Toshiba 46HM95 user's experience.

In the spirit of every blogger is a reporter, I dutifully report my week old experience with my Toshiba 46HM95. This is probably the only review you will ever see on the Internet on this model as nobody cares too much about Toshiba, let alone this model, Toshiba's own website included as they still have no information on this model as of August 24, 2005.
To keep things in perspective, I have been watching TV for some 30 plus years, that is PAL and NTSC CRT TVs. My last two TVs were SONY and Panasonic. This is my only HDTV. So for what is worth, here is my mini review.
Background
I wasn't too happy with my 27" Panicsonic CRT TV, I was looking for something bigger. I started with SONY's model but I didn't like what I saw from their latest 50" 3LCD model so I looked for something else. I found out Toshiba actually has some some good alternatives, as in price and value. I checked out some of their older models like HM84 or HM94 sets and they look decent. Plus the price is good for my budget too.
I ended up ordering this 46HM95 from a vendor in NJ. They are pretty good. Just I ordered and took delivery the price went down about $20. Thanks to competition and real time comparison I guess.
Picture Quality
The picture quality of the set is good. Sharp, vivid and contrasty. Picture should be good so there is nothing to write home about. (<- I tend to take things for granted, I did see some yucky pictures from other sets.)
Rainbow effect
The manuel admits from time to time in some rare situation you can see that. I see that too, primarily in white scenes. But that doesn't bother me much.
Talking about white scenes, the white has a shining quality to it, it's almost glaring, I don't know if it's a DLP thing or not. I adjust the set to low lamp and non-sport mode. High lamp and sport tend to give even a brighter picture. You probably need to wear sunglasses to watch it, if there are lots of bright scenes.
HD picture is just awesome. SD picture varies from station to station, I guess if it's digital, chances are it's better, if it's analog it's not so good, just like any non HD set.
Video and Audio Synchronization
I don't hear and see a problem here. I read and did experience some sets that exhibit this problem. It's just awful. I don't know if it's the set problem or more like a broadcast thing. Or a DLP thing. I have no clue. My set doesn't exhibit any syn problem.
Geometry
I notice some slight pin cushion on the picture, by that I mean the vertical lines tend to concave in a bit. It becomes "obvious" when you watch 4:3 TV with vertical bars running on the left and right. If you stretch the 4:3 mode to Wide 1, the set leaves some 2mm 5mm blank space to the left. I would like to slightly horizontally move the picture to the left. But I fail to find that feature. I guess primarily, Toshiba thinks you shoudn't touch those settings. When I have time, I will call Toshiba.
Connection
It's a new model, so it comes with 2 HDMI inputs. I got a SA 8300HD from Time Warner and sadly the audio doesn't work (at least for me) using HDMI. So I ended up using component, not a huge deal. This seems to be a TWC STB issue.
Miscellaneous annoyances
Time Warner provides TV guide already. At some point I tried to setup the set's own TV guide (when TWC screwed up my service), but then it never quite works the way I thought it would work. Now every time I turn on the set, TV guide appears, one more button to press to get rid of it before I can actually watch TV.
"Fan" noise. The set seems to be running some fan 24x7. Yes, I do mean 24x7. The manuel isn't very clear to me, I thought the fan would remain on for a few minutes if you have Quick Restart active after you turn the set off. And by induction, it should be off right away if Quick Restart is off. No matter, my experience is the fan or so I thought that's what it is, runs all the time even when I power off the set. It's not loud like my refrigerator but you can hear it. Does it bother me, a bit yes. When I am home and have time I will call Toshiba to see if that's normal. Their succint email reply is yes it's normal. To totally quiet the set, I have to unplug the power cord. I just wish their manuel could be clearer.

3/22/2008
Long Term Usage Review
Toshiba sent me a new bulb a couple of years ago. And I changed the bulb once already. And the thing is running like new. Except now almost all the HDTV's are in 1080p so this 720p seems a bit dated.

12/6/2011
Long Term Usage Review
The noise.  I don't know if it's the color wheel or the fan(s).  But there is this noise coming from the TV which makes the TV unbearable.  It's perhaps time for a new TV.  Everything works but there is this crazy noise.  No good.