VIZIO M220VA

I recently purchased the new VIZIO M220VA 22-inch LED TV, and so far it seems to be a solid performer. Of course, I feel that it is my obligation to point out that this model is NOT meant to be a high-end set. If you purchase this with such an expectation, you will be disappointed. However, if you are looking for a good, affordable LED LCD TV with great picture quality, you would have a difficult time finding a better bang for your buck than this.

Let me start by expressing how very annoyed I get when I read reviews that get so caught up in only pointing out superficial flaws and never even touch upon the most important aspects – picture and sound quality. Yes, this TV does have it’s quirks: the remote is a little stiff and can be a little fickle sometimes. The stand is difficult to put on and literally took me a good 15 minutes to figure it out. However, despite these flaws, this television does deliver where it matters.

Picture quality is quite good, especially for a TV in its price range. Standard definition content looks sub-optimal, but this is due to the nature of how SD video is scaled by HDTVs in general, and nothing to do with this model specifically. High-definition content looks excellent, and I have had good experiences watching 720p/1080p movies from my laptop (through the VGA output). The picture is bright, crisp, and contrast is great. Blacks are rich and solid, without losing the subtle detail in the content. Keep in mind, though, that in order to get the most mileage, you will need to spend some time to calibrate the settings to give you an optimal picture quality. Games look great and there is no ghosting with the TV’s fast 5ms response time.

The screen has a matte finish, which is great if your environment has lots of lighting, as the matte surface will suffer far less from glare than a glossy screen would. There is a never-ending debate over whether one type of screen surface is better than the other, but I’ll leave that for another day.

Sound quality on the other hand is nothing to write home about. The speakers are a bit weak, but this is easily solved by using a set of external speakers. I am currently using an old set of computer speakers hooked up via the headphone jack on the TV, and they sound infinitely better than the TV speakers after turning off the “SRS TruSurround” option (some sort of faux-surround sound simulator).

The VIZIO has a decent number of inputs in the back, with 1x Composite, 1x Component, 2x HDMI, 1x VGA w/ Audio, 1x USB (for photos), and an optical input for a home theater sound system. It is worth noting that HDMI and component inputs are located directly on the back of the model (composite inputs are on the side), so if you are planning on wall-mounting it, it may be difficult to plug in the necessary connections if you don’t leave enough room between the wall and the TV.

Also, it is worth noting that the previous reviewer stated that there is no way to remove unwanted channels individually. This is FALSE. Under the “Master Channels” menu, you have the options to “Mark All”, and “Unmark All” channels. Hitting right on the controller allows you to move up and down on the list to select individual channels to add/remove.

All in all, this is a good TV. It is certainly not perfect, and if you have more money to spend I would encourage you to shoot for a higher-end model. But for what it’s worth, the VIZIO M220VA is a tough beast to beat in its division.

Reviewed by : Jonathan C. Huang,   May 6, 2010

VIZIO SV472XVT

I’ve had my Vizio SV472XVT TV for around 2 months so far (I bought it directly from Vizio in a special deal they had pre-release). I can’t say enough good things about it.

First, the LED backlit screen produces an excellent picture. I would go so far as to say it’s on PAR with any Samsung or Sony that I’ve seen. Blu-ray movies and PS3 games look perfect.

The collection of “widgets” is amazing. Netflix Streaming, Amazon-on-Demand, Vudu, Pandora, Rhapsody, Twitter, Facebook, eBay, Flickr, various Yahoo widgets, the list goes on. Some games like Sudoku and Texas Hold’em, which are neat, but would be better if you could watch TV while playing them. They have even added widgets since I bought the TV. That was actually an unusual experience seeing my TV doing an automatic firmwear update. My TV is connected to the internet through my wireless G router and a cable internet connection and streaming video quality is excellent. I’ve taken to watching a lot of Netflix HD streaming (there’s a good amount of TV shows that stream in HD. The movie selection isn’t as great), but I’ve also watched streamed HD video from Amazon on Demand and Vudu (HDX on Vudu which is 1080p). I haven’t had a single video quality problem streaming from any of these sources.

The bluetooth remote is a bit of a love/hate relationship though.
The Loves:
1. Having a full qwerty keyboard is awesome, especially while searching through the widgets, or posting to twitter or facebook through the TV.
2. The bluetooth connectivity is great. I don’t have to point it at the TV to change the volume or turn it on. It unfortunately still needs to be pointed at the cable box. That’s something I can live with.
3. It was very easy to setup.

