Olevia 227V-211 27-inch HDTV

HDTVs are rapidly becoming the norm rather than the exception. With such new-found popularity, there are more TVs than ever to choose from. The wise consumer contemplates overall value rather than just size and brand name. Benchmark Reviews seeks out the value in HDTVs with this review of the 27-Inch 1080i Widescreen Olevia 227V-S11 LCD HDTV; a steal at just over $400. Olevia is quickly making High Definition the standard with their affordable line of HDTVs, and they aren't skimping on quality in the process.

It seems like every company that produces any type of consumer electronics is trying to jump on the HDTV bandwagon. Of the hundreds of new brand names, which is the best value? Today Benchmark Reviews will be considering the Olevia 227V-S11 27-inch LCD HDTV to see if meets the standards set by the market, both in its quality and where it hurts the most, our wallet.

The Olevia 227V-S11 is a 27-inch LCD HDTV that has helped Olevia redefine the way we look at HDTVs. LCD and Plasma screen HDTVs still seem like the newest, hottest items, despite their becoming much more popular. As such, we imagine them to be a large purchase, something that can wait, or just plain too expensive. The Olevia brand has changed all that. With the switch to DTV just around the corner, everyone is looking for the least expensive, but most valuable change for their money. Why work on getting a converter box for your old TV when a high definition, lighter, slimmer, better looking TV is available for a reasonable cost?

Now, 27-inch may be considered somewhat small in the world of brand new HDTVs, but even if you are in the market for a larger screen as your main source of high definition entertainment, you may be considering a smaller TV with that same quality picture for another room in the house. Or you may be like me, and find the picture quality on this TV to be so good that you just don't need a more expensive and bulkier set. This TV is one of the best values on the market, clocking in at just over $400.

About Syntax-Brillian

The Olevia series of HDTVs is the flagship product made by Syntax-Brillian Corporation. The company is an industry leader in the LCD HDTVs and other consumer electronics. Syntax-Brillian also owns Vivitar, a very noteworthy name in digital still picture and video cameras. Olevia's 2 series HDTVs are some of the most affordable TVs on the market today. Add to that the award-winning technology and excellent quality and you have a winner in the HDTV market.

"On November 30, 2005, privately held Syntax Groups Corporation and publicly held Brillian Corporation merged to form Syntax-Brillian Corporation. The company has a commanding presence in the future of high-definition TV: thin-film-transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) for 65-inch and smaller HDTVs for home theater and commercial HDTV applications. On November 21, 2006, Syntax-Brillian further broadened its product portfolio and distribution network with the acquisition of imaging technology pioneer, Vivitar Corporation.

Today, the company's lead products include its Olevia brand of widescreen HDTV-ready and HD built-in LCD TVs - one of the fastest growing global TV brands; and its Vivitar brand of digital still and video cameras. As a result of its award-winning products, broad sales channels, growing brand recognition and extensive patent portfolio, Syntax-Brillian is uniquely positioned to deliver quality digital entertainment and consumer electronics products to the world market. The U.S.-based company has strong Asian partnerships, well-established, global retail and distributor sales channels, and a worldwide supply chain that allows it to leverage economies of scale to deliver both outstanding quality and value.

Engineered to provide outstanding video and audio, the Olevia 2 Series displays exceptionally crisp, rich and vibrant images for any type of viewing. Each 2 Series model comes equipped with surround sound for superb home entertainment, yet can also be used for PC applications."

Olevia LCD HDTV Features

General Features: 27-inch State-of-the-Art LCD HDTV

Ease of Use: User Friendly OSD wheel, Store/Home modes control, color-coded Quick Start Guide, full user manual on CD-ROM

Director's Image
Calibrated 6500K color and a full range of brightness, contrast, color, tint, sharpness and mode controls available to tune image quality. Watch programs with the rich colors and image enhancements as the director intended.

Big Picture Technology
Advanced technology displays up to 37% more of analog images and 11% more of digital broadcast images, without distortion. See the entire broadcast, DVD or VHS image.

User Friendly On-Screen Display
Scrolling icon wheel simplifies use and features preset video and lighting modes for different environments and content types.

Firmware Upgradeable via USB
The latest software updates and quality improvements available from the Olevia website, easily uploadable to your TV through its USB port.

OleviaCare
Live, in-house technical and customer support personnel assure a total quality experience - every time.

FutureProof: User upgradeable firmware via USB to add features, keep current

Olevia 227V-S11 Specifications

Panel Active Screen Size: 27-inch

Video

Audio

I/O Port

Function

Other

Olevia 27-inch LCD HDTV Closer Look

The first thing that stands out when you see this TV is the width. That V in the model number means that the speakers are vertically mounted on the set. This adds about 5 inches to the width. This means, if you measured a space out at around 27-inch for this TV, you are going to be disappointed.

