HDTV News

The holiday season is an important time for us tech reviewers. It's the time of year when everyone wants advice. During the holiday season, our in-boxes are flooded with questions, like, 'What is the difference between 120Hz and 240Hz, or 1080p and 1080i?' or 'How many contrast ratios does the TV have each refresh rate?' Sure, some of these questions are nonsensical, but the world of HDTVs is a confusing one, so we don't blame you, reader.

Fortunately for you, we're here to offer an objective perspective. Other review sites might employ someone to squint at TVs, who then writes a bad review because he didn't eat breakfast that morning and forgot to put in one of his contact lenses. We, on the other hand, perform extensive testing on each HDTV we review, using professional calibration software and a CS-200 ChromaMeter. Not only do these methods sound impressive, they provide us with objective results for each of our reviews.

For those of you anxiously pondering which TV is best for you, we're giving out our Select Awards. It's a who's who of the best TVs we've reviewed this year, We have something for everyone. Good luck and happy shopping!

Television of the Year – Samsung LN46A750 – Review, Specs, $1324
The TV of the Year has to excel in a lot of different areas. It has to offer great picture quality, compelling features, and still be somewhat affordable. This year, we've decided the Samsung LN46A750 fits that bill. It has some great online features, incredible picture quality, and an appropriate price. All the necessary ports are present to make it a suitable addition to a home theater system. The addition of a LAN port for internet connection may become standard in the future, but for now its a welcome bonus to an already great TV. Of course, Samsung would have scored even higher with us if they'd skipped the proprietary streaming content and offered YouTube and Hulu.

Runner up – Vizio SV470XVT – Review, Specs, $969
The Vizio SV470XVT is a solid, all-around great TV, in a world where televisions frequently cheap out or load up on dubious features. The SV470XVT has great picture performance and an affordable price. The color and motion quality, in particular, were excellent. The lack of a USB or card reader, as well as LAN, makes it less ideal for a fully realized home theater with all the trimmings. However, the low price and high performance make it an ideal television for a more modest setup. If you're looking for a very good TV that won't put you in the poor house, or come bloated with features you'll rarely use, the Vizio SV470XVT is for you.

Television of the Year Samsung LN46A750		Runner Up Vizio SV470XVT

Best Big Screen TV* – Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 – Review, Specs, $1995
The Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 does a lot of things really well and only has a few little quirks. The TV has an impressive black level for an LCD, so you can expect highly detailed shadows on par with a plasma TV. The 52XBR9 excelled in our other performance tests, as well. What really cinched it for the KDL-XBR9, however, was its impressive array of online features. If you're looking for a big TV that has it all, we'd definitely recommend the Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9.

Runner up – Samsung PN50A760 – Review, Specs, $1606
The Samsung PN50A760 was a pretty close contender for our top spot in this category. It's a big TV with good looks, great performance, and a nice suite of online features. The PN50A760 performed well on just about all our performance tests. The TV's online features offer some incredible functionality as well, with On Demand services by Amazon and Blockbuster, as well as other services from Yahoo!, YouTube, and Twitter.

Best Big Screen TV Sony KDL-52XBR9		Runner Up Samsung PN50A760

* Big screen measured as 45 inches and larger

Best Small Screen TV** – Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 – Review, Specs, $889
The Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100 offers all of Sony's online features, a far richer online experience than any other brand, on a 40-inch screen. Yes, it's hard to believe that 40 inches now passes for 'small screen' in some circles, but its frequently the case that manufacturers reserve their best features for only the larger units. Not so, here. In our lab testing, the 40W5100 offered great performance in addition to excellent features. While the TV still has some issues, particularly with artifacting, the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Runner up – Panasonic TC-P42S1 – Review, Specs, $598
The Panasonic TC-P42S1 is a solid, affordable plasma. It has some great performance results on some tests, particularly the reproduction of deep blacks. True, there were some issues with motion blur. That, combined with the the lack the online capabilities, allowed Sony to come out ahead in this category. But there are some things about plasma TVs that LCDs can't touch, like a wide viewing angle and black level performance. If you're looking for an affordable plasma that doesn't dominate a room like a 50- or 60-incher, the TC-P42S1 is a great choice.

Best Small Screen TV Sony KDL-40W5100		Runner Up Panasonic TC-P42S1

** Small screen measured as 44 inches and smaller

Best Budget TV – LG 32LH20 – Review, Specs, $399
The LG 32LH20 didn't have the best picture quality and wasn't the least expensive TV we've reviewed. It does, however, offer the most bang for your buck. You can find this TV for close to $400, which is a very affordable price point. It also has very decent picture quality for its price There's no USB port or internet connectivity, nor is it loaded up with special features. However, all the needed ports are present for a small home entertainment system. If you're looking for a great value, the LG 32LH20 will offer the highest ratio of quality to price.

Runner up – Samsung LN32B360 – Review, Specs, $493
Our original description of the Samsung LN32B360 was 'bare-bones... in the good sense of the word.'It's true; the LN32B360 is everything you need, nothing you don't, for watching TV and movies. There's very little in the way of special features, and the resolution is limited to 720p, but it offers solid picture quality. Like the LG 32LG20, it wasn't necessarily the least expensive TV we reviewed, but it did offer a high quality for its low price.

Best Budget TV LG 32LH20		Runner Up Samsung LN32B360

Most Innovative TV – Sony Bravia KDL-52XBR9 – Review, Specs, $1995
The latest trend in HDTVs (before 3D takes the industry by storm) has been internet connectivity. Some TVs include the feature to power minor widgets, but Sony has taken it a step further. The company offers a downright astounding number of content providers and services, with big names like Amazon, Yahoo!, Netflix, YouTube, CBS, and much more. If you're looking for the best online features, Sony has it, and if you're looking for the best Sony this year, it's the Bravia KDL-52XBR9.

Runner up – Samsung LN46A750 – Review, Specs, $1324
Samsung's initial online features were meager at best, but the feature has since developed. The manufacturer now offers On Demand services from Amazon and Blockbuster, as well as other content and services from providers like Twitter, Yahoo!, and YouTube.

Most Innovative TV Sony KDL-52XBR9		Runner Up Samsung LN46A750