Toshiba 37HL95 37-Inch Cinema Series Flat-Panel LCD HDTV
High wow factor - excellent value
Toshiba has been balancing quality, design, and price since the late 1990's, and in my opinion, they are the best competitor to Sony, which is still regarded the best TV in the business.  Toshiba now has a 27&#34; flat panel LCD monitor that is low-maintenance, high-quality, and well-designed.  I purchased their 27HL85 a few weeks ago for my bedroom, and this was the logical choice for the living room.  The two sets are identical in specs, except for contrast ratio, which defines how &#34;black' black tones appear on the set.  The 27&#34; model has an outstanding contrast ratio of 900:1.  This set has a less spectacular ratio of 600:1.  The best LCD flat panel monitors can have a ratio of 1000:1.  But I have to say that having switched from an LCD rear-projection TV with a ratio of about 300:1, this big TV is a very nice upgrade.  Like most budget HDTV's, it really shines when you watch a DVD through the component input, or watch a high-definition 720p broadcast (usually sports is shown in 720p).  Considering that Toshiba's only other 27&#34; flat panel has a contrast ratio of 800:1 for $500 more, and the value of this unit becomes clear.  I also like Toshiba for their quality.  All my Toshiba's have lasted more than 10 years since I started buying them in 1985.  My 1985 TV was sold used in 1996 and I wouldn't be surprised if it is in-use today.  I know my 1997 unit is in-use as well.  And a key feature that Toshiba has that Sony doesn't have is closed-captioning on mute.  When you mute the TV, closed-captioning kicks-in.  It's a simple bonus, but it makes a huge difference if you have to take a phone call or want to multitask (like put music on) if the program you're watching doesn't require close attention.  And with HDMI input, this TV is future-proof.  So you get size, quality, cool design, low maintenance, and the reliability of Toshiba.  Go for it!