Vizio VF551XVT

Vizio VF551XVT's big screen LCD looks unassuming for the most part, with the standard glossy black frame surrounding the picture area. But the nondetachable speaker bar along the bottom, with its silver coloring, reflective supports, bulbous shape and see through panel exposing the wall behind the TV, assumes a bit too much, and we predict you'll either love it or hate it. We fall into the latter camp. The only external difference between Vizio VF551XVT and Vizio VF550XVT is the former's addition of an illuminated row of "tech logos" on the left hand side.

There's a menu item that promises to disable the illumination, but it didn't work on our review sample. The 55 inch Vizio VF551XVT measures 51.5 inches wide by 36 inches tall by 13.5 inches deep and weighs a svelte 90.2 pounds with stand attached. Remove the nonswiveling stand and its dimensions become 51.5 by 33.9 by 5 inches and its weight 78 pounds. We liked Vizio's large remote, with its oversize chrome colored cursor pad surrounded by well spaced, easily differentiated, yellow backlit keys.

Highlights include a section that offers direct access to different input types, "A, B, C, and D" keys for other devices, such as cable boxes, that double as picture in picture controls, and the capability to command three other devices. Many of the keys double up, but the remote handles these well we appreciate that the oft used key to control aspect ratio shares the bright red "record" key, for example.

The menu system for the XVT models squeezes onto the left side of the screen, and it's hard to mistake the bare bones graphics for a Samsung or Sony menu. We found ourselves annoyed at the fact that you can only see one parameter at a time and that too much scrolling is required to access all of the settings. On the plus side we liked the text explanations of various menu items.

Panasonic TC-P50V10

Panasonic TC-P50V10 is one sleek plasma. Its main external differentiator is what the company calls "one sheet of glass" design, where a pane of glass extends beyond the edge of the screen and over the bezel itself, leading to a seamless look that's even more impressive in person than in pictures. (It's worth noting that only the 50 and 54 inch models feature the one sheet design; the larger members of the series have the more traditional, visually separate bezel around the screen).

Panasonic TC-P50V10 series eschews the relatively bright silver fade along the bottom of the frame seen on the company's step down TC-PG10 models, instead opting for a much subtler silver accent that arcs slightly upward in the middle. We think Panasonic TC-P50V10 looks more attractive and sophisticated than the G10, and indeed it's one of the coolest looking TV designs we've seen this year. The black frame around the screen is a bit wider than that of the G10 series, leading to Panasonic TC-P50V10's slightly larger height and width dimensions (0.2 and 0.9 inch larger, respectively, on the 50 incher, for example).

The panels' depth dimension, on the other hand, is just 3.3 inches not quite as thin as Samsung's 850 series plasmas or Panasonic's own Z1, but thinner than the 4.2 inches of the G10 models. If you're keeping track, the 50 inch Panasonic TC-P50V10 also weighs 4.4 pounds more than the 50 inch G10, which is probably due to that big pane of glass. We also appreciated that the 50 inch Panasonic TC-P50V10 model's stand includes a swivel, an extra not found on less expensive Panasonic plasmas nor on the larger members of the series.

Beyond the panels and stands, the V10 models are pretty much identical in design to the G10s. The remote differs from the one found on less expensive Panasonic plasmas, and in general we liked it. Panasonic's marketing guys got to the button designers, however, and apparently mandated that an unnecessarily prominent trio of keys Viera Link, VieraCast and VieraTools appear above the central cursor control.

Each provides direct access to functions we'll warrant most users won't access as frequently as the Menu key, and the trio relegates that button to an easily overlooked spot near the top of the clicker. We still like the feel of the keys, and appreciate the size, color and shape differentiation that helps us forget that only the huge volume and channel buttons are illuminated. The remote cannot control other devices via infrared (IR) commands, but it does allow some control of compatible HDMI devices connected to the TV via Viera Link (a.k.a. HDMI-CEC).

Panasonic tweaked its menu design for 2009. The same yellow on blue color scheme is in evidence (albeit a lighter shade of blue), and navigation is basically unchanged, but the main menu actually has a couple of icons now. Overall it's still one of the more straightforward, basic looking menus on the mainstream market, but we still wish the company would see fit to include on screen explanations of selections. A new Tools menu showcases some of the TV's functions, including THX mode, Digital Cinema Color, and VieraCast.

Sharp LC-52LE700UN

The glossy black finish of Sharp LC-52LE700UN series doesn't break any new ground design wise, and this Sharp keeps the angled edges of its predecessors like Sharp LC-46D85U. A silver fade along the bottom of the frame provides a very subtle accent while a blue-lit triangle, which reminded us of the emblems worn by the crew of the Enterprise, points toward the company logo in the middle of the bottom edge (the blue illumination can be disabled).

