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| Date Reviewed: 04/05/2008 |
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Strengths: Great picture, excellent price, good sound
Weaknesses: One HDMI input, PIP
Summary: The TV is excellent. Very good picture and surprisingly good sound. It does have a subwoofer output. This is nice if you choose to stick with the TV speaker, just hook up a powered woofer to it and you will have very nice sound. The menu take a few minutes to get the hang of, but once you get it, it is fairly simply and easy to use. The remote is fine, it could be nicer but you could also be paying a lot more for it too. The ability to use the TV as a computer screen is also very nice. OVERALL EXCELLENT BUY.
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THE BLUE LIGHT...there is a LED blue light that remains on when you turn it off, I actually like it. BUT if you don't like it all you have to do is go to the menu and TURN IT OFF...not rocket science...takes 10 seconds to do and no tape needed HA.
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THE BAD...there is only one HDMI input. Also the area containing all the inputs is some what crowded so try to do it once and only once. The PIP is not what you would think of, you can NOT watch two TV channels at once. Only two different inputs, such as your computer screen and cable TV. It should be noted also that there is a delay in turning the TV on, about 6-10 seconds. This may annoy some, but I have found that I am able to wait 10 seconds to watch TV without any difficulty.
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| Date Reviewed: 11/17/2006 |
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Strengths: Built-in HD tuner, Multifunction remote, Firmware upgradeable
Price
Weaknesses: Humming, Startup time
Summary: I generally rely pretty heavily on reviews before I buy so I will try to be thorough for your benefit.
The good news:
You get a built in HD tuner. Even though these are pretty much standard these days, there are still many units that do not have them. I am very pleased with the display of standard definition content. I have plain-Jane, basic, analog cable. The set handles this just about as well as anyone could hope.
On this basic cable, I ran the digital and analog channel finder. I don't know how or why, but it found all of my local HD channels on the cable line, as well as TNT and Discover HD (which are OMG amazing).
But you're not buying this for the SD content, are you?
The high def from the tuner is beautiful. I have a few other sets that also do HD so it's not just a newb seeing HD for the first time. Some of the colors look a little flat, but I'm sure that once I get my copy of Digital Video Essentials that will clear right up.
I also use this display for my gaming (Xbox 360). I pump the signal in via component and could not be any happier with the picture. The dashboard of the system looks a little washed out, but the games are absolutely gorgeous. Halo 2, Lego Star Wars II, and Gears of War never looked so good.
DVD playback (via component, 480p, no up-converting) definitely show some pixelation. Please bear in mind that I have this in my bedroom and sit no further than 6 feet away, so you may not have this problem in your home.
I have not tried an upconverting player yet, but perhaps soon. Will be trying HD-DVD's on there this weekend some time and will report back.
I have already performed a firmware upgrade even though I didn't notice any issues. I was hoping it may help the humming backlight or the blue LED on the front. There is no cable supplied, but all you need is an A-to-B USB cable and their software from the website. It is a bit cryptic to use. Not sure I would recommend it for an exteme PC novice.
The Bad news:
When you power on the unit, it takes about 10 seconds before anything comes on the screen. Then you get a washed out olevia logo for a few seconds before you get any video. This is a minor inconvenience.
When you set the backlight for a "Dark" or "Medium" room you can hear it buzzing. I generally hear this at night when I turn the volume down to go to sleep. It will disappear under normal audio, but may bother some people.
The blue LED on the front is bright as all getout. I have actually blocked the LED with a stuffed penguin because it would light up the opposite corner of my room and actually keep me up at night. Nothing a little electrical tape can't fix!
The manual doesn't come in paper format! You must print it out from the enclosed CD that comes in the package. That is just silly.
Some strange things can happen with the tuner. I cannot tune directly to certain stations by punching them in on the remote (the higher numbered digital stations). Also, if you turn off the tv on an HD channel, it seems to turn back on at channel 2 no matter what. Could just be me, but this has happened several times.
The sound has "popped" a few times unexpectedly. Not a problem in the audio signal as I was watching the same program as someone else down the hall who didn't get the "pop". Not sure what that is all about. I do have the unit hooked up to a Monster unit with Cleanpower so I doubt it was an uneven power input.
Overall, I would recommend this tv. You get an excellent feature set with a very low price tag. I'm not sure that I would make this set the centerpiece in a home theater, but I love it for gaming and HDTV. Especially since you can find them for around $800 or so now, what are you waiting for?
