This Westinghouse LCD TV is in the Kitchen
Written: Dec 27 '06
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Pros: great picture quality, can connect as a television or to a computer
Cons: internal speakers
The Bottom Line: A television that does the job. Someone who likes top-of-the-line electronic toys will want to search for something other than this model.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Westinghouse Electric LTV-19w6 19 in. TV |
One great thing about having family that lives close is that I spend a lot of time at my brother’s house. It’s great that they open their doors to me ... a second home! I knew they wanted a new television for the kitchen and wasn’t surprised to find one sitting on the counter. They are now using a Westinghouse 19" Widescreen LCD Television (model # LTV-19w6).
“You’ll have to write a review on it,” I told them. “No,” my brother said, handing me the remote with a smile, “you write the review.” So here it is!
Description
This is a beautiful looking television. It is primarily a flat black color with silver accents. The television can sit on a base (that comes with it) on a flat surface or be wall-mounted. Hardware for mounting the screen on the wall is not included in the package. The television without the base measures 18 3/4" wide z 14 1/4" high x 3 1/2" deep. With the base attached, the television is 16 3/8" high. The base by itself measures 11 7/8" wide x 6 1/4" deep. I have included the television’s specifications at the end of this review.
The television comes with a standard remote that includes buttons for:
* Power Button – on/off
* Mute – temporarily silence the sound
* Sleep – automatically turns the television off after a set time
* Display – show the current channel
* PIP – picture in picture (available in D-Sub/DVI modes)
* PIP menu – picture in picture menu navigation
* Channel Numbers – 0-9 numbers and a 𣺜" button
* Volume – control sound volume
* Return – toggles to the last channel viewed
* MTS – choose between stereo, mono or SAP sound settings
* V-Chip – for parental controls
* CC – for close caption and text mode selection
* Scaling – adjust the aspect ratio (normal, zoom or full)
The package contains: the LCD TV, detachable base stand, remote control with two AAA batteries, AC power cord, D-Sub (VGA) cable, 3.5mm mini-jack audio cable.
It also comes with a Quick Install Guide (a double-sided sheet of paper), and a User Manual (28 pages).
Installation
This television was easy to install. The Quick Install Guide includes a simple set-up list.
1. Plug in the television and insert the batteries into the remote control. (The User Guide mentions to connect the base to the television.)
2. Connect the cable or TV antenna wire to the cable-ready NTSC tuner input labeled “ANT” on the connection panel.
3. For computer use, connect the computer to the D-Sub or DVI-D input and the matching audio-in input.
4. Press the power button to turn the TV on.
The User Guide has detailed photographs of the back of the television and the connections. There is also a step involving the remote control that will scan in the television channels.
Our Experiences
This Westinghouse LCD Television is connected to a digital cable box and sitting atop the cable box on the kitchen counter.
The Good: this is a gorgeous screen with a beautiful picture
The Bad: sound .... ack! Fuzzy, tinny terrible sound from internal speakers
The first few times I used the television, I was not impressed with the sound. Here was a great picture and the internal speakers made the voices sound like they were coming from a cheap transistor radio. What was Westinghouse thinking of when they selected those speakers? Tinkering with the audio (treble, bass, balance) did not do any good. The speakers sounded awful.
Today while I was at my brother’s house, my sister-in-law flipped on the television to the Home & Garden channel. I was still impressed with the depth of color and clarity of the picture. My brother snatched the remote and changed it to the Sci-fi channel. Hmmmm ... now the picture was grainy. We flipped through a few more channels, the picture quality was fine on the other channels. Then I retrieved the remote from him and returned the television to the Home & Garden channel where the picture was gorgeous, clear and showing beautiful color.
As usual with this television, we started a mutual complaint session regarding the sound. My brother commented that the television was still under warranty ... maybe they should return it. After all, someone in the family had given them a TV/DVD that was still under the Christmas tree. “But,” my sister-in-law said, “it’s only a 17". This Westinghouse is a 19". I want to keep the larger set.” My brother agreed that maybe the other television wouldn’t solve the problem since it used the same technology.
“Have you tried using separate speakers,” I suggested. Silence as they stared at me. I had the User Guide in my hand (I’m big on reading). “It says here that individual speakers can be hooked up to the television. The internal speaker can be turned off. Don’t you have an extra set of PC speakers we can experiment with?” Before I had finished speaking my brother was galloping down the stairs to the computer room, and my sister-in-law had the remote in her hand to disable the internal speaker.
My brother returned carrying two external speakers. He quickly plugged them into the back of the television set. What a difference! And these were just moderately-priced computer speakers. The sound quality had drastically improved. The internal speakers had sounded fuzzy with voices higher than a normal speaking voice. The PC speakers projected clear sound, and the television voices sounded great.
That lead to the next discussion. “This is wonderful!” my sister-in-law exclaimed. “I think we should hang the speakers on the wall.” My brother added, “I can buy hardware to mount the television on the wall too, if you want it there.” I have a feeling that when I visit again, I’m going to find a reorganized kitchen with a wall-mounted television.
I have no trouble viewing the image on this television. I have an LCD monitor at home that has to be viewed pretty much straight on in order to see the picture. This television offered no problem at viewing the image from an angle. There is no pixelization or distortion.
The remote is comfortable to hold and offers one-touch control of the television. There are multiple screens available to change the options such as the brightness, contrast, color, audio. The control will also display the channel in the upper right corner and whether the program is in stereo or mono (this can be visible or invisible, the decision is yours).
The literature that came with the television says that this screen would be great for viewing DVDs and for gaming. The television also has two HD inputs.
Cleaning the LCD Screen
Special care has to be taken when cleaning an LCD screen. Never use liquid on the screen, and make sure the TV is off before cleaning this screen. Use a clean, soft, lint-free cloth to wipe the screen clean. If extra cleaning is needed, the manufacturer suggests applying a bit of glass cleaner that does not have ammonia or alcohol in it to the cloth (not directly to the screen) and then wiping the screen.
Purchasing
This television retails for $499.99 and was on sale at Best Buy for $399.99.
Summary
All of us are happy with this Westinghouse 19" Widescreen LCD Television. It is not the perfect solution, and the internal speakers are horrible. However, now that external speakers are being used, this television is great in the kitchen. There’s nothing like watching a favorite program while preparing a meal or washing dishes (unless it’s someone else who is washing the dishes!).
I hope you have found this review useful.
Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Specifications
Viewable Screen Size: 19" Diagonal
Aspect Ratio: 16:10
Native/Optimum Resolution: 1440 x 900
Color Capacity: 16.2 Million Colors
Contrast Ratio: 500:1 (typ)
Color Gamut: 75% NTSC
Lamp Life: 40,000 hrs
Viewing Angle: 150-degree Horizontal / 130-degree Vertical
Response Time: 8 ms (typ)
Connections:
Composite In
S-Video In
YPbPr
VGA
Audio Out (mini)
Audio In (Dual RCA - qty 2)
Antenna In
NTSC: 480i
HDTV: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i
PC: 1440 x 900
Clear QAM
Audio: two 2.25 watt speakers
Please read my other reviews:
Logitech Harmony Universal Remote Control
TV Guide Magazine
Acer 19" Widescreen LCD Monitor
Antec Notebook Cooler – to prolong computer life
Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse
Logitech MouseMan Dual Optical Mouse
Logitech S510 Cordless Keyboard and Mouse
Ott True Color Flex-Arm Plus Lamp
Copyright 2006 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 399.99
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