Panasonic has been our favorite plasma manufacturer in terms of picture quality, and its new line of next-generation panels will offer even more improvements. The TH-42PX50U, successor to the TH-42PX25U/P, is the least-expensive HD-capable model in the line and includes picture-quality enhancements such as better color fidelity (the company claims 8.6 billion colors) and the best contrast ratio in the industry. Panasonic also says it has improved the panels' life span to 60,000 hours. Other sizes in the line include 37- and 50-inchers, and step-up models come with a built-in electronic program guide.