98% of People (57/58) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 12/15/2006 |
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Strengths: great picture quality, good price, built in ASTC and clear QAM tuner, upgradeable firmware
Weaknesses: takes about 10 seconds to turn on after pressing power button; annoying blue led light stays on when TV is off
Summary: The Olevia 537H is a great buy. You get a lot of bang for your buck here with superb picture quality, lots of a/v inputs, and the best of all - a built in clear QAM tuner for receiving HDTV signals from your cable without a cable box. As others have mentioned, it takes longer than normal for the tv to actually turn on (about 10 seconds), but once it's on, you won't want to turn it off. The blue LED light that stays on when the TV is off is a bit annoying, but a piece of black electrical tape can easily cover it up. Firmware on the TV is also upgradeable via USB. Overall, two thumbs up!
94% of People (15/16) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/15/2007 |
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Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: Cant Program my remote to my DirecTV receiver
Summary: This TV has everything any gamer can actually need. 2 component outputs and an HDMI input. For your Wii, Xbox 360 and if you bought it PS3. Picture is amazing and watching movies at 480p is ever better. I dont think i will upgrade to a HD-DVD player because DVD's work fine for me. The Sound is amazing as well heck it may not have a built in Surround system but it sounds pretty good to me.
I have been hessitating to buy an LCD TV because I couldnt afford it but then I found this one and bought it the minute I saw it. At a great price this is a great TV. If youre a gamer or if you want to upgrade to an LCD TV buy this TV. Trust me you wont regret it.
92% of People (11/12) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 05/20/2007 |
- mhill44
from TX
- Member Since:
Jan 2004
View Member's:
Reviews
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Strengths: Picture quality & value.
Weaknesses: Most old folks find the new TVs (including this one)a little complicated.
Summary: Had a 32 in my budget but found the 37 on an on-line deal site for $725 total delivered from Fry's. Thought it was too good to be true especially when I received the backorder email shortly after ordering(Dec 2006). I was shocked when it arrived in a new unopened box in Jan 07. Had to wait a month to get the HD receiver from Time Warner but once it was all hooked up the picture quality & detail blew me away. I prefer to watch HD Sports programming on the Olevia instead of attending the event in person. Would definitely buy an Olevia again & Fry's did right by me as well!
90% of People (9/10) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 04/14/2007 |
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Strengths: Excellent Picture Quality. HD is beuatiful and Standard TV is also excellent. I've read, researched, and seen for myself and this TV is by far the best deal on the net! I've been using it for 1 month
Weaknesses: There are NONE. Do not hesitate like I did. GET IT
Summary: I own a 50" Sony rear projection LCD too. The olevia is in my bedroom. I like the olevia better! The picture is brighter, colorful, and just oh so sweet. My sony rocks too but this tv is tight!
If your picture flickers a bit at the top on some channels, you can adjust the screen in the menu to move up a hair and it goes away. I think it was my cable. Worked beautifully!
88% of People (7/8) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 02/08/2007 |
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Strengths: This TV is a great buy for the money! Very happy with picture quality and screen size (not too big and not too small).
Weaknesses: The shortfalls are not too bad. The sound has gone out a few times (I use a separate sound system so not a big deal)and there is no universal remote to use with this TV.
Summary: This TV is a good buy - the 37" is not too small! It survived the trip from California with only a small hole poked in the container - was packaged well. Out of the box, it was nothing to hook up to the satellite cable and play around with the remote until I got the program signal. The LCD picture is a great change from the old pixel TV's - I won't go back! After a few weeks a sound problem developed where a high pitched humm or buzz would come through for a few seconds and then go away (happened once or twice a day) when sound was played through the TV. The warranty will get it taken care of, but as for now, my external sound system makes this a great TV experience. I would love to have just one remote to run everything, but will have to settle for two as a model is not made yet. The remote was not hard to get used to as the on-screen set-up prompts are a rotating sphere. It is easy to adjust the picture as to a room or lighting. Also I like the zoom and freeze frame feature. I have heard that these TV's are giving way to newer models - but with Olevia you can't go wrong.
86% of People (6/7) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/02/2007 |
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 Better purchase a Warranty! Strengths: Low cost, great picture quality, 1080i, lots of inputs
Weaknesses: menu is not user-friendly, not reliable, only 1 hdmi input
Summary: 2007-01-20 14:06:08 I currently purchased this TV due to the low cost and word of mouth. Picture quality was great for SD/HD/DVD. Video games also played great with no lag. Had it running for nearly 1 month when all of a sudden it shut off by itself. Was unable to power it back on after trying all there solutions on olevia.com
Calling for warranty replacement was exhausting as I had to wait a long time for someone to actually pick up the phone. When I did actually get someone on the line, the warranty replacement process was easy. So far a week has past since faxing in the warranty papers and i am still awaiting my replacement set.