Sharp's matching glossy black stand doesn't allow the panel to swivel.Lest you see a Samsung ad and believe all LED-based LCDs are also ultrathin, Sharp's LC-LE700UN series is among the many sets that prove otherwise. It measures 3.7 inches deep sans stand, which is quite normal for a flat panel TV of any technology. Sharp has gone the longest of any TV maker we know since changing its remote. Sharp LC-46LE700UN's clicker is basically the same as the one that shipped with the 2006 LC-46D62U, which was a few years old itself at the time.

Our opinion of it hasn't changed, so we'll just quote that review : "Sharp's long remote will be familiar to anyone who's played with an Aquos set in the last couple of years. It has the ability to command four other pieces of gear, keys that are nicely spread out and well differentiated, and a generally logical button layout. We say 'generally' because the key controlling aspect ratio is stashed clear at the top of the long wand, the one for freezing the image is given an unduly important spot near the main directional keypad, and the one for changing picture modes is hidden beneath a flip up hatch."

Unfortunately, Sharp cut back on the backlighting of its remotes, so now only the volume and channel rockers, as well as four nearby keys, receive illumination. Sharp's menu system design is also basically the same as in previous years, and its blocky look seems dated compared with the slick menus available from Sony and Samsung. The pertinent information is all there, however, and we liked the text explanations that accompany various selections. LED backlighting tops the features list of Sharp LC-LE700UN, but it's unlike any other LED-backlit TV released so far. All of the other LED based LCDs fall into one of two camps : edge lit or local dimming.

However, the Sharp falls into neither category. Its LED elements are arranged behind the screen, as opposed to the edge, but they are incapable of dimming or brightening individually. Like a standard fluorescent backlit LCD, Sharp LC-52LE700UN's LED backlight must dim or brighten all at once. The main benefit of its LED backlight is simply reduced energy consumption. Sharp LC-LE700UN also sports a 120Hz refresh rate that provides improved motion resolution compared with standard LCDs although we suspect you'll be hard pressed to see any difference.

That refresh rate also allows the TV to display the proper cadence when fed 1080p/24 material. The two larger sizes in Sharp LC-LE700UN series, the 46 and 52 inch models, feature dejudder processing as well, while the two smaller 40 and 32 inch models do not. Dejudder is available in two strengths on the 46 and 52 inch models and doesn't need to be active to realize the antiblurring benefits of 120Hz.

Panasonic TC-P54V10

The same basic story stays true for the TC-PV10 series, but it's even better than the G10. This Panasonic plasma has the same deep blacks that grace its less expensive little brother, and adds a couple of key improvements: better video processing to handle 1080p/24 sources, and more picture adjustments that allow it to transcend the limitations of THX mode. Its picture should satisfy all but the pickiest of videophiles, and it also outperforms any LCD based display, LED or otherwise, we've ever tested.

Beyond image quality, the V10 delivers plenty of features and an eye catching one sheet of glass design, for a combination that deserves serious consideration from buyers willing to pay for it. The 50 inch Panasonic TC-P50V10, but this review also applies to the 54 inch Panasonic TC-P54V10. The two sizes share identical specs and should have very similar picture quality.

The Panasonic TC-PV10 series also includes 58 and 65 inch models, but we will review those larger sizes separately when review samples are available later in 2009. Panasonic TC-PV10 is one sleek plasma. Its main external differentiator is what the company calls "one sheet of glass" design, where a pane of glass extends beyond the edge of the screen and over the bezel itself, leading to a seamless look that's even more impressive in person than in pictures.

(It's worth noting that only the 50 and 54 inch models feature the one sheet design the larger members of the series have the more traditional, visually separate bezel around the screen). The V10 series eschews the relatively bright silver fade along the bottom of the frame seen on the company's step down TC-PG10 models, instead opting for a much subtler silver accent that arcs slightly upward in the middle.

We think the V10 looks more attractive and sophisticated than the G10, and indeed it's one of the coolest looking TV designs we've seen this year. As Panasonic's nearly top of the line plasma series, excepting the Z1, the V10 models offer a couple of extras. One is the ability to refresh the screen at 96Hz, which allows the TV to properly maintain the cadence of film when fed a 1080p/24 source typically from a Blu-ray player (the refresh rate remains fixed at the standard 60Hz for non-1080p/24 sources).

The V10 also has a 48Hz setting, but we recommend using 96Hz instead since the 48Hz option can introduce flicker. (Here's where we mention that, like all Panasonic plasmas, the V10's spec sheet includes mention of a 600Hz subfield drive. Our best advice is to ignore this spec it has no visible bearing on picture quality, aside from a slight improvement in motion resolution that's extremely difficult to see.)

