Home > Consumer Reviews > Zenith Z37LZ5D 37-Inch LCD HDTV

Ever dated the local beauty queen and wondered how long she'll last on your arm? That is how I feel about my brand new Zenith 37LZ5D LCD TV. If you heard a rumor that HD technology was invented by Zenith Corporation you'll believe it after watching live sports in HD on this TV. I have owned mine for only a week.

All of my TV sets leading to the HD-TV have been Zeniths (including the Advanced System 3), as are my VCR and DVD (DVB312) players. Because all have performed well for years I was inclined to look for another Zenith (yes, one with the "Z" logo) when it came time to buy an HD-TV. Also, I thought they'll all be easy to manage with one remote control. But Zenith TVs appear no longer available in Chicago area stores and I was hesitant to buy online. It'll be smart to see one in demonstration before purchasing. And so for three years I kept visiting TV showrooms hoping for Zeniths, and checking the Amazon.com website to see if this 37 inch HD was still available (I read the earlier reviews over and over).

Finally I ordered this HD-TV online from Amazon. It was delivered Thursday by a service that ensured it works. We connected it to the RCN digital cable box, tuned in to the standard (now digital) stations and I was not impressed. Well, must I rent an HD cable box and pay for that each month? Perhaps. So, Friday I ordered the HD box to be delivered Saturday (college football day). Michigan versus W. Michigan looked so horrible I knew I was doing something wrong. I called cable guy back and learned a few things (e.g., I'm supposed to watch HD stations, not the digital). And what an unbelievable difference!

I will tell you that I have not seen an HD-TV in any of the showrooms (including Best Buy) to date that shows better live action than this Zenith. Remember the old Memorex commercial, "Is it live or is it Memorex?"? That is the question I've been asking so far. I suspect that blue ray video will look truly scary on it (is there a Zenith blu-ray DVD player?).

A complaint will be that one shade of blue gets to be a bit much in some settings (e.g. in a concert DVD where blue light is used prominently). But perhaps I'm comparing the HD to the Advanced System 3. Or is it rather that for years the AS3 TV cheated me out of colors as they were truly projected unto the concert stage and I didn't know it until now? Another will be that it has only one HDMI input where other TVs have two or three. (Many consumers are very satisfied with "component" inputs).

It's truly sad that Zenith has now gone to LG. Even so, why not just sell some products (with the "Z") widely as before? After all LG uses Zenith technology.

Must you own an HD (or a Jaguar)? Not if your standard definition TV (or shiny Buick) is awesome. Is it worth the investment? You bet it is. To borrow from Janis Joplin, "you know you got it if it makes you feel good". HD is a sports nut "must have".

Note: I've learnt quickly that not all commercials on HD stations are filmed in HD, and also that some recorded programs on HD stations may actually be in standard definition. Also that HDTV is best paired with HD-DVD or blue ray DVD player; not great with your standard VCR. Due to aspect ratio differences, etc. among video equipment buyers of large TV must be prepared to upgrade related gadgets as well. [...]

Update- September 21, 2009

It's now two weeks since I took delivery of my Zenith HDTV. And I have come to know more about HD and its accessories. Ideally we should all own two sets of TVs and video disc players- the standard definition player for the SDTV and a blu-ray player to pair with the HDTV. That's because if you're like me you already own 300 SD DVDs and are not thinking of replacing all with blu-ray versions. Only a blu-ray/HD player plus blu-ray/HD disc will best display HD images on the HDTV. Fortunately there is a happy medium and that's where up-conversion comes in.

The up-conversion standard definition player, even with progressive scan, was NOT invented to deliver HD images but rather NEAR HD quality images. And while any DVD player can be paired with an HDTV the up-conversion player will do much better than the Standard Def. player. Of course, a blu-ray player is backward-compatible with Stan. Def. discs, but will only enhance them, not make them true HD.

What if your HDTV has only one HDMI input like mine has, and your HD cable box is already connected through that input? An ideal solution is to find a player which up-converts by composite cable (an HDMI switch is another solution). And these days those players are rare (for licensing/legal reasons).

Fortunately I just found the Zenith DVB318 (in mint condition) for sale on E-bay. It's one of the rare up-conversion by component cable players that made it to market several years back. It has now replaced my DVB312. The color deep blue is more natural (rich but less saturated) in concert DVDs. It's also best to play a disc in its original aspect ratio on a large screen, and I am one happy consumer.

Note: For up-conversion you must press the u/c button BEFORE inserting a disc and closing the tray.

Update 2- October 5, 2009: Component Cable

A reviewer recommended the older Monster component cable MV2CV (now only $4.00) and I bought that to replace the newer Monster cable M850CV. He is so right. I now have an even better picture with less blue saturation. Contrary to some opinion the cable indeed does matter.

This Zenith HDTV arrived in pristine condition. It has a great picture and sound for the money. As one of America's most respected TV Brands, it's a shame they are now just a name purchased by LG. Zentih had a reputation for TV Quality that was almost 60 years old.

This set looks great with its' silver finish. You need to read the instructions to learn how to get the best picture mode to view in HD. That takes a few minutes of reading and is well worth it. Would purchase again. For the money you can't beat the performance of this set.

I got this TV + a dvd/surround sound system for $1000 at a local retailer on a special promotion. Overall, its a pretty quality set but probably not the leader in LCD TV's. If I were going to spend $1800 I would probably look into a Samsung or Sony. Its pretty simple to navigate through menu's and customize the picture to your liking. I think it is a great set for $1000 but I probably would not have purchased it for the current price of $1800.

It's absolutely maddening trying to pick out an LCD or plasma TV that doesn't have its share of problems surfacing on message boards across the Internet. First, I had to decide on a size and go from there. For my living room, 37" is absolutely perfect. It's neither too big nor too small in my opinion. Second, I had to decide on a brand. After spending endless hours online doing my research, I decided to go with Zenith. I've had 3 CRT TVs from Zenith in the past and have been completely satisfied with all of them. This LCD TV continues my lucky streak. Right out of the box, this TV provided an exceptional picture (with a little tweaking) and a lot of features for the price. I have found nothing to complain about, and I've had this TV now for a month. Although I'm not yet receiving HDTV programming, analog cable looks wonderful on this set, even with the picture stretched using one of the zoom settings. I was surprised because I've read on online forums that standard TV looks lousy on these sets. Maybe I don't know any better, but so far, I have no regrets with this TV, and I'm looking forward to even better quality once I receive true HDTV programming.

I have been through 5 tvs in the pass month (Insignia,Emprex,Sharp and Vizio) and this tv is on par with the Sharp brand. Great picture quality, great styling and for the fraction of the price of the Sharp. All I can say is I am happy now.