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CNET editors' rating:
3.0 stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 79 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Inexpensive for a 37-inch LCD; accurate color decoding; adjustable color temperature; relatively solid uniformity; comprehensive connectivity with dual HDMI inputs and a PC input.
The bad: So-so standard-def performance; no noise reduction option.
The bottom line: With a great connectivity suite and solid picture quality, the 37-inch Vizio VX37L HDTV represents another strong value.
Specifications: Product type: LCD TV; Diagonal size: 37 in; Brightness (cd/m2): 500; See full specs
Price range: $785.00 - $899.99
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 12/15/2006
- Released on: 11/15/2006
The menu system is straightforward and simple, with all of the options we'd expect, and most users will find the TV easy to operate. In typical Vizio fashion, there's a quick-start guide included in the package, along with a very plain-language yet in-depth product manual that does a better job than most of demystifying the TV's operation, even for complete novices.
Vizio's remote is the same design as ever, although this time the company added backlighting behind all the keys, which really helps set it apart from most remotes on the market. Yes, we'll continue to complain about the numerous, ill-differentiated buttons, but we continue to enjoy the ability to directly select inputs and fully control picture-in-picture without resorting to the onscreen menus. The Vizio VX37L HDTV comes well-equipped for an inexpensive HDTV. Its pixel array is standard fare, at 1,366x768 native resolution, allowing it to resolve all of the detail of 720p sources. As always, all sources are scaled to fit the pixels.
The array of conveniences, atypically complete for an inexpensive HDTV, begins with a versatile picture-in-picture function, allowing you to view two inputs or channels simultaneously. You can also conjure two same-sized images side-by-side or go with the standard smaller inset image. Naturally, the VX37L includes an HDTV tuner that can grab over-the-air high-def and digital channels. A viewer can also cycle through three aspect-ratio modes with HD sources and select a fourth, panorama, with standard-def sources.
Vizio added a few picture adjustment options beyond the older L37's, namely the ability to finely adjust color temperature with red, green, and blue controls. More expeditious color-temperature control can be achieved by toggling between the Warm, Cool, and Normal preset modes. We normally expect Warm to provide the most accurate color temp, but in the VX37L's case, Normal was better (see Performance for details). We also like the option to tweak the backlight control, which adjusts the intensity of the lamp behind the screen. There are three preset picture modes, Game, Movie, and Standard, and a fourth Custom setting that's independent for each input.
The back panel of the Vizio VX37L HDTV sprouts an excellent selection of inputs, including a second HDMI input, which is still uncommon among less-expensive midsize HDTVs. There's also a pair of component-video inputs, a PC-style VGA input (1,366x768 recommended resolution), and an A/V input with both composite and S-Video. Audio signals issue forth courtesy of a digital audio output as well as a standard analog stereo connection. The side panel of the set sports an additional A/V input with S-Video. Overall, the Vizio VX37L HDTV is another decent performer, with no major problems to prevent us from recommending it to budget HDTV shoppers. Its black level performance was fine for a midsize LCD TV although by no means exceptional, and while its preset color-temperature modes could have been more accurate, the ability to adjust the color-temperature setting in the menu helped a lot.
As always, we began by setting up the Vizio in a darkened room and measuring its out-of-the-box picture quality using a variety of test patterns. Of all of the available picture preset modes we found that Custom with the Normal color temperature preset came the closest to the 6,500K standard for color temperature, although it still appeared too reddish/bluish when we looked at the grayscale. Using the color-temperature adjustments in the Custom mode, we arrived at a much more linear grayscale. Peruse Tips & Trick above or just click here to see our complete user menu settings.
We checked out Training Day on HD-DVD from our Toshiba HD-A1, and the results were impressive for an inexpensive set. Blacks areas such as the letterbox bars, or Denzel Washington's leather jacket could have appeared darker--they weren't as deep as those of the Philips 37PF9631D or the Sharp LC-37D40U, for example, but we've definitely seen worse. Details near black did appear somewhat obscured in places; Ethan Hawke's bulletproof vest, for example, appeared somewhat indistinct as it blended into shadow, but again many LCDs display less detail in shadow. Dark areas also preserved color accuracy well, appearing neither too blue nor too red as they approached black. Low-level video noise wasn't a problem, and we discerned very few traces of false contouring.
Speaking of color, once our adjustments were made, the Vizio appeared relatively accurate. Skin tones looked good, and other colors had as much vibrancy as we'd expect from an LCD, all thanks to the VX37L HDTV's solid color decoding. Primary colors was also close to ideal, although green did appear somewhat on the yellowish side.
Uniformity was fairly good for a flat-panel LCD on our review sample; in the darkest areas, we noticed a lightly brighter spot in the lower-left corner, and the right side was also somewhat brighter than the rest, but neither of these issues was egregious. Seen from the off-angle, the picture did start to wash out a bit earlier than that of some of the better LCDs we've tested, but anybody that's a seat or two away from the sweet spot on the couch probably won't notice a difference.
When fed a standard-def signal via component video that consisted of our normal series of material from the HQV test disc, the Vizio VX37L HDTV held its own, although standard-def performance was by no means stellar. It resolved every line of standard-def detail with no flicker and quickly engaged
PC performance
In our testing, the Vizio VX37L HDTV operated perfectly well as a computer monitor. After we set our PC to 1,366x768 resolution and engaged the Auto Adjust feature, the Vizio resolved every detail of both horizontal and vertical resolution according to DisplayMate. Text looked crisp and sharp, and we were treated to an unusually large array of picture adjustments including adjustable color temperature for red, green, and blue, just as the video inputs offered. Overscan was nonexistent, so we were able to see the entire desktop to the edge of the screen.
| TEST | RESULT | SCORE |
| Before color temp (20/80) | 6,538/6,727 | Good |
| After color temp | 6,074/6,483 | Average |
| Before grayscale variation | +/- 192K | Good |
| After grayscale variation | +/- 172K | Average |
| Color of red (x/y) | 0.641/0.340 | Good |
| Color of green | 0.284/0.616 | Average |
| Color of blue | 0.145/0.056 | Good |
| Overscan | 4.5 percent | Average |
| Black-level retention | All patterns stable | Good |
| 2:3 pull-down, 24fps | Yes | Good |
| Defeatable edge enhancement | No | Poor |
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