Is Sanyo really that bad?

[boredomHD]

I always hear people on this thread and elsewhere complaining that they are poor quality televisions. I bought a 32" one on a good sale at Walmart for $299 to see how it works. I have plugged up a Sony BDP-S360 and the PQ and AQ is pretty great (Even compared to the 37" Samsung in the den) So why is there so much hate for these televisions? I don't understand because there hasn't been any problems for me.

[McGarnigal]

If you're happy with it- then i think you have your answer. If alot of people on this site are starting their hunt for a bigger display, its safe to say Sanyo isnt the first place their mind would wonder, but thats not the end of the world.

[boredomHD]

Yes I would admit that If were to invest in a television above 40" I would probably look elsewhere, but I was expecting something poor with this television but it is not bad at all. What has caused people to think this? I needed a 32" or something smaller for my bedroom and I got a television for only $299. I expected to return it, but the PQ and AQ is no less that what my Samsung offers.

[McGarnigal]

a 32" for $299, is prety sweet, and im sure the picture is pretty nice. If you went bigger for your main room say 42" or so, you might have more to complain about. Why? Cause Wal-mart is pretty much the main sanyo distributor and they'd pretty much hold sanyo to a giant order of large tvs at a a certain price point. This would mean sanyo would have to skimp certain features and specs that other companies would have more leisure to take with their retail availability and pricing structure.

[Bargainhunter]

I have a 42'' Sanyo LCD TV and it works great! Sanyo just doesn't get much publicity because their sold primarily at Wal-Mart.

[Monkey_Boy]

"Sanyo" always takes my mind back to that Simpsons episode where they went to the Outlet Mall in Ogdenville to get a new tv and Homer sees a "genuine Panaphonics" along with a "Magnetbox" and "Sorny".

[D1-2005]

Sanyo makes great projectors, i wonder if it is the same division thats makes their tv's?

[seeweda]

I doubt anyone has said that Sanyo makes crap TVs my parents first TV was a Sanyo and it lasted 20+ years though that was in the tube days.

The reason Sanyo gets no love on this site is because most of the people here are videophiles and Sanyo just does not have the same contrast ratios and other features the other well liked brands have. I would buy a Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba & Sharp set before I bought a Sanyo, but I would probably buy a Sanyo before I bought a Daewoo, LG, Westinghouse, Vizio, Insignia, Philips or Polaroid.

[steve1971]

Sanyo is a good tv that dont get much publicty due to its sold at stores like Walmart, Target ect. I always have said if it looks good to you and your happy with it thats all that matters in the end.

[MrFattBill]

Originally Posted by seeweda

...but I would probably buy a Sanyo before I bought a Daewoo, LG, Westinghouse, Vizio, Insignia, Philips or Polaroid.

Before an LG?

Bill

[boredomHD]

Originally Posted by seeweda

The reason Sanyo gets no love on this site is because most of the people here are videophiles and Sanyo just does not have the same contrast ratios and other features the other well liked brands have. I would buy a Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba & Sharp set before I bought a Sanyo, but I would probably buy a Sanyo before I bought a Daewoo, LG, Westinghouse, Vizio, Insignia, Philips or Polaroid.

I agree with the other brands, but Toshiba? I had a Toshiba HDTV in my bedroom before the Sanyo, and I was waiting to replace it forever. The tv started up at an extremely slow pace, it took forever to change inputs, the picture isn't as nice as the Sanyo (same size television), it made weird noises for five minutes after it was powered off, and it only had one HDMI input. I would never advise buying a Toshiba HDTV.

[J.H.]

No way over LG,No way!

[boredomHD]

To the poster above me, you are saying that because you probably own a LG HDTV. I don't know which is better. My experience with the Sanyo has been great, but I really haven't seen a LG HDTV in use with blu-ray, etc. You say "no way!" but how do you know? Do you have any reliable statistics? Have you compared the two brands of hdtvs yourself? Have you performed or read of any reliable tests? Or are you just defending your own television?

[callas01]

My wife Grandmother has a Sanyo 720p TV and I have tried to calibrate it and make it look nice, but it is just OK. My Samsungs and the Vizio in my daughters' room looks better then her Sanyo. She is happy watching Free Willy on VHS, so why would I mess with that.

She has never had any issues with her little TV, and for her its great. Personally I wouldn't buy one, but I wouldn't knock anyone for whatever they decide to buy. IMO, if it is what you can afford and YOU are happy with it. Rock On.

[lojack1976]

Originally Posted by boredomHD

To the poster above me, you are saying that because you probably own a LG HDTV. I don't know which is better. My experience with the Sanyo has been great, but I really haven't seen a LG HDTV in use with blu-ray, etc. You say "no way!" but how do you know? Do you have any reliable statistics? Have you compared the two brands of hdtvs yourself? Have you performed or read of any reliable tests? Or are you just defending your own television?

