can accept our sincerest apologies for this order.
As the item is very sensitive and is to be handled very delicately, this item can only be shipped through Standard shipping. You would be aware that standard shipping may take around five to six days to reach the item at your door steps.
Understanding the criticalities of the time as you require the item for a birthday gift. If you still need the item we would be happy to make the replacement or else we will refund you in full including the shipping charges.
Please write back to us using the link provided at the end of the message as to how would you like us to proceed.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
Please visit the following link to provide the information we
requested:
Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. Please use the link above to send us your reply.
Best regards,
Pramod T.
Amazon.com Customer Service
http://www.amazon.com
==============================
Given the urgency of the occasion, I went to a local store and purchased a replacement LCD TV for my son's birthday.
I responded back to Amazon requesting that they pick up the defective TV. They advised via return email that the package would be picked up "usually within a day or two".
To Amazon's credit, they did have the TV picked up the next day.
I can't begin to describe the inconvenience. Imagine the time involved in selecting the TV on Amazon's website. Ordering, waiting at home for the delivery and the return. Writing countless letters back and forth (I've not yet received any indication that they've credited my credit card for the returned item), and ultimately replacing the TV with a brand name (Panasonic) at a local merchant.
Compare that to my experience purchasing the replacement. The replacement was purchased from a local merchant. The local merchant gave me a better price for the name brand merchandise than Amazon was charging for the identical unit. The merchant delivered the set to my home with same day service (I tipped the salesman $100 to drop it off after work). My son got his birthday present on his Birthday and it worked right out of the box.
Bottom line: DON'T BUY this set from Olevia.
Amazon is a great company. But... I think they should have a toll free number for returns of defective merchandise and respond quicker (to be fair, Amazon's response may have been quicker if it hadn't been so close to the Xmas season)
I've had very good experiences with Amazon, but I would NEVER buy anything with a critical time line (birthday, Xmas gifts, etc.) from Amazon again. Perhaps they should stick with books and DVD's. I would definitely think twice about ordering electronic equipment from them again.
64 Tough to configure
I find calibrating the set difficult. There is a definite blue push and find it better to set the color mode to "warm". After countless hours fiddling with contrast, brightness, saturation and sharpness, I just can't seem to get the picture I've read in other reviews. The blacks are washed out (like most LCDs) and it has a tough time processing fast movement. DVD through the component input looks good. Standard DirecTV through the S-video is disappointing. Perhaps I'm missing something. Any feedback is appreciated.
65 Good LCD, Baaaaaad Remote (or IR component)!
While the picture quality is great, the remote is barely useful. The range is like 3 to 4 feet! Thank goodness, I have a Harmony universal remote to the rescue. The IR unit on the LCD unit may me poor. CATV broadcast (not digital but straight out from a coax) is horrible, as expected. However, I will be getting HDTV soon. Hopefully, that'll be better.
UPDATE!!!!: Syntax has fixed the IR unit my TV! Now it's working flawlessly from long ranges! They're customer support and on-site warranty repair is awesome! HVTD on this LCD at 720p is great! So if anybody is having problems with finicky remotes, contact Syntax and they'll gladly fix your sets.
66 Can't beat it for the price
We read technical reviews of this LCD HDTV-ready unit on Cnet, anandtech and extremetech before we decided to buy it. Two of the three gave it great reviews (8 of 10 at extremetech) and one panned it. We are glad we took the risk. The picture is amazing. We keep seeing things in DVDs that we never knew were there. Sound was only ok. Decent for a television, but if sound is your object, get a home theatre system (we're running this through the Panasonic 820V - see my other reviews). I can tell a difference between this set and truly high end plasma or LCD sets, but the difference is small and not worth the high end price. Example: extremetech gives 9 of 10 to a same-size Sharp AQUOS LCD, but you'll pay double the price of the Olevia.
