Toshiba 32ZP38 Review

Overall Rating

Picture, Sound, Auto Set-up,
Easy to change picture and sound modes.
Connections - lots of them

Handbook,
Scarts too close together,
Star Wars style rolling text is reflected on the gloss black surround!,
Size

We had put off buying a wide screen TV for a long time. So when the time came to make the purchase we took our time and made it a family decision. We spend a lot of time watching TV. It's the main family entertainment, so we set a budget of up to £900.
We went to the big warehouse store and looked around. We stood back and looked at the machines again. To me, there was one machine that stood out. It was a Toshiba 32ZP18 Picture Frame set. But I didn't have space for a 32" set. A sales assistant convinced me that the Tosh was no bigger than a standard 28" set, but it wasn't priced. I sent my wife in to get her opinion, would this be grounds for divorce or a match made in heaven? She agreed! In the words of Homer J. Simpson, "we shouldn't scrimp on the machine that gonna raise our children" I checked the net for prices and reviews. Clearly this was in a different league to the set's I had been considering, without being too much more cost. Then I started seeing reviews for the Picture Frame 2 sets, better still, and no mention of the speaker buzzing that was reported in the earlier version. The bundled DVD and VCR swung the deal. The budget was stretched and the purchase made.
Toshiba installed the set, with a basic (but perfectly functional) set-up. First impressions were good. Everything worked, the kit was compatible and the quality was there for all to see. No geometry problems and no buzz from the speakers. The set doesn't dominate the room (although it is big, it's as small as any 32" I've seen - but when you get close, the set is very deep, measure up carefully). The main impression is of strong, well-defined colours. I expected the picture to be sharp (it is), but the colours were a surprise. Previously I thought red was red; now I realise I had been watching washed-out colours all the time.
I was aware that the sound was not optimal. I changed various setting but to date I still don't have the best possible audio output. I always seem to be one cable short of connecting it up properly. To date I am getting stereo output. I watched my wife dodging bullets in the opening scenes of the latest James Bond movie, and realised how good it was. It's still only Dolby 3.0 though. Toshiba, why doesn't your manual have an illustration of the optimal connections? A better description of the required wires would help too.
I have similar problems with setting up the component video. My advice to purchasers is to connect everthing up and then start removing cables. I lost first sound and then picture from the DVD because I didn't change the settings before I removed the cables. A spare scart will not go amiss. Now I have to select the input device for DVD's when I play one, but I can see the improvement in the output (It's those colours again!).
Another gripe is that there are two scart sockets alongside each other on the rear of the set. If I try and connect to both of these using high-quality scarts (£25 plus) one obstructs the other. These are scarts with the cable attached at the side of the plug, and I can fit one good plug and one standard one in any combination. If I'd known I'd have spent more time getting a scart with the cable attached to the rear of the plug.
Am I happy with my purchase? You bet! It's a lot of money for a TV. £600 to £900 will by you a high quality set that will be the envy of your neighbours, but the Tosh does everything noticeable better. Given that the TV will last me 10 years the extra cost per year is insignificant. Would I make the same purchase if I could start again? Yep! The only change I would make would be in the cables I bought to connect it up.

Members' Comments onTim.'s Review

• BigRd. on 7th Jul 2003

  I've ordered this TV and should take delivery on 18/7/03. I was offered a Toshiba SD230 DVD player and a V633 VCR for an additional £60 (£70 multiregion which I went for) Total £1139.99 for the package £400 cheaper than usual high street stores. Will right a review once I've set it up.