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Euro 2004 fever: Ole! Ole! Ole!



Visual pleasure


Samsung SP-43T8HF
Projector TV
When you want to go big, nothing beats a rear projector, at least not for the price. These giant sets deliver the most screen estate for your buck, and some offer cutting-edge technology such as LCD engines. A few models offer widescreen, too, for that great cinematic picture, and our list includes slim 42-inch sets all the way up to 65-inch behemoths. Soccer was made for big screens, and a rear projector is a great way to enjoy it.

With prices of projection TV falling, investing in one of these gargantuan boxes makes absolute sense for any quality-conscious soccer fan. After all, 40 inches of hardcore visual real estate will easily impress friends and neighbors, not to mention leave your eyes glued to the set for the whole 90-minute duration of the England-France match. Take a look at Samsung's SP-43T8HF projection TV. This set is perfect for the bleeding-edge TV shopper who doesn't have S$20,000 for a similarly sized plasma. The SP-43T8HF comes equipped with a 42-inch screen, computer-friendly input bays, Dolby Pro-Logic speakers and sports a slim form factor. Sure, it costs about twice as much as a comparable CRT-based set, but inch for inch, it's still much less expensive than a plasma and in performance it's a step ahead of other CRT replacements.

Plasma screen

Panasonic TH-42PA20
Your wife (or significant other) doesn't want to fill the living room with a boxy rear projector, yet you still want a big picture. Welcome to the perfect compromise: An inch-thick flat plasma display. These panels can handle all your video needs, including HDTV, although many so-called EDTV versions don't have enough pixels to do high-def content justice. Then again, EDTV plasmas cost less than higher-resolution models. Sure, plasmas are pretty dang expensive regardless of how many pixels they have, but can you really put a price on domestic bliss?

A prime example is Panasonic's least expensive consumer 42-inch model, the TH-42PA20. Sure, at US$4,499, it costs far more than the model it replaces (the excellent PT-42PD3-P), but the payoff is a bigger input selection, picture-in-picture and a built-in tuner. Those mainstream features may not justify the high price of admission to everyone, so Panasonic also offers a stripped-down version, the TH-42PWD6UY, for a good deal less. No matter which of the two you choose, you'll receive a nearly tube-quality picture in a slim, swanky package.

LCD TV

Sharp LC30HV4
If, however, you prefer watching the world's second-largest soccer tournament from the plush comfort of your bedroom rather than living room, LCD TVs offer a space-saving alternative for crammed areas. Svelte and sexy LCD (liquid crystal display) flat panels have been replacing bulky PC monitor tubes for the past several years. It was only a matter of time before those 15- and 17-inch LCD monitors grew up into bigger flat-panel TVs. LCDs aren't a threat to bigger plasma screens yet, but they are a great option for design-conscious TV shoppers with more extra money than extra space.

The Sharp LC30HV4 is one of the most impressive LCD panels we've seen to date, with performance in key areas such as black level and video processing. At 30 inches diagonally, this widescreen set doesn't really qualify as a home-theater display, but for bedrooms, dens, and those unusual living rooms where a TV isn't the centerpiece, it will serve nicely.

Intro | Visual pleasure | For the record | Other creature comforts

 

 
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