Top flat-panel HDTV plasma:
Pioneer PDP-5080HDThe Pioneer PDP-5080HD produces the deepest shade of black--and thus one of the best pictures--we've ever tested. The good: This 50-inch plasma TV displays an exceedingly deep shade of black with excellent shadow detail; clean image with little noise; "smooth" video-processing mode removes most judder; excellent antireflective screen; sleek, minimalist styling; removable speaker; superb connectivity with four HDMI inputs and one PC input; CableCard compatible with TV Guide EPG. The bad: Expensive; inaccurate primary color of green; no user-menu fine color temperature controls.
Top flat-panel LCD HDTV:
Sony KDL-46XBR4Although not quite as impressive as the best plasmas, the 46-inch Sony KDL-46XBR4 outperforms any flat-panel LCD we've tested so far. The good: Excellent black-level performance for an LCD; accurate color; 120Hz processing smoothes judder in motion; fine screen uniformity and off-angle viewing for an LCD; numerous picture controls; solid connectivity with three HDMI inputs and one PC input; distinctive "floating glass" design; interchangeable bezel color option. The bad: Expensive; benefits of 120Hz blur-reduction hard to discern; smooth motion seems unnatural for film-based material and introduces some artifacts; main menu system kludgy to operate; many picture adjustments seem unnecessary and/or harmful.
Top budget flat-panel plasma HDTV:
Vizio VP42HDTVThe low-buck, high-value Vizio VP42HDTV deftly avoids most of the picture-quality pitfalls of inexpensive plasmas. The good: Inexpensive; relatively accurate color; solid standard-def performance; clean image with little false contouring; user-menu fine color temperature controls; connectivity includes two HDMI and one PC input; unobtrusive two-tone styling. The bad: Below-average shadow detail; color tends toward red in darker areas; nondefeatable edge enhancement; emits faint buzzing sound.
Top budget flat-panel LCD HDTV:
Westinghouse TX-47F430SDespite its lighter black levels, the Westinghouse TX-47F430S 1080p LCD wide-screen television produces an otherwise solid picture for a very good price. The good: Relatively inexpensive; excellent connectivity, including four HDMI inputs and one PC input; solid range of picture controls, including fine color temperature settings; helpful menu system. The bad: Reproduces a light shade of black; subpar detail in shadows; uneven screen uniformity; no independent input memories for HDMI; clips detail in white areas; ho-hum all-gray styling.
Top rear-projection HDTV:
Samsung HL-T5687SAlthough we couldn't quite ignore its uneven screen uniformity, the Samsung HL-T5687S still makes a compelling alternative to flat-screen wallet-busters at this size. The good: Excellent primary color accuracy; produces a deep overall shade of black; no rainbow effect compared to other DLPs; comprehensive connectivity with 3 HDMI and one PC input; numerous picture controls; compact, stylish cabinet. The bad: Hot spot visible in dark scenes; no user-menu color temperature controls; lacks 2:3 pulldown processing.
Top home-theater projector:
Sharp XV-Z20000Sharp's XV-Z20000 is a top performer among 1080p projectors, and delivers a solid feature package and sleek design to boot. The good: Solid color decoding, excellent black level performance; good shadow detail and accurate gamma, comprehensive feature package with numerous picture adjustments; great connectivity with two HDMI and one DVI input. The bad: Primary and secondary colors are off; all lens adjustments are physical rather than electronic
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