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Entered CNET Catalog: 11/09/2002
SKU: 0022265231906
Manufacturer: Toshiba
Manufacturer description
Innovation, advanced technology, and convenience are built into each Toshiba color television. Toshiba now offers the ideal solution for everyone seeking the ultimate in flat-screen TV quality, dramatically expanding and improving its line of "purely flat" FST Pure color TVs. Toshiba's FST Pure flat-screen picture tube is the latest advancement in a long line of Toshiba direct-view picture tube breakthroughs. Thanks to its improved screen geometry and advanced tube design, the FST Pure picture tube creates an image of unprecedented detail and color purity, with significantly less image distortion and glare than conventional screens. In addition, the perfectly flat screen offers viewers the widest possible viewing angle for maximum picture quality from virtually anywhere in the room. For maximum image quality at all times, Toshiba FST 32AF42 utilizes a special Invar Shadow Mask flat-screen picture tube, which thanks to its nickel-alloy construction, which is more heat resistant than conventional iron masks, ensures that optimum image quality is maintained at all times and is unaffected by sound vibrations from internal TV speakers or subwoofers. This model even comes equipped with ColorStream component video inputs for compatibility with the latest high-resolution digital sources like DVD players or digital set-top boxes.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 01/30/2003
One of the 32AF42's best features is its well-laid-out, illuminated remote control. We especially liked the remote's direct-input function: A button press takes you to a menu, where you can select an input by number rather than by scrolling through all the available options. The remote can control other brands of A/V devices. The nonintuitively designed menu system, however, made it difficult to adjust video. The 32AF42 has a relatively stripped-down package of both video- and audio-performance features. For video, Toshiba includes three color-temperature settings (warm, medium, and cool); a three-line comb filter for cleaning up composite signals; and advanced scan-velocity modulation (SVM). On the audio side, 10 watts drive the two speakers. You also get an array of sound settings--including those for MTS stereo or a surround-sound enhancement--and a Sub Bass system, which delivers deeper low end for movie effects.
There's a good selection of input options, including two for composite video, two for S-Video, and one for component video, which provides the best connection to DVD players.
The TV's PIP feature has a single tuner, so you can't get different channels in the inset window. Movie and Sports picture presets give you a couple of options for quick adjustment, but many TVs have more. For DVD buffs, the major missing link is a 16:9 vertical-compression mode. TVs with vertical compression can display the full resolution of wide-screen DVDs. To test the 32AF42's performance right out of the box, we selected the warm color temperature and, using test patterns from the Video Essentials DVD, tuned the picture settings.
The first thing that we realized is that the advanced SVM, which tends to introduce noticeable rings around outlines of objects, cannot be disabled. Second, we discovered that the Movie and Sports picture modes are preset only, meaning that they are not adjustable. As soon as we began to make tweaks, the set defaulted to the single Memory mode. This is pretty frustrating if you like to optimize your TV for different input sources.
Our readings of the warm color temperature were relatively close to the NTSC standard at lower light output. The color shifted toward blue as the output increased but stayed within the range of most other TVs. With the contrast properly set, total light output was average for a direct-view model.
The grayscale looked good, without any dramatic color shifts, and hues set up fairly well. The color decoders on newer Toshibas are not as accurate as the ones found on the company's older models--reds are oversaturated, and in this model, the yellows contain too much red. Convergence on the large tube was fine.
We popped in a couple of DVDs to take a final look at the set's performance. On the stellar disc Monsters, Inc., the image was quite satisfying overall, with a decent amount of pop to the colors and good delineation between shades of purple. This flat tube displays a lot of detail and dimension, even though the anamorphic image didn't appear at full resolution. In The Scorpion King, the desert scenes, with their predominantly red and brown gradations, were reproduced relatively well.
Overall, the 32AF42 delivers a solid direct-view image. It is somewhat disappointing to have such limited control over setup--particularly when you compare this model to others in its category--so this is definitely not a TV for people who like to tweak the picture. This is one model that you strictly set and forget.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
9/10
Great picture resolution for the price!!
Pros: Stereo sound quite good for small size speakers. Easy externals hook up.
Cons: Too damn heavy for one person!!
Review:
User Rating: 9/10
Best 32" flat screen Under $700.
Pros: Price Size Flat Screen Sound EZ Back lit Remote Plenty of inputs
Cons: Weight Bulk No HDTV
Review:
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome picture, esp. w/toshiba DVD
Pros: Awesome picture, especially when hooked up to a Toshiba DVD player using the Colorstream feature. Picture is so clear, you can see the pink lipstick clearly on the male actors!
Cons: Heavy and bulky, but otherwise a pleasure to watch.
Review:
User Rating: 
7/10
Uquestioned value
Pros: Outstanding picture A very good value Plenty of features
Cons: Heavy! And being a 32" with speakers on the sides it's an awkward size for one person to grab
Review:
User Rating: 
4/10
This flat screen is a dud.
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I got the Toshiba 32AF423 as a replacement for the Sony KV-32FS100 I orginally purchased because it had a faulty display creating a slight "funhouse" mirror effect. I was more than disappointed with my second choice. I have had the 32AF42 less than 8 hours and after a thorough run through I can tell you that even though $50.00 less, the Toshiba was less than stellar. Even with the fault in the Sony display, the color on the Sony was much better. The Toshiba also displayed "snow" in the background images using the same cables and equipment used on the Sony. The 5watt audio on the Toshiba doesn't come close to the 10watt audio on the Sony. The power button on the Toshiba also sticks. Even with the fault of the Sony, I have already decided to get rid of this TV. The only reason I decided to get the Toshiba was because many of the reviews on the Sony KV-32FS100 stating problems with the display. But the Toshiba is definitely a lesser performer. Maybe these two companies need to spend some more QA time on their flat screens.
User Rating: 
5/10
Feature list needs to be spiced up
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After playing around with this TV for a while, I?d like to note that the CNET review was very accurate. The ?light on features? comment by the reviewer cannot be made any clearer than the fact that this set does NOT have a clock (?And no I?m not an idiot, I know a clock feature in the setup menu when I see one?). On a lighter note though, when I did a comparison between this model, the Sony KV-32FS100, and JVC AV-32F713 (black) I noticed the Toshiba was superior at eliminating dot crawl. At the time I felt that the color quality of each set was very similar (just my opinion). Some final comments are that the Sony seems to have the best menu design/layout of the three (I?d even dare to say ?the best by far?); flipping through channels is quite bothersome as the tuner is a bit slow; the Panasonic CT-32SX12 was not available for comparison 
. I?d sum up my review but CNET already did it for me.
. I?d sum up my review but CNET already did it for me.
User Rating: 
10/10
Awesome flat-screen picture!
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I love this tv! The picture is just awesome. Vivid colors, clear sharp picture. I used AVIA to calibrate the set. Using AVIA, my set's red push was about 5% which isnt't bad at all, so I disagree with the CNET review. I also was able to get into the service menu (found out how on the internet) to create a 16:9 screen for wide-screed DVD's. DVD's look amazing as well! I highly recommend this set.
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