HDTV deserves a spot at number eight in the most wanted Gizmos of the 2004 holiday season. The sheer price keeps this ultra-schweet technology out of the top five.
The Geeks have drooled over the choices we have made as we chose a Zenith Plasma, a Samsung LCD and a Sharp Aquos (my personal favorite!).
The first and my favorite selection in the 8th Gizmo of Christmas category is the Sharp LC-26GD4U 26″ AQUOS Flat-Panel LCD TV with Integrated HDTV Tuner.
Compact enough for personal computing or kitchen viewing and good enough for use in small-scale home theaters, Sharp’s 26-inch LC-32GD4U Advanced Super View LCD television is picture-frame thin yet still houses both standard NTSC and digital ATSC (HDTV) tuners, as well as all necessary inputs and output jacks, so there’s no need for supplementary connection or DTV receiver boxes; the 1,366 x 768-resolution television is ready to go right out of its box.
A member of Sharp’s stylish AQUOS line, the LC-32GD4U offers a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio to match your favorite movies, and compatibility with high-definition video sources up to 1080i. The set includes 2 detachable, high-aperture aluminum speakers powered by 10 watts per channel. At just 4 inches deep without its detachable stand, the set is as unobtrusive as a big-screen TV can get, and it’s versatile enough to handle wall or table placement.
Our second selection is the Samsung LT-P326W 32 HD-Ready Flat-Screen LCD TV.
Samsung’s versatile, big-screen LT-P326W offers a stunning picture–crisp and clear from corner to corner, with 1,280 x 768 native pixel resolution. The 32-inch set is perfect for use with a DTV set-top box, high-definition satellite receiver, or progressive-scan DVD player, accepting standard-definition 480i inputs, enhanced-definition 480p signals, and full high-definition 720p and 1080i as well. An onboard digital comb filter separates the color signals to minimize dot crawl and blurred edges so you can enjoy sharp, focused images that look great regardless of their source.
The final selection in the HDTV category is the Zenith P60W38 60″ Widescreen Plasma Flat-Panel HDTV. For only $17k you too can own this b-e-a-utiful 60″ Plasma TV.
Zenith’s 60-inch P60W38 HD-ready television uses groundbreaking gas-plasma display technology to deliver superior image clarity, color, and brightness in widescreen (16:9 aspect ratio), large-format television that’s less than 4 inches thick. Load up your home theater gear and plug in your PC: the P60W38 handles most, with a total of five video source inputs and two accompanying audio inputs.
With a plasma screen you get vivid colors like you’ve never seen before, extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than those of most LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor’s slim profile–the P60W38 is a mere 3.9 inches deep, perfect for desk or wall mounting (please be aware that both table stand and mounting kit are optional). Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed near lighting or sound systems.
Please comment on our choices for the most wanted HDTV products and make sure you check back tomorrow to see our three picks for DVD recorders!