Like Looking Out a Window

September 11th, 2008 -- by default
Source: The Perfect Vision

The Olevia 747i is the first consumer TV to incorporate Silicon Optix’s Realta HQV video-processing chip. Why is this important, you ask? All TVs have a video processor that performs essential tasks such as upscaling a standard-def signal to the TV’s much higher native resolution, and HQV does as good a job as any processor on the market. Even better, the 747i excels in just about every other area.

Features

HQV video processing is second to none.
Key parameters are factory-adjusted to optimum values rather than being too bright and too blue out of the box as with most TVs.
1:1 mode shows every pixel of a 1080i or 1080p signal.

User Interface

Remote

Illuminated, universal remote can control up to eight devices.
No direct-access input buttons; must cycle through inputs.
Many buttons are too small for large fingers.

Menu System

Non-standard menu system very confusing; a barrel-like graphic “rotates” to show different submenus and parameters.
Picture settings do not have numerical values, only a bar graph with a pointer to the previous setting.
State of on/off parameters not clear.

Recommended User Settings

Picture Mode: User
Brightness: –1 from default
Contrast: Default
Color: Default
Tint: Default
Sharpness: Min
Color Temp: 6500K
Noise Reduction: Off
Lighting Mode: Dark Room
Idea: Off

Performance

	Detail	Color	Blacks	Shadow Detail	Artifacts/Noise
HD DVD (Training Day)	Eye-popping; LA skyline razor sharp; picture had a depth I’ve rarely seen.	Sensational; colorful urban graffiti artfully rendered.	Not great; letterbox bars always apparent.	Somewhat lacking; some detail lost in dark tunnel.	Slight banding in opening sunrise, but otherwise no problems.
DVD (Star Wars V)	Spectacular; minute details on spaceships clear as can be.	Gorgeous; skin tones natural, subtle variations in white on ice planet clearly apparent.	Washed out, flat; letterbox bars always apparent.	Good, but not the best I’ve seen; differences in blacks very good in scenes of Darth Vader against dark background.	Noise virtually non-existent, no other problems noted.

Ambient Light Tolerance: Excellent thanks to TV’s high light output; poor blacks not a problem in high room light.
Viewing Angle: Not great; common problem with LCDs
Audio: About average for TV sound; not great, not horrible.

Conclusion

Very few high-definition TVs achieve that elusive sense of looking out a window, but the Olevia 747i is one of them, delivering some of the best video images I’ve seen in a while. Granted, its blacks are not as deep as I’d like, and the shadow detail is less than stellar, but these shortcomings pale in comparison to the vivid color and breathtaking detail produced by this set. If you can get past the clumsy user interface and tolerate washed-out blacks, you’ll be rewarded with an otherwise gorgeous picture. Even better, the list price is now less than half what it was when the TV was first introduced.

Olevia 747i LCD TV