Customer Reviews:
 Great picture in small package November 14, 2008
ursadog (Iowa, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Like many purchasers of this TV, one of main motivations was that it would just fit in our existing cabinet. I know many would say 'get a new cabinet' but we don't worship TV, 40" was plenty big enough and we really like our cabinet. I also like Toshiba and had previously purchased a couple other Toshibas (to replace Sony's that had expired before their time) with good results. I am not a cognoscenti and some of the other reviews here and on the web will be more informative for experts but I think the picture is great. The detail in the HD feeds from our cable provider are just stunning; too bad they are wasted on talk shows for the most part but the occasional sporting event makes viewing a really enjoyable experience. DVDs, of course, look very good. SD material can look pretty bad depending on the channel but we mostly use the TV for movies. I agree with others that the remote is not the strong point of this model. I particularly dislike the favorites browser and thought it was done better on the other Toshibas we own. I also look at the Mitsubishi but I think we made the right choice. I don't think you will be disappointed with this TV.
Just what I was looking for.... July 28, 2008
Kevin Lew (sf,ca)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have an heirloom quality solid cherry TV armoire which is said to fit 36" crt tvs. There is no way I'm getting rid of the armoire. The 36" was a Toshiba. Next was a 37" 1080i, also Toshiba. When the 40" Regza came out, I saw that it was just enough to fit in the cabinet what with the thin frame. Every inch makes a difference. I am very pleased that I have been able to fit the maximum size screen into the armoire. Viewing height was also improved because the thinner speaker outlets allowed for installation closer (lower) to ideal viewing height. I actually floated the TV inside the armoire via a series of brackets and mounting boards which I rigged up, thus getting rid of the stand that comes with it. Viewing is eye level seated so no craning of the neck looking upwards! br / br /Admittedly, the primary reason was aesthetics and fit but I did see it demonstrated at the store and also relied on the Toshiba reputation and past experience. I am extremely pleased with picture quality. I only use it to watch DVDs and it is a perfect match as part of a high end 5.1 system. Watching BluRays is pleasing. br / br /I'm not good at TV technical specs but I like what I see. I love it. My friends love it.
Incredible! May 19, 2008
S. Allen (USA)
10 out of 15 found this review helpful
I love it. If there is a flaw I haven't found it yet. I have not used all of its options so far, but right out of the box the picture was incredible, even on non-digital channels. I bought the monster 1000hd high speed hdmi, and I highly recommend that for this tv. Also, I found the overall height to be slightly smaller than stated, which is a good thing for me, as it fits perfectly in my tv armoire. I have it in a 13 x 17 room and the speakers are more than adequate, although I increased the bass a bit. I admit I spent more than I wanted to, but I had space restrictions that this accomodated. However after seeing it in action, I have no regrets. I LOVE IT!
 Good Performance from a Compact Package April 19, 2008
Mike Hall (Silicon Valley)
75 out of 75 found this review helpful
The Toshiba 40XF550U has, at this writing, been available for about a month. Here are my observations after 10 days' use br / br /This brand and model appealed to me for three reasons. First, a new widescreen TV had to fit into a cabinet that previously held a 32" Panasonic CRT (tube) TV. While a 37" LCD TV fits, bigger is definitely better and this narrow bezel Toshiba is currently the only 40" on the market whose width is comparable to most 37" TVs. Second, I wanted technology that would not become obsolete for several more years, and this TV seems to fit the bill. I judged it superior features-wise to 37" offerings from Sony, Samsung, JVC, and Sharp. Third, I wanted a "name" brand that had consistently good ratings for performance and reliability from independent reviewers like Consumer Reports and techie users on avforum.com. br / br /PROS br /Nicely executed cutting-edge technology. Toshiba's 2008 top of the line 40" LCD HDTV: 1080p resolution, 120 Hz frame rate, and 5:5 pull down with a 10 bit panel. Features go on and on and are impressive. br / br /Very high quality panel with no dead (that I could detect) or stuck pixels. It's uncertain whether the 40" panel is sourced from Samsung (generally recognized to make some of the best panels) or Sharp, though informed opinion leans