Panasonic 50" Plasma Monitor Details

It's not as robust as some of the other TVs in this size range, but that's what makes it such a deal. This 50-inch Panasonic Plasma Display (TH-50PH9UK) is our pick for the "best deal" because it will get you the biggest TV for the least money. Fifty inches is nothing to shake a stick at, and with Panasonic's reputation as the premier big screen plasma television maker, you could do a lot worse. Still, don't expect any extras.

What You Get: Great HD Performance

Panasonic keeps things simple, giving you excellent high-definition performance without overloading the TV with expensive, unnecessary features. The 720p resolution is perfectly adequate, and will let you finally tap into the crisp, brilliant HD content that will transform your viewing experience. This TV also has an excellent contrast ratio, nearly 10,000 to 1, meaning it can faithfully render edges and contrasts better than most other televisions, a major factor in overall picture quality. The TH-50PH9UK can also be used as a big computer monitor, allowing you to watch videos from online or on your hard disk on a giant plasma screen!

What You Don't Get: Speakers, Tuners, built-in HDMI

The biggest bummer with the TH-50PH9UK is that it doesn't come with an HDMI input. HDMI is the best possible input for high-definition sources like a cable box or high-definition video player. In order to get HDMI for this TV, you'll need to spend a little extra money and get a Panasonic TY-FB8HM Monitor Terminal, which hooks up to the back of the display and adds an HDMI slot. This will run you about $100. The TH-50PH9UK also does not come with speakers included, so if you've got a home theater setup, this is a good opportunity to save some money. Tuners are also not included, so no over-the-air broadcasts. You'll probably be hooking it up to a cable or satellite connection anyway, though, so tuners aren't really important.

The Bottom Line: It's a Great Value

The Panasonic TH-50PH9UK display is a great opportunity for people who don't want to get saddled with the extra costs that accessories and other extra features add to a television set. It's important to understand what you're getting though, and whether you can handle the bare-bones package. Remember: no speakers, no tuners, no HDMI (until you buy an add-on).