2009 Advisor
MikeMaroon
Chattanooga, TN
If this TV was a woman, I'd marry her......
5 star rating

First Time LDC TV buyer, an early adopter, New to HD, computer literate, cable user
Pros

    Sharp, clear Hi-Def picture, Just the right size for my living room, As good as the other brands, Football! On HDTV!, Movies!!! On HDTV!!!

Cons
    Inconviently placed jacks, not much else!

JAN
21
2008

Vizio - VW42L HDTV Television — 

It all started when the local grocery store chain that employs me stocked some 42" LCD TVs for Christmas.  Before that, I thought I was just fine with my 9 year old 32" Sanyo CRT television.   Yep, with the employee discount we were getting at the time, I could get me a big screen high-def TV for a mere $650.00.  That got me doing some research on-line and what I discovered didn't result in buying that particular TV.  Something much worse happened.  I found myself with a raging case of "Big-Screen HDTV Fever".

For the record, this is mostly a "guy" disease and its most contagious around Jan 1st.  You know, when all the big college football bowl games are on and the NFL playoffs are about to start.  So, I decided to forgo my store's brand since my research showed it was a model with quality control issues (some worked perfectly, some had problems right out of the box) and a complete disregard for customer service by the company producing it (for the curious, that brand was Sceptre).  I was, however,  "infected" and set out to find one I both liked and could afford.  That "mythical" set turned out to be a Vizio.

In an age when "higher" is touted as "better", I'm here to tell you this 42" Vizio HDTV as about as good a bang for your buck as you can get.  I spent several hours in different stores comparing televisions.  Some of the cheap brands were obviously a  notch below the Sonys and Samsungs of the world, the picture not as bright and the resolution not as good. But, Vizio has quietly become the number 2 selling brand of HDTV in the US for a reason.  I honestly could not tell the difference, picture-wise, between this set and the $2000 Samsung.

I found this television at Wal Mart for the unbelievable price of $940.00.  That's right, a 42" HDTV with 1366 x 768 (720p) for under a grand.  Now 1080p is the HDTV of "choice" these days, mainly because of the "higher" is better syndrome, but, truth is, unless you have a 50"+ screen or like to sit right up on the TV, you will unlikely be able to tell much difference.  720p is the resolution cable and satellite services broadcast and its good enough for me. This picture is sharp, super-clear, and you can count the hairs on Tom Brady's chin.

The main difference between the Vizio and higher priced "name brands" is the quantity and location of inputs.  Our Vizio has 2 HDMI inputs vs 3 or more for some (HDMI or High-Definition Multimedia Interface is the latest, highest-quality standard for connecting your HDTV to a cable box, DVD player, etc.  It combines a DVI interface along with digital audio all in one cable) plus a co-axial, 2 component, 1 RGB, 1 S-Video and composite video connections.  These inputs are slighly inconvienent, placed on the bottom, facing down where some higher-priced sets feature these inputs on the back, facing out for easier access.  This is a moot point if you wall mount the TV or mount it on a stand.

The speakers are merely average, but do the trick nicely.  If you are unhappy with the sound (I am fine with it),  feel free to plug in some speakers via the audo jacks. What really counts here is picture quaility, and in tests by PC World Magazine, the Vizio consistantly finished near the top.  In addition, the panel itself is sleek and attractive.  The remote works well, although there is a bit of a learning curve because instead of switching from  "TV" to "Cable" to "Aux" as some do, you switch from  "HDMI" to "HDMI" to "AV" to "Component", depending on your connections.  I haven't figured out how to program my Comcast remote to operate it,  but that's just because I've been too lazy to figure it out. 

After spending an hour assembling the stand I bought for it, I had this TV up and running in less than 10 minutes.  The box contains only the TV, remote control, power cord, quick setup guide and user manual, so you will want to get one or two HDMI cables when you buy it.  Not much sucks more than thinking you are all set up and ready to go, only to find you need another trip to the store first.  One HDMI cable will hook you up to your cable box and a second one will connect you to either a Blu-Ray/HD DVD player or an upconverting DVD player.  These cables range in price from $60-70 to the $15 variety at Wal Mart.  Go with the $15 cable. You won't be able to tell the difference.  The Vizio comes with a one-year warranty, and by all accounts, good customer service. Mine also came with NO dead pixels.

Having owned this TV for about 3 weeks now and watching numerous bowl and playoff games, as well as HD TV channels and upconverted DVDs, I can safely say once you go HDTV you won't want to go back.  I'm VERY happy with this set.



