[LCDMAN]

A client wanted a small "budget" 19/20" LCD TV for a playroom. I found a Toshiba 19BV501 on a good deal at one of my suppliers (it's also £109 at Richer Sounds, for those not in the trade) and have been quite impressed with it.

I thought I knew who made most of these things, but the EPG/menu etc. aren't familiar Vestel or Beko. Could it really be that Tosh "made" this?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Sounds unlikely, probably they have found some cheap Chinese manufacturer?.

Most previous small Tosh's have been Beko, with larger sets Vestel - although supposedly they have now started making more of their own larger sets (but I've no personal knowledge of that).

[LCDMAN]

Hi Nigel, how's tricks? It's not the familar Vestel/Beko look feel to the menu's etc so definitely somewhere else unless they've had a recent update. Very good vfm though for what I paid for it, as is typical of these sets the sound could be better but otherwise I'd highly recommend it.

[1andrew1]

Which country is it made in?

[1andrew1]

Checking the instruction leaflet on Toshiba's website suggests it is made by Toshiba itself in Poland; confirmation of the country of origin from the box or back of set should confirm or repudiate this.

[pocatello]

Doesn't really matter, 19" is such low end they dump the tooling/manufacture to lower end countries, as they should.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

Checking the instruction leaflet on Toshiba's website suggests it is made by Toshiba itself in Poland; confirmation of the country of origin from the box or back of set should confirm or repudiate this.

You mean 'assembled' in Poland

Just screw the back on in Poland and your Chinese TV becomes Polish

[LCDMAN]

Wherever the last screw was put in, as someone more used to playing with several grands worth of professional display then the performance was quite impressive considering it cost me <£100 "trade".

[captainkremmen]

Does the part or serial number on the back give any clues?

Don't know about their TVs but Vestel made PVR tend to have the hardware revision somewhere in the part number (T816, T825, T835 etc). Might give a clue.

[LCDMAN]

Guys, let's not get too hung up on this. FFS I installed it a week ago now, 5ft up a wall in a playroom, box in bin. Let it lie eh.....

FWIW if you want a good, cheap 19" LCD then I'd recommend the Toshiba 19BV501B - whereever it's made and whoever actually makes it.

[KOE_9_ASH]

Been looking at a Toshiba 32" for the living room lately. Full HD (my first HD TV, no less) LCD, so was just gonna ask if they're generally good to go for? Obviously Toshiba's a massive brand, and Beko I trust as well.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by KOE_9_ASH

Been looking at a Toshiba 32" for the living room lately. Full HD (my first HD TV, no less) LCD, so was just gonna ask if they're generally good to go for? Obviously Toshiba's a massive brand, and Beko I trust as well.

Toshiba have a fairly poor reputation, they haven't made many of their own sets for years now, just rebadged the same cheap junk the Supermarkets do. Supposedly they do make more of their own now, but I can't confirm that - we long since dropped selling them.

Beko are an actual manufacturer, but aren't highly regarded, a step above Vestel perhaps?. Beko do make almost all cookers these days though, with essentialy different knobs and styling for different badges

[DRAGON LANCE]

I'm really not sure those claims above from Nigel that Toshiba haven't made there own TV's are entirely true. Although Toshiba certainly a number of Vestel rebadges that make up their bottom end range, they do make some relatively decent higher end sets themselves, and have done so for a number of years, not just recently. They are perhaps best described as a mid range brand, but they certainly aren't dreadful.

I don't think badly researched, judgemental opinions like this do the TV biz any good. Over the last few years we've seen a number of once high profile brands die, most notably Pioneer. Personally I feel people mouthing off nonsense in web forums have contributed to this and we are seeing an increasingly narrowing of brands and products available, which IMO doesn't do the consumer any good.

The way things are going only Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic will be left. And even Sony and Panasonic are wobbling. I know Sony have recently been advised to dump their loss making TV business and Panasonic seem to be increasingly getting quality control problems with their sets as they attempt to match the aggressive pricing of Samsung and LG.

So be fair on Toshiba, some of their sets actually do have the edge over the Samsung and LG's of this world. I think it would be a shame to totally discredit the brand simply for not being cool anymore.

[freeview_user]

If an independent retailer doesn't sell them they are obviously not good enough. My local independent retailer only sells Panasonic, LG, Sony and Samsung.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by DRAGON LANCE

I'm really not sure those claims above from Nigel that Toshiba haven't made there own TV's are entirely true.

I didn't say they haven't made any of their own sets for a considerable time, just that they haven't made many.

I've not seen any actual Toshiba manufacturered LCD ones, but I'm pretty confident there have been some, and supposedly more so now than the last few years.

[AidanLunn]

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

Beko are an actual manufacturer, but aren't highly regarded, a step above Vestel perhaps?. Beko do make almost all cookers these days though, with essentialy different knobs and styling for different badges

I thought Beko were owned by Vestel?

I can vouch for Beko cookers though - horrible shite - had three break down within 6 months!

[freeview_user]

Originally Posted by AidanLunn

I thought Beko were owned by Vestel?

I can vouch for Beko cookers though - horrible shite - had three break down within 6 months!

Also, dangerous fridges that randomly catch fire. Why release such crap?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by AidanLunn

I thought Beko were owned by Vestel?

No, they are both VERY big Turkish companies.

Our Ford Transit Connect at work is even made by Beko.

[AidanLunn]

Originally Posted by freeview_user

Also, dangerous fridges that randomly catch fire. Why release such crap?

This does remind me of an advert in the Exchange and Mart about 10 years ago warning people of a certain model of "Wharfedale" TV catching fire and that they must be sent back or for repair immediately.

I'd be interested to hear what model it was and what the cause of these fires was, but I would think that that information is somewhat thin on the ground.

[Rossall]

Originally Posted by freeview_user

Also, dangerous fridges that randomly catch fire. Why release such crap?

Maybe they are combo fridge/cookers?