Entered CNET Catalog: 06/19/2006
SKU: 0882777037034
Manufacturer: Westinghouse Digital Electronics
Manufacturer description
Westinghouse's LVM 37w3 is a stunning 37" 1080p monitor that enhances the decor of any entertainment room. This versatile 1080p monitor functions as a television when hooked up to an external HD cable or satellite box or can also serve as a computer monitor when attached to a PC. Featuring an industry-leading six HD input connectors for high definition sources consumers can watch TV, DVDs, play video games, surf the Internet or view digital photos in 1080p resolution. The Westinghouse LVM-37w3 1080p Monitor is specifically optimized for use with the latest high definition sources. Don't be trapped with only 1-choice. Westinghouse lets you attach all your favorite sources using uncompressed highest performance digital interfaces. Multiple high-bandwidth digital-interfaces mean you can have HD digital cable, HD satellite and a digital game console. Additionally, PC and notebooks users can enjoy the same fat pipe and the industry best Genesis Display Perfection technology. Amazingly thin for its size, you get 37 inches at only 4.7 inches deep (without base) allowing you to mount this stylish monitor on your wall. Now that's art! Connector access is a breeze with the innovative SpineDesign allowing easy side access to (not just 1 legacy input) all of the connectors while still on the wall.User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35out of 35 user reviews
Worked 5 months Customer Service is Terrible
Pros: Cannot think of any
Cons: Customer Service is TERRIBLE
out of 35 user reviews
Nice picture but....
Pros: Great high def picture
Cons: Okay at 480. Problems with HDDVR
out of 35 user reviews
Excellent 1080p for the money
Pros: 1080p resolution
Cons: low contrast ratio
First off, don't get this TV for high-light areas. Its low contrast ratio will make you pine for a more defined picture. I have this set up in my living room, and I keep the light low and have no problems. In the long run, if you are in a bright room, spending half again as much money, or even settling for a smaller or a 1080i is worth it if you can get over 5000-1 contrast ratio.
The remote is also a bit quirky. I haven't had any problems since stepping up to a high end universal (logitech harmony 670).
Other than that, this TV works brilliantly. The picture is clear and even works fantastically as a high-end computer monitor. Gaming on a screen this size is incredible, and with a sufficiently high-end video card, it provides more than adequate response with action games.
For me, it's all about the movies though. My DVD collection has never looked so good, and I don't even have it hooked to a 1080p player yet. There really is no comparison - even when I do watch something on my bedroom set-up (non HD flat-tube) I feel like I've gone from color to b&w - the difference is that pronounced.
If your room is dim or dark and your wallet can't pull off a high end HDTV, this is your screen.
out of 35 user reviews
Great TV for 6 months!!!
Pros: awsome picture for 6 months
Cons: No tuner, can't find a tuner for it that will produce a good picture, When the breaks, you have to pay upwards of 100 dollars to ship it to westinghouse and wait according to them 6 weeks. or longer
out of 35 user reviews
superb monitor
Pros: great for pc gaming
Cons: smaller size
out of 35 user reviews
Great TV, great price!
Pros: 1080P, HDMI connection
Cons: Smaller than most tvs today
out of 35 user reviews
Love this thing. The world's largest computer monitor.
Pros: Inexpensive 1080p! Great computer monitor.
Cons: Black levels not great, no firmware updates, one HDMI port.
The black levels could be better, and if this were to be my primary home theater TV/monitor, I might hesitate. But as a combo computer-monitor and occasional HDTV, it is awesome. I have also been frustrated that Westinghouse won't off some kind of dongle for us to update the firmware with, since there is a RS-232 port on the back set up specifically for that purpose.
But overall this is a wonderful monitor, and at the price (around $1,000 as of July 07), you can't beat it. I highly recommend it if you can live with the black levels.
out of 35 user reviews
Best Bang for the Buck
Pros: Size-Performance for the cost! Two DVI inputs.
Cons: There are bigger and better monitors out there, but they will cost 3x as much for little performance gain.
out of 35 user reviews
Great TV when working
Pros: Good price
Cons: Broke soon after it arrived
out of 35 user reviews
should i buy>?