Though the TV set worked great during its 2 month run, I am worried for Olevia's quality in terms for long time. Highly recommend a warranty plan or purchase a different brand.
Update:
Received replacement and everything seems to be good. TV is new, not refurbished.
86% of People (6/7) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 11/27/2006 |
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Strengths: Built in QAM tuner
Weaknesses: Remote
Summary: I absolutely love the picture quality of this 37" HD LCD. Both standard and high definition signals look great. The built-in QAM tuner enables you to receive unencrypted HD signals from your cable company without a separate box. Only weakness is the remote; the menu system doesn't give me all of the options I've become accustomed to on other HD TV's I own. Overall I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
83% of People (10/12) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/08/2007 |
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Strengths: TV itself looks good, picture is great, TV is light, sound is good
Weaknesses: Going through the source inputs takes a little time, longer start-up time is less of an issue
Summary: This HDTV has more than met my expectations. It looks great and the picture is great. It has very vibrant colors, and the dark colors (black) looks pretty dark to me. The TV is also very thin and light for its size. It also has plenty of inputs and has a optical and coaxial output. I haven't tested the sound (from the coaxial output) fully on my sound system yet. Also, I have and play the Wii and Xbox 360 on this TV, and it looks great. There isn't a drag and component output from the Xbox 360 looks great. People have complained about the blue light when the TV is off. It isn't a big deal to me. Also, the long start-up time (~8 seconds) is also not a big deal to me. I can wait that long for the picture to come up. Also, the audio coming from the TV's speakers are good enough already. I have an HD antenna and I pick up 42 digital channels (I live in L.A. County).
83% of People (5/6) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 11/23/2006 |
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Strengths: Everything out performs the high end TV's.
Weaknesses: Can't find any weaknesses.
Summary: Love this TV!!.. I have a HD Sony 42" and a Samsung 37" both LCD and added this one to my bedroom. WOW, I have to say the HD picture is at least 5X better on the Olevia. I am using a Dish Network 622
82% of People (9/11) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 11/12/2006 |
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Strengths: nice price for a HDTV!!
Weaknesses: Wish it had a built in surround sound
Summary: if your looking for a good HDTV that won't reak the bank, this is it. I shopped all around and everything was at least 1500 or more. Found this beauty and with the rebates only cost 800. Great buy for the price.
77% of People (10/13) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 02/26/2007 |
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Strengths: PICTURE, COLOR, VIDEO OPTIONS, PRICE
Weaknesses: THE MANUEL ON CD.
Summary: I just bought this LCD in feb. 07 and love it. I looked around and read tons of reviews on all LCD in my price range. Now im not going to sit here and tell you its the best LCD you could possible buy. Its not and shouldnt be but i think from all i looked at in this price range it is. There were LCD up to 1500.00 that dont even look this good. I hooked mine up to a nice DVD player through componant cables and even at 480p it looks awesome. Also i just wanted to mention that i had read alot about how difficult the OSM (on screen menu) is to learn. Come on, if your smart enough to spell you name youll be fine. Awesome picuture and options for an even better price. I got mine for 750.00. Also did i mention it was assembled in USA?
75% of People (3/4) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/22/2007 |
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Nice picture but horrible adjustments
Strengths: Nice Picture & price
Weaknesses: can't be controlled by universal remotes, input sound level ignored, can't change brightness, horrible menu system
Summary: It can't be controlled by universal remotes - you have to use olevia remote which is poor for controlling anything else.
I use the HDMI input. The input sound level is ignored, basically on or off, so you have to use the Olevia remote for that.
The menu system is horrible and I can't change the brightness for a dark room.
I didn't have any luck finding or downloading a firmware update on my first attempt. Hopefully some of these problems can be fixed with an update.
67% of People (4/6) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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| Date Reviewed: 01/18/2007 |
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Strengths: Excellent picture quality, great value
Weaknesses: None
Summary: This is my second Olevia TV and I have to say that I'm 100% satisfied. I won't repeat what has been said in prior reviews except to say that no other LCD brand offers the quality, picture, and overall value of the Olevia series of LCDs. There may be a few LCDs that may be slightly better than Olevia but they will cost you 2 - 3 times the price of the Olevia.
67% of People (2/3) found this review helpful. Was this review helpful or unhelpful for you?
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