Syntax Olevia LT30HV 30-Inch HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV
Not only inexpensive, but excellent image quality
(I reviewed this model's little sibling, the 27\\" model, but both use the same video engine and are identical in feature and quality.  I hope my review can help you somewhat.)<br /><br />Syntax Group is an Asian company that has recently entered the LCD market here stateside.  Its first offerings of LCD TVs are already getting positive reviews from users.  ExtremeTech (a PC Mag offshoot) recently reviewed the 30-inch LCD TV and gave it an 8 out of 10.  I also found other positive independent online reviews, so I decided to give this new brand a try, and got the 27-inch model after landing a new job.<br /><br />Wow!  I was very impressed with the image quality of this LCD TV.  I had seen \\"low-cost\\" LCD TVs from Westinghouse (at Best Buy) and Gateway (at one of the now-defunct Gateway Country stores), and they were disappointing in contrast and image quality.  The Syntax Olevia, despite its silly name, is definitely the best I've seen for this price class.  Of course, if you take a Sharp Aquos or a Panasonic LCD TV side-by-side with the Olevia, the Sharp and Panasonic will be much better, giving you a more vibrant image, but they also cost almost twice as much as the Olevia!  If you are absolutely into the best LCD quality, you have to get a Sharp; they are just the best.  But if you want value but don't want to sacrifice too much in quality, this is probably the best balance.<br /><br />The Olevia is also generous in terms of video inputs.  You also get DVI, something a lot of LCD TVs omit.  The VGA port means you can use this as a computer monitor, but I haven't tried that yet.  The native scan supports 720p and the internal scaler allows you to view 1080i programs as well.  Hooked up to a progress-scan DVD player, the Olevia makes movies a joy to watch.<br /><br />In summary, the Olevia is a great entry-level LCD TV.  If 27\\" is a bit too small for you, go for the 30\\" model which costs just $400 more.  Syntax is also coming out with bigger screens later this year.year.