Pros:
Amazing picture, sharp even from two rooms away
Good size for a small room
Unbeatable price to value ratio
Adequate sound as shipped, easy to route through a home theatre system
PC connection was almost plug and play, required 5 mins of fiddling with my laptop, but that was my laptop's problem, not the TVs
It's light - I could lift it and maneuver it by myself
Gamer chick note - World of Warcraft looked so great I could just cry
Set-up and technical menus are fairly easy to navigate once you deal with the balky remote
This thing is packed like Fort Knox, double-boxed, cutsom cut plastic foam inserts etc. The outer box had some dents but the inner box and the unit were pristine
Cons:
Print manual is basically useless. Included DVD is not any better
Remote is poor quality: tiny range, buttons are not intuitive or even logical, they require several pushes and response time to the remote is SLOW when changing channels (5 sec - I counted) We use our DVD remote for most interactions though, so this is a minor issue to me.
Can't evaluate cable picture as I don't have cable
Off-the-air tv looked pretty bad, but with no antenna to speak of, that's understandable
Overall vote: No regrets. I would buy it again in a heartbeat. My final decision was between this and a Sony Grand Wega 42 inch LCD projection model, and I chose this one. The picture is better despite the smaller screen.If the most important aspect of a television purchase for you is picture for price, this is the one to get. If you can afford a grand or 4 more, look higher up.
67 WORTH EVERY PENNY
THIS HDTV HAS EVERY THING. S.VIDEO, VGA, HDTV,2 COMPONENT, AV,PIP.TV.COMES WITH A STAND. THE SPEAKERS COMES OFF HANG IT ON THE WALL LIKE A PICTURE FRAME.OPT NEED WALL MOUNT.NOT LIKE THE OTHERS THAT HAS THE SPEAKERS BUILT IN. AND FOR THE PRICE ONE LIKE THIS 30.INCH WILL COST 3,000 TO 4,000 AND THE WARRANTY COST LESS THAN OTHER LCDS.THIS IS A MUST HAVE <br />
PS I DON'T WORK FOR THEM I LIKE TO GET MY MONEYS WORTH $$$$<br />
68 Best LCD TV for the price
Very satisfied by the purchase. Very good picture quality and prompt customer service.
Had the infamous Remote control range issue. Contacted customer service and they send me a replacement IR Unit which was replaced next day after delivery by a technician.
Highly recommend this HDTV ready TV.
69 This thing is going back
After reading all the glowing reviews, I was really excited to get this. After using it for 5 minutes, I knew it was going back. Reviews of this seem to be either glowing or harsh, without much middle ground. I think the people who like it are those who care only about picture quality, and don't want to use many of its features. If you only want a TV monitor for a bright room, the picture and sound are great. However, there are many bad things about this unit that make it just not worth it. Where do I begin:
Black level & buzz - even with the backlight down low, a full black screen on this will light up your room. And with the backlight on low, the built-in speakers emit a horrible loud buzz. It is not a faint hum as I read before buying, it is a LOUD buzz. I don't understand why LCD makers think we want these things as bright at the sun, I am much more concerned with having black look black.
Computer - forget about using this as a monitor. There is no Windows driver for it. You can tweak it to look good with a 3rd party tool called PowerStrip, but even then any mode change causes it to slip back into unreadable mode. And DVI did NOT work with my brand new computer - I had to use a VGA cable. I heard that if it does work, it will only show a signal after windows starts, so you can't see the boot process or DOS. The screen is far too bright (or loud) to use for hours at a time without eyestrain.
Remote - The remote barely works - you have to press each button 2-5 times to get it to go through, and then it only has a 6 foot range.
Interface - The menu system is asinine, with the center button being cancel, and "right" being enter. After much use I still can't get used to it, and it still takes a lot of thought to figure out how to do simple tasks. Just about everything you do has a 5 second delay as the monitor changes modes.
Misc - The headphone jack is in the back behind a screw panel, limited aspect ratios (3), very bad std tv image. I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 because it will be good for people who have no desire to use its features or remote.
Even if they fixed half of these problems I wouldn't want this unit. It just has way too many issues. The sad thing is they all would be pretty simple issues for the manufacturer to fix.
70 Olevia LT30HV 30" Great deal!!!!
Up and running out of the box. Normal TV channles acceptable, DVD outstanding. If you are going to purchase the extened warrenty plan, do so in the first six months or there is a 20 percent surcharge.
