Panasonic Viera TC-P50V10

Now that Pioneer has left the field, critics say Panasonic is the go-to choice for those who demand the blackest blacks for the most cinematic picture quality. The company's TC-PV10 series of sets, including the 50-inch TC-P50V10, have a panel that uses less energy than plasma displays of the past (though LCD TVs use even less energy for the most part). A THX mode lets viewers see movies and other content exactly as intended without resorting to extensive and expensive professional calibration, though there are enough picture controls for dedicated tweakers to dial things in to their own preference. The single sheet of glass design is striking. The less costly 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10 (*Est. $1,300) uses the same plasma panel and includes many of the same features, including THX certification, but sports more conventional styling, less sophisticated video processing and fewer user-accessible picture adjustments. However, it is also notably less expensive.

Panasonic's PV10 series of TVs has only recently reached the market, so feedback is still slim. However CNET has a nicely detailed report that compares the 50-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P50V10 to the step-down Panasonic Viera TC-P50G10. A fairly long thread at AVSForum.com discusses the TC-PV10 series at length. Thought there's not a ton of them there, see Amazon.com for user reviews.