Flat Panel Reviews
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Vizio VF551XVT LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Scott Wilkinson • Jan 19, 2010 • 0 comments
Price: $2,200 At A Glance: Superb video processing • Improved menu operation and calibration controls • So-so black level and shadow detail on real-world material

LED for the Masses

At the 2009 CES, Vizio took the wraps off of its first LCD HDTV with LED backlighting and local dimming, which consumers have been eagerly waiting for ever since. At $2,200, the VF551XVT is the least expensive 55-inch local-dimming LCD available, which makes it mighty attractive to cash-strapped TV shoppers. How well does it fulfill the promise of LED backlighting? Read on to find out...

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Panasonic VIERA TC-P58V10 Plasma HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Dec 07, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $2,700 At A Glance: Best blacks yet from Panasonic • THX certified • Excellent value • Superb off-axis performance

Plasma Brings the Juice

For many reasons, not the least of which is the sheer brightness that grabs eyeballs on the showroom floor, LCD HDTVs now outsell plasmas by a significant margin.

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Samsung UN55B8500 LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Nov 30, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $4,500 At A Glance: Deep blacks • Excellent resolution • Full range of color adjustments • Local-dimming LED technology

Back to the LED Future

Samsung, it appears, is going LED in a big way. Thirteen of its LCD sets in the 6, 7, and 8 Series use LEDs for back-lighting instead of CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lights), which until recently have been nearly universal in flat-panel LCD HDTVs.

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LG 60PS80 Plasma HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Nov 02, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $2,900 At A Glance: Unique 20-step calibration option • Crisp image with vivid color • Mediocre black level • THX certified

Calibration Sensation

The drop in the prices of flat-panel HDTVs during the past few years has been dizzying. While the news about this may be noisiest on the LCD side, the footsteps you hear are plasma racing back to stake its claim to the booty.

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LG 47LH90 LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Scott Wilkinson • Oct 12, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $2,400 at A Glance: Excellent color, detail, blacks, and frame interpolation • Mediocre shadow detail • THX mode not as close to correct as it should be

Black Is Back

As you no doubt know by now, LCD HDTVs command the lion’s share of the flat-panel market, outpacing plasma by a wide margin. This is due, at least in part, to the fact that LCDs are generally brighter than plasmas, which draws more attention on the showroom floor. They also consume less power, which makes them the greener choice.

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Toshiba REGZA 46SV670U LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Oct 12, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $2,300 At A Glance: Outstanding black level and shadow detail • 240-hertz-like operation • Full range of calibration controls

An LED Touchdown

LCD HDTVs have long been compromised in their ability to reproduce the deepest blacks together with good shadow detail. But that’s changing. We’ve seen some notable improvements in a few recent conventional sets. However, the change has been most pronounced in sets that use a revolutionary new development: LED backlighting with local dimming.

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Sony KDL-52XBR9 LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Scott Wilkinson • Sep 14, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $3,400 At A Glance: Great detail and color • Lower black level than most conventional LCDs • Integrated Internet TV • Menu system not my fave • Some off-axis discoloration

The Right Stuff

I’m old enough to remember when Sony introduced its first XBR models, which were top-of-the-line CRT TVs. Since then, the company has continued to use XBR in the model designation of its flagship flat panels, adding a number to indicate each new generation.

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Samsung PN50B860 Plasma HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Sep 14, 2009 • 0 comments
Price: $2,400 At A Glance: Excellent resolution and color • Full adjustability • Blacks could be better • Ultra-thin 1.2-inch profile

Plasma Soldiers On

LCD televisions are everywhere these days. They fill the back walls of Best Buys, are lined up like hedgerows near the entrance of Costco, and fly out the door at Walmart. Even at this moment, they’re undoubtedly being flogged out of the back of a fleet of white vans in parking lots across the land.

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Panasonic Viera TC-P42G10 Plasma HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 0 comments
This review is part of a five-way Face Off. Read the introduction and conclusions of the Face Off here.

Price: $1,300 At A Glance: Excellent blacks and shadow detail • Superb off-axis performance • Performs best in subdued lighting

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Sony Bravia KDL-40V5100 LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 1 comments
This review is part of a five-way Face Off. Read the introduction and conclusions of the Face Off here.

Price: $1,500 At A Glance: Plasma-like blacks and shadow detail • Good color and resolution • At its best with 1080p sources

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LG 42LH40 LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 0 comments
This review is part of a five-way Face Off. Read the introduction and conclusions of the Face Off here.

Price: $1,400 At A Glance: Superb adjustability • Outstanding color • Mediocre contrast and black level

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Vizio SV420M LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 0 comments
This review is part of a five-way Face Off. Read the introduction and conclusions of the Face Off here.

Price: $900 At A Glance: The price is right • Good detail • Mediocre black and shadow detail

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Toshiba Regza 42ZV650U LCD HDTV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 0 comments
This review is part of a five-way Face Off. Read the introduction and conclusions of the Face Off here.

Price: $1,300 At A Glance: 240-Hz-like operation with 120-Hz refresh • Outstanding calibration adjustments • Sub-par contrast and black level

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5 On The Line: Flat Panel Face Off
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Aug 11, 2009 • 0 comments
Face Off at 40” to 42”

Toshiba Regza 42ZV650U LCD HDTV Review and Comments
Vizio SV420M LCD HDTV Review and Comments
LG 42LH40 LCD HDTV Review and Comments
Sony Bravia KDL-40V5100 LCD HDTV Review and Comments
Panasonic Viera TC-P42G10 Plasma HDTV Review and Comments

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Samsung UN55B7000 LCD TV
Flat Panel Reviews
Thomas J. Norton • Jun 30, 2009 • 0 comments

You've heard the old saying—you can't be too rich or too thin. I won't touch the "too rich" part here, but people can certainly be too thin to maintain good health. On the other hand, flat panels have no such restriction, getting thinner every year in response to strong market demands.
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