Televisions Reviews

We've split our television reviews into five separate reports; this one focuses on "direct-view" standard TVs. These sets use cathode ray tubes (CRTs), the same technology that has been in our homes for years. Other ConsumerSearch reports address flat-panel plasma TVs and LCD TVs , as well as rear-projection TVs , which offer large screens for less money, but are bulkier than flat-panel models. Home-theater projectors produce the largest images of all, but require a darker viewer area and either a screen or flat white wall. Our fifth report on HDTV tackles high-definition technology in greater depth.

Very few standard televisions are still being manufactured, and Consumer Reports, CNet.com and other publications that traditionally review TVs have completely discontinued their coverage of tube sets. Instead, the best feedback comes from retail sites where users can post their opinions of products they own. By far, the TVs listed at WalMart.com have the most feedback. You can also find some useful guidance at Sears.com, BestBuy.com and Amazon.com.

Most manufacturers have stopped making tube televisions altogether, concentrating instead on LCD and plasma technologies. Others are winding up their business in this technology. Samsung, the last manufacturer to offer any innovation in the category with its shallow-cabinet SlimFit designs, appears to be exiting the market. The Samsung site just lists one 20-inch model, the TX-T2082 (*est. $250), as current, and availability for that TV is tight despite its higher-than-average price and lackluster consumer reviews. TTE Electronics, which makes RCA TVs under license, has removed all CRT models from its website. Funai, which makes CRT TVs under the Emerson, Symphonic and Sylvania brands, said in early August that it expects to stop making CRT TVs within three years. Other makers still producing CRT TVs include Orion America, which sells Sansui branded TVs under license, and Dynex, which currently offers two models through Best Buy.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

As manufacturers stop making standard CRT TVs, options have dwindled to very few. Among 20-inch TVs, we saw the most uniformly positive comments for the 20-inch Emerson CR202EM9, which is made by Funai and sold primarily at Wal-Mart. The Sylvania CR202SL8, also made by Funai, is very similar save for cabinet color, but more expensive. The Dynex DX-R20TV -- a Best Buy exclusive -- doesn't rate as highly, but also a reasonable choice. Among larger CRT TVs, the only widely available choice is the 27-inch Sansui DTV2760, however reviews are only so-so. Smaller-sized CRT TV's have become very hard to find and don't receive enough reviews for us to make any recommendations.