Pros: the price is dead on.
Cons: standard definition channels?
out of 35 user reviews
Both had bad pixels!
Pros: 1080p, price
Cons: Quality and Customer Service
out of 35 user reviews
Beautiful TV
Pros: crisp display, excellent price, looks sharp
Cons: audio out port is weak
out of 35 user reviews
Great TV for the Price
Pros: Multiple HD hookups, Easy to set up, HD picture is great
Cons: Picture options are not that great. They are very limited. No HD tuner built in.
The only issues I have is that the picture set-up options were limited and there is not HD tuner built in (this realy doesnt bother me because I go through Satellite anyway). It sometimes looks really bright. I have lowered the backlight and brightness and this helped a little but I still have not figured out the correct color set-up yet. It may not be the best TV on the market but it does compete with some of the better models out there. I paid $999 for this TV on NewEgg.com.
There are enough HD connections to satisfy anyone. I know that 1 HDMI is not the best but most people are not passing sound through the cable anyway. I purchased a Psyclone 4 HDMI switch with 4 Opticals at Best Buy for $200 so this shoud surfice for HDMI ports plus the HDMI conections are HDMI 1.3 wich will support Dolby TrueHD in the future.
out of 35 user reviews
not only samsung bluray but also pioneer bluray can not play for 1080p
Pros: can not find it
Cons: they said that they support 1080p, but the fact that the monitor can not play 1080p both players.
PS: we used monster HDMI cable.....
out of 35 user reviews
The catch with this TV is…
Pros: It’s just a great screen with lots of inputs
Cons: It’s just a great screen with lots of inputs
I’m an engineer who works in this field so I know a few of the ins and outs of why stuff costs so much or so little. There is a catch with this TV… it’s not really a TV, it’s more of a PC monitor!
The reason it’s so inexpensive is not because it’s an off-brand, shotty design or poor customer service… the reason for the price is because it’s a PC monitor with TV benefits!
You see… the FCC got lobbied/bribed into mandating that all HDTV sets be “Digital and cable ready” by the big TV makers… Sony, Toshiba, Philips, Sharp and many more. Their objective was to add features to their TV’s that they could force the consumer into paying for… the cable/satellite companies make a lot of money when they rent you their boxes so it made a lot of sense for them to try to take over that business.
So today, if you look at the HDTV scene… you see exactly that. Toshiba, Sony etc.. trying to sell you their integrated tuners and cablecard slots (and their cost of development and bribes) for about $400 to $600!
Westinghouse made a brilliant move… they figured most people already have all that stuff around _outside_ the TV so they could just provide the best screen available with lots of inputs… for lots less money.
I love it when crooked business practices backfire under consumer scrutiny. If you’ve already got a cable/satellite box and you can’t imagine a TV antenna sticking outta your roof in the foreseeable future… I’d buy this inexpensive, high resolution screen. The specifications have already been covered in previous reviews, you _can’t_ beat 1080p native… frankly I can’t believe people are still buying the 768p sets for more than this TV costs!
For those of you who don't know the catch in the 768p sets: these sets tell you yes I can do 1080i... what they actually do is they grab a nice detailed 1080 picture and crunch it down into the 768 lines that the screen can actually show.
So… those are the catches. Hope they helped. Oh! Hit the “useful review” if I helped clear any doubts… think of it as signing a petition
out of 35 user reviews
Terrific for HD viewing and computer use
Pros: Excellent "convergence" choice -- superb picture clarity, color depth and user interface -- competitive price -- and I can actually lift it.
Cons: When watching certain non-HD channels, a blinking horizontal line appears across the top of the screen. This may not be the Westy's fault.
So I boiled it down to two options -- the Westy, and a Sharp 37" LCD. Both looked great, and the features appeared equivalent in most regards. But the Westy was cheaper by a decent margin, and available locally through J&R... so after reading a buttload of reviews, I went over and grabbed one.
