For people who want to read any long descriptions, I have asked the summary at the beginning. Evaluation was based on the school marks system, from very good = 1 to 6. Use = Terrible is the TV with the integrated cable tuner (cable Germany) and DSL access 16000er. Please keep in mind that the assessment is purely subjective. Everyone has different priorities and demands.
-Bildqualität Cable Digital SD: 2
-Bildqualität Cable Digital HD: 2+
-Bildqualität Wired: 4
Remote control: 4 (chunky, top heavy because of batteries front, too long)
-Bedienungs Speed: 5 (20 seconds at power up to 5 seconds for service change, general inertia in menus, Toshiba Places and HbbTV)
Total ergonomics: 4
FURNISHINGS / functionality: 3
-hbbTV: 5 (due to bugs in fast forward at ARD and ZDF and reproducible crashes in inertia when navigating)
-Internet: 5 (No free browser access, Toshiba Places to slow, awkward, too little interesting content, and priority to premium content)
-Anti Glare of the display: 3 (Reflects not as strong as for example some current LG or Philips equipment, but can interfere with unfavorable lighting)
-Price / Quality: 2 (cheaper price, but lack of 3D glasses and wireless stick supplied into account)
Toshiba service: 5 (response to request after 1 week, advertised without answers to the questions, for mid-May update still not available)
Who:
-an HbbTV and Internet undemanding provides,
--SiCH at the partly pronounced inertia of the unit does not interfere,
-the bulky remote control and partly complicated operation in purchase takes,
-on the advertised Toshiba USB recording function can do without until further notice, (available since 2.8.2012, see "Update 1" at the bottom)
-In cable operation (KD) on the HD channel "Das Erste HD" and "arte HD" until further notice may be waived. (Fixed since 3.9.2012, see "Update 2" at the bottom)
-3D And wireless does not use, or the additional cost of approximately 90 EUR for it is not afraid,
receiving an otherwise well-functioning, competitive televisions, with a good image quality, some useful features and an elegant design subjectively.
Amazon Rating:
5 stars should, in my opinion, just get a device that is almost perfect and has a few minor flaws. That can not offer the Toshiba with the best intentions. Also for 4 stars, it is sufficient in my opinion, not quite, because the Toshiba has a total too many restrictions or shortcomings in various areas. Perhaps a firmware update brings some improvements, but after my previous impression of the Toshiba Service and the problems that the previous series customers still have, I would not necessarily count on. (Rating was changed from 3 to 4 stars, see "Update 3" at the bottom)
The Toshiba is no television at a bargain price, but a good choice if you can live with those limitations. His greatest asset is the image quality.
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Here are some detailed impressions:
Speed:
For the impatient the TV is a bit of a challenge. He required from power, to the visible image about 20 seconds. To switch the programs, directly via the numeric keys: about 5 seconds on the P key (arrow keys to the transmitter sequentially up- or downshift): about 3 seconds from the station list: 2 seconds. About the channel list it is theoretically the fastest, but you just have to press the button every time in addition to the channel list and select a channel.
Menu:
Even the menu does not always respond quickly to the remote control. Overall, however, is still acceptable. Unpleasant I find the somewhat cumbersome structure of the menus. Compared to the menu such as the direct competitors Samsung ES6300 realize how much clearer and easier that might be. There is no playful, animated icons, but everything is factually and clearly arranged in a "table" and also works more smoothly.
Image Quality:
Image quality is one of the pluses of Toshiba. Although the factory settings of the image were not my cup of tea, especially the colors were too saturated. But if you have set the settings in the menu to their own taste, the image is a true pleasure. Digital (cable) programs can already see in standard definition good. Analogue programs are tolerable, but not a real pleasure. Those looking for problems, will find significant effects flashlight and also Clouding the picture dark. But that falls mainly on only when you consciously paying attention and sensitized in this respect. Also reflections of the display may interfere with unfavorable lighting. However, while Toshiba is the reflection compared eg to the current LG and Philips equipment, still bearable. In "TV-everyday" these problems are for me personally largely theoretical. It outweighs the good image impression.
Sound / Audio connection:
Like most current TV also has the Toshiba a very unbalanced, thin sound, which often leaves you wishing for the connection of an external amplifier / speaker. He could indeed an optical, but unfortunately no analog audio output at which a one, often extant, older amplifiers without optical input connect. One solution is the headphone jack, where you can connect an amplifier. There are at Toshiba usefully the menu option to turn the TV speakers, despite headphones are connected (or amplifier). So you are not forced to the amplifier always turn on or deduct on-the plug into the headphone jack if you want to hear on the TV speakers. For good sound, as movies, you can adjust the volume easily via the switched amplifier and in normal TV, you can leave off the amplifier and adjust the volume as usual via the FB of the TV.