You actually need at least 32" of space to fit this. I can't complain about the speakers being mounted how they are, though. I think it adds a touch of modernity to set. Also, the sound quality is better than I would have expected from a $400 TV.

The next thing that stood out to me was the weight. As my first HDTV, I expected this to have a similar weight as my old TV. When I picked it up, however, I was quite surprised by how light it was! After a recent move, my wife actually carried in the TV and set it up. That's something I thought I'd never witness.

This TV really has a way of blending in to the room. That way, when you enter the room, the focal point doesn't end up being a giant black screen with shiny edges. When you want to watch a show or a movie, the TV becomes the perfect platform for entertainment. And when you want to keep the set off and opt for another use of the room, it stays neatly in the background where it should be.

The TV is a true HDTV. It comes with the ATSC as well as the NTSC tuner already installed. There is no need to purchase an HDTV tuner on the side, as you would have to with a lot of TVs in this price range.

Olevia 27-inch HDTV Detailed Features

The Olevia 227V offers a wide range of features that help it outpace the competition. Syntax Brillian partnered with ATi for its graphics processor in the 227V.

ATi is a household name in graphics with their long line of Radeon processors. For this TV, they used the ATi Xillion Video Processor. It offers a recommended 1366 x 768 Resolution with a 16:9 Aspect Ratio for full widescreen viewing and a 1600:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio that helps to make the picture crisp and clear.

This "no frills" set keeps it simple with the panel of buttons. Nothing too fancy here, just a sleek and slimmed down architecture. The power button emits a blue light when the set is turned off. Though it consumes less than 1w of power when turned off, this little light is very bright. Too bright in my opinion. When I had this set in the bedroom, the light was enough to illuminate the room. It was also enough to keep me awake. If you are going to keep this set where you sleep, you will want to cover the power button with something, or use a powerstrip and cut power to it completely when not in use.

You are sure to find the input source of your choice on the back of the set. Along with the standard cable input, there is an RS232 serial input. This method is hardly used anymore, but it is still included on the TV. There is a VGA input for hooking up your computer, as well as an HDMI port.

On the rear side panel you will find your audio out, component video, s-video, and standard A/V inputs. Also, down there at the bottom of this panel is a USB port for firmware upgrade. What a great little feature! Anytime the manufacturer has an update for the TV, you can go the site, download it onto a thumbdrive and upgrade the set.

Also on the back of the TV are standard wall mount holes. Since the set is small, it's no hassle hanging up.

Testing & Results

Testing Methodology

While I don't have any benchmark tests that I can run on this TV to pump some numbers and rate it against a standard, I think the most important feature of a TV or any display is how it looks. For that reason, I will be hooking this TV up to my computer, a Wii, a standard definition DVD player, and a Comcast HD cable box to see how well it performs in all categories. We'll see if all the claims are true.

Test System

• Motherboard: MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD MS-7235 REV:1.1
• System Memory: DDR2 PC2-6400 4gb
• Processor: Intel 6300 Core 2 Duo @ 1.86GHz
• Audio: Creative Labs Soundblaster Audigy
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX/9800 GTX+
• Disk Drive 1: Hitachi 160gb 7200RPM SATA
• Disk Drive 2: Seagate Barracuda 1.5tb 3.0m/s 7200RPM SATA
• Optical Drive: MAD DOG MD16X3DVD9-8X ATA
• PSU: LOGISYS Computer PS575XBK 575W ATX12V SLI Ready Power Supply
• Monitor: KTC FP-988D FujiPlus 19"
• Operating System: Windows Vista Ultimate Service Pack 1 (build 6001)

Results

First, we'll start with the standard video input from the cable and from a standard DVD player. The image quality was excellent, as is expected from standard definition on a high definition set. The only real problem I had on the standard definition side is that there are only one set of A/V inputs. I couldn't hook up my DVD player and my Wii using these. I had use component video cables for one of them. While that's not a big deal, if I hadn't had component video cables lying around, it would be very annoying to switch back and forth between the different input devices.

Next, I hooked the TV up to my computer to run some High Definition video. Frankly, I was amazed at the video quality. It was tough getting it up to the 1080i resolution that it touts, and the video was a little blurry at that level, but at 720p, it performed outstandingly.

