Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV
Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV
Product by Zenith
Product model Z37LZ5D
Ever dated the local beauty queen and wondered how long she’ll last on your arm? That is how I feel about my brand new Zenith 37LZ5D LCD TV. If you heard a rumor that HD technology was invented by Zenith Corporation you’ll believe it after watching live sports in HD on this TV. I have owned mine for only a week.
All of my TV sets leading to the HD-TV have been Zeniths (including the Advanced System 3), as are my VCR and DVD (DVB312) players. Because all have performed well for years I was inclined to look for another Zenith (yes, one with the “Z” logo) when it came time to buy an HD-TV. Also, I thought they’ll all be easy to manage with one remote control. But Zenith TVs appear no longer available in Chicago area stores and I was hesitant to buy online. It’ll be smart to see one in demonstration before purchasing. And so for three years I kept visiting TV showrooms hoping for Zeniths, and checking the Amazon.com website to see if this 37 inch HD was still available (I read the earlier reviews over and over).
Finally I ordered this HD-TV online from Amazon. It was delivered Thursday by a service that ensured it works. We connected it to the RCN digital cable box, tuned in to the standard (now digital) stations and I was not impressed. Well, must I rent an HD cable box and pay for that each month? Perhaps. So, Friday I ordered the HD box to be delivered Saturday (college football day). Michigan versus W. Michigan looked so horrible I knew I was doing something wrong. I called cable guy back and learned a few things (e.g., I’m supposed to watch HD stations, not the digital). And what an unbelievable difference!
I will tell you that I have not seen an HD-TV in any of the showrooms (including Best Buy) to date that shows better live action than this Zenith. Remember the old Memorex commercial, “Is it live or is it Memorex?”? That is the question I’ve been asking so far. I suspect that blue ray video will look truly scary on it (is there a Zenith blu-ray DVD player?).
A complaint will be that one shade of blue gets to be a bit much in some settings (e.g. in a concert DVD where blue light is used prominently). But perhaps I’m comparing the HD to the Advanced System 3. Or is it rather that for years the AS3 TV cheated me out of colors as they were truly projected unto the concert stage and I didn’t know it until now? Another will be that it has only one HDMI input where other TVs have two or three. (Many consumers are very satisfied with “component” inputs).
It’s truly sad that Zenith has now gone to LG. Even so, why not just sell some products (with the “Z”) widely as before? After all LG uses Zenith technology.
Must you own an HD (or a Jaguar)? Not if your standard definition TV (or shiny Buick) is awesome. Is it worth the investment? You bet it is. To borrow from Janis Joplin, “you know you got it if it makes you feel good”. HD is a sports nut “must have”.
Note: I’ve learnt quickly that not all commercials on HD stations are filmed in HD, and also that some recorded programs on HD stations may actually be in standard definition. Also that HDTV is best paired with HD-DVD or blue ray DVD player; not great with your standard VCR. Due to aspect ratio differences, etc. among video equipment buyers of large TV must be prepared to upgrade related gadgets as well. [...]
Update- September 21, 2009
It’s now two weeks since I took delivery of my Zenith HDTV. And I have come to know more about HD and its accessories. Ideally we should all own two sets of TVs and video disc players- the standard definition player for the SDTV and a blu-ray player to pair with the HDTV. That’s because if you’re like me you already own 300 SD DVDs and are not thinking of replacing all with blu-ray versions. Only a blu-ray/HD player plus blu-ray/HD disc will best display HD images on the HDTV. Fortunately there is a happy medium and that’s where up-conversion comes in.
The up-conversion standard definition player, even with progressive scan, was NOT invented to deliver HD images but rather NEAR HD quality images. And while any DVD player can be paired with an HDTV the up-conversion player will do much better than the Standard Def. player. Of course, a blu-ray player is backward-compatible with Stan. Def. discs, but will only enhance them, not make them true HD.
What if your HDTV has only one HDMI input like mine has, and your HD cable box is already connected through that input? An ideal solution is to find a player which up-converts by composite cable (an HDMI switch is another solution). And these days those players are rare (for licensing/legal reasons).