71 Great TV
I bought the Olevia LT27HV and it's been great! -- the picture quality is really first rate and it's amazingly flexible. I've hooked up a HD satelite box and a progressive scan DVD player and the picture quality has been excellent. Can't beat this TV for the price!
72 GREAT BUY
This LCD TV is one of the best on the market for as low of a price as it has. The HD ready tuner makes HD Cable hook-up as easy as can be. All the hook ups make it a well rounded TV. A Must buy for a picture enthusiast.
73 Wow
Ordered Saturday, December 11 and received Tuesday, December 14. Excellent work, Amazon.com! Unpacked, hooked it up to a DVD player and watched Finding Nemo. Fanatastic. Package was undamaged, contents solidly packed and this display is already exceeding my expectations - and I haven't even hooked it up to high def yet!
74 Poor Clarity and Bad remote
Read the reviews before you buy this. The tv DOES have a horrible problem with the remote. I tried standing two feet back, didn't work. You must place the remote less then 1 foot away for it to be used.
The picture on my 25" tv that is 8 years old is better than this piece of junk. Don't waste your money. Don't be frugal like me and think you can get a deal on this thing because you're better off buying something else
75 Excellent prod, Lowest price, Best Bang for the Buck!
I've researched prices all over the internet for a 27" LCD and this brand was by far the lowest. It is very sleek and stylish! It's got all the connections for your gadgets. I don't have to list the specs you can read it yourself, but the pixels are bright and crystal clear! Widescreen movies look fantastic! (you'll need to set your DVD player to progressive scan, 16:9 mode, etc...) The sound is very crisp even through the built-in detachable speakers!
If you want to save $$ and want a great LCD TV so you can show off, I mean enjoy, then get this Olevia today!
76 Olevia Review
Well I have just recieved the Monitor/TV. I was surprise how bright is was. I am currently using it as a monitor for my new computer I am have built. Playing DVD off of my computer is a lot clearer than playing DVD off my DVD player since there were less noise in the connection. The monitor is extremely bright, I had to turn down the brightness to about 9/100. When I have recieved it I had one retarded light black/white pixel, not noticeable and pretty good when it comes to a lcd this big. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
This monitor comes with DVI, VGA, S-Video, Cable, and other ports for progressive scan and surround sounds. When I plug my monitor into the VGA port of my computer, the monitor automatically adjusts and resizes to the right 16:9 view. You can pic full screen or 16:9. Other options which I find very kewl about this monitor is that it has picture in picture option. Plus also the dual monitor options comes in handy. I can have one computer plugged into the VGA and the other computer plugged into the s-video (or DVD player & computer). <br /><br />
<br /><br />
Another thing for parents. It also have a parental control for password. I have not use this function yet, since I dont have kids. Hehehe.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Putting my hand near the monitor, it does give out some heat, although not as much radiation as tv and crt. The speakers on the sides do give out a little very high frequency that is not so audible. I can take them off, but these speakers are pretty well performers. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
The monitor comes in a very big box, I don't think it can fit in my honda civic unless I fold back the sits. It is a good thing that shipping is free. It is well packaged. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
Taking the monitor out, I am surprise to see that the monitor is so beautiful... ;P<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Image quality is terrific. Sharp and clean. One downside is that the remote control is tragically weak. I heard that games are great on these monitor, but I have not try it yet. Afraid I might get too addicted to it. <br /><br />
77 syntax 27" LCD and remote control problem.
The LCD was delivered last night. And I tried it. Everything works as expected. Picture quality is good but not excellent and
is reasonable for its price.
I seemed to have a really poor IR receiver module in the LCD. The remote has to be within 5' and straight in from of the sensor; otherwise, it just won't work. It is funny that my old NEC TV has a few remote keys that maps to this Syntax remote control. And, my old NEC TV, though farther and almost at 90 degree angle from the remote, kept turning on and off while the syntax LCD was ignoring the keys. I called Syntax Tech support, and he told me that the IR module is probably defective. They will send a new one to me and send some technician over to replace it. Hopefully it will work fine after that. Will follow up with this post.
To Tak Leung, who had previous post about the TV turning itself
off after an hour or so, while browsing the setups, I saw sleep control where the TV would turn it self OFF after the timer expires. So, check and make sure to turn that SLEEP MODE off.