WOW... was this the right decision! No joke -- it's the best electronics purchase I've made in years. The picture quality is literally stunning... I know some folks here say that black levels aren't plasma-quality, and that the contrast ratio doesn't cut it compared to 10,000:1 or whatever the plasmas pump out these days. But to my eyes, the Westy represents color value and contrast as beautifully as plasmas I've seen for twice the cost.
The interface is fine -- no learning curve, and no complexity to speak of. The remote is sort of typical -- not the best design, but perfectly usable. The set makes no fan noise whatsoever, which is really nice.
And as a computer monitor? FANTASTIC. I really didn't believe that a 37" screen would be so sharp, so readable, so easy on the eyes when viewing text, spreadsheets, all that geeky stuff. But the Westy is really superb... and that's what 1080p does for you. Finally -- a true dual-purpose monitor, with excellent quality.
And the price is pretty unbeatable. I thought Westinghouse made hair dryers or something, and was skeptical about purchasing a digital product from them. (Actually, I've heard that they don't actually make the monitor -- I don't know if that's true.) In any case, this is the real deal, and honestly -- you should go grab one if you see it for under $1100.
out of 35 user reviews
Was really surprised, Westinghouse, who knew!
Pros: Functionality, layout, well thoughtout.
Cons: Have found no major cons.
I looked at 32" HDTV's and found myself at Best Buy looking at a Pioneer 32". While the sales person was looking up some info for the Westinghouse 37" caught my eye.
It was the same price as the 32" Pioneer.
The Westinghouse LTV37W2HD had a good picture. Not quite as bright as the Pioneers, but negligible.
It has 1 HDMI (and HDMI audio)and standard AV & S video inputs (want to play a game?) including VGA and VGA audio, plus audio out.
After running through the easy auto channel setup, I found I actually was picking up HD signals locally without any antenna.
The picture is average or lslightly above the norm for a mid range LCD while the price was slightly below.
Sound is good for a two speaker system and was suprisingly rich for a mid range set.
Color set up was great as it required only a few tweaks from me out of the box.
There are also three or four pre-sets for color Normal (I prefered) warm which goves everything a slightly redder hue, and a setting that makes everything have a cooler blue/green cast.
As all the new HD's the menu takes a bit of getting used to, but not bad once you get the hang of it.
As of yet with the 8Ms LCD switch rate,I have not noticed and pixelation or blurring.
(You do not want to get a LCD set with less than 8Ms LCD switch rate)
I would have liked to see a better remote, but then again this is a mid range HDTV and the remote it comes with does what it should as far as the TV is concerned. Not to mention there are a few nice features on the remote (but in this day and age should be expected) like PIP, info, 3 favorite buttons, etc.
Good buy, well setup, nice design, Westinghouse, who would have though!
out of 35 user reviews
Immaculate 1080p Monitor, Affordable High Quality
Pros: Everything
Cons: NONE... Not a Single One! Oh, it wasn't Free!
out of 35 user reviews
Absolute great TV
Pros: Great Picture, numerous connections, easy menu setup, and the VGA connector
Cons: No tuner, only one composite connection(not that bad), black levels aren't handled as well as plasma( same with all LCD tvs)
out of 35 user reviews
Decent LCD HD Monitor, You can't be wrong
Pros: Excellent Computer Monitor, Fast Response, Excellent HD pictures, 2-DVI input
Cons: 1-HDMI, PiP limited to external source, color adjustment option
In case for hard hearing people, You can get caption decoder from cable box and satillite receiver.
out of 35 user reviews
Perfect for gaming
Pros: Great picture quality, many inputs
Cons: 2 pixel deaths
out of 35 user reviews
An excellent value for the money
Pros: High resolution, large number of HD inputs, form factor, smart sensing of active inputs, great color and brightness, perfect for gaming
Cons: Side to side viewing angle isn't the greatest, IR sensor for remote does not have the widest sensor range
I definitely have a late-model version of the W3 (already had it's firmware updated before I got it). I currently have the monitor connected to my XBox 360 (via the VGA input), Nintendo Wii (via component input), my old VCR and my Standard-Definition Satellite box (both via standard composite video). If only one device is active (turned on), the set automatically switches to that input for me, which is nice. I cannot comment on hot, cold, or warm temperature settings or what difference they make. All I can say is that out of the box this monitor looks fantastic. With all the HD inputs and the native 1080p resolution, this set will meet my display needs for some time to come.
