Samsung LN-T2353H

Pros: Stunning picture, good sound, xlnt audio & video presets, highly customizable, tons of inputs (2xhdmi)

Cons: screen size is just right for a small apartment or a bedroom, but you'll eventually long for a larger version (like most people.) 1080i looks great, but 1080p would be more future proof.

Summary: This tv is the perfect introduction to HDTV. I preferred Samsung displays to sharp and sony in side-by-side comparisons. Picture is much better than any of the bargain brand TV's, including Olevia. Rather than getting a larger screen size from a no-name brand, go for this. It's a gem. Pair it with the budget-priced ($103) samsung upconverting DVD player (Model # SAM DVD1080P7) and the quality of standard-def DVD's is phenomenal. I can't afford cable TV, but with this TV's built in digital and analog tuners, I was able to receive over 100 digital and HD TV stations that were there for the taking in my high-speed cable-internet signal! As many others had reported, I am also able to watch all the pay-per-view movies that my neighbors are watching (although the randomness of the channel assignments for PPV makes it mostly good only for channel surfing and not for any planned viewing.) I can't say enough good things about this TV. It has tons of inputs, including 2 HDMI ports and a VGA port for your PC or laptop. Even if I had been able to spend $1500 - $2000 on an HDTV, I would still have sticked with Samsung and just gotten the 1080p 42" model in this same line. I'm so glad I went with this smaller samsung model rather than choosing a larger screen size from one of the no-name makers. The piano black finish is gorgeous and the flat, touch-sensitive buttons on the side are great, too. If you're on a budget, just go for this, the upconverting DVD player listed above, and the cheapest HDMI cable you can find online or in the store. You won't be sorry!