Viore LC19VH54PB

I really wanted to give this Viore LC19VH54PB 19-Inch 720p LCD HDTV a chance. Searching through Amazon I found that this HDTV Monitor had all the options I wanted: (Composite, Component, HDMI, Cable Input and VGA) at a fair price and for it’s size it was 9 inches larger than other HDTV’s in its price range. The only thing I had going against into this purchase was it was an off-brand model – not a common big name brand model such as Panasonic or Sony.

The first one I got didn’t have a power cord. I figured since it was a HDTV monitor it wouldn’t have one. I e-mailed Amazon about it missing a power cord and they said to e-mail or call the manufacturer. I had in fact e-mailed the manufacturer the same time I wrote Amazon to see who would respond first. It has now been more than 10 days and the manufacturer has yet to e-mail me back a response. An automatic response e-mail from the manufacturer was sent but those all say the same thing, “We will respond shortly.” The manual did state that a power cord should have been included. I had a spare power cord which worked for the monitor and it had a dead pixel on the far right of the screen, 1 white pixel.

So I sent the item back through Amazon’s RMA system, which is great, I recommend it if you have any problems with a purchase you made through Amazon. I requested a replacement unit and it was delivered the very next day which was a Saturday. I found that to be amazing since I didn’t have to wait until Monday or Tuesday for delivery. I checked it out and this time the unit had a power cord. I setup everything and all I got is a gray screen. None of the buttons on the remote work other than Power and Volume Up /Down. I figured I’ll use the buttons on the side of the screen and again only the power and volume work correctly.

So now I am sending this back for a refund and buying a name brand HDTV monitor for a slightly higher price but I hope I will not go through the same struggles as I had with this one. The other thing I would mention is the remote is long, nearly the same height as the monitor itself, and the actual range is really poor. I was going to use this at work not even 2 feet in front of me and the remote would only work nearly touching the monitor itself. Most televisions are setup so the remote works in the center for better range and this one is set to the far right. I also noticed that both units when plugged in but turned off had a strange hum coming out of the front speakers. I did unplug the power source to see if in fact the noise was coming from the TV and not some other device in my office and when I did it was the TV.

In summary, I really wanted to to keep this TV for a long time as the unit itself looks great and the images I did see on the first unit, minus the dead pixel, looked great but I got burned twice by this Viore TV monitor and I feel that the manufacturer is not worth anything based on my experience with them so please avoid Viore at all cost. Spend a little more for a brand you recognize and with better reviews.

Reviewed by : C. Valle,   Mar 23, 2010

Viore LC24VXF60PB

I picked this TV up this morning at my local bait and switch shop. It wasn’t on fifth or seventh avenues….if you live in the NYC area, you know who I am referring to. They had it for a bit less than you see on here, but to be honest, I was looking to get it today.

The salesman there mentioned that a lot of people are having issues with this TV and cable boxes. I guess Viore is new to the scene and not a lot of cable box universal remotes work with the Viore TV’s. The salesman was gracious enough to show me another, higher priced TV that he knew would work with local cable boxes. I hate when they do that. And that is why I am writing this review.

I got this TV to work with my TiVo using the Samsung remote codes. How did I know to do this? I did some searching on this TV before I headed to the stores. I saw a few people write online that this TV uses a lot of Samsung parts. I have no idea if Viore is a division of Samsung, or some kind of partner, but if they use similar parts, maybe they use the same remote codes. On my TiVo, it had one code for Viore, which did not work. However, there had to be a dozen codes for Samsung. The third one I tried worked, I think it was 0092.

If I got it to work with the TiVo using Samsung codes, I would bet it can work with other companies boxes too.

Now, about the TV. It has a nice, bright picture. This is not one of those super thin (2″ or less thick TV’s). It is about 3″ thick. It is also really lightweight, maybe 10-15 pounds. I have it sitting on top of my TiVo in my bedroom. The picture is good. I have a Sharp Aquos and Sony Bravia in the house to compare it to, so maybe I am being harsh saying it is just good. For a bedroom, it is going to be great. I have read elsewhere that a lot of the cheaper LCD TV’s have tinny sound quality. I would bet that this is part from the TV’s getting so thin. The small TV’s cannot generate good bass cheaply in a small cabinet. This TV sounds pretty good. I turned the bass and treble up to about 75% for each and it sounds good. It is not tinny at all.

