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, liquid crystal display television. Compared to other liquid crystal display TVs on the market, it is expensive at around $2,080. In general, a liquid plasma display can output more realistic black-levels than an LCD display can.

Pros: With built-in HDTV compatibility, this unit can display images that are significantly sharper and more realistic than regular television, as long as the source is high definition. (It can easily render standard-resolution digital TV broadcasts and also depict the full resolution of widescreen DVD video.) 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: Made for those who want to enjoy an ultra-sharp picuture from an ultra-thin TV.

Value: In general, this TV's features are in line with its price. However, the average price of liquid crystal display televisions with similar viewable size is quite a bit more -- right around $2,470.

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 .