Probably the biggest surprise for me was the sound quality. I turned the set up all the way and was taken aback by the clarity of sound provided. Having the speakers mounted vertically on the sides of the TV made it much easier to differentiate between the stereo channels. Obviously it's no competition for even a mediocre sound system, but I was impressed by the quality none-the-less.

Working through the menu options was a challenge. Olevia has its easy to use menu as a feature of the TV, but I found it to be a drawback. The wheel in wheel function was confusing and I pushed the wrong button too often. It was pretty frustrating. One other point of discontent that I had was that the manual is only on the CD. There is no hard copy of it. So while trying to figure out some of the options, I had to run back and forth from the living room to the office to look up something in the manual. Again, its not a huge deal, but it was a little annoying.

The 178 degree viewing angle is no joke. From one side to the other, you can see the picture clearly from any vantage point. Horizontally, that is. Looking from above or below is a different story. The picture becomes less and less visible as the vertical viewing angle increases. Of course, I don't plan on watching too much TV from under or above the set anyway.

The final turn-off for me, and it's a big one in my book, was that I could not find a code for this TV that worked with any other remote control. I looked all over the web for a solution and it looks like the 3rd generation and above TiVo remote controls will work with it, but other than that, you are looking at between $90 and $250 for a universal remote. I don't mind using two remotes all that much, but the Olevia remote died on me after a few months. So until I fork over the big bucks for a nicer remote, I have to get my lazy self up off the couch to turn up the volume.

Olevia HDTV Final Thoughts

Overall, this TV performed well above my expectations. I simply can't imagine getting a better value out of $400. The picture quality was exquisite, the size and weight fit my needs perfectly, and even the sound turned out to be better than I thought. I was hard-pressed to find some drawbacks, but there are a few. However, they in no way diminish the value of this set. Bottom line - I would recommend this set to anyone looking for great quality with a very affordable price tag.

Olevia 227-S11 HDTV Conclusion

Olevia certainly put together a great product in the 227V HDTV. The features that they promise come through as truth in almost every instance. For a first time HDTV buyer, or an experienced pro, this TV presents itself as a must-have piece of equipment; and its performance doesn't disappoint.

The TV's sleek, no-frills design makes it a wonderful addition to any room in the house. It is lightweight and comfortable, even with the extra couple of inches added on to the sides with the vertically mounted speakers. The only drawback to its modern appearance is the blindingly bright blue LED on the power button when the TV is on standby.

This 27-inch TV is very well built. It is sturdy in spite of its light weight. In a recent move, the TV performed spectacularly when faced with the imposing threat of uncaring movers. When unpacking the truck, I found the TV under a mountain of other boxes, but thankfully, and somewhat surprisingly, it was unharmed. In fact, the only part of the construction and build of this set that I can complain about is really not part of the TV at all. The remote control left a lot to be desired, as it gave out after only a few months of use.

The 227V is functionally pleasing as well. It even comes with an HDMI input. This is very surprising for a 27-inch TV. I was able to plug everything I wanted to use into it very easily, and everything worked great. I would have liked to see an secondary A/V input somewhere on the set. I would have been pretty frustrated switching back and forth between the Wii and DVD player if I hadn't found a set of composite video cables. The menu system confused and annoyed me. It's not something I am looking forward to revisiting. But, overall, the picture quality shoves aside any doubt as to the overall functionality of the TV.

In terms of value, this TV really has no rival. The picture quality alone would make it well worth the price. Add to that the above average sound quality, its energy star rating, the built in HDTV tuner, the ability to go up to 1080i resolution, it's easy wall mount capabilities, and an HDMI port and you really have no competition. This TV is the true definition of Value. You can pick one up at a variety of different websites or retail stores from between $429.00 and $489.00.

If you are new to the HDTV experience this is a wonderful TV to get started with. If you already have an HDTV, this a great set to complement another room in the house. I always thought that High Definition TV couldn't be that much better than standard definition. And I certainly thought it wasn't worth the price. This TV proved me wrong on both counts.

Pros:

+ Stunning picture quality, both in Standard and High definition
+ Affordability; HDTV isn't just for the Jones's
+ 178 degree horizontal viewing angles
+ HDMI port
+ Better than expected sound quality
+ Built in ATSC HDTV Tuner
+ Sturdy and Reliable
+ Did I mention picture quality?!?

Cons:

- Power Button Standby LED is way too bright
- No Remote Codes for Universal Remote Controls - Poor Vertical viewing angles
- No hard-copy manual - Only one A/V input

Ratings:

• Presentation: 8.75
• Appearance: 8.50
• Construction: 9.00
• Functionality: 8.00
• Value: 9.50

Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.

Recommended: Benchmark Reviews Seal of Approval.

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