This TV has one HDMI, component, and a 15 pin VGA port to use it as a monitor. The manual is really sparse. This is a value priced TV, so I didn’t expect much in terms of documentation.

Overall, I think this is going to be a nice TV for my bedroom. Would I buy it for my living room? No. But as a small TV to catch Conan before I head to sleep, it will be just fine.

Reviewed by : R. Goltsch,   Jan 23, 2010

VIORE LC40VXF60SB

When purchasing this TV package I was a little worried because the only technical specs for video inputs was HDMI. I figured I would post up as many technical details as I can.

TV Inputs- 2 HDMI, 1 Component, 2 Composite, 1 VGA, 1 Coax, 1 Stereo (RL), 1 PC Sound (3.5mm)
TV Out- 1 Composite – 1 Stereo(RL)

Sound bar Inputs – 2 Stereo (RL), iPod Dock (does not support iPhone or iPod shuffle)
Sound bar Out – 1 Composite out (for iPod Video) 1 Stereo Out(RL)

The TV has nice picture quality, I have it only hooked up to my XBOX 360 and it looks great. Very bright and sharp! Has all of your standard features, nothing really special. The sound from just the TV is average to below average.

The sound bar is a great addition to the TV and the bass on it is more than expected. Most sound bars require a sub woofer, this one does pretty well handling that. It sounds better than most low end stereo systems but not even close to a higher end Dolby surround unit. It’s been a little tricky when trying to play music outside of iTunes you have to hit the mute button to get it to start playing other things (FYI)

Overall I am very satisfied with the unit and if I had to do it over again I would pick this unit again. I hope this review helps with your purchase.

Reviewed by : Joshua B. Siegel “josh4rim”,   Dec 19, 2009

Viore PLCD10V59

1. Video: For a portable device, to me, it is excellent. The resolution isn’t specified on the box but Walmart says it’s 800×480 (based on older PLCD10V49 model). OTA HD signals (i.e. ABC, NBC) came in clear and detailed, not fuzzy and washed-out like some other brands, so I think it can do at least 480P. Brightness on default looks fine to me, although I maxed out sharpness (to 8). Channel changing is pretty quick and spiffy compared to a digital converter box (like the Zenith).

2. Audio: Won’t blow you away, it isn’t Dolby Digital nor even surround, but it’s fine for it’s purpose as a portable TV/DVD. I believe speaker output is 6W total, which is standard for small TVs, I don’t believe Walmart’s listing of 2W. I suppose if you’re at the beach you MIGHT need to crank up the volume or use headphones, but for relatively quiet areas, 50% is quite audible.

3. DVD: Reads DVD quicker than my 15″ Toshiba tube TV/DVD, so that’s a plus. DVD door has been an issue for many people. First, go to DVD mode before ejecting/loading discs. Second, the tray mechanism is a hit or miss since, afterall, it’s assembled in China. Mine is fortunate to be pretty smooth… so far. Slide in gently and wiggle when stuck. It supports DivX but I have not experimented to see which encoder works.

4. REMOTE CONTROL: Works fine, quick response, but the cheapy clock battery it runs on is crap, probably won’t last a month with regular use, and they’re expensive. Here’s my suggestion-go to Walmart or Best Buy and get a $15-20 universal remote with learning capability, then you can program all the buttons from the Viore remote. Don’t bother asking for the remote code, tech support won’t know and you don’t need it with a universal remote. People have said that Akai is the parent company of Viore, but the codes for Akai didn’t work for me. Interestingly, after teaching the buttons to my Philips remote I got from Walmart, it controlled my 32″ Samsung LCD TV as well as the Viore. So try the Samsung codes if you really want to know what the remote code is, otherwise just do auto search or learn (no search necessary if you learn the signal directly from the Viore remote). Same thing for the DVD mode, I left the universal remote on TV mode and just learned the DVD buttons without having to switch to DVD. After you do this, just stow the Viore remote and battery away (take battery out) for emergencies.