78 so far WOW!
I have to say at this point. I love this TV. Syntax must be listening to their cutomers because they have changed the remote and the new remote is much better than the old one. I think they may have tweeked the TV a little so it works better than the older ones. The picture is much better than expected from my cable signal. The images are clean and sharp and the colors are great. I found that I had make sure all my wire connections were good to the get a good picture. The DVD image is also great , but I am more amazed with how nornal cable TV looks on this TV. I have been looking for a LCD TV for some time now and have been reading tons of reviews and going to several stores and thought I would take a change on the Syntax. I have to say I am more than happy with this TV at this point. Next I will see how the PC will look on the TV.
79 quality problem
First day of use:
the unit's picture is not as sharp as CRT TV.
remote is not very responsive. need to be in front of the TV.
The worst part is after the TV is on for one hour or so, it turns itself off. May be I have a defective unit.
Asked Amazon to return the unit, but amazon policy is:
"Amazon.com cannot accept the return of televisions 27 inches and larger after delivery. Upon delivery, please inspect your television carefully for damage while the shipper is still present. If you discover any damage, please refuse delivery and you will receive a refund. Your signature on our carrier's delivery receipt acknowledges that you understand our return policy. After the release form has been signed, returns of televisions 27 inches and larger will not be accepted."
So be very careful and think again before purchase.
80 Great Deal for LCD HDTV! Some Quirks
Received the Olevia, extremely well packed. Had the picture up and running in five minutes. Not a dead pixel in the bunch. The display in HD mode is fabulous, playback from DVD (after setting the DVd to output in 16:9 mode) is flawless. Quite a bargain for the price, considering others are twice to three times as expensive for the same item.
The manual is primitive, but, with a little bit of ingenuity and trying different options on your cable box and dvd player, you will be amazed by the quality of the display.
81 Olevia
This TV shows well but is very aggravating because the remote sensor is defective. You have to stand directly in front of the TV to turn the channel or adjust the volume. Amazon have not responded to my request for a refund.
82 Olevia Review
Well I have just recieved the Monitor/TV. I was surprise how bright is was. I am currently using it as a monitor for my new computer I am have built. Playing DVD off of my computer is a lot clearer than playing DVD off my DVD player since there were less noise in the connection. The monitor is extremely bright, I had to turn down the brightness to about 9/100. When I have recieved it I had one retarded light black/white pixel, not noticeable and pretty good when it comes to a lcd this big. <br />
<br />
This monitor comes with DVI, VGA, S-Video, Cable, and other ports for progressive scan and surround sounds. When I plug my monitor into the VGA port of my computer, the monitor automatically adjusts and resizes to the right 16:9 view. You can pic full screen or 16:9. Other options which I find very kewl about this monitor is that it has picture in picture option. Plus also the dual monitor options comes in handy. I can have one computer plugged into the VGA and the other computer plugged into the s-video (or DVD player & computer). <br />
<br />
Another thing for parents. It also have a parental control for password. I have not use this function yet, since I dont have kids. Hehehe.<br />
<br />
Putting my hand near the monitor, it does give out some heat, although not as much radiation as tv and crt. The speakers on the sides do give out a little very high frequency that is not so audible. I can take them off, but these speakers are pretty well performers. <br />
<br />
The monitor comes in a very big box, I don't think it can fit in my honda civic unless I fold back the sits. It is a good thing that shipping is free. It is well packaged. <br />
<br />
Taking the monitor out, I am surprise to see that the monitor is so beautiful... ;P<br />
<br />
Image quality is terrific. Sharp and clean. One downside is that the remote control is tragically weak. I heard that games are great on these monitor, but I have not try it yet. Afraid I might get too addicted to it. <br />
<br />
But if you want to find out some more, or see more pictures. Go check out my profile at www.placeitup.com . My username is virebelrus . I be posting pictures up. Just click on my door. :-P For the price it is a bargain. Enough Said!
83 pleased for the price
[...]