Panasonic TC-P50G10

Panasonic announced the TC-PG10 series at CES, we immediately knew it would go up against the Kuro in our lab. What we didn't know is that Pioneer would stop producing HDTVs, leaving the hill wide open for anybody to claim the king's throne. Panasonic G10 series is the new king. No, it's not as good overall as the soon to be extinct Kuro Elite, but it comes closer than ever in the arena of black level performance, and mounts a good fight in just about every other field of picture quality, with the exception of some color accuracy issues.

Panasonic steeped the G10 in extra features compared with its less expensive brethren, adding a THX mode that's largely responsible for its excellent picture, along with VieraCast for access to a limited range of Internet extras. The downside, as always, is that it costs significantly more than lower end models, but if you're looking for the best picture quality in a post Kuro world. The Panasonic TC-PG10 series is the safest bet so far this year.

The 46 inch model, the TC-P46G10 ($1,699 street price), but our remarks on picture quality also apply to at least two other models in the series, the 42 inch TC-P42G10 ($1,299) and the 50 inch TC-P50G10 ($1,999) all three share identical specifications except screen size. The largest model in the series, the TC-P54G10, also shares similar specifications, but the screen size difference is great enough to warrant another hands on evaluation when that model becomes available.

Vizio VF550XVT

This big screen LCD looks unassuming for the most part, with the standard glossy black frame surrounding the picture area. But the nondetachable speaker bar along the bottom, with its silver coloring, reflective supports, bulbous shape, and see through panel exposing the wall behind the TV, assumes a bit too much, and we predict you'll either love it or hate it. We fall into the latter camp.

Vizio VF550XVT
We're not fans of the TV's big, nondetachable speaker bar, which brings silver and reflective chrome coloring to the aesthetic party. Vizio VF550XVT 55 inch VF550XVT measures 51.5 inches wide by 36 inches tall by 13.5 inches deep and weighs a svelte 86 pounds with stand attached. Remove the nonswiveling stand and its dimensions become 51.5 by 33.9 by 5 inches and its weight just 73.8 pounds.

We liked Vizio VF550XVT's large remote, with its oversize chrome colored cursor pad surrounded by well spaced, easily differentiated, yellow backlit keys. Highlights include a section that offers direct access to different input types, "A, B, C, and D" keys for other devices, such as cable boxes, that double as picture in picture controls, and the capability to command three other devices.

Many of the keys double up, but the remote handles these well we appreciate that the oft used key to control aspect ratio shares the bright red "record" key, for example. Vizio VF550XVT's main menu system, arranged along the left side of the screen, is a bit awkward to use. The company has revamped its menu system for the XVT models, squeezing it onto the left side of the screen and improving the graphics. The menus' usability has taken a step backward, however. We found ourselves annoyed at the fact that you can only see one parameter at a time and that too much scrolling is required to access all of the settings.

Sharp AQUOS LC-52D64U

The good
Excellent black levels for an LCD TV, deinterlaced 1080i material properly, solid connectivity with 3 HDMI inputs, classy styling with thin frame around the screen and slim depth.

The bad
Relatively expensive, uneven uniformity manifests as irregular bands across screen, color becomes bluer in darker areas, lacks picture in picture.

The bottom line
We loved the Sharp LC-52D64U's slim style and solid black level performance, but we didn't like its less thanuniform screen.

Specifications

• Product type : LCD TV
• Diagonal size : 52 in
• Brightness (cd/m2) : 450

Sharp Aquos LC-52D65U

The good

Relatively inexpensive, accurate color after calibration, energy efficient, numerous picture controls, superb connectivity with five HDMI inputs, understated, no nonsense styling.

The bad
Produces lighter blacks than some LCDs, poor off angle viewing characteristics, below average standard definition processing.

The bottom line
Excellent energy savings and decent picture quality make the Sharp LC-52D65U a solid value among bigger screen LCDs.

Specifications

• Product type : LCD TV
• Diagonal size : 52 in
• Brightness (cd/m2) : 450

Sharp AQUOS LC-32D44U

The Sharp LC-32D44U produces a relatively deep shade of black and fine shadow detail exhibits decent screen uniformity, sleek design, nice selection of picture controls, zero over scan aspect ratio mode available.

The bad
Inaccurate primary colors, darker areas tend toward blue, spotty video processing with 1080i sources, subpar standard definition processing, soft picture with PC sources, no easy access front or side panel inputs.

The bottom line
While stylish and well featured for an entry level HDTV, the 32 inch Sharp LC-32D44U's picture quality falls short of expectations.

