Panasonic Viera TX-P65VT50
If high-end performance is your goal, then this 65-incher is a sure bet. For such a huge TV, it’s deceptively svelte. An easy two man lift, with edge-to-edge glass and a wispy metallic trim, it wouldn’t look out of place in a bijou pad. Images enjoy crisp detail, aided by deep, nuanced blacks and Monaco-rich colours; high def content literally pops from the screen.
While ideal for movies, this set doesn’t lose focus when faced with fast motion, making it a sports screen to reckon with. Only the downwards firing sound system underwhelms. The TX-P65VT50 sports both Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners, has integrated Wi-Fi and boasts a dual core processor which makes using apps and services from Panasonic’s online portal a super-slick experience; favourites are ready to roll without having to detour directly to net portal.
Reg Rating 90%
Price £3000
More info Panasonic
Philips 55PFL6007 Ambilight
Philips TVs have a (well-deserved) reputation for brain-boiling complexity, but thanks to Ambilight they’re also a lifestyle boon. This 55incher, arguably the prettiest yet from the brand, features wall-colour adaptive two-channel Ambilight LED lighting, and comes with a handy Lounge Light mode to set the Olympic mood.
Of course, it’s also tanked up on tech. There’s a dual-core CPU for seamless internet-streamed catch-up TV, integrated Wi-Fi, plus a powerful 400Hz picture processor designed to deliver squeaky clean fast motion. This set also marks a big change to the user interface of Philips screens. The result looks far nicer to navigate than before.
Reg Rating 85%
Price £1699
More info Philips
Next page: Samsung PS51E490
COMMENTS
Incoming...!
"This flagship 55in LED LCD brings both voice and motion control to television for the first time, in addition to all the other techno-gubbins you’d expect from a high-end set. "
So how long after Apple launch their iTV before the patent spats start?
Buy used
People are so wrapped up in having the latest and greatest, you can get older tech for cheap. I just bought a 52" Mitsubishi DLP for $100. It's 6 years old, but only has 2000 hours on a 6000 hour bulb. Sure, it's a bit bigger, but you would only know that if you looked behind it. I have it hooked up to a PC so I can watch anything with it. Normally I have it at 1280x720p, but it will do 1920x1080i and doesn't look to bad at that higher res. I just replaced a 10 year old 60" non HD Philips that I got for free. I had to throw in $25 of coupling fluid, and 3 hours of my time to get it working like new. We used that TV for 2 years until I found the Mitsubishi.
"Thanks to economies of scale, 1024 x 768 resolution PDPs are monopolising the low cost big-screen brigade"
1024 x 768 is not HD, it's not even widescreen!
How about TVs vs projector review?
You can get a very decent 100" projector setup (including a decent screen) for under a grand. Some of the new ones have fairly bright pictures, and a side by side comparison with TVs might be useful.
To me, over 2k pounds is clearly into home cinema territory - the only way I would have a TV of this value is if I won one in a competition. YMMV, of course, but I'm a projector enthusiast so even if I just had 500 to spend on a new "telly" I'd get a projector.