I took advice from reviews here and must say after a couple hours of setup and tweaking, I am pleased. I wanted a second PC monitor for gaming. I currently have a 19" trinitron and this may not be as sharp, but really looks great. For the price, having a 27 inch gaming screen is sweet. The games look really nice and response time is fast. I then setup the S cable for cable and routed the audio in as well. Once I fixed the resolution on the PC, it actually is a better PC monitor then TV I think. Hint, set your computer resolution to 1280x 720. This seems to be the best. Anything other and my text/fonts looked unreadable. I was close to frustrated and figured this out and it rocks. I wish the TV resolution was as nice. Still seems grainy Maybe it is my cable provider too. I was able to keep my other TV connected to the cable box via the coax connection and using the svideo for my new tv. Side by side, I don't see much difference between a 10 year old toshiba and this new LCD. I do enjoy the PIP though while working on the PC and watching TV on the side. :) Very trick option. Even though the speakers are not earth shattering, they are loud enough for a bed room TV. Lots of connection options with this TV. Not bad for the 800-900 range.
Hope this helps. So far, very pleased
Chuck
84 crystal clear
Outstanding picture, vivid colors with DISH and DVD's. Those who are concerned about one S - Video hook up, just go to Radio Shack and get S -Video splitter that can hook up 4 components. I tried dish through regular cable and s -video hook up and there was no comparison between the two. Highly recommend, Great price.
85 Really Like It!!
I was going to buy the Sony 17" LCD XBrite monitor but when I saw that this monitor was also a TV and had stereo speakers I couldn't pass it up. The one thing that isn't mentioned in the manual is that it requires at least 128MB on the video card to work properly. For my needs (and the money), I am very happy with it.
86 Detailed Reviews are Positive
Check out both extremetech.com and anandtech.com for very detailed reviews of the 30" version of this set. Both reviews highly recommend the 30" set.
87 Detailed Reviews Are Positive
Check out both extremetech.com and anandtech.com for very detailed reviews. Both reviews highly recommend this set.
88 Great LCD at a great price, with 4 quirks
I've had the TV for almost a week now and love it. The picture quality is fantastic, the pixel response is fast, and the quality is solid. Most reviews tout the strengths of the unit, so I'll focus on just the negatives.
1. "Zoom" mode zooms in on the widescreen image, not the 4:3 image. This results in everything being stretched out a bit. Zoom is useful for removing the letterbox bars on 4:3 images, but what's the point if it still stretches out the image? Of course, if you watch any letterbox movies on a progressive scan DVD player you won't have this problem.
2. If you plug a 480i source into the Y/Pb/Pr input, you get picture noise. Syntax support says that it's because all signals that go through the Y/Pb/Pr input go through a comb filter which causes interlaced signals to become noisy. So if you have a game machine like the Playstation 2 that plays some games in 480i and some in 480p, you have to change the cable to the proper input depending on the mode of the game.
3. Most universal remotes can't be programmed to control this TV because Syntax is a new brand. You have to get a remote whose software can be flashed, like the Logitech Harmony 659, in order to control the TV with a universal remote.
Despite these shortcomings, I'm very pleased with this display. HDTV content looks fantastic, and DVDs are super-sharp. And you can't beat the price.
89 Excellent Picture, high res., all inputs, 2 tuners !!!
I purchased this television based on the specifications and I'm 100% happy with it. The picture quality is amazing, especially with HDTV and HD-DVD. It has all the inputs CATV, S-video, DVI, RCA,..
This TV has incredibly vivid picture when connected to a PC, however, it is not as great with MACs.
