Question on Home Entertainment:

I'm looking at getting a Vizio LED-lit or a Panasonic Viera plasma HDTV. My room has a big patio door, and I can pull the shades down to stop only some, but not all, of the light from getting in. Which set would be better for the room?

Submitted by Reader

Answer:

If you're concerned about screen glare, you will have to keep two important factors in mind. First of all, a panel which offers a matte screen surface will be very effective in minimizing reflections. There's a trend of newer plasma TVs getting non-reflective screens, while their LCD and LED-lit counterparts continue to sport glossy surfaces.

Higher brightness output around 500cd/m2 rating is also necessary to counter the effect of strong ambient lighting. Generally, most plasmas have an upper hand in this department with ratings in excess of 1,000cd/m2.

We would suggest you use these as guidelines to decide between the Vizio and Panasonic HDTVs.