The JVC LT-42Z48 may be a bargain in terms of pricing, but definitely a competent HDTV when it comes to high-definition video and audio reproduction.

Sharp HD pictures; generally clean visuals; superb sound quality; multifunctional remote control; three 1080p24-ready HDMIs; very affordable for full-HD panel.

Red push; soft PC text; no side A/V inputs; unconventional channel and volume key placement on remote.

Panasonic Viera TH-P42X10 - This HD-ready plasma TV not only offers an onboard AVCHD video playback system, it also comes with a strong connectivity suite at a competitive price.

For the price of the Loewe Individual 40 Compose Full-HD+ 100 DR+ with a few of the trimmings, you could buy a 60-inch plasma TV. Those who're willing to spend thousands, however, will almost certainly find the feature set and design to their taste.

Appealing design; good picture and sound quality; excellent user interface

Extremely expensive; confusing configuration options

. Review ratings on similar products may differ due to differences in regional market trends and competing product lineups

The Samsung LA40A330J1 stands out with its superb connectivity and tweaking options, though its humble 8,000:1 dynamic contrast is a bottleneck for image performance.

Razor-sharp HD and PC visuals ; crisp and clear sound ; 1080p24-compatible ; superb connectivity suite ; lots of tweaking options ; very affordable

Color can be a little muted ; average shadow details ; wider than most 40-inchers due to side speakers ; no side A/V and headphone jacks

A pretty remote with lots of handy hot keys