The Hates:
1. I was hoping a bluetooth remote to be able to communicate with my PS3, unfortunately I’m still using a PS3 controller when watching blu-rays.
2. It’s just not very comfortable. It’s square and there was no thought to ergonomics. And the shiny finish is a fingerprint magnet.
3. It doesn’t have all the buttons that I would like from my cable remote. Page Up/Down and Day +- are the main ones. The absence of Page Up/Down can be a drag and at times leaves me reaching for the cable remote, the Day +- isn’t as much of a loss.

All-in-all, it was absolutely worth the price and I would buy it again. Although, I would consider the 55-inch as well.

Reviewed by : J. Gowan,   Mar 11, 2010

VIZIO VF552XVT

I bought my first HDTV nearly ten years ago. It was a pain to hook up with a mass of wires and complex antenna adjustment for broadcast reception. Took hours to set up. The Vizio VF552 was unpacked, put on the stand and hooked up in about ten minutes. I have three Direct DVRs and a blueray DVD player. Just plugged in the HDMI cable and went through the simple start up process. Even the wireless hookup to my secure router worked the first time. I think the remote is reasonably sturdy. The remote is light and easy to use. I like the input button on the opposite side of the remote from the tv on/off button. On an older Visio tv, the input button was next to the main on/off switch and I was forever turning the tv off when I wanted to switch inputs.
One problem with the sharp, bright picture is that you can see set lighting. Programs such as “Chuck” are so realistic you can tell when they are on a set.
My wife told me not to mess with the color adjustments. I think the as-received adjustments are a bit too bright with over saturated colors. I backed off the settings slightly and I think it looks better. Trouble is that programs seem to have drastically different color values and saturation (e.g. “Miami CSI” seems to be grossly saturated.) Not the tv’s fault.
I don’t understand comments about this unit’s color accuracy when the sources seem to vary all over the place. When one program looks good, another looks cold, another warm. The source gamma seems to run the gamut, and I’ve given up trying to make adjustments for each program. With my old set, I always reduced the saturation and cooled the color tem for “Miami CSI”. This unit’s dynamic range (i.e. white whites and really black backs) makes it tolerable for me.
We really like the wireless remote that you don’t have to point at the set to make changes. It has worked flawlessly. Earlier Vizio models don’t have a wireless remote. The keyboard works fine, when needed.
After several weeks, we are completely happy with the performance of this unit.

Reviewed by : M. Marks,   Feb 16, 2010

VIZIO VA220E

I have been looking for a small TV to put in my bedroom and to double as a computer monitor. I put this in my Amazon cart when it was only $200, but it went up to $250, so I kept looking. Then I missed the Gold Box Deal of a Panasonic Viera 26″ for only $250. (VERY disappointed) Later at Wal-Mart I stumbled upon this one again for $248 and decided to buy it and finally end my hunt. I’m a pretty generous rater on Amazon, but if I wasn’t I’d probably give it a 3-star.

What I like:
- Works great as a computer monitor and automatically adjusts to the differing aspect ratio of my computer games
- Two HDMI ports is nice for a small TV (I don’t use them yet but I’m sure I will in the future)
- Buttons are located on the side of the front panel within easy reach–you don’t have to wrap your hand around.
- Inputs and outputs located in the side are pretty deep–enough that the cords are easily concealed

What I dislike:
- The VIZIO logo glows white when on and can’t be turned off (though it’s pretty dim, not distracting), worse yet it glows orange when the TV’s off. IT’S A TV, NOT A MICROWAVE. That can’t be turned off either.
- There is no letterbox zoom. So if you’re wantching a widescreen program on a standard definition connection, the picture is stretched horizontally AND has horizontal bars.
- Speakers are horrible. I don’t care much because I have been plugging speakers in to the headphone jack.
- No RCA audio out. You have to use the headphone and get a 3.5mm to RCA if you have a stereo or something similar. There is however an optical out for a home theater.
- Remote is kind of cheap looking and is not universal (but this isn’t expected on a small set).
- Only one composite video–I know it’s outdated, but it’s still pretty common.
- The only reason it’s called an ECO TV is because it exceeds Energy Star guidelines by 15%. Woohoo. Big deal. For all I know, all LCD TVs do. I thought maybe it was made from recycled material or maybe NOT IN CHINA. (But that won’t happen until pigs fly).

List of inputs and outputs for those who are curious (It’s so impossible to find online)
HDMI in X2
HDMI RCA audio in
VGA in (RGB PC)
PC audio in (3.5mm)
Component + audio in
Coaxial in
Composite video/S-Video + RCA audio (all on side)

Optical/SPDIF out
Headphone out (on side)

There is also a 3-prong (looks like DC power kinda) connection that says SERVICE as well as one that is USB.