5. Power: Takes 12V DC power, included is a car adapter and AC/DC adapter. The internal battery will last over 2 hours, unless you got a lemon.

6. Other Aspects: The USB and SD card inputs are used to view photos and play mp3s. You have to be in DVD mode first, then go to DVD menu and choose USB/SD. I found the interface slow and unintuitive, and the photos won’t show up as nice as if you bought a digital photo frame. Part of the reason probably is the limited resolution of 800×480. However, it is an option that you can use it to play back photos and music.

7. Accessories: The base stand is nice yet not necessary since you have that pull-out stand in the back, but the stand is more aesthetically pleasing. I don’t have a big problem with the included mini antenna, it receives most of the stations in Houston fine. Other factors that affect reception are your location, the strength and quality of the broadcast signals, if there are people/buildings/things between the antenna and the sky, and of course mother nature. I do have a problem with it’s ability to stand up since it’s light, wish there was a suction cup under the base (great idea! yay me). The earphone is crap, don’t even bother taking it out. There is a 3.5mm to composite AV adapter that I don’t think I’ll ever use, but who knows.

8. Last comments: Overall I think the unit itself is nicely built, aside from the DVD tray. There are no dead pixels and there’s a screen protector conveniently on the LCD. You can get rid of that “E” by wiping with some rubbing alcohol (DON’T use acetone on plastic). The glossy front looks pleasing with the base attached, like a mini LCD TV (which it is!). However, I would have preferred a thinner profile and a slot-loading DVD tray instead of the crappy pull-out one. I tried the Coby TFDVD1092, which is also a 10.2″ LCD/DVD combo but it’s twice as thick, squarish, heavy, ugly, dead pixels, no internal battery, no car adapter, and the picture is horrible. I can’t speak for longevity, but you do have 30 days free shipping return with Amazon, and perhaps 60 days with your credit card, or you can buy an extended warranty (from Squaretrade I presume). Price from Amazon since Christmas makes this portable tv/dvd combo very competitive. Walmart has also recently lowered the price to match. I think it’s a no-brainer since other brands only have 7″ or 9″, and the 9″ are lesser-known noname brands that got very poor reviews.

Reviewed by : L. Tran,   Jan 9, 2010

Viore PLC7V95

The Viore PLC7V95 TV has exceeded all my expectations. Read all the reviews for this TV as well as those for other portable TVs such as the Axion, Haier, New Digital Image, Supersonic, etc. None of these units had a 4½ or 5-Star rating. As a small portable digital TV, the Viore is suprisingly high quality with excellent performance for such a low price. Similar units that I found elsewhare were in a much higher price range of $150 to $350.

I have a policy of not buying any electronic unless I am able to discuss it with the manufacturer’s tech support staff. This TV is now on Viore’s website and its tech support was very responsive and easy to contact. None of the other vendors such as Axion, Haier, New Digital Image, etc. would respond to my emails or phone calls. The only exception was Tivax which was responsive.

Pros:
* LCD screen resolution is very high for a 7″ portable TV. The Viore (1,440 x 234) resolution has a pixel density that is 3-times greater than Axion’s, Haier’s & Tivax’s (480 x 234). Although not HD, its resolution is outstanding.
* Viewing angle horizontally is wide . . easy to view when off to either side.
* Station reception. This has been a consistent problem for many users. I played with the antenna and its location and found that it is more than adequate. Proper use requires extending the cord its full length since it is part of the reception capability and locating it where there is less interference. When not properly position, I could not get any stations. When positioned at full wire length and near a window, I received 10-digital stations which is double of what I supposted to get according to signal strength ratings. When connected to my TV cable, I was able to receive all digital stations.
Note: Digital TV has a weaker signal than analog. The digital mobile TV standards are still being established. Within the next couple of years we should have portable TVs available that are truly mobile.
* Full functioning controls similar to my Samsung HDTVs . . screen and sound adjustments, etc. wheather using the remote control or controls on the unit.
* Has an excellent electronic program guide that provides actual programming by station.
* Both the USB and 3 in 1 card reader work as expected for pictures, videos and sound. Just need to have your files in proper file format.
* Although stereo speakers are small, the sound may be adjusted to avoid sounding tinny. I just maximize base and minimize treble. The sound is very good with earphones.
* Battery duration. The specs say it has about a 90-minute charge for portable use. I got about 100-minutes. My main use is as a desktop unit using the AC adapter.
* Battery recharging is relatively fast with a red light while charging and turns green when fully charged.

