Smart Buying

Smaller Prices Come to the Big Screen

Now you can buy flat-panel HDTVs for as little as $2,000.

By Jeff Bertolucci, Contributing Writer

From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, February 2006

The detail is amazing: the scuff marks on the quarterback's helmet, the linebacker's gap-toothed grin, the running back's grimace as he's stuffed by a monster nose guard. You're watching high-definition TV on a big-screen set, and you've reached nirvana. Too bad you're in a showroom and not at home.

But if sticker shock has kept you from getting that big-screen HDTV, take a second look at the price tag. Now is a good time to buy. Prices of flat-panel plasma sets have fallen more than 50% in the past year, and those of equally svelte LCDs have dropped 80%.

Why not wait for more discounting? Because prices are not going to fall as fast in 2006, says analyst Richard Doherty, of the Envisioneering Group research firm. He adds that the Federal Communications Commission's mandate requiring all TVs to include digital tuners by March 2007 may bump up the prices of some lower-end models. (You'll need to add a digital tuner, which costs about $200, if one isn't already in the unit.) Bottom line: You're now looking at two to four grand for a big-screen, flat-panel set.

Which type of flat screen is best? LCDs offer higher contrast and are easier to view in bright light. Plasma delivers richer color and deeper blacks.

One spec you'll often see advertised is 1080p resolution, which means a display of 1920 by 1080 pixels. A 1080p set produces a smoother, sharper picture than lower-priced 720p/1080i TVs do. But Doherty says you won't notice the difference if you sit eight to ten feet from the screen. Currently, 1080p content is extremely scarce (there are no 1080p images on broadcast TV, DVDs, video games and the like), but 1080p content will become the industry standard by the end of the decade. Displaying 1080p content on a 1080p screen will produce the best high-definition image available, and it should look superior no matter what your distance from the screen. Buying a 1080p set today isn't a waste of money, but you'll pay an early-adopter premium (about $800 now). The three new HDTV models listed below caught our eye.

Dell W3706MC. This sleek, 37-inch LCD model delivers excellent contrast and brightness in a package that's only 4.5 inches deep. Reasonably priced at $2,300, the set includes a stand, a pair of detachable stereo speakers (many big-screen TVs have integrated speakers) and analog/digital tuners for broadcast reception.

Panasonic TH-50PX50U. If big, beautiful and flat is your thingÑand you're willing to pay dearly for it -- this 50-inch plasma is picture perfect. You won't find a prettier image, with vibrant colors and rich blacks. The TH-50PX50U costs about $4,000, but it includes integrated speakers and analog/digital tuners. Too rich? Try the plasma-screen Panasonic TH-50PHD8UK. It's available at online retailers for $3,000 and offers a similarly gorgeous picture, but you will need to add a tuner and speakers.

• Print
• Comments
• Email
• RSS