Panasonic TH-50PF9UK

The good: Excellent black-level performance; accurate color decoding; independent memory per input; versatile PIP function; extensive picture adjustments; customizable inputs.

The bad: Expensive; inaccurate primary color of green; does not include a stand, a tuner, or speakers; limited to a total of only four inputs and doesn't include an HDMI input out of the box; lacks composite- and S-Video connectivity; cannot change aspect ratios with HDTV sources.

The bottom line: The "professional" Panasonic TH-50PF9UK delivers excellent picture quality, but the price premium afforded by 1080p won't be worth it for most buyers.

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Description: The Panasonic TH-50PF9UK is a 50-inch, plasma television. Compared to other plasma TVs on the market, it is midpriced at around $2,135. In general, a liquid plasma display can provide more realistic black-levels than an LCD display can.

Pros: 1080p (FullHD), which is than some similarly priced TVs. In fact, the typical cost of a product this is $3,055. This TV can display images that are sharper and more realistic than regular television when connected to a high definition signal. The 3:2 pulldown feature of this unit reduces artifacts that can occur when motion pictures are transferred to a digital format such as DVD.

Cons: Has only a rear connector location.

Suitability: A plasma TV, suited for personal entertainment and home theater.

Value: In general, this TV's features are as expected for this price.

Suggestions: (1) For assistance in shopping for a new HDTV, review CNET editors' <ref type="link" url="http://cnet.com/hdtv-world/?tag=arw">Ultimate HDTV Buying Guide. </ref> (2) If donating or repurposing your old TV is not a viable option, CNET encourages households to recycle their electronics. Please explore the following website to find a recycling center in your area Electronics Take Back Coalition .