Toshiba 40FT1U 40-Inch 1080p 60 Hz LCD HDTV, Black Gloss Review

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(More customer reviews)EDIT 12/14/2010: I've now had this HDTV for almost a month and I feel compelled to update my review because the picture quality is absolutely remarkable! From the first, I changed the "Pic Mode" to "Movie" and made no other picture adjustment. The apparent depth is just stunning -- as close to 3D as I've seen in a non-3D television. This is particularly noticeable when I switch from watching one of my other HDTVs to this one. With this "Movie" setting, black levels are very intense for movie viewing. But it was watching the football game on Sunday that was so stunning. Realistic is the only word for it.
Otherwise, everything I said previously holds and I won't make any other updates unless some problem should come up.
EDIT 11/12/2010: This review is updated 5 days after purchase. My initial "r:" will appear where I added later comments. I recommend you also read the comments for this review and the comment I made to another reviewer ( http://www.amazon.com/review/RN9YJSLNGTBBF/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B003XU6D6Y&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful ). I'm doing this because I am extremely satisfied with this TV and believe it deserves careful consideration whether on sale or list price. My "4 star" review is based on my experience with large (37 - 53 inch) HDTVs at all feature levels. If considering this TV only against other HDTV of the 37 or 40 inch size and at this lowest feature level for standard brands, I would say this is a "5 star" HDTV. r: updated 11/20/10
I was able to get this TV at Best Buy as an "early Black Friday" offer for $400. At that price, this is a fantastic deal. I was also able to stand and compare the video image side by side from very close up (2 ft) with the Sony KDL40EX500 and EX400, the Toshiba 40E200U, and a Panasonic TCL37D2 -- frankly, it was like looking at virtual copies except the Soney EX500 had a SLIGHTLY better image (less edge flicker on football players in motion). Without brand names, you couldn't tell one from the other whether they were turned on or off (they all had a similar matte screen finish). Keep in mind that these TVs were all set in the store to a very hot, bright picture. On the audio side, they all sounded decent with none standing out as "better" (in the showroom at least). With that comparison, it was easy for me to choose to save more than $100 and buy the Toshiba 40FT1U. (The little information I could actually find about the 40FT1U says that it is basically the same as the Toshiba 40E299U but with only 3 HDMI connectors instead of 4.)
Getting it home, assembled (very simple and well-engineered 4 bolt base assembly) and connected (using HDMI), I wasn't disappointed at all by the product when in the quiet and soft natural (window) lighting of my bedroom. The tv has 5 "Pic Modes" with the mysterious names (probably the typical Toshiba names) of Sport, Standard, Movie, PC and Preference (I think this one is customizable). These are really brightness/contrast alternatives with Sport too bright for me -- Movie turned out to be my preferred mode and seems to provide real deep black levels. The audio is clear (w/o much low end), offers plenty of volume and has a really good surround synthesizer.
r: My one real regret about this supposedly "low-end" tv is that Toshiba (like most manufactures with their low-end tvs) does not provide any audio outputs that would allow me to easily plug in some better speakers or a headphone (since this is a bedroom tv for us). They do provide optical digital audio out for a receiver or peramp for use with a sound system.
The menus are pretty clear and easy to move through, but offer far more alternatives than are covered in the manual (r: for a complete manual, see below). Some are not immediately obvious to me and I'll have to explore the Toshiba site just to see what they mean. All in all with only a couple hours experience, I'm very happy with this HDTV and would recommend it even at it's normal price. I'll try to add more after I've had it a while.
r: I did just find a detailed Operators Manual in the Customer Support section of the Toshiba product site. It covers all controls, I/O and menu functions.
r: My main purpose for the edit is to say how, after 5 days and now having finished setting this TV up with full DirecTV Whole-Home capability and spending some time watching familiar programming, my wife and I are absolutely awed by what we got for $400. This tv picture quality is at least comparable to our Sony 37" and 53" rear projection LCDs (3 and 5 years old respectively) and I think the black level is better. DirecTV recognizes the tv as 1080p and properly displays 1080p content. I watch a lot of sports and both football and basketball games are beautifully displayed. The TV handles all lighting levels (from near dark to our bright sunlit windows) without needing any adjustment. Our viewing distance is about 10 feet and the 40" display provides a theater-like view. I have NO regrets (despite the lack of analog audio outs). The only question that remains is reliability -- will it work without problems for the next many years -- only time can tell, but there is no reason to suspect an issue. And at $400, the risk is small.
Here's the published "features":
Product Features
- 40" screen measured diagonally from corner to corner. For optimal viewing in medium to large rooms.
- Ultraslim design (3-1/2" deep). Ideal for wall mounting (with optional mounting kit, not included). 200mm x 200mm VESA compatible.
- DynaLight dynamic backlight control. Uses advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame and creates seamless transitions with deep black levels.
- CineSpeed LCD panel.Provides smooth transitions between fast-action scenes.
- 24 fps Cinema Mode with 3:2 pulldown. Delivers accurate reproduction of film-based sources.
- TheaterWide picture sizes. Including natural, TheaterWide 1, 2, 3 and fullscreen, 4:3 HD, native and dot-by-dot for custom entertainment.
- Color temperature control and picture preference modes. Including sports, standard, movie, preferences and PC for a customized viewing experience.
- 1080p display. Provides the highest quality progressive-scan picture possible from a high-definition source.
- Invisible speaker system. With mute and half mute options to deliver the volume levels you want.
- Inputs: Include ColorStream component video, 3 HDMI (1 side), 1 PC and A/V (rear).
- Outputs:Include Dolby digital optical.
- 3 HDMI inputs. HDMI cable not included. High-speed HDMI cable is the only connection that can deliver a full HDTV experience with a full 1080p picture and digital surround sound.
PC video input
- Lets you connect your computer to experience high-resolution images.
- USB port. Offers quick connection of a digital camera or other USB devices.
- Gaming mode. For fast game controller response.
- Useful additional features: Including sleep timer, channel/input lock and channel/input labeling.


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1080p Full HD CineSpeed Display
DynaLight Dynamic Backlight Control for Deep Black Levels
Photo Frame Capability and MP3 Playback via USB
Gaming Mode for Fast Game Controller Response
3 HDMI Digital Inputs
High-Res PC Input (S-XGA, 15 Pin, D-sub)
ATSC/QAM Digital Tuner for Over-the-Air and Cable-in-the-Clear Digital Tuning
Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity with 1080p Full HD. With twice the pixel resolution of 720p HD models, Full HD is the pinnacle in picture resolution.

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