HP (Hewlett-Packard) Pavilion md6580n 65" DLP Projection TV - Compare Prices and Reviews on HP (Hewlett-Packard) L1737A Projection Televisions at PriceGrabber

Product Details

Description:

Looking for a big TV that makes a giant impression?. Consider the high-definition rear projection 65" Pavilion MD6580n. In addition to providing you with phenomenal, bold, huge-screen viewing, it will look good in your home and impress the heck out of your guests. Serenade your ears with 2.1 sound through 85 watts of peak performance; there are two speakers (tweeter and midrange) on the left, two on the right, and an integrated subwoofer.

Quick Glance

Display Type: DLP

Display Format: 1080p (HDTV)

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 (Widescreen)

Digital Tuner: Yes

Ports: HDMI Yes, Component Video Yes, S-Video Yes, Composite Video Yes, Digital Audio Yes

Diagonal Screen Size: 65

Summary

Product Title: HP (Hewlett-Packard) Pavilion md6580n 65" DLP Projection TV

Manufacturer: HP (Hewlett-Packard)

Power Score: 5 | 3 Reviews

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Product Reviews (3)

Great TV... the 2nd time around.

Strengths: All good.

Weakness: None bad.

I bought this TV sight-unseen, based on all the glowing reviews I'd read online about it. Something I would typically NEVER do when it comes to something this important of an investment. All I can say is that the gamble paid off... Could not be happier, especially considering that I've had a critical eye on most HD TV's for about the past couple years. My patience paid off. If want details or...
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I bought this TV sight-unseen, based on all the glowing reviews I'd read online about it. Something I would typically NEVER do when it comes to something this important of an investment. All I can say is that the gamble paid off... Could not be happier, especially considering that I've had a critical eye on most HD TV's for about the past couple years. My patience paid off. If want details or specs, there's plenty of reviews out there that will give them to you.

But here's my one BIG problem: HP customer service! The best way to describe HP customer service is to say that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing. -- I purchased my HP MD6580n from Crutchfield. Once I received it, I immediately noticed that the picture was off-tilt, like a picture hanging crooked on the wall. This was not an issue that could be resolved within the monitor's convergence controls. I called HP and was referred to Comp USA (who handles their warranty issues) who in-turn refers me to an HP certified independent contracter... who was semi-versed in all things HP (computers and what-not), but had never even seen one these televisions before (not a good sign... Or maybe a good sign, since that means this model, in general, must not be having too many problems). She said she couldn't do anything to fix the problem, and told me she would recommend a replacement be made. A few days passed and no one contacted me. I called HP and they referred me to Comp USA. I called Comp USA, and after transferring me to someone in India who could not help me at all, I was referred back to HP. HP customer service was USELESS. There was no supervisor to talk to... All the people working there could do, was type up a report to send off to the higher-ups. This was done for me 4 times. Eventually the same repair person was sent back with printed instructions on how to fix the problem (pulling out the back of the monitor, and adjusting the "seating" of the actual projection unit). That didn't work, because it turns out that the unit/housing itself was warped (oh yeah, and the front panel door kept popping open & would never stay closed), probably from a long trip cross-country in the back of a hot truck. - Again she said again that she would recommend a replacement be sent. Already been there once... So (to make a long story short, yes this is the short version) after lots of digging, I obtained an unlisted number to a division of HP were I finally got in touch with the right people, who basically made a replacement happen almost overnight. -- After this exhausting month long nightmare... I was finally able to enjoy everything this TV has to offer. Very happy with the end product.

By trent22 - Jul 31, 2006

A GREAT first attempt by HP in the BigScreen Market !!!

Strengths: Cost per feature/size ratio, Video Quality, Design, Bulb, Dual-tuners(QAM!),1080p HDMI input, others listed.

Weakness: Slow start-up, Bulb again (yes, it's a weakness & strength), PIP features, others listed below.

