With the number of HD channels rapidly increasing at Cox and in the spirit of anticipated benevolence bestowed upon budding home entertainment aficionados this Christmas, we decided to do a quick analysis of the most popular HDTV options in the market.

LCD (liquid crystal display) and Plasma flat screens are the most debated options, but microdisplay rear projection televisions, such as DLP (digital light processing, manufactured by Samsung, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, LG, RCA), LCoS (liquid crystal on silicon, manufactured by Sony, JVC and Brillian) are another great HDTV option. These TVs aren’t thin enough to hang on walls in most cases, but they have a small footprint, 15 inches deep on average and are relatively lightweight.

Endorsers of rear projection HDTVs cite a deeper black, or truer color, as an advantage, especially in DLP and LCoS models. If you’re looking for size, rear projection provides the most bang for your buck. Mitsibushi 73-inch and 65-inch DLPs are selling for approximately $3299 and $2221, and Sony 55-inch LCoSs (they call it SXRD) go for $1999 and Sony 46-inch LCDs are listed at $1299. Some users cite a rainbow coloring effect in some DLP models, but this should not be a problem for most units.

If you want to hang your HDTV on the wall, LCD and Plasma are the only way to go, although JVC recently launched a 58-inch LCoS that is thin enough to mount.

LCD TVs offer more of a choice when it comes to size –ranging from about 5 inches up to 50+ inches – so you might want to focus on LCDs if you’re looking for a smaller television. LCD TVs are typically lighter and consume less energy than plasma models. Users sometimes complain about color accuracy and blurring with fast moving images. The screens reflect little light and are great in bright rooms, but images can also be unclear when viewed at extreme angles.

Plasma TVs are most popular in 42-50 inch sizes. Many people believe that you get a better color contrast with plasma, as well as a clearer picture with fast-moving images. Phosphor “burn in” can occur when you leave a static image on the screen too long (pausing a DVD, watching split screen, stock tickers, etc.), but this risk is minimal and highest only during the first 100 hours of use.

Larger LCD TVs are often more expensive than Plasma TVs of the same size, but price variance is also based on brand and style. Flat-screen TVs larger than 60 inches are still very expensive. Examples of current prices include:

• Samsung 40-inch LCD - $1699
• Panasonic 42-inch Plasma - $1999
• Hitachi 50-inch Plasma - $2499
• Samsung 52-inch LCD - $3899
• Samsung 63-inch Plasma - $5999
• Panasonic 65-inch Plasma - $8999

For those considering HDTV purchases, we advise the following:

1. Determine a budget.
2. Decide what size television is appropriate for the room.
3. Visit several stores and look at multiple models from multiple manufacturers.
4. If possible, watch extended programming (sports, movies, full length shows) on friends HDTVs to determine what you like/don’t like about their sets.

You can ask ten different people what HDTV they would buy and get ten different answers. All of these TVs are premium products and the HD viewing experience is far superior to standard television. Buy what looks good to you and enjoy your enhanced home entertainment!