The skinny on skinny

So you have decided you would like a large, wide screen, digital TV and you have set aside the necessary bucks in your budget. The LCD and plasma TV's can measure in under 6 inches and hang on your wall, giving you more viewing real estate for the requisite recliner and TV tray plus all your relatives who will come over to watch the latest Star Wars Episode. If you go with a rear projection system, your wallet may have more green in it (just over a thousand dollars for a 51 inch model), but look at throwing out your leather loveseat in the den. These are big guys and will definitely become the center of attention in your room, even when not on.

LCD flat panel TVs run from 15 inches (think computer monitor) to over 50 inches with $2000 dollar price tags for a 26 inch screen. You can get a bright high definition picture, but there are some problems with blurring of motion and color subtleties. There are no reliability records on these TV's as yet.

Plasma TVs have gotten a lot of attention these days and can scale from 32 to over 60 inches. Although price tags may drop as technology and demand increase, these are still high end options. Don't balk at $4,000 for a 40 inch screen. The larger the size, the more competitive the plasma TV is with LCDs.