Panasonic PT40LC12 40" 16:9 Widescreen Projection LCD Display
Futuristic w/ an eye-popping HD-picture to back it up
This set was a must-have for me when I purchased it in the middle of 2002.  I've had the set a long time now and have a greater appreciation for it.<br />The first thing you'll notice is the 'spacey' design.  Most of these items in the past have resulted in a cool looking product that calls a premium for looks.  Let me say this set wows not only with its design but with its picture as well.  Please note this is an LCD projection TV, not an LCD panel.  It is 18 inches deep instead of 3, so you won't be able to hang this on the wall, but it is very space-conscious in design.  I replaced a 1980 50&quot; Sony projection TV with this and the space I gained allowed me to do my home theater setup properly.<br />I will get a couple of complaints out of the way.  The contrast is not as good as a DLP or direct-view set.  You can correct the washed-out look with some calibration DVDs (or get a pro to do it for an outstanding result!).  I also had a green 'blob' on the screen.  Some others complained about this but didn't do anything about it.  Luckily, I have friends in the business and found it was a _fingerprint_ on one of the internal mirrors in the set.  I made Panasonic come out and clean it.  After that, the blob was gone and my set was ready to go.<br />As with any TV, the picture itself is going to be your main focus, so here goes.  The picture is very good even with regular cable.  It has a decent internal line doubler and the viewing mode of &quot;Just&quot; stretches the outside more than the center part making non-widescreen shows look fairly normal.  LCD projection TVs don't have to worry about burn-in, so you could also watch this in 'normal' mode making shows viewed in this mode about the size of a 32&quot; 4:3 TV.  The &quot;Just&quot; mode is easily adapted to, and you'll be wanting to keep the screen full once you get accustomed to the slight stretch.  However, you don't buy this set just to watch cable TV.  Pop in a DVD to a progressive scan player and get ready for a treat.  The real test is getting an HD picture on this set.  I've used 720p and 1080i signals from OTA (over the air antenna) and Comcast cable.  Both types of broadcasts are phenomenal.  If you remember those nature shows from the past, watch an HD version.  You'll actually sit there mesmerized by the picture.  Get an HD movie in there such as The Fifth Element or Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and be ready for the 'falling' scenes.  I was more impressed watching them on this set in HD than in the theater.  The DVD in 480p was wonderful, but the HD broadcasts blew me away.<br />The sound is fairly good especially for the small size of the internal speakers.  The BBE sound interpolation is fairly neat, but I rarely even have the sound on at all on the set.  With this type of set, you almost need the 5.1/6.1/7.1 setup with an external receiver to get the full experience.  I'm actually happy the speakers were smaller than most big-screens to save space.<br />The matching stand has the same design and looks like one piece when put together.  I think it is a perfect compliment to the set.  You will also need to clean a filter every 400 hours or so (the set will tell you when it's time).  That takes all of 30 seconds to do and isn't a bother.<br />I would recommend this set to anyone short on space but wanting a phenomenal picture without paying many thousands more for an HD-capable Plasma or LCD Panel TV.  This is a great example where style and substance are both outstanding.