Panasonic CT-27HL14 27" TAU Series HDTV-Ready TV
R.I.P after 2.5 years
Update:<br />After 2.5 years it stop working like what other reviewers stated.  This was pretty much a rental, but I got a couple of more years then most.  It cost me $60 to recycle this boulder.  All is good now, that I just got a Sharp LCD HDTV to replaced it.  I will give this a 1 star since the picture quality is my standard till today.  Disregard what I wrote below.<br /><br />I had this set for three months and it has been a very wise pick for me.  Panasonic offers the best bang for your buck.  For a couple of hundreds more a Sony or Samsung's set provides better image quality with the same spec of this model.  Not to say that the image quality of this set is quite remarkable.<br /><br />What it like:<br />HDTV is way, the only form of over the air broadcasting within a couple of years, so upgrade now.  For the first time I got to use the progressive scan feature on my DVD player.  The quality of the image is greatly smoother, but for some movies it looks a lot less detail, since the sharpening/noise/edge has been removed.  Maybe that just the DVD player problems.  I have a HDTV tuner, a Zenith model since this set is only HDTV ready, that pick up \\"over air reception\\" and the image quality is unparallel.  But only a few stations now actually play any HDTV signal at all.  I can pick up about 5-7 stations in Seattle, but usually only one has true HDTV broadcasting.  I don't have cable or digital cable so I can not speck for that.<br />The remote is one of the easiest and most convenience to operate.  With the major functions located within a big circular disc.  The Menu is easy to navigate and to change features.  There are three color/image settings.  I have a setting save for DVD, normal local reception and one for HDTV reception, since each come in usually brighter or darker then other.<br /><br />The average:<br />1 Component input is not very much nor is 1 s-video input, but why 3+1 Composite video for a HDTV set?  The price of HDTV is falling but should fall more within the next couple of years.  HDTV and wide-screen DVD image is 16:9 so you lose about 2 inches each on the top and bottom for this 4:3 unit. So this 27\\" is equivalent to a 24-25\\" wide-screen HDTV.  BBE and AI sound are features on this set that you don't really notices at all.  There is an annoying humming sound that can be heard when the volume is on 2-3 notches or less or depending on the distance you are from the set even with the mute on.  My old analog TV with analog antenna gets better reception then this digital TV with an analog antenna.<br /><br />Overall I am very please to have this set.  The image quality is an upgrade over my older analog unit.  I almost returned it for a 26\\" wide-screen Samsung, but didn't.  This set 27\\" footprint and weight is less then other 27\\" set.of years.  HDTV and wide-screen DVD image is 16:9 so you lose about 2 inches each on the top and bottom for this 4:3 unit. So this 27\\" is equivalent to a 24-25\\" wide-screen HDTV.  BBE and AI sound are features on this set that you don't really notices at all.  There is an annoying humming sound that can be heard when the volume is on 2-3 notches or less or depending on the distance you are from the set even with the mute on.  My old analog TV with analog antenna gets better reception then this digital TV with an analog antenna.    Overall I am very please to have this set.  The image quality is an upgrade over my older analog unit.  I almost returned it for a 26\\" wide-screen Samsung, but didn't.  This set 27\\" footprint and weight is less then other 27\\" set.