WEAKNESS: 1.) The set has anywhere from a 35-45 or more second delay, from time of being first turned on, to the time they actually start to show a picture. 2.) The bulb. Its weakness is obvious, it has an average half-life of 6000hrs, creates a lot of heat which in return requires a fan to cool it, which adds background noise. Cost & availability could be issues! The warranty on the bulb is a...
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WEAKNESS:
1.) The set has anywhere from a 35-45 or more second delay, from time of being first turned on, to the time they actually start to show a picture.
2.) The bulb. Its weakness is obvious, it has an average half-life of 6000hrs, creates a lot of heat which in return requires a fan to cool it, which adds background noise. Cost & availability could be issues! The warranty on the bulb is a mere 90 days. With the average US household viewing 5-6 hrs of TV a day, that only equates to more like 450-540 hrs guaranteed over the 90-day period, though I do expect the bulb to last 3-4 years watching the TV in those normal 5-6 hr a day ranges, anything could happen, & the cost for bulbs has already ranged from $3xx - $5xx.
3.) The PIP (Picture-In-Picture) only works with 1 internal tuner along with 1 external source (HDMI,etc). You can't do PIP with both OTA (Over-The-Air) & Cable, or with 1 HDMI source along with another HDMI or other external source like Component, VGA, etc.! I don't like that in Pict-Beside-Pict mode where the screen shows 1 input on the left side in a box & the 2nd on the right side in a box, you can’t fill the screen 100%, there are always bars on the top & bottom portion of the screen.
4.) You can’t rename channels. This might not be a problem for OTA, as stations broadcast PSIP data which will allow the TV to name the channel with an identifiable moniker, but with the cable unencrypted digital channels, usually the PSIP data is stripped, so the channels all get numbers like 118-1, 110-1, etc, making it extremely hard to distinguish which station the channel actually is without tuning to it to see what's currently showing or read the station identifier on-screen.
5.) SD (Standard Definition) material on this large screen runs the gamut from being horrible (mostly analog SD), to being totally acceptable (SD digital) But with all big screen TVs, & especially with these 1080p HD TVs, GIGO, or Garbage In Garbage Out rules, & people should expect that a horrible signal with low resolution, such as analog SD (480i signal), is only going to look that much more horrible when it is up sampled to a large TV displaying it at 1080p.
6.) Pincushion is evident viewing 4:3 material. Though it seems all or at least most DLP sets have pincushion to some degree or another when showing 4:3 content, so it wasn't a real big issue or weakness in my opinion, & it was marginal at best.
STRENGTH:
1.) The cost per size & specs ratio offered by the HP DLP sets is a hard point to ignore when compared to competing technology like Plasma & LCD, or even when comparing them to direct competitors & their DLP offerings. IMO, they offer a great value for the price!
2.) The design is stunning. The best design feature, & one that stands head-over-heels above its competitors, is the front panel access to all the inputs. It is absolutely amazing. Open up the front panel, & it has an internal light that illuminates the inputs. No need to reach way behind your TV, or pull the stand & TV away from the when attaching/detaching cables. The cables run from your other components up through the HP stand, slide under the TV in a channel molded into the TV case, & right up into the access panel & its inputs. All done from the front of the set! Simple, quick, & mighty SWEET!
3.) It has built-in dual tuners & delivers Over-The-Air digital as well as analog & unencrypted digital cable (QAM) tuning ability
4.) The picture is amazing in quality for most content, besides what was noted earlier! Watching DVDs, HD cable, & OTA HD has been phenomenal! The blacks are very black. The detail in both dark & light scenes has been breathtaking, coupled with vivid colors that all certainly put my older 55" HD Mitsubishi WS-55805 to shame, but as I expected it would.
5.) The menu system is very easy to navigate, with options that are easily defined as to what they do & just as easily changed.
6.) The firmware can be upgraded using a USB flash drive.
7.) This was the only 1080p DLP set that offered true 1080p digital input through HDMI, making it the *only* true choice for myself knowing one of my main functions for the set was for my HTPC. After playing Doom3, BF2, & COD2 on my Westinghouse 37" LCD @ 1920x1080p, I didn't think I could top the experience. I was wrong, because running Windows & using the md6580n as a monitor set to 1920x1080p was simply more amazing! This TV has now replaced my 37" LCD as the main choice for my PC gaming! I do all of my DVD watching through my HTPC, using Power DVD 6, as the PC video up-conversion for the DVD to the native 1080p output of this TV is just what was needed to improve DVD quality even more on this set.
8.) When the bulb is replaced you end up with a picture that is just as good as if the set was brand new, & for mere peanuts as to what it would cost to either replace a TV or replace an expensive plasma or LCD screen in other sets!
9.) The speaker system can literally ROCK your house!

