LG 47LH90

The LG 47LH90 is a 47-inch LCD television that offers high-end features like LED backlighting with local dimming, a 240 Hz refresh rate and THX certification (a first for an LCD TV). Reports say picture quality is excellent, with great blacks and colors and a myriad of picture adjustments that help owners get things just right. A THX mode is intended to deliver technically accurate colors without a professional calibration, but one test found that it was inaccurate. Unlike some competing TVs, you won't find any networking or Internet features, but that might not be a deal breaker. Some users report lip sync issues (audio slightly out of step with the video), but that appears to vary both with the source of the video and the connections used. While colors are rich and blacks are deep, they are outdone by the Samsung UN46B8500 (*Est. $3,240), but that set is also considerably more money.

CNET has the only professional review we found for the 47-inch LG 47LH90, and its coverage is thorough and credible. Playback magazine reports on the 55-inch version of the TV, but picture quality and pros and cons should be similar to the LG47LH90. ConsumerReports.org also tests the larger TV, but its ratings are behind a subscription wall. Some owner reviews are posted at BestBuy.com and Amazon.com; the LH90 series of LG TVs gets its own official thread at AVSForum.com.