Reviewed by : Brian C “Bobazonski”,   Jan 12, 2010

VIZIO VF551XVT

VIZIO’s VF551XVT is proof that VIZIO can produce not just high value TVs but high performance ones as well. Currently the lowest priced LED-backlit LCD TV with local dimming capability, the VF551XVT offers similar performance to TVs from the name brands which may sell for up to twice the price.

The set’s “240 SPS” processing is not “true” 240 Hz, but is really 120 Hz processing with a scanning backlight to effectively get 240 “scenes” per second. The feature does reduce motion blur on things like sports and live TV broadcasts, but we found that it added an unnatural video-like look to movies, not unlike other brands’ motion smoothing/motion interpolation technology. Also, off-axis viewing is fairly typical for LCD TVs, turning blacks to bluish gray and generally losing color saturation outside a 90 degree viewing angle (45 degrees in either direction).

But viewed on axis (straight ahead), or slightly off axis, the TV produces exceptional black levels for an LCD TV. Dark films on Blu-ray such as “Blade Runner” and “The Dark Knight” produced inky black images with very good shadow detail and crisp image delineation with no noticeable haloing. Colors also appear accurate, with good flesh tones once the set is properly calibrated.

The VF551XVT lacks any kind of internet streaming or IPTV features – this will be coming early next year in the VF552XVT. It’s also significantly thicker than the latest LED-backlit TVs from Samsung and LG, but if you’re looking for a big flat panel LCD TV with excellent contrast, it’s hard to go wrong with the VIZIO.

A complete review of the VF551XVT is available on Big Picture Big Sound (dot com).

Reviewed by : Chris Boylan “MrBoylan”,   Nov 21, 2009

VIZIO VF550M

Before I get into the nitty gritty, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m a review junkie. Sue me. So when I know I want something like a new HDTV I research high and low to not only find the best price, but I also want pretty darn close to the best product out there on the market. From professional reviews to consumer reviews here on Amazon, I do my best to soak it all in. With that being said, in my experience I’ve never been disappointed with something I’ve bought that I’ve done extensive research on…

And that holds true with the Vizio VF550M.

I bought my set at Costco during the Thanksgiving Weekend Sale. One of the first things I noticed right out of the box was how big it really was. I upgraded from a 46″ LCD and the size was noticeably (and awesomely) huger. Yes… huger. When I saw the VF550M display at Costco it just didn’t look that big because it was set next to other 50-60 inch sets and in the middle of a huge warehouse. However, while setting it up I realized it was the perfect size for the further viewing distance in our family room. The set-up was easy enough. I mounted the tv with the VideoSecu Adjustable Tilt TV Wall Mount (bought on Amazon) which I was very pleased with. We ran the cables through the wall to my devices to hide them… and I must say, it looks beautiful mounted to a wall. I would definitely recommend mounting this set. I didn’t care too much for the remote that came with the TV so I opted to upgrade to the Logitech Harmony 670 remote (also got on amazon).

The picture on this TV was just as good or better than any other HDTV I have ever seen. The black levels are great with the DCR feature. Blu-Ray looks amazing on the big screen. I will admit I jumped on the 120hz bandwagon and as of right now I couldn’t be happier with it when it comes to watching sports- but thats all I use 120hz (or “Smooth Motion Effect”) for.

PROS
-BIG
-Great 120hz feature for Sports
-Good out of the box sound
-5 HDMI ports!
-Stunning picture

CONS
-Don’t care for the remote

Reviewed by : Scott Gardner “Scott”,   Jan 20, 2010

VIZIO SV471XVT

I bought this tv about a week ago and have been really pleased. I previously had a 37″ sharp 720p 60hz, and did not like it at all. Well after much research I had narrowed it down the Samsung LN46B750. Only problem is that tv is $1500+ dollars. So I wanted another choice and researched and for the price and quality, this Vizio is a no brainer. This XVT is Vizio’s best model other than their new 55″ LED.

Appearance: It looks really nice. Simple, clean, black and silver. Some people hate that the vizio light will stay orange when the tv turns off but its not really noticeable and doesn’t bother me at all.

Sound: Definitely better than my old Sharp, but still nothing to write home about. I have some really nice Logitech 2.1 speakers I use if i’m really wanting the theatre experience but the built in speakers are fine.