towards Samsung. My set was assembled in Mexico. br / br /Excellent picture, with good color and black levels (some techies think blacks could be slightly better, but I'm impressed). Subjectively, the picture is superb in HD; perhaps a similar Sony or Samsung's picture would "pop" slightly more (I've always been impressed with Sony picture processing). I have detected flashlighting on black backgrounds like movie credits. Haven't fiddled with the default settings, but there seems some green push. However, haven't seen any ghosting, banding, or motion blur (shouldn't with 120 Hz refresh). This set, though, is not used for gaming. br / br /Living in the San Francisco bay area with numerous broadcast stations around, I prefer freeview over-the-air (OTA) to cable and satellite. Standard definition (SD) from OTA analog broadcasting sources, if strong signals, is surprisingly good - the equal if not slightly better than the old Panny. Old VCR tapes and SD broadcasts, when recorded on, dare I admit it, a VCR, are also surprisingly good. Note, though, that this TV (as most any HDTV) will struggle with weak analog broadcast signals, generating a grainy picture. Of course, all analog broadcasting will be history in a few months. (Digital OTA broadcast signals are subject to the "cliff effect" - if the signal's weak, you'll just get a bluescreen.) br / br /The digital tuner is fine, but not as sensitive as a Samsung's I tested last year. Note that digital broadcasts are largely in the UHF part of the spectrum, so an existing UHF antenna might be adequate. See [...] for more information. Reception problems in my area are largely solved by adding a signal amplifier (both the Philips 24DB Dual Output Vhf/uhf/fm Amplifier and more expensive Motorola 484095-001-00 Signal Booster worked equally well). So if you have a good existing UHF antenna try a signal amplifier before investing in a new one. Note that VHF antennas are still good for analog channels 2 through 13 but useless for digital. br / br /Audio: pretty typical, meaning not superb but adequate. Mute button gives half-mute and full mute. Full mute is complete. br / br /For the most part, well-engineered, solidly built, and elegant form factor. It's hard to tell from pictures posted on the net, but this set has a thin and shiny black frame (bezel) with a stainless band about " thick set back from the outer edge (can't see it facing on). The lower part of the speaker strip at the bottom is a dark silver color. br / br /Judging from my set and early adopter comments at avforum (see some really thoughtful and technical reviews and comments there on this line of products from Toshiba) this model seems nicely put together from both an engineering and manufacturing quality control standpoint. br / br /CONS br /The remote control is a bit clunky and not up to the design standards of the TV in my opinion (I like Samsung's so much better). No separate buttons for input sources. No separate audio button, though there is a picture size button. It's as though the remote was an after-thought or farmed out to a junior design team. br / br /Some users have complained that custom preferences for input sources can be lost under some circumstances - if true, this can be fixed with a firmware upgrade. I haven't yet been able to do a global turn-off of the annoying closed-captioning that sticks. br / br /NOTES br /You can dim the bottom blue light if desired from the menu. The two-pronged power cord is not detachable from the set. br / br /Toshiba's product literature has been inconsistent about the 40XF550U's dimensions - a very important consideration for those placing in entertainment center cabinets. I can confirm they are: 36.77 inches (934 mm) width, 25.3" (632 mm) height w/stand, and 12.1" (130 mm) depth w/stand. Toshiba customer service is 1-800-575-5469. br / br /The set is not as tightly and securely packed as the Samsung that I reviewed last year. The box can be easily opened by popping 4 plastic tabs at the bottom (my set had a hand smudge on the top and the seller told me that freight companies routinely open the boxes to make sure all is OK !; I can't confirm the veracity of this statement but try to convince your seller to securely seal it before shipping). The TV has a loose cover over it, and is accompanied by a sealed plastic packet with serial number label on it containing user's guide, remote, and AA batteries. An included sealed and (finally) well-packed box contains the stand, also with serial number sticker. br / br /Finally, I recommend checking with your credit card providers before purchasing. My Amex and MasterCard credit cards double Toshiba's 1 year parts and labor in-home warranty. My VISA does not. br /
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