Remote Control:
The remote control is cumbersome for large hands and for little hands to use with one hand barely. It is not only bulky (thick of 5 mm to 3 cm, about 24 cm long and 5 cm wide), but also relatively heavy and also very top-heavy because the two AA Mignon batteries are located at the front. The keyboard arrangement is otherwise fine. Many important functions have their own key and are thus easy access.
Position of the connections:
The side ports (1x HDMI, 2x USB, 1x 3.5mm headphone, CI) and the switches for volume, programs and on / off, located on the back, about 13 cm from the left edge toward the center of the TV. So do not reach really good if the TV is not free, or hanging. The remaining terminals go straight away to the rear. Whether that is a problem with the wall mounting, I can not judge. For me, he is on a low board.
USB ports / Media Player:
If you have connected to one of the two USB ports a stick, or a hard disk, you will by default be noted every time you turn on the TV, that a store was found and asked if you now want to open the Media Player this. This annoying in the long run you can turn off automatic kindly. The media player has its own button on the remote control is so open quickly and need not this automatic. So far I have had no problems with the player when playing various video formats. Subtitles are displayed but not always accurate. Navigating through a disk with many files is cumbersome.
Tuning:
The tuning is basically not a problem. You can choose whether you want to search for digital or analogue channels, or both. Encrypted stations can not be excluded in the search. Complete search for analogue and digital stations is completed by an estimated 10 minutes. Then you have a list of the channels found. From then on, it is very inconvenient. On my cable connection about 300 digital channels were found, most of which are encrypted. Through these 300 stations must then work to find the receivable and move it to the desired location. This is very tedious and annoying.
Sorting channels:
The Order of transmitters is in most current TVs no pleasure, but when it becomes a non-Toshiba also relieved at all. Some other manufacturers, there is, for example, the possibility of the program lists to store the TV on a USB flash drive as a text file and then sort on a PC with an appropriate program and to transfer back to the TV. This possibility does not exist with this Toshiba unfortunately. Although you can save the program list as a file on a USB stick, but only as bin files, which can be read by any list editor on the so-called hotel-clone mode. (A list editor is now available, see "Update 3" at the bottom)
Another problem with the cable box: The "Das Erste HD" and "arte HD" programs are indeed found in service search, but disappear after a maximum of one day from the list and will no longer be found during manual search. Only a complete channel search, with the loss of the station sorting laboriously created, it brings back to the fore. In fact, so you have to give up these two stations until further notice and with the "not HD" versions to make do. This is related that some time ago the transmission frequencies of these stations have been changed, unfortunately the Toshiba Tuner not programmed smart enough to take this into account. With a Sony TV in the same cable connection, the problem does not exist.
Internet / Toshiba Places:
Free internet access, via a browser, there is not at Toshiba. About the so-called "Toshiba Places", you can access a range of pre-defined "Internet content", which are divided according to specific topics such as TV, Video, News, Social. Behind it often also hide its premium offerings. In addition to the well-known content, such as YouTube, Facebook and max cathedrals, the Toshiba Places is a Sammelsorium of different content that personally arouse any interest in me. Even if one should find there interesting content, you probably will very quickly lose the pleasure in this offer because of the complicated and very sluggish operation. The priority seems to be in paid content there. On me makes the whole the impression of a half-hearted attempt by Toshiba to generate more revenue. On the other hand would not object if it were at least integrated so that it is easily available for the customer and also really meaningful and interesting content offers. For me personally, the Toshiba Places are superfluous. A sensible Internet use does not offer the Toshiba at least for me so.
HbbTV:
HbbTV has on "Setup -> Hybrid TV Standard -> Preferences" to be activated. Function: If you want to, for example, open the library of ARD, you change first to a German station and then open with the red button on the remote control library. In the library that's navigate back very tough, you have to be very patient when you press the keys. Limited will use additionally by 2 Bugs: Forward is only limited in the ARD media library, or even impossible. In the ZDF library programs can not be completely looked over about 40 minutes in length, because after this time the videos are aborted reproducible.
Style:
Personally, I think the design succeeded for. The narrow silver framework is made of plastic, but does not look cheap. Overall, I would describe as the design simple and elegant.
