David Katzmaier,
Senior Editor
August 7, 2008
If you were itching for an excuse to buy a new HDTV right now, even against the advice of certain well-informed naysayers and in the midst of a slumping economy, the Olympics provides a golden opportunity. NBC is airing thousands of hours of Olympics coverage in high-def over six channels, from soccer to tennis to gymnastics to swimming. Explain it to any naysayers in your household like this: it's every American's patriotic duty to root for Michael Phelps on the biggest screen he or she can afford.
With that imperative in mind, we present five gigantic-screen HDTVs, each of which also happens to be a solid all-around performer. Because who wants to take home silver or bronze?
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| Price | Check Prices | $2,820.00 | $1,559.95 to $2,207.29 | Check Prices | $2,599.00 to $3,999.99 |
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| Review date | July 18, 2008 | August 30, 2007 | April 29, 2008 | May 23, 2008 | July 18, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | Samsung's HL61A750 61-inch rear-projection HDTV delivers excellent overall picture quality, and, compared to flat-panel options, it's a real bargain. | While it costs more than just about any rear-projection big-screen, the 58-inch Panasonic TH-58PZ700U plasma offers superb image quality. | If you don't mind its red frame, the Samsung LN52A650 LCD TV will reward you with a massive feature set and excellent picture quality. | With the accuracy of its THX mode and great black-level performance, the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U is one of the best-performing HDTVs available. | Best-in-class black levels and excellent all-around performance places the Pioneer PDP-5020FD near the top of the picture quality heap, but it will cost you. |
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| Features | |||||
| Sound Effects | SRS TruSurround XT | BBE ViVA HD3D | SRS TruSurround | BBE BBE ViVA HD3D | SRS Focus SRS TruBass |
| Input Video Formats | 480i 480p 720p 1080i 1080p | 480p 720p 1080i 1080p | 480i 480p 576i 576p 720p 1080i 1080p | 480i 480p 720p 1080i 1080p | 480i 480p 720p 1080i 1080p |
| Analog TV Tuner | NTSC | NTSC | NTSC | NTSC | NTSC |
| Weight | 70.1 lbs | 165.3 lbs | 76.7 lbs | 99.2 lbs | 86 lbs |
| Image Aspect Ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Digital TV Tuner | ATSC | QAM ATSC | ATSC | ATSC | QAM ATSC |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1080 |
| Sound Output Mode | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
| Speaker System | 2 speakers | Info unavailable | 2 speakers | Woofer 2 speakers | 2 speakers |
| Radio | None | Info unavailable | None | None | None |
| TV Tuner | 1x analog 1x digital | 1x analog 1x digital | 1x analog 1x digital | 1x analog 1x digital | 2x analog 1x digital |
| DVD | None | None | None | None | None |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 54.7 in x 14.4 in x 37.8 in - Without stand | 57.5 in x 5.6 in x 36.1 in | 50.2 in x 12.8 in x 34.1 in - With stand | 50 in x 15.2 in x 33.3 in - With stand | 48.4 in x 3.7 in x 31.6 in - With stand |
| Battery | None | None | None | None | None |
| Remote Control | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared |
| Technology | Projection - DLP | Plasma (PDP) | TFT active matrix | Plasma (PDP) | Plasma (PDP) |
| Diagonal Size | 61 in - Widescreen | 58 in - Widescreen | 52 in - Widescreen | 50 in - Widescreen | 50 in - Widescreen |
| Digital Television Certification | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV | HDTV |
| Progressive Scan | Info unavailable | Progressive scanning (line doubling) | Progressive scanning (line doubling) | Progressive scanning (line doubling) | Progressive scanning (line doubling) |
| Additional Features | 3D HD ready On-screen menu Cinema Smooth Light Engine DNIe (Digital Natural Image engine) | JPEG photo playback Video noise reduction | Wheel key Infolink Ultra clear panel Sound leveler DNIe | Game mode X.v.Color 3D Color Management Video noise reduction Contrast auto tracking system (CATS) | Gamma correction Black level expander Video noise reduction 3:2 pull down compensation 3:3 pull down compensation Color Transient Improvement (CTI) |
| Display Format | 1080p (FullHD) | 1080p (FullHD) | 1080p (FullHD) | 1080p (FullHD) | 1080p (FullHD) |
| PC Interface | VGA (HD-15) | VGA (HD-15) | VGA (HD-15) | VGA (HD-15) | VGA (HD-15) |
| Video Interface | HDMI S-Video Component Composite | HDMI S-Video Component Composite | HDMI S-Video Component Composite | HDMI S-Video Component Composite | HDMI S-Video Component Composite |
| Product Description | Samsung HL61A750 - 61 in Rear projection TV | Panasonic TH 58PZ700U - 58 in Plasma TV | Samsung LN52A650 - 52 in LCD TV | Panasonic TH 50PZ800U - 50 in Plasma TV | Pioneer PDP 5020FD - 50 in Plasma TV |
| Product Type | Rear projection TV | Plasma TV | LCD TV | Plasma TV | Plasma TV with Built-in network media player |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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