Must-see TVs good choices in LCD and plasma sets.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)(Product/service evaluation)

With the fall TV season gearing up and football-season promotions promising extra savings, great deals are out there for flat-panel HDTVs. You'll see some 32-inch LCD sets advertised for less than $900, and 42-inch HD plasma models start at $1,900.

Deciding between plasma and LCD TVs used to be fairly easy: plasma for screen sizes 40 inches and up, LCD for smaller. But those distinctions are blurring as 37- to 46-inch LCD sets move into the limelight.

There's other news. Although LCD technology has had trouble showing deep black and fast motion, some newer LCD TVs do that better. Viewing angles are widening, approaching those of plasma sets in some cases. Plasma makers are reducing reflections (with antiglare technologies and filters that absorb ambient light) and the risk of burn-in (with screen-saver-type technology and new phosphor formulations).

An influx of lesser-known, lower-cost LCD television brands has prompted top-tier brands such as Sony, Sharp, and Samsung to cut prices. Some analysts predict that prices of 32-inch LCDs could drop even lower by the end of the year as consumers buy larger sets. And 42-inch plasmas could undergo further price cuts as LCDs elbow into their territory.

At right, some sets to look for. For more extensive coverage of TVs, stay tuned for our November and December issues.

LCD HDTVs

Sony Bravia S Series