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Top 10 Integrated Digital TVs

By Philip Wong, CNET Asia

IDTVs or Integrated Digital TVs have an onboard digital TV tuner and MPEG-2/MPEG-4 video decoder to receive high-quality 1080i HD broadcasts. Crystal-clear visuals and Dolby Digital surround sound aside, you'll also have an onscreen electronic program guide for an at-a-glance overview of the current program schedule and listing.

Such panels have really blossomed in 2009 with even more vendors such as Panasonic joining Samsung, Sony, LG and Philips in the competition, while others, including Sharp, are scaling back their IDTV lineups. Nevertheless, our latest top 10 comprise most new market entries save for the Bravia X4-series which was launched last year. Kickstart your road to digital nirvana with these highly rated offerings now.

Click here for a feature comparison table.

1.  Sony Bravia KDL-46W5500 (46-inch LCD)
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.8 out of 10
The good: Excellent picture quality; good connectivity and multimedia functionality; decent audio; good value.
The bad: Not particularly pretty.
The bottom line: For those who can't afford one of Sony's exceptional X4500 LED-backlit TVs, the fantastic functionality and performance of the more affordable Bravia KDL-46W5500 should do the trick.

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2.  Samsung UA46B7000WM (46-inch LCD)    
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.6 out of 10
The good: Good blacks and sharpness; crisp sounds; 29.9mm ultraslim design; four HDMI inputs; wireless media streaming; Web-based Yahoo widget support; built-in digital TV tuner; bundled with two remotes.
The bad: Blacks not as deep without local dimming; mild brightness uniformity issue; slightly recessed side inputs; YouTube no search function; pricey.
The bottom line: The stunning Samsung UA46B7000WM is a cutting-edge connected TV with a solid visual performance to boot.

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3.  Sony Bravia KDL-46X4500 (46-inch LCD)    
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.5 out of 10
The good: Overall sharp and clean pictures; plasma-like blacks; tight bass and crisp treble; onboard JPEG/MP3 playback via USB and network; four 1080p24-ready HDMIs; RF-based remote control; unique and customizable design.
The bad: Extremely pricey; no remote backlighting; no DivX playback; chassis a bit on the thick side.
The bottom line: This Sony flagship Bravia LCD TV is simply brilliant in most areas, particularly in deep blacks, but is slapped with sky-high pricing and outgunned in this aspect by the Samsung Series 9.

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4.  Samsung UA46B8000XM (46-inch LCD)
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.5 out of 10
The good: Excellent picture quality; stunning design; overloaded with features; four HDMI ports.
The bad: Expensive; glossy panel not suited for bright rooms.
The bottom line: The Samsung UA46B8000XM is a marvelous LCD television. It features exquisite looks, excellent picture quality and a host of networking features.

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5.  Samsung LA46B750U1M (46-inch LCD)
 
CNET Asia rating: 8.4 out of 10
The good: Generally sharp pictures and realistic hues; effective 200Hz playback; IDTV; DLNA multimedia network playback; Yahoo widgets such as YouTube videos; bundled 802.11n Wi-Fi adapter; four HDMI inputs; backlit remote.
The bad: Bass-shy; mediocre MP3 sound quality; stain and dust magnet; limited built-in memory.
The bottom line: The Samsung LA46B750U1M is an all-rounded LCD TV which offers brilliant picture quality and an advanced feature set, but leaves much to be desired in terms of audio credentials.

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Tags: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., TV, Picture Quality, Sony Corp., multimedia
 

 
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