I_thumb_up Vizio - VW42L HDTV Television is recommended by MikeMaroon

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I_comment_shdw24 Comments about MikeMaroon’s Review

 


MikeMaroon wrote on Jul 27, 2008 at 12:21PM

In response to wz6rab's comment from Jul 27, 2008 at 8:43AM:

I sure hope that works for you. a grand is a lot to sink into ANYTHING to have it fail in the first year. Thanks for the heads up!

wz6rab wrote on Jul 27, 2008 at 8:43AM

Mike, I believe the best method of research is to have your readers google for Vizio problems/failures; as my list I was compiling has gotten pretty large depending upon which model was purchase but they all have the same general problem(s).

For those DIYer's, i've included a couple of web sites that might be useful for purchasing replacement parts.

http://www.vancebaldwin.com/
http://www.shopjimmy.com

A couple of techs recommend replacement of both the Main Unit and Power Supply; as these have the highest rate of failure. However, I noted from a couple of sites that it didn't necessarily resolve the problem, so this is an at risky proposition.

Approximate cost for these boards together is: $230.00 incl shipping, which is substantially lower than was originally communicated; however, having a background/experience in technology, i'm going to perform the repair myself. Hopefully, this will work.

In all fairness to Vizio, I was informed that there is a statistic out there that reported a 2% failure of all LCD/Plasma televisions, regardless of brand, within the first year of ownership. I didn't see this statistic personally, so I would take it with a grain of salt.

MikeMaroon wrote on Jul 1, 2008 at 4:40PM

In response to wz6rab's comment from Jul 1, 2008 at 7:23AM:

I appreciate your input and am sorry you've had a bad experience with this TV. I've done the research, too, and I have to tell you, finding someone on the internet who says they've had a bad experience with this set is like trying to find a peach in an apple tree. Please let me know where you found this information and I will include it.

wz6rab wrote on Jul 1, 2008 at 7:23AM

I purchased a Vizio VW42L on 05/19/2007 and on 06/21/2008 the set failed to power on. Research via the internet pointed to a reoccuring power supply/board problem with various Vizio models, which appears to happen between the 12 and 18 month time-frame of ownership; from reviewing most customer comments. Vizio customer service was unresponsive and costs to repair the set appeared to be almost as much as the original price of the unit. From experience, I would recommend spending the additional money and purchase a unit with better quality parts.

Bryan-Carey wrote on Feb 7, 2008 at 10:26AM

I considerd VISIO when I purchased a new television last month, mainly due to the price. But I couldn't convince myself to trust the VISIO name. Looks like I should have reconsidered.

AmyA wrote on Jan 26, 2008 at 8:05PM

Great title. My husband caved in too...we now have a 40 inch tv that he warmly refers to is as his baby. :)

GeorgeChabot wrote on Jan 26, 2008 at 10:01AM

I've been resisting that disease so far, but - that sounds like a great TV. :>

SpokaneMan wrote on Jan 25, 2008 at 1:16PM

Your title really drew me into reading this one. :) Great review; it sounds like a real winner!

BayouBengal wrote on Jan 23, 2008 at 7:04PM

I'm so ready for our set to go out so we can replace it! I did talk hubby into a 32" for the bedroom though :) We will see how long it takes for him to "get around" to it! Good review, we have been wondering about this brand.

kid-kansas wrote on Jan 21, 2008 at 10:01PM

In response to MikeMaroon's comment from Jan 21, 2008 at 9:45PM:

Thanks Mike! That helps me a lot, now just deciding between a 42" and a 50"...lol Ron

MikeMaroon wrote on Jan 21, 2008 at 9:45PM

In response to kid-kansas's comment from Jan 21, 2008 at 7:55PM:

Yes, you can connect a PC to it. I get NO glare, even when the sun is high and shining right in the big window that is just 45 degrees from it. I got glare like crazy on the Sanyo CRT, but not this one!

LaurieM wrote on Jan 21, 2008 at 7:59PM

Wow! Great review Mike! Welcome back. =)

kid-kansas wrote on Jan 21, 2008 at 7:55PM

Does this one also allow you to connect a PC to it? Also do you get much glare on the screen? It is kind of hard to tell in the stores because of the bright lights. I have looked at the 42" ones but I keep finding myself leaning toward a 50" Great Review! Ron

Buggheart wrote on Jan 21, 2008 at 7:28PM

Great review! Good to see you back writing again :)

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