When it comes to 1080p HDTVs, do you really get what you pay for? To find out, we stuck three testers in a room with three new LCD sets and showed them scenes from an old movie (The Road Warrior, on a Blu-ray and an HD DVD player), a newer movie (Flags of Our Fathers, also on Blu-ray and HD DVD) and a video game (Full Auto 2, on Blu-ray for the PlayStation 3). Here are their bleary-eyed results. style=“border:1px solid #cccccc;">Vizio GV47LFHDTV$1700 | 47-in. | 1080p LCD HDTV | vizio.comMedia Platforms Design TeamTHE ROAD WARRIORBlu-ray and HD DVD"The clear loser,” said one tester, and no one blamed the movie’s slightly grainy print (it came out in 1981). All three testers found the Vizio to be dark and noisy.FLAGS OF OUR FATHERSBlu-ray and HD DVDThe knocks kept coming, with everyone complaining about details getting lost in shadows, and one tester adding simply, “Yuck!“FULL AUTO 2Blu-ray for PS3Another sound thrashing, due to the dark image, poor contrast and jagged lines. One tester put it plainly: “I don’t like this TV.” style=“border:1px solid #cccccc;">HP LC4776N$2500 | 47-in. | 1080p LCD HDTV | hp.comMedia Platforms Design TeamTHE ROAD WARRIORBlu-ray and HD DVDThe HP earned relatively high marks for its black levels, but one tester noticed a reddish tinge to faces, a problem the Samsung didn’t have.FLAGS OF OUR FATHERSBlu-ray and HD DVDThere was no room for error with this supersharp, grain-free print, but the HP held its own, especially in dark scenes.FULL AUTO 2Blu-ray for PS3An upset! The HP had been in runner-up territory, but scored here with smooth motion, crisp lines and the brightest graphics. style=“border:1px solid #cccccc;">Samsung LN-T4665F$3200 | 46-in. | 1080p LCD HDTV | samsung.comMedia Platforms Design TeamTHE ROAD WARRIORBlu-ray and HD DVDIt was like an echo chamber, with every tester praising the Samsung for its rich, accurate colors, perfect contrast and overall brightest image.FLAGS OF OUR FATHERSBlu-ray and HD DVD"Sharp,” “very sharp” and “sharp as hell.” Testers said the screen’s glossy finish made reds pop and details look, well, sharp.FULL AUTO 2Blu-ray for PS3The Samsung’s Game Mode might have been its undoing – it boosted contrast, but dropped brightness.Bottom LineIt was a photo finish – between HP and Samsung, that is. None of the testers thought the Vizio was worth $1700. After much deliberation, weighing value against quality, the Samsung’s crisp details and glossy screen won by a few pixels.
