nüvifone™. The navigation phone.
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 19 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
0.5 stars
"DO NOT BUY - known issues and no technical support"
Pros: Good picture once calibrated, as stated. Courteous, helpful, FRUSTRATED Customer Support folks...
Cons: Bought refurb, now waiting on FIFTH replacement set. First had image jitter on arrival, second and third not able to display 4:3 source material via HDMI, fourth had catastrophic failure within 15 minutes of first use. Tech support useless.
Summary: The first set I bought had the graphical interface menus and could display 4:3 source material properly via HDMI but arrived with image jitter that took only five minutes to manifest itself.
When the first set was replaced (at my expense for $50 shipping) I got the "latest firmware" with crude text menus and no ability to display 4:3 source material via HDMI without the TV stretching the image. I tested all TV menu functions with five different brands of DVD players (including a Toshiba HD-DVD player and a Samsung dual-format HD player) and all possible player setting combinations with no luck overcoming this issue.
The TV was returned (again at my $50 expense) and replaced with another unit with EXACTLY the same image-stretching issue. Multiple calls to Westinghouse Support (you cannot talk to anyone from the real technical side) and another replacement (this time shipping at W'house expense) and I got another "certified refurbished" set that had the same image-stretching issue but also experienced catastrophic failure within 15 minutes of first use.
Via email I finally got W'house Support to admit that the set CANNOT display 4:3 source material via HDMI without stretching it because, "The TV is functioning in the way that the software programmers designed it to function. HDMI is a high definition input source, and is designed to be used with high definition output devices. The native format for almost all HD programming is 16:9, which is native aspect ratio for the LCD screen."
When I pointed out that HD DVD players DO play standard resolution DVDs with upscaling and that LOTS of programming (several Star Trek series and other TV series included) is available ONLY in 4:3 format I got no further replies.
Is someone in W'house living in a cave?
Bottom line is that the "updated" firmware was rewritten to resolve two "issues" and had a fallout of intelligence. I was told that, "Consumers didn't like the graphical controls and strongly requested plain text (suuuure) and that the auto-detect/auto-on feature was turning the set on in the middle of the night for some satellite service subscribers (not my DirecTV)" - but they also made the brilliant decision to make it impossible to watch 4:3 DVD programming in its proper format via HDMI input.
I have not tested it yet with my DirecTV HD connection (since I am without a TV for the fourth time) via HDMI, but I am wiling to bet that it cannot properly display any of the 4:3 source programming broadcast at times on the HD channels.
I have had some very nice Customer Support folks try to help me and I cannot fault their courtesy - but as someone who started working with computers in 1971, spent 10 years as a Navy Airborne Electronic Warfare Officer and documented software development their tech side falls woefully short.
Since buying the first set I have had almost no use of the product because multiple sets have either been enroute to or from W'house and EACH TIME the exchange takes place W'house gives itself up to 21 days for an exchange. Multiply 4 x 21 and add 10 days each time for shipping both ways - that means since May the set has been traveling or being exchanged for a total of 124 days - over four months - almost 60% of the time since I bought it - NOT hanging from my wall being watched.
My recommendation is that NO ONE buy any Westinghouse LCD TV unless and until you can test and ensure that the set is capable of accurately displaying 4:3 sources via HDMI without stretching. Maybe some models have escaped the oversight of the "software programmers" who evidently do not test their programming to see if it applies in the real world.
W'house shows no interest in resolving this issue or even discussing it intelligently, stopping communication when the error in firmware was identified.
Where to buy
Westinghouse SK-32H240S:
$649.99
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$649.99 | Yes |
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