Westinghouse releases slew of new 1080p and 720p HDTV LCDs

Westinghouse continues their habit of releasing well-spec'd but average-performing displays today with a slew of new LCD HDTVs. On the 1080p front, the TX Series comes in 42, 47, and 52-inch flavors along with the 40-inch VK-40F580D -- a 1080P DVD combo player that's (aside from the $1,099 price) ironically missing Blu-ray. The less-expensive 720p LCDs in the SK, PT, and W series come in anything from 16 to 32-inch screen sizes, the PT series being portable. So what's the big deal? The 1080p TX-52F480S 52-inch display retails at only $1,999 US, a tough number to beat in that spec range. Meanwhile, their respectably-sized 26-inch SK-26H730S is priced at just $599. So, hooray for affordable HDTV, and stuff.

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:59PM]

The real question is how is the quality on these things?


Is it Vizio like?

[Samboini @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:08PM]

I've heard of niether Vizio or Westinghouse ... are these the equivalent of a supermarket's own or just value TV's?

[KEROLiUKAS @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:09PM]

Think Wal-Mart.

[Hickeroar @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:11PM]

I own a 42" 1080p westinghouse. Looks just like the one in the above pic.

It's a bit above Vizio, but it's not a "name brand" rig either. They all come with terribly cheap remotes, so you'll want to get something 3rd party/universal. Using their built in sound is pretty much out of the question as well.

[Hickeroar @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:14PM]

Oh, and in reference to your exact question, the picture quality is good all things considered. In its price range it's definitely better than anything else imho. Looks great using 360/PS3 over HDMI. Has a LOAD of inputs.

[Ali @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:52PM]

Quality is pretty good but they do go bad. I have a 32 inch Westinghouse 720p TV and it served me well for a year and a half. Now it has develeped this transparent area (about 1/2 inch wide and about 20 inches deep). It is outside the warranty and I am basically out of luck. I guess I should have gotten that BestBuy extended warrranty in the end.

I also have a 42 inch 1080p that I have hooked up to my HTPC and Xbox 360. It works great and has since October of last year. (I did get the 3 year warranty on that one hehe).

[The Angry Intern @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:09PM]

actually, Hickeroar, that's backwards. Vizio would be considered above Westinghouse.

[Raj vachhani @ Jun 4th 2008 2:10AM]

The Quality: Terrible. Look around the web, ton's of people a reporting that thier unit's die within 2 years. Mine died yesterday, a year and a half after i bought it(i got for $200 from tigerdirect, o well)

[icedemon @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:00PM]

Vizio got a 52 inch 1080p for the same price. I wonder which one you'll find cheaper though.

[dustin @ Jun 4th 2008 2:01AM]

ive got a westinghouse 27in lcd something or another and its been nothing but good to me. i would put it between house brand and large brand.

[Backwards People @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:12PM]

AFAIK, the blacks are lighter on Westinghouse's than other manufacturers.

Also there seems to be light coming from the edges of these, something I don't notice as much with other manufacturers. Anyone else seen this?

[Hickeroar @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:20PM]

Yeah, they're not as black as other LCD sets, but they're also cheaper in the price category. It's just a tradeoff, yaknow? If you want truly black blacks, buy a plasma though. :-D

[OneLove @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:02PM]

when i hear Westinghouse I think of small kitchen appliances not plasma tvs.

[The Angry Intern @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:02PM]

funny, when I hear Westinghouse I think of Nuclear Reactors. Westinghouse designed and built the reactors that are on Nimitz Class aircraft carriers.

[Simon P @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:18PM]

Look I know Westinghouse isn't considered top-notch...far from it, but I've had my 42-inch 1080p Westy for 2 years now and it's performed admirably - especially when you take price into consideration. Yes there are better pictures to be had but there are certainly many worse too. If budget is an issue and these new Westys represent the same quality as their older ones, you won't get a much better bang for your buck.

I'd still take a Kuro though ;-)

[happy_penguin @ Jun 4th 2008 12:06PM]

Mom has a 32" Westinghouse in her den. It was quite cheap. It isn't her main tele as that one is a 32" standard tube in the family room. The main reason she wanted it was to get it hung on the wall to save space, not for HD. So for her it looks just fine. I have seen HD programming on it and it looks just fine to me. If all you're doing is watching regular television, you don't need top of the line that badly.

