Consumer Reports: Best TV's

Consumer Reports March 2009

Movie Lover
. . .To do justice to your favorite flicks, choose a TV with a least a 40-inch screen, and think bigger for a greater dramatic impact.

Plasma sets generally display richer, more movie-like images that LCD TV's, with better blacks, truer colors, and better detail in the shadows. . .Our tests have shown that LCDs using LED backlights with local dimming give plasmas a run for their money in producing deep blacks, great contrast, and accurate colors.

Plasma TV's

50-Inch sets

Samsung PN50A550 $1,600 Best Buy
- Rated 'excellent' rating for HD picture, DVD, and SD picture quality.
- 3 HDMI, 2 Component

Vizio VP504FHDTV10a $1,100 Recommended
- Only other model listed as a great value with excellent HD picture quality
- 4 HDMI, 1 Component

None of the 42" plasma TV's are 1080p.

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LCD TVs

Viewing angle is still a limiting factor for LCDs; most sets got middling scores because image quality declines as you move off to the sides or up and down.

40 and 42 inch sets

#1 Samsung LN40A630 $1,400 Recommended ($870 on 10/1/09)
- Excellent picture quality across the board

#5 Sharp Aquos LC-42D65U $1,100 Best Buy ($900 on 10/1/09)
- excellent picture quality and an unusual five HDMI inputs

#14 Vizio V042L FHDTV10A $900 Recommended
- Excellent HD picture quality and a wide viewing angle