Specifications

• Product type : LCD TV
• Diagonal size : 32 in
• Brightness (cd/m2) : 450

Sharp AQUOS LC-37GP1U

Although review the 37 inch Sharp LC-37GP1U, we did review the 32 inch Sharp LC-32GP1U. Judging from their spec sheets.

The two Sharp flat panel LCD HDTVs are essentially identical but for screen size, so we expect the picture quality of the 32 inch model to provide a good indication of how the 37 incher will perform. For more information, refer to the full review of the Sharp LC-32GP1U.

Sharp AQUOS LC-46D43U

Although review the 46 inch Sharp LC-46D43U, we did review the 32 inch Sharp LC-32D43U. The two TVs are essentially identical but for screen size, so we expect the picture quality of the 32 inch model to provide a good indication of how the 46 incher will perform. For more information, refer to the full review of the Sharp LC-32D43U.

Panasonic TC-32LX85

Panasonic TC-32LX85 is an LCD widescreen TV that is HDTV capable and is the best value for size and price. With 178 degree viewing, this remarkable 32 inch widescreen TV delivers up to 1366x768 image Resolution and allows composite, component, and HDMI Connectivity for flexible use.

Let's dig a little deeper to see why this set is so superior to anything else in its class. Panasonic's Advanced LCD AI technology uses Active Light Control and Active Contrast Gamma Control functions to produce greater brightness, deeper blacks and superior gradation.

Share your JPEG photos taken with a Lumix or any SD compatible Digital Camera on your Panasonic LCD using the built in SD card slot.

Simply insert the SD card, which is about the size of a postage stamp, into the SD slot on the TV and enjoy a photo slideshow.

For added convenience, EZ Sync HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your Home Theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control. Brightness 500 cd/m2. Viewing Angle 178 degrees Moving Picture Response Speed. 8ms Screen Coating/Filter AG Filter Progressive Scan Speakers. 2 full range x 2 (L, R) Audio Output 20 W (10% THD) (8 ohms, 80 Hz-17kHz) Integrated ATSC Tuners ATSC, QAM, NTSC.

Receiving System SD Memory Card Slot (SDHC Compatible) Input Ports 3 x HDMI (1 Side), 2 x Composite Video (1 Side), S-Video, DVI Audio Input, Component Video Input, Audio Input, Digital Audio Out, Analog Audio Out Approximate Unit Dimensions 22.6 (H) x 32.2 (W) x 8.9 (D) with Stand Approximate Unit. Weight 35.4 pounds.

Sharp Aquos LC42D64U

Once again, Sharp, a leader in LCD technology, establishes a new design standard for LCD TVs. With a screen size class of 42", the AQUOS LC-42D64U raises the bar by fitting large screen sizes into incredibly small footprints.

By changing the layout of circuits inside the LCD panel and by reducing the number of parts, Sharp engineers developed the Slim line design which reduces depth by 25%, allowing placement of the LC-42D64U in virtually any setting.

The LC-42D64U utilizes Sharp's proprietary Advanced Super View. Black TFT Panel with multi pixel technology, providing 10,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio with Enhanced Picture Contrast Technology and 4ms response time. The LC-42D64U features built in ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners and includes 3 HDMI (version 1.3) inputs, compatible with 1080p signals, a PC input and 2 HD component video inputs. Side terminals are included for wall mounting convenience as well as RS-232C input for control.

Technical Details

• 42" HDTV LCD-TV with Full HD 1080p resolution
• 10.000 : 1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• 4ms Response Time
• PC Input
• RS-232C Input for control
  

Toshiba 19AV500U

Get ready for watching all your favorite movies and shows with the new Toshiba 19AV500U 720p HD TV. This great looking LCD TV has DynaLight Back Light Control that utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly based in the image content.

This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis, even in low light environments.

Your ears will thank you with StableSound that maintains television volume within a preset range regardless of the source signal. Take advantage of 720p HD picture quality and an impressive feature set with the 19AV500U.

This model is a great addition for any home theater, and can also be used as a computer monitor by using the PC Input for displaying family photos or business presentations.

60Hz Video Scan Rate SoundStrip Speaker System with StableSound Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM. TV Tuning Input Ports 1 x HDMI, 1 x Composite Video, 1 x S-Video, 1 x A/V, 1 x PC 15Pin (VGA), Analog Audio Out, Dolby Digital Optical Out. Approximate Unit Dimensions 18.4 (W) x 15.7 (H) x 8.3 (D) with Stand Approximate Unit. Weight 13.6 pounds with Stand.

Technical Details

• 19" 720p HD LCD TV
• High Gloss Black Finish
• DynaLight Dynamic Backlight Control
• PC Input
• 1 HDMI