Doing the work for you: choosing your Best Plasma TV (series of articles)

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While a number of relatively unknown makers have been busy introducing low-cost panels, few come close to the performance of the Pioneer and Panasonic. However, Vizio plasma TVs have captured the attention of reviewers for their picture quality, which is said to be only slightly behind that of the best plasma TVs, and actually superior to the offerings from some better-known names. Even more surprisingly, that picture quality comes at a price that is near the very bottom of the market. One issue is availability; Vizio products can be harder to find than others.

The 50-inch Vizio P50 HDTV (*est. $1,300) is earning acclaim from lots of reviewers. All say that no one will confuse the image with that of the better Pioneer or Panasonic plasma displays, but that it's still pretty good in its own right -- and will look great to most families and less-critical viewers. Among the surprises on such a budget TV is the inclusion of a Faroudja DCDi (Directional Correlational Deinterlacing) video processor. Reviewers such as Lawrence E. Ullman at The Perfect Vision and Al Griffin at Sound & Vision magazine say that this processor does a superior job of scaling and deinterlacing all image resolutions to the panel's native 1366 x 768 resolution. As a result, the Vizio P50 HDTV actually outperforms a number of higher-rated TVs when it comes to handling standard-definition television signals -- important if you don't watch exclusively high-def TV content.

Otherwise, black levels and shadow detail are good, but not quite up to the standards set by the best in the market. Reviewers note some image defects, including excess false contouring and video noise. We also saw a few comments about a too-blue color balance out-of-the-box. That's an issue that normally can be fixed by changing a TV's color temperature setting, but that relatively common user adjustment is missing on this set. But overall, color accuracy is good. Quibbles aside, everyone agrees that given its low price, the Vizio P50 HDTV is an outstanding value.

Not that long ago, a 60-inch plasma TV was well out of reach of most budgets. Prices are dropping, but the Vizio VM60P (*est. $2,500) sets a new benchmark in that regard. Reviews say image quality is a mixed bag, but the value of a decent-performing, 60-inch flat panel at a sub-$3,000 price point is impossible to ignore.

If you demand the best image quality, reviews say the Vizio VM60P will leave you wanting. But if 'pretty good' will do, this plasma TV holds its own. Experts say black levels and color are fine. Unlike the Vizio P50, the Faroudja deinterlacer is missing here, and that negatively impacts performance with standard-definition input. One potential red flag noted in two reviews is an issue with image retention (ghosting).

The third Vizio plasma TV getting some positive acclaim is the Vizio VP42 (*est. $850). Reviews say that it has a rare combination of low price and above average performance. PC Magazine likes the VP42 enough to have named it an Editors' Choice.

Like other Vizio plasma TVs, the VP42 won't beat the best in a head-to-head image-quality competition. However, black levels are good considering the price. Color is solid, and there are enough user adjustments -- including color temperature -- to get things close to perfect. However, some reviews note that green is shifted slightly toward blue, and some edges are oversharpened. Connectivity is called good, as is ease of use.

We also saw a few nice comments about the 50-inch LG 50PC5D (*est. $1,700) . No reviewer says that the picture quality is as good as Pioneer and Panasonic plasma TVs, but image quality is considered acceptable, and the TV is inexpensive for its size (the 50-inch Vizio TV is even less expensive, however).

CNet.com compares the LG plasma TV to three highly rated HDTVs -- the Pioneer PRO-FHD1, Panasonic TH-50PH9UK (now discontinued) and Samsung HP-T5064 -- and says that the LG 50PC5D produces black levels that are very competitive. Reviews say that shadow detail and color are also very good, though perhaps not as good as better displays. Noise reduction, however, is subpar according to multiple reviewers, and the set struggles to properly deinterlace 1080i video. The TV is also available in a 42-inch screen size as the LG 42PC5D (*est. $1,090) and reports say that it performs similarly to its 50-inch sibling.

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