Price Paid:  $429.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Three days ago my 20 inch Sanyo was sitting in the 30 inch hole in my entertainment center. Been like that for over a year...got sick of people laughing at it. So off I went to correct the problem. Thats when I found a new issue: All high-end 27 inch TVs are about 30 inches wide. My space measured exactly 28.5. This was the only nice TV that fit...so I bought it. Once I got past the blinding Reds and flourescent Greens (Easily Fixed)...I sat back and smiled, it was what I wanted. The thing looks nice, has a good picture, and all the slots I need on the back to hook up the rest of my world. Don't know what else you want out of a TV, but this seems pretty good to me. However, I do think the high end WEGA's have a slightly better picture. Oh well!

Strengths:
Picture, Flexibility, Speakers are decent for a TV.

Weaknesses:
Oh My Red!

Similar Products Used:
20 inch Sanyo Couple days a month my Parent's 32 inch WEGA

Price Paid:  $320.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
I signed up for MSN as the ISP and received $200 rebate, so this TV only costs $320 (including tax). I compared against other flat screens from Sony WEGA, Toshiba, JVC and Advent (yes Advent); the Panasonic offers the best pictures with useful features such as DVD component input, BBE High Definition sound, color temperature control and front video/audio input. I watched Harry Potter, Monster Inc., and some other DVDs. Wow! With the component DVD input, it really makes a huge difference. Since my wife and I just had a 3.5 month old baby, we can't really go out to see a movie any more; this TV's quality DVD output really saved us :))))) Since I have only been using it for a few days, I will revisit if I have any quality problem. I'll give it 5 stars because of the rebate that I got from MSN. However, if I had to pay the full price, it will be a 4 star product. Highly recommend it if anyone out there is waiting until the HDTV dusts really settled just like me. Peace :)

Strengths:
Picture, sound, DVD component input, flat screen, front video/audio input.

Weaknesses:
Heavy, but other than that none yet.

Similar Products Used:
Sony, Sharp TVs.

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Miramar MCAS, San Di

Summary:
I got a pretty good deal on this TV; It was on sale for $400, plus I didn't have to pay sales tax (which could be upwards of $30-40 on these purcases), so I was pleased. Saving money is always a good thing for college students on a budget. The TV itself looks stately & elegant, looking modern without looking silly (ie. tacky silver everywhere) The inputs are more than enough for me, since all I'm hooking up is my DVD, VCR, and game console. I appreciate the headphone out, so I can watch TV without bugging my apartmentmates. The picture itself is incredibly crisp; this is the first time I've extensively watched a flat-screen TV and I'm thoroughly impressed. I can play video games sitting about 2 feet away from the screen without straining my eyes, which is always fun. The audio is nothing to write home about, but what did you expect from built in TV speakers? The audio outs can easily connect to my H/K+EFE system for auditory bliss, so I don't complain. The remote control fits well in the hand, and has all the functions I could ask for. The OSD is somewhat cumbersome at first, but becomes intuitive with time. Overall, I think this is a great deal on a TV, especially if you don't feel like spending $1000 on an HDTV-ready TV. I haven't experienced any of the geometry problems or flickering that other have had (knock on wood) - nothing but fine picture quality for me. So I would recommend this set over any WEGA that costs 75% more money.

Strengths:
Great picture quality, non-silver, good I/O, good value for flatscreen

Weaknesses:
None, by my expectations of a $400 TV.

Similar Products Used:
JVC 32" round tube, Sony 25" trinitron, Panasonic 27" round

Price Paid:  $475.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
Purchased a Februrary 2002 CT27SX12F to replace a 1999 Panasonic CT27G4. I was hesitant at first because of the price difference between the SX and the CT27D12 curved-screen model, since the store was showing everything with an RF feed. (I don't like Best Buy, but they're sooo close...) Then I took the plunge, wedged it into my apartment, and was blown away by the S-Video and component performance. The edges, details, and colors are great. The flat screen gives a very theatrical presentation, even in such a small format. The flat top surface makes a great surface for my center speaker, but the built-in lift handles could be positioned more conveniently. For those of us who don't have $1000+ to spend on an HDTV, and who have normal-size living rooms, this seems to be a good choice for TV and DVD viewing. Sound quality is also very good, if you don't have a stereo or surround system.

Strengths:
Image quality Easy set up and configuration Good connection set (incl. L-R audio outs) Cheaper than Sony or Toshiba Good chassis design

Weaknesses:
No 16:9 enhanced mode (V-Compression)

Similar Products Used:
Panasonic CT27G4 (1999)

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
This review is for the Panasonic 27" Tau Pure-Flat CT27SX12 from 2002: This TV has an excellent picture, but I ran into a malfunction three weeks into owning it. Lucky for me, the problem happened before Circuit City's 30 day warranty expired. I also was cautious enough to get the 3 year extended warranty. One day, I turned it on and the screen looked tie-dyed on every input. This was very disappointing because this TV weighs 98Lbs!!! Something I do not want to lift more than I need to! Otherwise, it is one of the best non-HDTVs I have ever seen! I would recommend this TV to anyone wanting to buy a good 27" TV and is willing to pay $500 for a TV. It competes very well with any Sony or other brand of flat-screen TV. I personally think it looks better than most other TV's of the same type and in the same price range. I am simply horribly discouraged by the tie-dye screen thing!

Strengths:
Excellent picture quality, nice cabinet asthetics, and the TV fit's where other brand flat-screens won't.

Weaknesses:
Possible production flaw - other TV's of same type have had problems, also.

Similar Products Used:
Sony 27" Flat Screen, Other 27" TV's.