# Buy VIZIO VO320E 32-Inch ECO 720p LCD HDTV VO320E
That title has two meanings. This bargain 720p HDTV can be made to display a very good picture, but not if you ‘obey’ Vizio’s instruction manual. You will pay a big penalty if you fall for Vizio’s green marketing baloney.
It appears that all TV manufacturers adjust their picture controls at the factory to make their displays stand out in a lineup on a shelf in the store. Often that creates a picture which at home is inaccurate, too bright, too contrasty, over sharpened, etc. Thus any new TV must be ‘calibrated’ to produce a picture that correctly reproduces the video signal it receives. Sure enough, Vizio does that with the VO320E too. But that makes it draw more current. So during the initial setup routine the manual advises you to select the “Home Mode” rather than “Retail Mode,” to “give you the opportunity to save energy.” It says nothing about any effect on picture quality. So, good (and penny-pinching) citizen that I am, I dutifully punched in Home Mode before proceeding, a few days later, with calibrating the set using the Digital Video Essentials (DVE) system. When I finished the picture indeed looked pretty good… at night in a very dimly lit room. But in daylight it was lousy–dim, dull, and washed out. An unpleasant surprise, since a review of inexpensive LCDs in the October, 2009 issue of Consumer Reports had graded the VO320E’s picture as “excellent.” By then I had forgotten about that “Home”/”Retail” toggle, which doesn’t appear in the VO320E’s regular picture-tuning menus. After considerable fussing with brightness, contrast, color and other controls, often in flagrant violation of what DVE advised, I was about ready to return the set–which I bought for our brightly illuminated kitchen–when I realized that, duh, a little more juice might make a difference. And it did–a big difference. But I wish that Visio would admit the dirty trick they used in order to put “ECO” in the VO320E’s name.
So, set it up in the “Retail” mode and the VO320 (I presume that eliminates the “E”) will indeed deliver an excellent picture. Not up to the quality of a 46″ 1080p 120 or 240 Hz set, but fine for a second or third TV, and costing much less. It is light, easy to mount on a wall, and visually attractive–surprisingly unobtrusive for its size, and a thin strip of chrome along its bottom edge adds a neat touch of class. Vizio is to be commended for providing a printed 67-page manual that is all in (reasonably clear and non-geeky) English–although it does not manufacture the VO320E in the United States as another reviewer claims (at least my set says it was made in China). The ‘calibration’ process (Vizio calls it “fine tuning”) is simple and straight forward, at least if you don’t try to use DVE, and most of the controls’ default settings proved to be nearly correct when checked with DVE’s test patterns–I had to change “Color” from 50 to 45 to get a fair calibration using DVE’s red, green and blue filters, and reduce “Sharpness” from 4 to 1 (but I subsequently decided that a tad more sharpening gave the picture a little more pizzazz, despite what DVE concluded).
I hesitate to gripe about sound quality in a TV as small and inexpensive as this, but since no other Amazon reviewer has as yet done so, here goes. Plan to hook the VO320E up to some other audio device if you possibly can (fortunately, we had an old Bose CD player on a table in the same corner of the kitchen). You can turn off the VO320E’s tinny little speakers, and the “Analog Audio Out” control can be set to “Variable,” allowing the TV volume and mute controls to regulate an external audio device (a convenience that my much fancier HDTV in the family room lacks). There is even an equalizer included among the audio controls–a welcome feature since the VO320E’s audio amplifier distorts badly, apparently in an attempt to compensate for the shortcomings of its speakers.
For its price, this is a fine 32-inch HDTV. Were it not for Vizio’s Eco-prevarication, and the tinny sound, both of which are easily overcome, I would give it five stars.
Average Rating
Product Description
Add Style To Any Room The chic textured finish of this 32-Inch ECO HDTV sets it apart the pack. Consuming less energy than traditional HDTVs, it exceeds current Energy Star Guidelines by at least 15%. The High Definition resolution and 15,000:1 contrast ratio deliver an exceptional HD viewing experience in a stylish, sophisticated package. Current Version 3.0 ENERGY STAR TV products Specification require that all qualified televisions address both active and standby power (when your TV is on and off). This VIZIO HDTV meets the current minimum standards by 15% saving you money on your utility bills.
- 32″ LCD HDTV (31.51 diagonal viewing area)
- High Definition 1366 x 768 Native Resolution
- 15,000:1 Contrast Ratio for darker blacks
- 6X High Definition inputs, including 2X HDMI inputs
- Exceeds current Energy Star Guidelines by at least 15%
Great little tv – L. Williams – Atlanta, GA United States
I have had this TV for a little over a month, and really I like it, especially since I got it on sale. It was easy to set up (took maybe 15-20 minutes). Picture quality has been pretty good so far, especially through my blu ray(sony n460). I have Direct TV, but I don’t pay for HD right now, but plan to get it soon. My picture is actually pretty good now, except on my sports channels, and thats where the difference comes in. After doing much research, I came to the conclusion that for a 32 inch 1080p and 120 hz wasn’t all that necessary, but when it comes to sports it does make a difference. Fortunately Direct TV is adding more sports stations to the HD package, so that should resolve that issue. That being said, depending on your required use, this a great little tv, especially since it comes a great price point. For use with a video game console and to watch movies (either on regular tv or via blu ray or streaming video), it’s great. The TV has a lot of great features and adjustments to make it suite your specifications. Overall, it’s more than worth it’s price, and that its supposed to ECO friendly.
Old coaxial cable from my old rooftop antenna gives me free high def TV (local channels) – Marc Trevino –
I have an 20+ year old rooftop antenna which I never used once I got satellite TV. Using an old coaxial cable (the same ones we use for cable TV), I hooked up this TV to my old rooftop antenna. This TV has a coaxial cable input for this purpose.
After attaching coaxial cable and running a channel search function on TV, I got several crisp, clear, free local HD channels (including all the major networks). A decoder box was NOT necesssary (I’m assuming TV has a built in HD tuner). No special “high tech” antenna was necessary. No special “high tech” cables were necessary. I live approx 40 miles south of Chicago and I am able to get all the major networks (sometimes can’t get signal for Channel 2 CBS, which is historically a problem in my area).
This TV replaced a 27 inch RCA which I had for several years. The TV does a nice job with my standard definition satellite signal (my satellite is a digital signal, but NOT a high definition signal). I attached my satellite decoder box to TV using the s-video input on back of TV. I also attached my old DVD player using component video inputs on back of TV. I’m amazed how my standard definition satellite and an old DVD player look so much better on this TV (both in color and clarity).
The picture on this TV does get slightly “stretched” when watching satellite TV (picture stretches to fill all 4 corners). This “stretching” can be altered with different types of settings to fit your taste. Or, you can undue the “stretching” all together and watch it with a square picture. Whatever you like….it’s not a problem with this TV.
Considering the price, the picture is very nice. I use in “retail mode” like others suggested (less energy efficient). Also use “vivid” picture mode, which I think gives the nicest picture and best color.
Sound quality is good considering small speakers (sound is comparable to my old 27″ RCA). Sound is just fine for a large bedroom.
