Panasonic Viera TC-P50V10

Panasonic's TC-PV10 series of plasma TVs, including the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50V10, are praised for their great overall picture quality, especially their deep and satisfying blacks. Though many LCD TVs are more efficient, these Panasonic TVs do better in that regard than other plasma TVs. Among the extras is a THX mode that's designed to deliver technically accurate picture quality without the need for professional calibration. For those who want to do things for themselves, there's a pretty good assortment of user controls. Colors are good -- especially in the THX mode -- though some say they could be more accurate. The styling, which includes a screen and bezel that looks like it is made from a single piece of glass, is widely liked.

The TC-PV10 series is available in screen sizes up to 65 inches. For those on a smaller budget, the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10 (*Est. $1,300) is less stylish and offers less sophisticated signal processing, but it has many of the same features, including THX certification.

There aren't a ton of reviews as of yet, but there are several good ones. The best is at CNET, where the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50V10 is compared with the Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10. The review at ConsumerReports.org's report is much shorter but is based on testing. User impressions can be found at AVSForum.com and Amazon.com.