TVs

Maybe you don't care how many features a TV has. Maybe you just want to see the coolest design going. Maybe all you want is the best bang for your buck, or the best picture regardless of cost.

Lucky for you, CNET's reviews have subratings. All of our TV reviews are rated according to four criteria -- Design, Features, Picture quality, and Value -- that are weighted, sifted, and centrifuged into the overall star rating.

Unfortunately you can't sort CNET's TV reviews by subrating on the Web site yet, so in the meantime I present the four TVs that would be perched at the top of those sorted lists. Each scored the only "10" we've awarded so far this year in the subratings mentioned above; they're not perfect, but a "10" is as good as it gets. I also list runners-up and potential challengers in each subcategory.

Disagree? Sound off in comments! TL;DR? Click here!… Read more

Updated August 16, 2012: We think a matte-screen finish offers the best picture quality in rooms where you can't control ambient light.

Most TVs are fine in normal lighting situations, and some glossy screens are better than others. But if you watch TV a lot in a very bright room, or have to place the set where its screen can't avoid reflecting a window or other bright light source, you should strongly consider going to the matte.

Unfortunately, most quality TVs have glossy screens. With LG going glossy on its higher-end LED models this year, the pickings are slimmer than in 2011. Sharp is a standout, Toshiba a pleasant surprise and Samsung uses matte in its lower-end EH lineup.

New in this update is the LG PM9700, the only plasma TV with a matte screen. I also included a sixth *bonus* TV since it's too good to pass up: Vizio's excellent M3D0KD, with its "semi-gloss" screen finish that's more reflective than the others, yet not as mirrorlike as truly glossy sets.

Here they are, arranged in descending order of overall CNET rating. … Read more

37? 42? 50? 65? 90? There's an HDTV size for every room and every budget.

But if you're not limited by a cabinet or entertainment center, how big of a TV can or should you get? … Read more

At the risk of sounding reductive, New Zealand is most famous for three things: "Lord of the Rings," those guys on HBO, and sauvignon blanc.

Now you can add a fourth item to the list: New Zealand is the home of what claims to be the world's first film to be sold to the public as a 4K resolution file you can actually own at home. Called "TimeScapes," the movie is the brainchild of Orange County photographer and former serviceman Tom Lowe and New Zealand composer Nigel Stanford. It's a 50-minute film featuring some … Read more

The other day, our audio reviewer Steve Guttenberg told me that when he was choosing his new television he spent a good deal of time at his local electronics retailer testing TVs against each other. But instead of evaluating the picture he was more interested in evaluating the sound quality, which I'm sure did not impress the salespeople who were used to just flicking on a copy of "Up" and waving at the TVs theatrically.

Sound quality is underappreciated in a product that is primarily designed to give you a picture, and unless you buy an expensive … Read more

While Westinghouse positions itself as a budget brand, it has shown it's also willing to experiment with cutting-edge technology. The 55-inch is the company's first TV to feature a 4k resolution, and is planned to be released in the first quarter of 2013.

The TV features a Quad HD resolution, which is essentially a consumer version of 4K, and measures at 3,840x2,160 pixels (or four times 1080p).

Interestingly, 3M researcher Dave Lamb recently told CNET that 4K would only have benefits in sizes above 55 inches. Based on a brief demo of mainly static images in … Read more

CNET reader Jason asks:

We have a covered porch that's screaming for a television. I'm not worried about the "elements" as much as I am about the extreme heat and cold. Here in North Texas, we can see summer temps as high as 110 degrees and winter temps in the teens.

I know there are "weatherproof" televisions out there, but they are expensive. Is that my only route, or are there certain TVs that do better in the heat or cold of outside?

Good question.… Read more

With all the hype and hoopla about Sharp's 80-, and now 90-inch LCDs, I think it's important to point out that these are neither a good value, nor a good idea if your goal is a big TV for the home.

Yes, I'm talking about projection, and it's easier, cheaper, and better looking than a big LCD.… Read more

Manufacturers LG and Philips have joined forces to create a universal platform for apps on TVs, and the companies say the system has the support of Japanese manufacturers.

The newly created Smart TV Alliance is designed to create a single platform making it easier for customers to share apps across multiple TVs and encourage more developers.

"Before today, the Smart TV industry was a very difficult market for both TV manufacturers and application developers as TV's from different brands used different platforms and technologies," said Bong-seok Kwon of LG Electronics, president of the Smart TV Alliance.… Read more