[disciple83 @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:26PM]

Westinghouse makes a pretty sweet product. Granted, my first Westy was a 22" comp monitor that has a rampant yellow pixel that won't lay down but all the other millions are bright, crisp, and colorful. I would assume these TVs are going to be the same. After getting this monitor with a freaky pixel after years of flawless performance from my NEC panel, which still works, mind you, combined with horror stories in user comments on virtually every product on the market these days, I have a small fear of buying anything that isn't a Kuro...Still, I consider my pixel an acceptable fluke and look forward to maintaining cash in the bank after getting a 42" Westy to replace my RCA HDTV-wannabe projector.

[Joseph @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:28PM]

I have a Westinghouse LCD TV.

Westinghouse goes by the 80/20 rule. You get a set that is 80% as good as the top Bravia but only cost 20% the price. It might not be the Cadillac of LCDs but it is perhaps the Honda Civic, solid, reliable and within reach.

[Shane @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:30PM]

I own a 37" 1080p LCD from Westinghouse. It is a very respectable unit and performs just fine as my secondary HDTV. I stick to my 61" JVC DLP for serious gaming and movie watching though.

[Iridium @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:33PM]

I've seen the 40"VK with the built in DVD player in Target. The black levels are actually very good on that model. The brightness and contrast were at scorch level but the blacks looked as black as the Sony W-series next to it.

Target had it on sale for $950. From what I saw you can't match the picture for the price.

[Iridium @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:34PM]

I've seen the 40"VK with the built in DVD player in Target. The black levels are actually very good on that model. The brightness and contrast were at scorch level but the blacks looked as black as the Sony W-series next to it.

Target had it on sale for $950. From what I saw you can't match the picture for the price.

[slaughter33 @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:49PM]

If you havent heard of a Westy, then you live under a rock. They make a solid product that would satisfy 80% of tv owners. And their price cant be beat.

[Drew @ Jun 3rd 2008 6:57PM]

Vizio has become a much better product in both Plasma and LCD. It out performs Westinghouse. Vizio is by NO means a product to buy at Walmart as they are only exclusively available at Costco and Sam's Club.

I really believe Visio will become a strong competitor with Samsung, Pioneer etc within the next few years.

They are catching up.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 4th 2008 2:01AM]

Vizio has trailed Westinghouse all the way. Westinghouse even was ahead of the majors on 1080p component input and having multiple HDMIs.

Vizio just screws the same stuff together the other cheap brands are already making and sells it for less in CostCo.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:40PM]

Westinghouses are very good for the money. Don't pay retail though.

But for me, all they do is whet my appetite for more. I'm glad my friends bought them instead of worse TVs, but I couldn't stand to look at one all day. If only because of the fact that you cannot turn OFF overscan and thus end up looking at gunk at the top and sides of the screen on SD content.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:40PM]

Crap, cannot turn ON overscan I mean.

I know I demand to be able to turn it off, but not being able to turn it on (or have zoom mode) is a pain.

[adobochicken @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:08PM]

my first HD is Westinghouse. Contrast is sheity. Now, I used it as my PC LCD. Too bright and adjusting the setting doesn't do anything

[MeatPop @ Jun 3rd 2008 7:53PM]

Actually Vizio is stocked at Walmart, seeing as I bought one there over a year ago, and Vizio is at Circuit City, and hell I even saw one at Big Lots once. So, yeah it's not exclusive to Costco or Sam's Club, hence why they're the number one LCD brand in the US.

[fuzzy @ Jun 3rd 2008 8:21PM]

If you can get a Samsung 6-series for $1500 or so in 40" variants, a $400 price difference better mean at least decent contrast ratios. Don't really care about the 1080p upconverting DVD player.

[Timothy Burgher @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:55PM]

I've been using my 37" Westinghouse LCD for 2+ years now and have no broken pixels. There is some ghosting while gaming, and the blacks are not super black but I don't really notice that 5/10 minutes into a movie or game. If you want to save some bucks I suggest Westinghouse.

[Kevin @ Jun 4th 2008 2:55PM]

I've had the same experience. Great computer monitor and good TV for the price. With proper adjustment using a calibration DVD, including cranking down the insanely bright backlight, the the picture quality is very nice for HD movies. I'm sure the black level is better on newer models as well, but will always lag behind higher end brands. If money wasn't relevant, I would not buy a Westinghouse, but money is very relevant to me!

[Ryan @ Jun 4th 2008 9:55PM]

I have a Westinghouse 22" monitor, and it's fantastic. I paid way less for it than like a Samsung or anything, and I love it. It may not be quite as good, but if the Samsung gets a 10 out of 10, this gets an 8 or 9 out of 10. I would definitely recommend and buy Westinghouse products.