I connected the XBox 360 HD-DVD drive and watched the included HD-DVD version of King Kong and compared it to the standard (Widescreen) version of the King Kong DVD and I can see a huge difference.
About my two cons: As I sit dead center in front of the monitor, things look great. When I move to a chair about 5' to 6' off center from the monitor and about 6' to 7' away from it, I can see the color shift associated with moving outside the viewing angle. In all honesty, in that position it still looks very good and is extremely playable/watchable. Just that it is a bit different. Not a HUGE difference, but it is noticable. Any farther and I imagine it would get worse quickly.
As far as the remote goes, it seems to work when the remote is no more than 1' to 2' off center from the monitor, which is not optimal but at the end of the day if that's the worst problem this monitor has, it's a far cry from a serious issue.
I was going to give this monitor a 9 (I'm generally a tough sell on "10" ratings) but when I really thought about it and asked myself "What would make the difference between a 9 and a 10" I could not come up with anything meaningful. My cons above are miniscule at best. This set really did exceed my expectations.
out of 35 user reviews
Wonderful Picture
Pros: Wonderful Picture, 1080P
Cons: Only 1 HDMI connection
out of 35 user reviews
Absolutely Fantastic Bargin.
Pros: Picture quality, miriad of connections, very intuitive controls
Cons: No Tuner (I know its really a monitor.) Display text is not in sync with screen
I primarily use it now for Movies and for Gaming. I have an Xbox360 with HD DVD player. At full 1080p resolution (via VGA HD connector) the picture is clear and so life like compared to my old TV and most flat panel TV's I have seen. Even standard DVD's just seem soo much more vivid and life like. I remember watch Sin City, and the colorized high contrast filming just screems out at you. When I play my HD DVD titles, the picture quality is taken to another level... I love watching Mission Impossible III on my monitor... no hint of static. The picture is soo clear you can actually see the pores on Tom Cruise's face... just amazing.
Gaming wise, Playing Oblivion, Call of Duty 2 and now Gears of War at full 1080p on my Xbox360 is just a surreal experience... widescreen gaming is just too good to be true sometimes. All I can say is that I am soo glad that I purchased this monitor.
To top it all of, I managed to get it at $800... It wason sale at a one-day after Thanksgiving holiday shopping rush... there were less than 10 of these monitors and I manage to snag one... I feel soo blessed.
The only little kink in an otherwise flawless product is that the on screen text did not sync with the higher scrren resolutions; all it was just a bunch of jaggy lines on the top middle of the screen. backup text of which input device you are currently viewing is shown on the upper left corner when you change between different input sources.
What can I say? I am completely satisfied with this purchase and I would highly recomend purchasing this monitor to anyone who wants a great flat panel LCD display for an incredibly affordable price... only if having a tuner is not an absolute neccessity.
out of 35 user reviews
Westinghouse makes Junk!
Pros: It looks like a TV
Cons: IT DOES NOT WORK!
out of 35 user reviews
Great Picture and Value
Pros: 1080p, Sharp Picture
Cons: Could use some additional settings
Straight out of the box, the picture looks great. Anyone who says that you cannot notice the difference between 720p and 1080p is wrong. (Actually my cable provider only gives me 1080i, which the TV converts to 1080p). If you are anywhere near the "optimimum distance" of 3.5" per 1 foot away from TV (e.g. If you sit 10' from TV then you should have a 35" set), then be finicky and get the 1080p. I paid a premium of about $100 over similar quality 37" 720p set.
The TV is much smarted than my old Oleiva. It senses when I put a DVD into the player and switches automatically. When I switch to DVI, it knows that nothing is hooked up to DVI-1 and goes directly to DVI-2. There is a button on the remote that lets me adjust backlighting, without navagating the menus. Since it is a south-facing room with a wall of windows this saves me effort each day and night.
