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Buyer's guide to TVs

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TV/Projector news:

The DreamBee full-HD projector buzzes lazily into view. And we like what we see If you want to get the biggest and best home cinema picture, then feast your eyes on DreamVision's DreamBee. This latest full-HD projector packs in D-ILA light-chucking technology, for stunning visual results. Two versions are available – the DreamBee and DreamBee Pro, which comes with a borderline-ridiculous four HDMI ports and an extra processor.

 TOP TIPS:

1/ Screens range from 15-inch minis to 42-inchers. You can get 100-inch TVs, but anything over 42 may be overkill unless you're a zillionaire or home cinema hack.

2/ Plasmas deal well with fast movement, so are excellent for movies and sport, or movies about sport. LCDs have more detailed pictures generally, and work in a wider range of lighting conditions.

3/ Ensure the TV you select is HD-ready, not "HD-compatible". The latter is just company blurb on TVs that can receive an HD signal, but haven't reached the industry standard.

4/ Pick a TV with at least two HDMI sockets, so you can connect your V+ box and PS3 at the same time. Two Scart ports, VGA, S-video and component are also pretty essential.
LCD TVs

PHILIPS 42PF9831D

PERFORMANCE: Another stunning LCD from Philips, this flaunts gorgeous HD content. The icing on the televisual cake is Ambilight – coloured lamps around the sides that enhance viewing pleasure. Has finely detailed Hi-Def picture and ambilight, but doesn't output at 1080p.

Buy one here.
TOSHIBA 37WLT68

PERFORMANCE: Pictures look spiffy on this LCD, which handles motion well and deftly retains the detail from darker scenes. It's also one of the few LCDs to boast three HDMI inputs, for connecting your V+ box, PS3 and HD-DVD player. Has great sound, 3 HDMI inputs and excellent picture quality. However, again, not full 1080p.

Buy one here.
SONY KDL-46X2000

PERFORMANCE: Feed Hi-Def content to this stunning 1080p LCD and you get outstanding colours and detail. Equally impressive sound completes this stellar set from Sony's X-Series. Excellent quality from HD sources. Solid build, but standard-def video is handled less sympathetically.

Buy one here.
Best of the rest…

JVC LT-32DX7

PERFORMANCE: One of the best 32-inch LCDs available. HD footage is bursting with colours and little noise. There are also two HD inputs. Great pictures, good bass control. Not the handsomest TV ever made.

Buy one here.
Sony KDL-32V2000

PERFORMANCE: Colour reproduction, sound quality and design are all excellent on this LCD. Bright colours, sharp detail, but only one HDMI input.

Buy one here.

Sharp LC52XD1E

PERFORMANCE: It's pricey, but if you're after a massive LCD capable of producing excellent pictures, this is well worth considering. Huge full HD picture and smooth motion. Bad combined VGA/component input and price.

Buy one here.
Samsung LE40F7

PERFORMANCE: 1080p images are rich in detail on this LCD. Shame about the sound quality. Has a stylish design.

Buy one here.
Plasma TVs

Pioneer PDP-5000EX

PERFORMANCE: Pricey, but image quality is outstanding. Pictures are sharp and detailed. No Scart sockets, or tuner.

Buy one here.
Panasonic TH-50PX70

PERFORMANCE: Delivering great pictures, this plasma represents outstanding value for money, although it's not full 1080p.

Buy one here.
Hitachi P50T01

PERFORMANCE: A high-quality 1080p plasma, with extra features, including a motorised stand. Excellent contrast ratio. Hate Some motion artefacts. No VGA input.

Buy one here.
Projectors

Panasonic PT-AX1000

PERFORMANCE: This throws excellent pictures from both standard and HD sources. Effective lens shift, but pictures could be brighter.

Search for one here.
Hitachi PJ-TX300

PERFORMANCE: Full lens shift, lack of noise and a sexy price make this Hitachi a hit. Rich HD pictures and quiet operation, but standard-def TV looks quite poor.

Search for one here.
Mitsubishi HC5000

PERFORMANCE: Picture quality is stupendous. It's also very quiet and reasonably priced. Great colour, sharp HD images. Less effective with standard-def pictures.

Search for one here.
Remote controls

Logitech Harmony 1000

PERFORMANCE: Control up to 15 homely devices via this universal remote's sizeable touchscreen. Stunning looks, easy to use. Laborious set-up process and expensive.

Buy one here.
Logitech Harmony 785

PERFORMANCE: Can control 15 devices. Once set up, it's a breeze to use. It has a USB port and it's rechargeable. Pricey and long time to set up.

Buy one here.
One For All Kameleon URC-8308

PERFORMANCE: "Electro-luminescence" pad lets you control eight devices. Stunning looks, so simple to use. Difficult to set up macros.

Buy one here.

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21-07-2008