Mitsubishi 55-inch Widescreen TV
September 2002
Big And Easy
By Grant Clauser
Televisions are tricky things, and good ones can be the trickiest of all. However, some TV manufacturers have figured out that people want great performance, but don't want to have to work too hard for it. Mitsubishi has met this challenge of making an easy-to-use TV that also is easy to enjoy.
The TV reviewed for this issue comes from Mitsubishi's new Gold Plus line. In terms of features and price, it falls exactly in the middle of the company's product lineup. At $3,199, it is certainly not the cheapest rear-projection, high-definition monitor on the market—Mitsubishi uses the term HD-upgradeable—nor is it the most expensive. But it has features not found on some manufacturers' top lines; most notable is the System 4 Home Theater Control, which makes this TV work with existing A/V devices for easier integration.
My first impression of the WS-55411 was that the TV was solidly, but elegantly, designed. The diagonal lines and subtle speaker cloth on the front, plus the sturdy finish on the sides and top of the TV, deviate from the hastily built look of many of today's televisions. This TV, like all those in Mitsubishi's line, is a debonair, flat-finished black. It doesn't aim for the flashy modern silver look that many manufacturers have adopted. I was also pleased to find a full-sized shelf/platform on top of the TV. Many rear-projection TVs are trying to appear slimmer by sloping back from the top and cutting shelf space to just a few inches. That may look good in a showroom, but at home, you're faced with finding a place for your center speaker and set-top boxes.
Mitsubishi is quite generous with inputs available on the back of the television. The rear panel includes two sets of composite A/V inputs, two S-video inputs, two antenna inputs and three component inputs. All three component inputs accept progressive-scan DVD players or high-definition set-top boxes which use component outputs. The input labeled "DTV" also has jacks for the horizontal and vertical signals, or can be configured for RGB sync-on-green signals. All that gives you a huge amount of versatility in hooking up your equipment. You could use one component adapter for your HDTV receiver, one for your DVD player and the third for JVC's high-definition D-Theater VCR, or a Microsoft X-Box. I would have liked a third S-video input, but that's being picky. In addition to all those audio and video inputs, you'll find two IR (infrared) emitter repeater inputs. With included IR repeater cables, these jacks allow you to control other pieces of equipment in your A/V system with one remote by transferring the IR signal from your TV into another device.
By Grant Clauser
Televisions are tricky things, and good ones can be the trickiest of all. However, some TV manufacturers have figured out that people want great performance, but don't want to have to work too hard for it. Mitsubishi has met this challenge of making an easy-to-use TV that also is easy to enjoy.
The TV reviewed for this issue comes from Mitsubishi's new Gold Plus line. In terms of features and price, it falls exactly in the middle of the company's product lineup. At $3,199, it is certainly not the cheapest rear-projection, high-definition monitor on the market—Mitsubishi uses the term HD-upgradeable—nor is it the most expensive. But it has features not found on some manufacturers' top lines; most notable is the System 4 Home Theater Control, which makes this TV work with existing A/V devices for easier integration.
My first impression of the WS-55411 was that the TV was solidly, but elegantly, designed. The diagonal lines and subtle speaker cloth on the front, plus the sturdy finish on the sides and top of the TV, deviate from the hastily built look of many of today's televisions. This TV, like all those in Mitsubishi's line, is a debonair, flat-finished black. It doesn't aim for the flashy modern silver look that many manufacturers have adopted. I was also pleased to find a full-sized shelf/platform on top of the TV. Many rear-projection TVs are trying to appear slimmer by sloping back from the top and cutting shelf space to just a few inches. That may look good in a showroom, but at home, you're faced with finding a place for your center speaker and set-top boxes.
Mitsubishi is quite generous with inputs available on the back of the television. The rear panel includes two sets of composite A/V inputs, two S-video inputs, two antenna inputs and three component inputs. All three component inputs accept progressive-scan DVD players or high-definition set-top boxes which use component outputs. The input labeled "DTV" also has jacks for the horizontal and vertical signals, or can be configured for RGB sync-on-green signals. All that gives you a huge amount of versatility in hooking up your equipment. You could use one component adapter for your HDTV receiver, one for your DVD player and the third for JVC's high-definition D-Theater VCR, or a Microsoft X-Box. I would have liked a third S-video input, but that's being picky. In addition to all those audio and video inputs, you'll find two IR (infrared) emitter repeater inputs. With included IR repeater cables, these jacks allow you to control other pieces of equipment in your A/V system with one remote by transferring the IR signal from your TV into another device.
Companies Mentioned:
 |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