Picture quality: This is where I was a HUGE stickler. I wanted at least 120hz, 1080p, and 4ms response time as I’m a gamer. Well this tv has all of those and even goes to 240 with the scanning backlight. The smooth motion when enabled (recommended low) is a little jarring at first, but you quickly get used to it. Not only does smooth motion help with blur, it seems to just make the entire image on screen more crisp whether its moving or not. Very pleased. Watching Dexter on showtime hd was AMAZING! The detail in the intro is just jaw dropping. And this is only in 1080i. Xbox 360 really shows how crisp it can really get. I thought Dexter details were amazing, I hadn’t seen nothing until I popped in Modern Warfare 2. Its a sight to be seen. The smooth motion works beautifully on videogames. No problems with blurring at all. Very rarely will there be any judder problems and even when you see a hiccup its for like 1 second, my wife never notices it. Hopefully getting a PS3 soon and check out blurays. But if the other content is any indication of what to expect, it will be great. I just can’t imagine it getting any better. We’ll see.

Cons: As with all tv’s there are always some quirks. I did notice the faintest of flash lighting at the top of the screen in a tiny small area. This is a problem with MANY LCD tvs and is really only noticeable when the screen is completely black, even then its barely noticeable. I only notice it cause I set out looking for these things. Compared to the flash lighting and clouding I’ve seen on some tvs, this one if by far and away one of the better. DO NOT at all let this problem scare you as all tv’s are different and some may not have it at all. PLUS most tvs need 50-100 hours of break in time to fully get everything warmed up so most likely it will fade. Even still my wife can’t see what I’m talking about lol.

Conclusion: For the price and quality, bar none the best deal you are gonna find for a while. I was able to snag mine at SAMS for $997. 360 & PS3 users, you will not be disappointed. Will update after I’ve had it for a while!

UPDATE: 12/28/2009

Well I got a PS3 for christmas and got to see if blurays were any better than hd cable I had been viewing. I have to admit it looks incredible and does indeed look better. I got my wife the Harry Potter bluray collection, and we popped them in, absolutely CRYSTAL CLEAR. Sharp as can be, great colors. So yes, it did indeed get better than I thought. The tv handled the bluray beautifully with its motion and the colors looked dead on.

Also the flashlighting I mentioned earlier in my review has subsided quite a bit and I have to really set there and stare at the blank screen to even be able to see it, so that is good news as well.

Once again I 100% recommend this TV! Thanks for reading and hope I was a bit helpful in your search.

Reviewed by : John Matrix,   Dec 10, 2009

VIZIO VA370M 37-Inch Full HD 1080p LCD HDTV

This TV is an excellent TV marred by a dumb and short-sighted design choice.

Vizio doesn’t make it easy to compare across models with their seemingly pointless array of models with overlapping audiences. Their website is also quite poor in that regard. When I couldn’t find the “compare” button on their website after adding various models to the “compare list” I called their 1-800 number. Their rep also couldn’t find the button!! It’s been that way for the past two weeks.

Coming back to this TV — the picture, sound, the looks everything is great with this TV. But I am really mad that they decided to leave out a simple analog Audio-out for such a high-end TV. It has FOUR HDMI inputs, two composite inputs, and a component input, and an RGB input — going quite overboard as far as the inputs are concerned if you ask me, but inexplicably skimps on when it comes to the output side.

The USB input, which is functional in this model instead of “service only” as in many other comparable models, is okay for an occasional slideshow of a photo album or something. But keeping a drive (thumb drive, or hard drive) connected all the time would require you to press “okay” for a prompt every time you turn the TV on. Quite annoying.

I haven’t had much luck with the pause-live feature which allows you to pause live-TV similar to Tivo if you plug in a blank USB drive. I am hoping it is because of some issue with the speed of the thumb-drive; Even then, if it means having to press okay every time I turn the TV on I would much rather skip using that. Please see above.

The lack of analog out, in my opinion, is very irritating, annoying, and frustrating. In fact, I have some choice words for the people responsible for this decision at Vizio, but Amazon would not print the review if I include that.

Because of this I cannot connect my wireless headphones which I would use for all my late night TV watching. This model does have a headphone out, but plugging anything in that disconnects the main audio. So it is all or nothing, and hence not usable for connecting something permanently. Now, I have to look for a digital to analog converter which retails around 70-80 bucks.

It is well known that many people hook up these TV’s to home audio systems. Given that it is quite audacious on Vizio’s part to assume that a single optical digital out is all is needed. So I am giving this otherwise very fine TV only 3 stars.

Reviewed by : kb-hunter “good hunting”,  Jan 6, 2010