The Vizio P50HDTV :

I’m one of those people who can’t remember the first time they ever saw an HDTV. It was a while ago, and on a display in a store setting, there’s really not that much to them since they rarely ever have actual high-definition content running to them. The first time you see one of these in a display setting, it’s always a letdown. But I can still remember when I first saw a television running content in 720 progressive (720p), and I made a solemn pact with myself that the first instance where I had enough money to do so, I was going to get one of those HDTVs. I finally managed to pick up an HDTV a couple of years ago, and picked up another smaller HDTV for the bedroom. For the last two years, both of these televisions have served me well. So imagine my surprise when one day, I turned on my big TV, and it refused to work. After some complaining to my place of purchase, I was suddenly back in the market for a new HDTV, and the pick I made was one that even I didn’t expect to make.

The Vizio P50HDTV is an unassuming model on any showroom floor. It’s relatively easy to not notice the set amidst a sea of other competitors who perhaps enjoy name recognition. Once you step back and take a good look at all of them, your eye will likely gravitate towards a handful of sets, with the P50HDTV one of them. The set itself has a glossy, almost Apple-like black finish that manages to not look gaudy, but rather elegant and refined even. It’s a fairly heavy set, weighing in at about 121 pounds. This is a bit of an irony as the set isn’t the thinnest on the market by a long shot. It isn’t very thick, but it doesn’t weigh quite as much as some slimmer sets. The black casing gives way to a silver cascade of speakers and a stand. Overall, the set looks very elegant in most settings, albeit in an unobtrusive, understated way.

Fortunately, the P50HDTV has more than enough image quality to hold its own in the class as well. As a bit of an oddity, standard definition television seems to be hit or miss in terms of quality depending on how good the signal is. If the signal is relatively strong, you’ll definitely enjoy even SDTV on this set. If it’s a weak signal, you absolutely will not like it. Fortunately, the television’s true strength lies in displaying HD signals and content. Maxing out at 720p/1080i, the television does an excellent job of displaying up to 1080i where necessary. If standard definition content leaves you a bit uneasy, high definition stuff certainly will not. Also of note is that the television works hard to pull off some of the darkest black levels I’ve seen on an HDTV, period. The P50HDTV boasts a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 50” screen, high brightness, an integrated NTSC/ATSC tuner, and an incredible viewing angle.

The set also features a surprising amount of input/output solutions as well. On the input side, the P50HDTV has a veritable arsenal of ports, featuring two HDMI ports, two component ports, two s-video ports, three composite, an RF adapter, a VGA port, and a service port. On output, the amount is obviously a bit less dizzying, bringing an analog output, as well as a 5.1 SPDIF optical audio port.

On the usability aspect, you’ll find the menus to be rather simple, with an emphasis on graphical representations of settings when possible. It makes navigating through the settings much less of a chore. The interface is not revolutionary, which in this case is a good thing. There’s enough to learn about this television without having to go through a completely unfamiliar user interface. I was a bit disappointed with the remote control that comes with the television, however. There aren’t a lot of buttons on it, which typically is great. Some of the buttons are not exactly self-explanatory and can cause problems for an unfamiliar user. Additionally, too many of the buttons are a bit smaller than my hands and thumbs can accommodate.

Despite a few minor faults, Vizio’s P50HDTV is an excellent television that will likely get overlooked too often because of its brand name. Admittedly, I had not intended to purchase this television when I was in the market, but it won me over due to its abundance of inputs, high definition picture quality, and its price. The P50HDTV is working double overtime to dispel the misconception that a nice plasma set has to be exorbitantly expensive. The P50HDTV carries a MSRP of $1899, but I have seen it priced (and purchased it) for $100 less. It’s a wonderful set for those looking to enjoy their new (or upcoming) PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, their HD-DVD or Blu-Ray Disc players, or even if they’ve never owned an HDTV before . At that price, you would be hard-pressed to find a better set for the value.