Price-Performance Ratio:
The TV is favorable for the performance offered, no question. Supplied as standard, however, neither a 3D glasses nor a wireless flash drive is included. Do I need both, then around 90 EUR are again due. Thus, the pricing gap with the competitors, such as Samsung 46ES6300 reduced significantly already. The P / L ratio of Toshiba's good, but not as overwhelming as it may seem at first glance.
Operating Instructions:
The included, printed manual is not much more than a quick start guide. For detailed instructions, you must download at Toshiba (toshiba-om.net/).
Toshiba service:
On the Toshiba website for a firmware update in mid-May, it was announced by the USB recording function, which is also described in the manual, should be submitted. This update is now, in mid-July, is still not available. I had contacted the service reason and because of the problems with HbbTV and the transmitters, which disappear from the program list, e-mail. Answer came about a week later. On the questions were not addressed, it was only told what was previously known: There should be an update, but it is not yet clear when and what problems are eliminated with it. So you can start absolutely nothing as a customer. Anyone who reads the reports in forums on the previous series of Toshiba (TL863), unfortunately, must also notice that Toshiba customers waiting on solutions for some significant problems for these devices.
Alternatives:
I had set up the Samsung 40ES6300 recently the opportunity and test. Although the Samsung can not do everything, but a lot better than the Toshiba. The operation, including the remote control is much more pleasant and smoother. Overall, he seems thoughtful and mature. 2 (simple) 3D glasses and functioning wireless without extra stick included. There are no serious bugs, such as the Toshiba. In the image quality has the nose of Toshiba, in my opinion, slightly forward and he's also a bit cheaper. Anyone interested in the Toshiba, I recommend to compare before buying, for example with the Samsung.
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UPDATE 1:
Since 2.8.2012, a firmware update via the update function of the TV is available. The main change is the addition of the announced USB recording function.
The USB recording now works correctly. By pressing the Rec button (at the bottom of the FB) you can start recording immediately. Images can easily plan on the program guide.
The menu may disks / USB sticks for the recording set (formatting). It even smaller sticks are accepted (4GB work eg), which is very commendable, as other television partly only accept minimum size from 32 GB. In addition, leading and trailing periods for receiving planning (3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45 minutes) and the maximum length, and the maximum memory size for timeshift recordings can be set in the menu.
Overall, I think the function very well implemented. Only one gripe I have: In order to play the recorded files, you have to go through the slow cumbersome menu.
Other changes in the update: The problems with crashes in the ZDF media library no longer seem to be present. Forward in the ARD media library still does not. Unfortunately, the channel "Das Erste HD" and "arte HD" disappear continues from the channel list, after you have performed a channel scan.
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UPDATE 2:
Since 3.9.2012 a new update for the TL963 / TL933 is available. You can import it directly via the update function of the TV, or on the download page toshiba-om.net and install via USB.
As far as I could see so far, the update "Das Erste HD" and "arte HD" fixes the problem of storing channels in the transmitters with cable operation (cable Germany). These two stations have not yet been saved permanently. With the new update these stations are now stored in the station list. I find that very gratifying as the waiver of these HD channels previously counted for me to major annoyances of Toshiba.
Otherwise, I can find no other changes by the update until now. Unfortunately, there are Toshiba itself no information about what changes or improvements have been made. It would be for the customer important to assess before installing what advantage an update. Because, as you can read in some posts here on Amazon, or even in the HiFi Forum, led an update with some owners of the TL963 (933) to a repair case. An element of risk is always present when an update would be all the more important accurate information of the manufacturer before the update.
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UPDATE 3:
The Channel Editor "ToshibaEdit", the Toshiba has presented on 10.10.2012, it is now finally possible to easily sort the channel list on the PC. This makes it easier to set up the TV clearly.
Here, Toshiba tool before: de.consumer.toshiba.eu/de/articles/standard/channeleditor There you can find the link to the search engine and PDF with detailed operating instructions.
Small snag: The tool only works with digital channels. Analog transmitters must continue to be sorted manually on the TV.
Amazon Rating: I own the TV now for 4 months. During the period, there have been 2 firmware updates and the channel editor ToshibaEdit was presented. So some of my criticisms have become dispelled. That's why I think that the Amazon 3 star television are no longer appropriate and have changed my rating to 4 stars. The biggest drawback for me the TV remains its inertia and partly cumbersome operation.
