When it comes to watching the Super Bowl, we demand the highest standards. So "Fresh Gear" took in the big game in all its high-definition magnificence with Westinghouse's 30-inch W33001 LCD TV.
Relying on the venerable if ancient Westinghouse name, Westinghouse Digital jumps into the flat-panel TV world with a lineup of five LCD televisions. The top of the line is the HDTV-capable 30-inch W33001.
At $2,899 (before a $300 rebate), the W33001 is a good deal for people on a budget. But if you consider yourself a videophile, look elsewhere.
Specs of a winner
The W33001's specs look good at face value. Contrast ratio, brightness, and response time are better than that of Dell's
30-inch LCD TV, which costs an additional $200.
- 30-inch diagonal LCD; 5:3 aspect ratio
- Brightness: 500 nits
- Contrast ratio: 500:1
- Response time: 16 ms
- 1280x768 native resolution
- 480i (interlaced), 480p (progressive), 1080i, and 720p
- PC display support up to 1280x1024
- Video in, S-Video in, two YPbPr (one HD, one SD), DVI in, VGA in, audio in (mini), four audio in (dual RCA), audio out (dual RCA), subwoofer out, RS232C, antenna in, power in
- 2-watt to 8-watt synthesized surround sound speakers with subwoofer support
Feed it only HD
Using Dish Network HD satellite service and the DVR 921 as an HD tuner, I evaluated how the W33001 handled standard-definition content at 480i along with HD content served at both 720p and 1080i.
The inherent inferiority of standard-definition content is obvious on the W33001. All wide-screen high-def LCD TVs suffer this problem to varying degrees. But on this TV the poor quality of standard-definition content distracted me.
High-definition content, however, looked striking. The Super Bowl in HD looked great. NCAA basketball and the movie "Behind Enemy Lines" also pleased my eye.
Design drawbacks
The speakers don't detach. A minor problem, perhaps, but if you use other speakers, you simply don't need the cheesy built-in ones.
The DVI input doesn't have RCA audio-in jacks associated with it. So if you want to use DVI input for TV video, you better have another way to route audio.
Finally, today's standard TVs give you a video input in the front of the unit and more than one S-Video input. The W33001 has neither.
Pros: Low cost; good brightness, contrast, and response rate
Cons: No video input in front; limited S-Video inputs; nondetachable speakers
Company: Westinghouse Digital ElectronicsPrice: $2,899, not including $300 rebate
Available: Now