I recommend it
90 es muy buen producto por el dinero
despues de unos dias de busqueda en el web estaba considerando Olevia LT30HV 30 pues despues de unos dias me desidi a comprarla la instale estaba ansioso por ver como se miraba la puse con mi e xbox de video juegos como Dear or live y no se imajinan que claridad que relusion tan bonita es is very good tecnologia for that many el presio de eso estoy seguro los colores son increibles tambien despues la conecte con mi samsum con salida DV1 y fue donde me confundio el televisor por que no mostro la imajen que yo esperaba que mostrara el problema es con el brillo se miraba muy como trasparente el televisor a si que desidi regresar la tele y pues estoy esperando que medebuelban mi dinero para comprarme la sharp 32' inches no tengo nada en contra con este televisor pero si eres exsijente en tus gustos y quieres la mejor tecnologia deveras a orrar mas dinero y comprarte un televisor con el modelo a tu gisto y que de enverdad te a grade
91 AWESOME LCD TV AT A GREAT PRICE
This was a great buy and I am extremely impress with this beauty. The picture is flawless when viewing HD channels and from my progressive scan DVD player. It also looks great with my PS2 using the S-video connection. The picture qauality on regular TV is pretty good as well, and varies from channel to channel. The TV also comes with lots of connections for your peripheral equipment. I have it connected to the following, the connections on the TV are in parentheses:
A/V Receiver (Audio Out)
PlayStation 2 (S-Video)
Xbox (A/V)
HDTV Cable box (YPbPr)
CATV (RF cable connection)
Computer (DVI and VGA)
DVD Player (YCbCr)
The split screen set up is relatively easy, and I was able to view my computer screen on one half of the screen and have a video game running on my PS2 on the other half. All in all, this is a great TV at a very affordable price. I plan to get the 27" for my bedroom, and the 20" for my den.
92 Very pleased customer
I did lots of research as to what type of TV (plasma, rear projection, etc)is best in the HDTV world. For the space in my house, I needed a TV less than 40 inches so was fairly limited b/w smaller Plasmas and larger LCD's.
I looked at the Sharp, but was willing to go with the Olevia due to the # of favorable user reviews I found. There are a couple of 'expert reviews' that don't recommend Olevia (Cnet), but there were some very favorable recommendations (extremetech http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1642839,00.asp gave it an 8/10)
I received the TV in fine shape - excellent packing. I was shocked to have it up and running within 5 minutes and looking great - I expected it would take much longer. I had Comcast upgrade to the HD service and Hi-def looks awesome on the TV. The old analog channels are passable, not great...but I'm hoping most the programming will move hi-def.
Hope this helps in your search.
93 look elsewhere
Price was very good ($389), good features, but doesn't deliver on image.
The screen has a film across it, causing unacceptable light reflections and a bit of wavy distortion. It states HDTV ready, but when hooking up to my HDTV tuner using component cables, I could not get the TV to synchronize on the 480p signal (it displayed two images - side by side). Forget about 720p or 1080i - no image at all. Picture from satellite using S-video connector was not impressive. This unit is going back (even my non-techno wife complained about it). By comparision, I do like my Sony 50" HDTV LCD rear projection.
94 Olevia LT27HV 27" HDTV-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV
received my Olevia LT27HV 27" HDTV-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV this afternoon.
INPUT SIGNALS
1) YbPbPr input (tested on onkyo 6 dvd changer) - 5 star !
2) Svideo input (tested on sharp camcorder ) - 5 star !
3) composite video input (tested on samsung vcr) - 5 star !
4a) tuner port RF input (cartoons) - 5 star !
4b) tuner port RF input (non-cartoons) - 4.5 star - a little grainy on dark scene.
5) analog VGA ( connected to desktop PC ) - 5 star for 1280x720x32. In this resolution, the text and graphics are super super fine ! well.. should i say.. PERFECT !!! yes.. they didn't lie.. the scan rate even came out 14.6 ms as tested thru powerstrip module !! thats an added bonus for FPS gamer like me !
6) DVI ( haven't tried yet, i need to buy DVI cable first. I will keep you guys posted. I'm very happy with what I see on analog VGA, how happier can I get with DVI connection !!).
SCREEN DISPLAY: due to the superb brillance / brightness / contrast / gamma / sharpness, etc, I would rate this 10 out of 10 ! I'm an PC GAMER and have played UT2004, FAR CRY, BF1942, SOF2, RTCW, BLACK HAWK DOWN TEAM SABRE , JOINT OPERATION, DEVASTATION, MEN OF VALOR, PAIN KILLER, RICHARD BURNS RALLY, NEED FOR SPEED HOT PERSUIT 2, MEDAL OF HONOR, DOOM 3, ETC. Absolutly no regret.. worth every penny !
Before I bought this, I have been running all my games at 1600x120