By Darkonus - Feb 28, 2006

It Only Screams Where It Counts.

Strengths: Fab Picture. Easy-Access Menu. Extensive Setting Controls. Only 1080p Available. Lighted Connection Panel & Bulb Access on Front. Sleek, Unobtrusive Case Design. Non-Reflective Screen. Amazing Sound.

Weakness: Pin Cushioning Very Evident when Viewing 4:3 Material. Standard Definition Picture Quality (SD PQ) Marginal. PIP Only Works with Coaxial Input Sources.

Look, it's very simple, really. A TV's function is to entertain you with moving pictures and sound. AND THAT IS IT. It is not a piece of modern sculpture on display for all to gawk and drool over. Nope. Moving Pictures and Sound. So many TV's these days take case design too far. Big, bulky and just screaming to be noticed. What's with the speaker wings or "dumbo" ears some units sport? The HP...
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Look, it's very simple, really. A TV's function is to entertain you with moving pictures and sound. AND THAT IS IT. It is not a piece of modern sculpture on display for all to gawk and drool over. Nope. Moving Pictures and Sound.

So many TV's these days take case design too far. Big, bulky and just screaming to be noticed. What's with the speaker wings or "dumbo" ears some units sport? The HP MD6580n 65" DLP Projection TV is all about the picture and sound. With an all matte-black case, devoid of any geegaws, the HP shows great restraint with clean flowing lines that, uh oh, could be found on display in an art gallery! (Gasp!) But, honestly, it's there to appreciate if you desire. And it blends into the environment when you could care less about what it looks like. Too bad other manufacturers can't say the same.

I searched and researched out a variety of TVs to replace our aging Sony 61" XBR rear projection TV. The only mandate the kids had was the new TV had to be bigger than the old one. Funny thing is, it's hard to compare sizes when the aspect ratio is different. Does the HP's 16:9 screen measuring 65" diagonally offer more picture than the Sony's 4:3 screen measuring 61"? I'm sure there is some nifty math equation to figure that out, but my head hurts just thinking about it.

Suffice it to say, a 65" screen is plenty fine. Which works great for DVD's. For anything 4:3, it's a little annoying to either see black bars on each side of a decidely smaller picture or wonder where What's-her-face's head is at when you're zooming in on a full screen picture.

The picture is great when watching DVD's. I haven't set up HD TV yet. But I will soon. Standard Definition is marginal. I'm sure some twiddling with settings will help, but I think stadard signals just don't look good on a high definition TV because the circuitry on these TV's just magnify whatever artifacting or discrepancies there are in the signal. Time to upgrade and a join the new century, eh?

What really blew me away, though, is the sound. This baby booms! A built-in 2.1 speaker system really surprises. It's subwoofer provides a nice low-end rumble, while the mids and highs are handle remarkably well by the speakers flanking the screen. Surround sound is great, but if you didn't feel like firing up the whole system, you could have a very enjoyable experience with only an up-converter DVD player. (My Toshiba SD-K850 works wonderfully with it.)

And there you have it. A great TV that is big on picture. Big on sound. And just plain big on providing a satisfying viewing experience without it's own self getting in the way.

By nobbie - Feb 1, 2006

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