It does seem as though it could benefit from additional customization parameters. I like to push reds just a bit, and could on my old 27" Oleiva. But here, there are only three settings Warm, Neutral and Cool. Warm pushes reds a lot, not just a little. Also, it lacks any tuner or CableCard. But since I want my DVR anyway, I wouldn't use it.
Overall, this set is a steal at $795. Buy it without hesitation.
out of 35 user reviews
WOW, great picture, TONS of inputs!
Pros: Tv picture, imputs, decent speakers!
Cons: none so fart
out of 35 user reviews
Fantastic Computer Monitor
Pros: Resolution; Price
Cons: slightly limited color spectrum
out of 35 user reviews
PS3 & MAC Pro MATERIAL COMBINED @ tha same time
Pros: 1080p, 1HDMI, 2DVI, 1VGA, 2 Component, 1S Video, 1 Composite, 1000:1 ratio
Cons: 15 watt speakers could of been 20
out of 35 user reviews
Awesome Performance and Price for a 1080P Monitor
Pros: Picture Quality, Performance, Numerous Digital Source Inputs, Nice Build Quality and Price
Cons: Hard to Find
out of 35 user reviews
Great for the money
Pros: Great Picture and Sound
Cons: Would of liked to have the Picture in Picture 50/50 Split
out of 35 user reviews
While not perfect, if you find one you will be impressed.
Pros: true 1080p support, backlight adjustment, 4 inputs that accept 1080p signals
Cons: Pictures below 720p upscaled are only of decent quality, NO tv tuner
I also played a few DVD's on my X360 and my PS2 on the monitor. On both systems, the video quality was overall good, but even better on the X360 thanks to progressive scan.
My bigest gripes about the monitor are the fact that it is just a monitor (no tv tuner, you need some sort of external tuner, i.e. a satellite receiver or cable box). Second, if anyone happens to buy this monitor as a display model, like i did, and the store doesn't have the standard remote, make sure the replacement they give you is one of the newer "learning remotes" as the standard universal remotes do not have the RF codes from Westinghouse yet for this monitor. Finally, I wouldn't recommend anything less than 720p being displayed on this monitor, as 480p upscaled to 1920x1080 can get poor in quality. Aside from those few gripes, as with all tv's a little adjustment during initial setup will make this monitor a gem in anyone's collection.
out of 35 user reviews
Perfect from over 4 feet viewing distance
Pros: Perfect with quality 1080i or 1080p content
Cons: Still not as good as plasma with SD sources
Since I am using the set as monitor to a Time Warner Cable HD box, the 3250HD, as a monitor to several D-VHS decks, a 1080p GPU card, and several YBrBp gaming consoles, I really do not miss the HD tuner.
With quality source like channels 701, 703, 706, 721, 722, 723, and 724 from Time Warner Cable here in NYC, the LVM-37W3 shines. From over 4 feet viewing distance, with the room lights on or off, the screen mimics a true theatre experience. In fact, even at 2.5 feet, or typical computer user distance, the Westinghouse 37" can be used with 1080i or 1080p sources without eye strain.
Here is a comparison in sizes with my 23" HP L2335 LCD from over 2 years ago...
http://paulchiu.zoto.com/img/30/1b631a8aaa04fec984f26554a2bd1863-.jpg
Here it is used as computer monitor with 250MB GPU and a DELL XPS at 1080p
http://paulchiu.zoto.com/img/45/93db9fc27c406faf63ad49d6366258d0-.jpg
Paul
out of 35 user reviews
True 1080p, vibrant colors, jaw dropping picture
Pros: Great value, beautiful picture, WOW factor of 1080p resolution
Cons: Blah remote
When I arrived at the store, they had a demo Westinghouse 42" 1080p unit hooked up to a Toshiba HD-DVD player. Jaw dropping. Stunning. I had to negotiate one sweet deal in order to justify purchasing BOTH units, or it would be back to the store I go. So after looking up every available rebate, special, and discount that the sales person could authorize, I finally settled on this deal: $1,499 for the Westinghouse LVM-37w3, $300 instant rebate for upgrading to HD Direct TV (which I already subscribed, but was just required to purchase a $99 H-20 receiver) and throw in the Toshiba HD-A1 for an additional $499 with warranties for 3 and 4 years respectively. Throw in the appropriate cables and I was done. BTW, the Toshiba HD-DVD comes with an HDMI cable.
