Panasonic TC-37LZ800 ...Cost of 1200 BUX 1080P
The overall score was the highest 78 out of 100. It was wranked number one 37 inch tested.
CR's Take
This 37-inch 1080p set from Panasonic stands out for top-notch HD resolution and excellent color. It's also one of the few LCD sets we've reviewed with a nearly unlimited viewing angle.
Highs
Excellent picture quality across the board. Top-notch detail squeezes the most from the best HD programs. Colors were very accurate, and images had good contrast, though not the best we've seen. Overall very good reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Film-mode operation effectively eliminates most jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on HD and SD movie content. The viewing angle was excellent, with no significant change in the picture's appearance at any position in the room. Very good sound. The remote control is very easy to use. Has swivel base.
Lows
When picture controls were optimized for DVD and SD content, black levels were generally only fair, making darker scenes look unnaturally illuminated and slightly lacking in contrast. Glossy screen is subject to ambient reflections in a bright room. TV lacks a menu button--the onscreen menu can only be accessed via the remote control, so if you lose the remote you can't adjust the TV. The remote isn't backlit, so it's hard to see in the dark.
Second place 37 inch went to...Hitachi UltraVision UT37V702 with a score of 76.........Cost of 1500 BUX 1080P
CR's Take
Like its 42-inch sibling, this pricey 37-inch 1080p set from Hitachi does a great job with the most important image attributes; a highlight is its extra fine detail on HD programs. However, this Hitachi is a monitor--it contains no TV tuner--so you'll need an external set-top box, which includes an ATSC tuner, if you want to receive over-the-air broadcasts. Its 1.5-inch depth makes it one of the slimmest flat-panel TVs we've ever tested.
Highs
Picture quality with HD programs was excellent; it was very good with DVDs and standard-def shows. Top-notch detail makes the most from the best HD programs. Color accuracy was excellent with SD programs, and very good with HD shows and DVDs. Images had good contrast, though not the best we've seen. Black levels were generally good, though a bit bright on the darkest scenes. Very good reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Excellent film-mode operations effectively eliminate jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on HD and SD movie content. The viewing angle was fairly wide, so the picture didn't change much as we moved to various spots in the room, though not as good when up close. Has 120Hz technology that effectively reduces but does not eliminate motion blur. Very good sound. Very slim depth. Excellent remote; all the buttons are backlit so they're easy to see in the dark. Long (24-month) part warranty and labor warranty.
Lows
Overall image brightness was fine though not as bright as some that are better suited for brightly lit rooms. Dark scenes were slightly lacking in contrast. Images looked a bit grainy.
Third place went to Panasonic TC-37LZ85 with a score of 76 and a price of 1000 bux
CR's Take
This 37-inch 1080p model from Panasonic is a top-notch set with excellent picture quality across the board, plus one of the widest viewing angles we've seen from an LCD. Although its black levels weren't ideal, its very impressive overall image quality still earned an excellent rating.
Highs
Excellent picture quality across the board, with very good detail and color accuracy. Contrast was good, though not the best we've seen. The viewing angle was among the best we've seen from an LCD, so there was no change in the picture's appearance from anywhere in the room. Excellent reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Film-mode operation effectively eliminates most jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on movie content. Very good sound.
Lows
Black levels were generally only fair. As a result, black areas of the image were overly bright, making darker scenes look unnaturally illuminated and lacking in contrast. Lacks separate RGB-level adjustments. TV lacks menu button. onscreen menu can only be accessed via the remote control -- if you lose the remote you can't adjust the TV.
Fourth place went to Sony Bravia KDL-37XBR6 at a price of 1500 bux
CR's Take
This 37-inch 1080p XBR model is a standout even among the best TVs for its excellent picture quality, with richly detailed images, very accurate colors, and deep blacks. Like other XBR models, it's a bit pricier than most of its competitors.
Highs
Excellent picture quality across the board. Top-notch detail makes the most of the best HD programs while color accuracy is excellent. Very good contrast. Black levels are very good, just shy of the best sets. Excellent reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Excellent film-mode operations effectively eliminates jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on HD and SD movie content. Includes 1-tuner PIP. Very good sound.
Lows
Viewing angle was somewhat limited, so the picture lost some color, contrast, or brightness as we moved away from the center of the screen. The remote is not backlit, so it's hard to use in the dark.
Fifth place went to Sony Bravia KDL-37N4000 Summary: Cost of 1300 BUX
A 37-inch LCD HDTV from Sony with 1366x768 resolution, 2 component-video inputs, and 2 HDMI inputs.
CR's Take
This 37-inch 720p model from Sony is a very good set, with overall picture quality just below that of the very best sets. However, its narrower-than-average viewing angle may be an issue in rooms where some viewers may be situated off-angle.
Highs
Very good picture quality across the board. Very good detail and color accuracy. Black levels were generally good, though a bit bright on the darkest scenes. Contrast was also good. Excellent reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Film-mode operation effectively eliminates jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on standard definition movie content. Very good sound.
Lows
Viewing angle was very limited, with noticeable degradation in the picture's color, contrast, or brightness as we moved off to the side. Dark scenes were slightly lacking in contrast. This TV does not have an effective HD film mode and exhibits typical jagged edges--"jaggies"-- in movies and other HD film-based content. Automatic black-level adjustment, which lowers brightness on dark scenes, cannot be turned off. Lacks separate RGB-level adjustment
Sixth Place went to Samsung LN37A450 at only 1000 BUX CR's Take
This well-priced 37-inch 720p model from Samsung delivers very good picture and sound quality.
Highs
Very good picture quality across the board, with very good detail and color accuracy. Contrast was good, though not the best we've seen. Black levels were generally good, though a bit bright on the darkest scenes. Very good reproduction of scenes with subtly shaded light-to-dark areas. Excellent film-mode operation effectively eliminates jagged edges--"jaggies"-- on movie content. Excellent, intuitive on-screen menu. Very good sound.
Lows
Viewing angle was somewhat limited, so the picture lost some color, contrast, or brightness as we moved away from the center of the screen. Color accuracy was difficult to optimize, even after fine-tuning the individual colors in in the sub-menus. High-definition images looked a little soft.
