VIEWING PLEASURE. Review on Akai CT-21W9

It was the month of September or may be October of the year 1997 when I planned to purchase a colour TV. This was the occasion of Dushera Festival and there were many offers from different companies for colour televisions. In my town every year `Dushera Mela` is organized. So I decided to see colour televisions range in `Mela’. As we entered in `Mela’ there was first stall of AKAI Electronic Co. There was a offer from company for colour televisions. This offer included a 21inch colour and a VCP-R for Rs. 20,490/-. The tv model was CT21W9. When salesman shown me this TV I and my wife fell in love at first sight with this television. The look of this television is very decent. But we were not in mood to purchase a VCP, so we asked the dealer to tell the rate of TV only. The rate of this TV was Rs. 14,000/- which means VCR rates were only Rs. 6490/-. So, we decided to grab this opportunity as the VCP rates at that time were around 9-10 thousand. So, we bought this TV immediately. This television has the following features :

FLAT PICTURE TUBE : 53 cms picture tube gives good quality of picture and add beauty to the set.

DOUBLE SPEAKER : Speakers have been mounted on both sides also provide decent look.

CABINET : This TV has black colour cabinet in diagonal shape adds beauty.

AV 1 & AV2 : AV1 has been provided in back side of the set and AV2 in front panel of the TV.

REMOTE CONTROL : This is a unified remote control. This has VCP control switches. While playing VCP there is no need to keep VCP remote with you. VCP can be controlled by this remote itself. But the switches for controlling tracks in picture have not been given. For that purpose VCP remote is required.

SOUND OUT PUT : 75 W PMPO. Sound is quite good and does not have distortion.

RECEIVING SYSTEM : PAL. It does not have NTSC. Actually NTSC is needed in European countries, so there is no need of this system in India.

At that time this type of picture tube was newly introduced and very few companies were manufacturing this type of picture tube and the rates were so high. BPL rates were 19,000/- for this type of TV. I compared this set with many other models of different companies. But I could not find the best.

Although AKAI has bad reputation and people advised me not to purchase this TV. They told that this set will be scraped after sometime and money will go waste. But I decided to take risk. I was badly fascinated by this TV.

Since 1997 I am using this set and believe me there is no problem in this set till date.

The picture quality of this set quite good in comparison of other TVs. Honestly speaking I cannot compare it with World leader Sony. But I can compare with other brands. Rates and quality is far better than other brands and Sony does not fit in the budget of every person. So, I would like to recommend this TV to middle class very strongly.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I OBSERVED IN THIS TELEVISION IS THAT SOMEONE DO NOT GET TIRED WHLE VIEWING THIS TV EVEN FOR LONG HRS. MY EYES USED TO GET TIRED EVEN BY VIEWING BLACK & WHITE TELEVISION AND I USED TO HAVE GREAT HEADACHE AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO AVOID VIEWING TVS WITHOUT SPECTACLES WHICH DOCTOR ADVISED ME TO WEAR WHILE VIEWING THE TV. BUT NOW I CAN WATCH THIS TV WITHOUT GLASSES AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM. I have tried many other set like BPL, ONIDA, CROWN, SANSUI AND MANY OTHERS I DO NOT remember, I felt the headache problem in all these TVs.

Now the rates of this Television has been slashed greatly. I think the prices at this time is now 10-11 thousand. However, the reputation of AKAI is not good, almost every person has bad impression about AKAI, but you can say this is my luck that I have no problem with this set. Although I had some problem in my VCP-R. But my colour television is running trouble free since 1997. So, I can say this is the best deal for whom whose budget is low for colour television.

This Set lacks some features like NTSC receiving system, SWAP which I think company should have improved.

So, if you want RELIEF TO YOUR EYES, good quality of picture, great sound in low budget then go for it without hesitation.