When I first got home, I tested the Toshiba unit on my 60" Sony 60XBR950. I have a Toshiba SD-9200 reference DVD player($2000) in my set up in the den and have been more than pleased with the combination. Because of the 720p native resolution of the set, I played the HD-A1 in 720p for a reference. I was none too impressed, to say the least. I was hoping for better results on my new bedroon set up. After a few minutes (literally) I had the H-20, HD-A1 and the LVM-37w3 hooked up and ready to go. Now for the true test. I popped in the Constantine HD DVD and tuned the set to HDMI. WOW. WOW. The color was brilliant, the 1000-1 contrast ratio which was a concern looked unnoticable...black levels were fine, and the sharpness was unbelievable. I intended to watch a few minutes for reference, but after a couple of hours later, I had my basis line. The bar was set high.
Next on the docket was the H-20 and those lovable 70s channels. Yes. The Westinghouse had a better picture than my $5,500 Sony XBR, and I was very elated to say the least. This was what true HD was supposed to look like. 1080p made the difference...for only $1,299. WOW.
The next test was the upconverted signal from the Toshiba HD-DVD unit. Although this was a test more for the player than the TV, I truely think that the Westinghouse makes all the difference in the world as it scales every input to 1080p. I just cannot say enough about the picture with this combination. The standard DVDs that I played were so close to HD-DVD that there was little difference in the two, a slight one for sure, but not too much, and more so than on my reference DVD player. I was more than happy.
When my wife came home with our three year old daughter in tow, the real test was about to begin. Would I have to take the Toshiba back, or would I be in reference HT heaven..in the bedroom? She looked at the set up and commented on how sleek and stylish the set up looked. Yes. The first and most critical objection was overcome. Next I fired up a burned copy of my daughters favorite move...Lilo and Stitch 2. Holy cow. My daughter, my wife and I just stood there watching the upconverted picture. After about 15 minutes(of Lilo and Stitch, mind you) my wife turns to me and says? "I've never seen a better picture. Ever. Not even our set downstairs. How much did all this cost?" When I showed her the receipts, the only thing she said was, "That's a good deal." Game over!
I'm teeling you folks, This TV produces the best picture this side of a Pioneer Elite 50" plasma display for 1/4 the money. This set needs to be in my livingroom, not the bedroom for sure. For the money, there is no way that I would buy anything else. The picture is stunning, the colors are so vibrant that they look surreal, and the aesthetics are extremely pleasing. This set is a home run. No question. If it not for the terribly plain remote, this set would be perfect, but most people will want this set in their livingroom set up which should include a Harmony remote, so the point is moot, in my opinion.
Get this set. Get it before the people at Westinghouse figure out that they have mis-marked the price and increase it by $1,000...which still would be a bargain.
As a caveat, Best Buy offered a $75 special discount on line. After exhausting all resources with the returns department, a manager was able to get me a price match of $1,224.00. It just doesn't get any better than that. My friend has his popcorn machine, but I have a HT reference theater in the bedroom. Green? He should be.
...pretty sweet deal unto itself. Looks like we were both winners with this set.
out of 35 user reviews
Best bang for the buck in its category
Pros: Excellent picture quality, good with xbox 360, nice design, lots of digital inputs, independent memories for each input, pip
Cons: Lack of details when black level is calibrated properly, no discreet buttons for inputs on remote, ghosting on 1080i film based sources, needs more zoom modes.
All in all i still highly recommend this tv, its the best bang for the buck and way ahead of the competition in that it actually can take in and display 1080p content. However i really wish westinghouse would acknowledge the ghosting issues and have it fixed, I am pretty confident a firmware upgrade would easily address the issue as other lcd panels even some in the westinghouse line e.g. the LVM42 W2 don't exhibit this problem.