No offense man, but LG has one of the best LED LCD's out right now....the 55LH90. This is a highly coveted set that sells out on a regular basis, and the new line of LED LCD's from LG are on the way with the new edge-lit models already available and the local dimming ones coming soon. They are also the number three manufacturer of plasmas which are also very good TVs. If you want some professional feedback you can look at Chad B.'s reviews on his site HERE. He is an ISF calibrator who has been in the business for years and he is very highly respected.

I wouldn't knock Sanyo since I do know that they make very good projectors, and I can't say that I've ever been offended by the pictures that their TV's produce when browsing around Walmart. Being that they only sell their TVs in discount department stores I just wouldn't expect them produce the picture of a high end set just like I don't expect Vizio to either. That doesn't in any way lead me to believe that they make junk though, and I've seen a lot of other discount brands produce far worse pictures.

Even some of the better known brands like Toshiba don't impress me, but yes LG is definitely a better TV manufacturer than Sanyo although I think that is because Sanyo is only interested in the budget market while LG has aggressively gone after some of the mid to higher end market. I'm sure if Sanyo put its resources into higher end sets they could make some very good products. I'm sure they are doing very well off of the budget market though, and its not like these are bad products by any means.

[boredomHD]

Originally Posted by callas01

My wife Grandmother has a Sanyo 720p TV and I have tried to calibrate it and make it look nice, but it is just OK. My Samsungs and the Vizio in my daughters' room looks better then her Sanyo. She is happy watching Free Willy on VHS, so why would I mess with that.

Just curious to know what you mean by "calibrating?" Was this done properly with a computer etc, or do you mean messing around with the settings? I had my Samsung calibrated professionally and it still is not producing a more impressive picture than my uncalibrated Sanyo, and it's 5 inches larger. I can't comment on Vizio, for I have no idea what they look like. Remember, I am just commenting on my 32" here because I don't know how their larger end sets look. However, I can tell you from owning this television and the higher end brands at this size (Samsung) there is zero difference in picture and audio quality. There isn't a single notable difference, and the settings menu on the Sanyo is more user friendly than the Samsung as well. I'm not arguing that Sanyo makes the best televisions in the world, but I do believe that buying a samsung, sony, etc. at 32" or less is a waste of money because the Sanyo is offering just as good of a performance for almost half the price. Other's remarks have driven me away from this televisions, and I'm just saying that what I've heard really isn't true, at least for their smaller sizes. Just because something is sold at Walmart doesn't mean it is low grade.

[callas01]

I have never had any of my tvs professionally, I just do it by my eyes, I have pretty keen eyesite and even both my brothers(46", 52" sonys), my buddy(52" sony), Father in law(42" Vizio), grandmother in law(32" Sanyo), sister in law(50" Vizio plasma), and a few other had me do theirs with excellent results to PQ.

There are many people that have said that after professional ISF calibration the PQ looked dull and 'worse' then before. Perhaps thats what you saw.

I have 2 32" tvs, one a samsung, one a Vizio, I have a 40" samsung, my TVs all look better then her Sanyo. I do believe that buying higher end brands leads to higher end PQ results. That would be like saying, I don't believe the Marantz receivers will provide better SQ over an Insignia receiver. Look perhaps, like Vizio, Sanyos are getting better.. I don't know. Her Sanyo is 3 years old. So is my Samsung 40", and I will say after house sitting there on 3 seperate occasions that I do know that the PQ of her TV is not as good as mine.

But as I said to finish my last post.

She has never had any issues with her little TV, and for her its great. Personally I wouldn't buy one, but I wouldn't knock anyone for whatever they decide to buy. IMO, if it is what you can afford and YOU are happy with it. Rock On.

[jk1138]

I have the 52" Sanyo from Wal-Mart, are there better TV's? Yes. Are there better TV's in the same price range? Well maybe for a few hundred more. Overall I am happy with mine, so much that we bought a 42" for the bed room. They are not top of the line, but by no means the bottom. I would place them as high on the low end to low on the middle end of LCDs. But it all depends on what you think of your won set. Someday I would like to get a better one, but with this economy I will stick with what I have for as long as I can. And hey, before this I had a 36" Sony Trinitron, a great TV for its day, but nothing compared to the HD Sanyo, it was a step up for us, a big step.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by jk1138

I have the 52" Sanyo from Wal-Mart, are there better TV's? Yes. Are there better TV's in the same price range? Well maybe for a few hundred more. Overall I am happy with mine, so much that we bought a 42" for the bed room. They are not top of the line, but by no means the bottom. I would place them as high on the low end to low on the middle end of LCDs. But it all depends on what you think of your won set. Someday I would like to get a better one, but with this economy I will stick with what I have for as long as I can. And hey, before this I had a 36" Sony Trinitron, a great TV for its day, but nothing compared to the HD Sanyo, it was a step up for us, a big step.

awesome, it seems as if you made a wise financially based purchased that you are extremely happy with, and that is what really matter.

[jk1138]

Originally Posted by callas01

awesome, it seems as if you made a wise financially based purchased that you are extremely happy with, and that is what really matter.

That’s all I am saying, I do not need the best, but do not berate someone who can afford it, and I AM happy with what I have.