Fortunately I just found the Zenith DVB318 (in mint condition) for sale on E-bay. It’s one of the rare up-conversion by component cable players that made it to market several years back. It has now replaced my DVB312. The color deep blue is more natural (rich but less saturated) in concert DVDs. It’s also best to play a disc in its original aspect ratio on a large screen, and I am one happy consumer.
Note: For up-conversion you must press the u/c button BEFORE inserting a disc and closing the tray.
Update 2- October 5, 2009: Component Cable
A reviewer recommended the older Monster component cable MV2CV (now only .00) and I bought that to replace the newer Monster cable M850CV. He is so right. I now have an even better picture with less blue saturation. Contrary to some opinion the cable indeed does matter.
Feature Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV
- 37 Inch LCD With Intergrated HDTV
- 1200:1 High Contrast Ratio
- 1366 x 768 High Resolution
- S Video, A/V and PC Inputs
- 63.10 Lbs. (WxLxH) 5.40″ x 41.80″ x 26.60″
Overview Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV
Enjoy the crystal clear imagery of high-definition television with the 37-inch Zenith Z37LZ5D LCD TV, which features built-in analog/digital/digital cable tuners (NTSC/ATSC/QAM) that will receive free over-the-air HDTV signals (ATSC) and HDTV signals from a cable connection (QAM). More than just a high-quality TV, the set’s PC inputs also make it equally suitable for home offices. It also incorporates IPS (In Plane Switching) to prevent distortion to brightness, contrast, and color when viewing the TV at a wide angle. It comes with a table-top stand (optional VESA-compatible wall-mounting kit available).
This LCD TV provides a 1366 x 768-pixel native resolution for a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio for optimal letterbox movie watching and compatibility with 1080p/720p/480p/480i HD formats. It also offers an extra-wide 178-degree viewing angle, super-fast 8ms (millisecond) response time that’s great for watching sports, 600 cd/m2 (candela per square meter) brightness rating, and 1200:1 contrast ratio. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a TV’s ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.)
The Z37LZ5D performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too–a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture. A 3D comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character’s striped T-shirt). Other convenience features include three modes of color temperature adjustment, seven modes of aspect ratio adjustment, custom channel labels, on/off and sleep timers, V-Chip parental controls, and tri-lingual menus (English, French, Spanish).
The 30-watt stereo audio system (two 15-watt speakers) delivers ample sound for sports and movies, and it can also provide SRS TruSurround XT virtual surround sound. It offers the following video and audio connections:
- Composite AV (RCA) In: 1 (1 rear, 1 side)
- Composite AV (RCA) Out: 1
- S-Video In: 2 (1 rear, 1 side)
- Component Video In (Y PB PR): 2
- HDMI In: 1
- RF In: 2
- VGA PC input: 1
- Optical Audio Out: 1
- PC sound (1/8″): 1
Tech Talk
HDMI — HDMI makes an uncompressed digital RGB connection from the source to the screen. By eliminating conversion to an analog signal, it delivers an unblemished image. The non-degraded signal reduces flicker and leads to a clearer picture. HDMI intelligently communicates the highest output resolution with the source device. The HDMI input is fully backward compatible with DVI sources but includes digital audio. HDMI uses HDCP copy protection.
What’s in the Box
LCD TV, remote control (with batteries), table stand, printed operating instructions
Specifications Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV
Focused on the digital future Zenith continues a proud heritage of leadership in home entertainment products. Zenith is a leader in digital television technologies.PRODUCT FEATURES:Zenith Electronics’ LCD display technology delivers the industry’s best viewing angles, superior image clarity, color and brightness;High-resolution format produces extremely detailed imagery;Super IPS Technology allows for distortion-free viewing from almost any angle;1200:1 High Contrast Ratio brings out subtle color differences and provides rich detailed imagery;600 cd/m? High Brightness renders an incredibly bright picture, even in light-drenched environments;HDMI provides an uncompressed transfer of high definition video from a digital video source to a digital display device. HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) ensures copy protection of the content;Multiple inputs for DVD players, VCRs, computers and video game systems or HD sources such as set-top boxes.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 26, 2009 16:44:03
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