Cons:
* Car adapter is not supplied; however, I had one from an analog portable TV and it worked well. You can buy one for about $10 from RadioShack.
* Remote control is acceptable; however, it has a relatively narrow angle of view. I use it as my primary control since it is easy to use and fully functional. Once you realize is limitations, it works well.
* The kick stand cannot be adjusted for verticle angle of viewing. I resolved the problem by buying a small attractive display stand for about $4 locally. Now I can adjust the viewing angle as I want. The small display stand can be purchased from Amazon.com. It is a Gibson Holders “1 Pl” with a clear plastic base and a white plastic coated wire support.

Highly recommend the Viore as an outstanding buy.

Reviewed by : J Turner,   Sep 1, 2009

Viore LC32VF55

Like others, I purchased this Viore HDTV over the Black Friday weekend sale. It was on sale for $388. After a few days, I was contacted by a PFS (Pilot Freight Services) to schedule a delivery day for the TV. Originally, it was suppose to arrive on a Saturday. Then they call to notify me Saturday evening that they had forgotten about my TV and it was left on the dock. I was disappointed, but I do understand that mistakes happen. So I had to reschedule the delivery for another day. They told me that they deliver 7 days a week and the delivery window is from 10am to 2pm.

As for the Viore HDTV itself, I give it a 3 Star rating. The back of the Viore sticks out further than I originally thought. Measuring it from the side, it’s almost 5 inches. It still can’t be compared to a DLP of course. For $388, it’s not bad and it’s 1080p! It’s still an upgrade for my bedroom and it replaces my 27″ Westinghouse that had no HDMI inputs and it was only 720p. This Viore has 3 HDMI inputs and that’s good enough for me. So I decided to hook up my Xbox 360 and PS3 to the HDMI inputs. I adjusted the colors and settings on the Viore and everything turned out great when running a game or Blu-ray movie. I don’t see a Backlight option in the settings, so that was a bit of a letdown. I would like to add that the Xbox 360 needs to complete the “handshake” on the HDMI. When my Xbox 360 was on, I decided to switch it from HDMI to TV. As soon as I switched it back to HDMI, my 360 restarted. This however did not happen with my PS3. So just to warn you gamers out there, I don’t want anyone to lose their progress when switching to another source.

Please keep in mind that this HDTV does have a built-in ATSC tuner. So if you have basic cable through Comcast and you use a DTA (Digital Transport Adapter) box, having a built-in tuner no longer requires a DTA box. You will not only get more channels, but you will now be able to view some HD channels as well. So far I’ve noticed a slight “lag” when switching from channel to channel. At times, everything would freeze for a good couple seconds and I won’t be able to access anything on the remote, not even the volume controls. It gets annoying when you’re trying to see what’s on.

To recap, this Viore doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but it’ll get the job done. Whether you plan to use it just to watch cable TV, play games, or even watch Blu-rays. You can’t expect too much for $400. I’m not sure about the longevity of this TV, but I hope it’ll at least last 5 years. If anyone is looking for a decent 32″ 1080p HDTV, this is it. It’s hard to find a similar HDTV for the same price. Hope this review has helped.

12/31/09 Update: With a few more tweaking of the picture settings, I do notice a slight difference between this 32″ 1080p Viore compared to my old 27″ 720p Westinghouse. It’s about noticing the small details. I’m a huge football fan, so I watch it on HD and I play Madden on my Xbox 360. The grass on the field really pops up and so does the detail on the players’ jerseys. Overall, it’s hard to make out any differences between HDTVs with the naked eye. I also want to add that I always bump up the Contrast.

As for the lag issue that I’m having while switching channels, I noticed that it’s easier to check your favorite channels on the settings and just switch the channels from there. You have to do a little more, but at least there’s no lag or freezing issues.

Reviewed by : Jdm7399,   Dec 13, 2009