Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1

The 42-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1 plasma TV is said to offer a good picture for its price. In fact, its sibling TC-P50X1 (*Est. $750) is the best budget 50-incher in reviews. Professional reviews won't say the picture quality rivals Panasonic's more upscale TVs, such as the Panasonic Viera TC-P42G10 (*Est. $950). Features are limited compared to the TC-P42G10, and the Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1 lacks niceties such as a THX mode and access to online content. But owner reviews indicate overwhelmingly that users feel they got their money's worth, even though faint diagonal lines are detectable on some sets if you sit within 10 feet of the screen. That issue bothers some more than others, and CNET reports that Panasonic has fixed that problem. If you have a little more to spend, the 42-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P42S1 (*Est. $780) delivers even better black levels and well-saturated colors.

ConsumerReports.org offers the best coverage -- testing the Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1 thoroughly and then ranking it in a chart for easy comparison -- but only subscribers have access. There's good but picky coverage at TelevisionInfo.com. CNET does not review the Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1, but does evaluate its 50-inch sibling. We found very helpful owner reviews at BestBuy.com and Amazon.com.