Best HD camcorders

HD's higher resolution, broader color space, and advanced compression algorithms have opened the door for a substantial improvement in video quality, even for the most prosaic of home movies. Though prices for consumer models hover well above the budgets of many wanna-haves, as more units trickle into the market in 2007 we expect the prices to drop into mainstream territory. And pros need HD capabilities to stay competitive: even if you're not quite ready to go HD-only, some of the entry-level pro models are priced reasonably enough to merit an educational investment. 

Canon Vixia HF S21  

The good: Excellent set of manual features; dual SDHC slots; generally well-designed interface.
The bad: Poorly designed touch-screen menu system; short battery life; defaults to low-quality video mode; doesn't support SDXC; relatively expensive.
The bottom line: Though they're an excellent trio of camcorders, the Vixia HF S21, HF S20, and HF S200 are significantly more expensive than their respective competitors, especially since the S20 and S200 lack electronic viewfinders. If you can forgo some of the subtleties of the manual controls, you can probably get what you need with a cheaper camcorder.

Estimated Retail Price: $1,299.99† 

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Panasonic HDC-TM700  

The good: Very good low-light video quality; full set of manual features; 1080/60p recording option.
The bad: Smallish, low-resolution LCD; coarse EVF; some edge artifacts in video; middling still photo quality.
The bottom line: The flash-based Panasonic HDC-TM700 and its hard-disk sibling, the HDC-HS700, stand out for their low-light video quality and broad set of manual controls. However, while the TM700 is very attractively priced for its class, the HS700 is not, and not worth the price premium unless you absolutely need the hard disk.

 Retail Price: $800

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 Sony Handycam HDR-CX550V 
The good: Full manual feature set for video; geotagging for video is fun, if not very practical; autofocus system performs very well.
The bad: Annoying menu system; no wind filter or meaningful audio controls; relatively big and heavy; expensive; defaults to low resolution, not-full-HD video quality; cumbersome touch-screen interface.

The bottom line: The Sony Handycam HDR-CX550V fares well compared with the competition, though its video could be a bit sharper and the interface less cumbersome. Unless you absolutely need to store a lot of video on the camcorder--which I don't suggest--or if have large hands that could benefit from the extra grip that the hard drive provides, the CX550V is a better deal than its hard-disk-based sibling.



(Source: reviews.cnet.com)

Top 5 HDTVs 40 and 42 inch

You can find Product Features and Technical Details:

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P42X1 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

 

Vizio VT420M

 

Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100

 

LG 42LH50 - 42” Class Full HD 1080p Broadband 120Hz LCD TV

 Samsung LN40B650 - 40-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p

  

Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P42X1 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

 

The new X1 Series Plasma HDTVs are ideal for sports, movies and gaming, with crisp, focused images during fast-moving scenes.

600Hz technology lets you view superb full-HD motion and still images with 1,080 lines of resolution. For even greater clarity with motion images, Panasonic uses its own unique image-analysis technology. This technology converts the motion in each scene into data. And each frame is practically displayed for a shorter length of time than in previous systems, to reduce aftereffects.

 

•720p HDTV

•600Hz Sub-Field Drive

Creates crisp, focused images.

•Viera Image Viewer™

Makes photo sharing easy.

•Viera Link™

Control compatible devices with a single remote.

 

 Price: $1,575

Vizio VT420M

Fashion Forward and Dramatic This 42” Class (42 inch diagonal) HDTV complements any room’s decor with its fashion forward design and dramatic java brown finish. It's feature rich with full 1080p high definition resolution and 120Hz Smooth Motion technology for beautifully bright and clear images, and includes a built-in multi-media feature enabling you to enjoy music and photos directly from your HDTV.

1080P FULL HD

Full 1080P High Definition resolution gives you over 2 million pixels, making the clarity and detail of your picture razor sharp.
ECO HD™

ECO HD™ exceeds current Energy Star® guidelines by at least 15% below Energy Star 3.0, saving you money on your utility bills while limiting the impact on our planet.

120Hz

Full High Definition resolution giving you razor sharp clarity, crisp and clear images and an absolutely amazing viewing experience.



Additional Features Include:

• Limits motion judder creating smooth transitions between frames
• Experience rich bass and clear dialog to your TV's internal speakers
• Monitors and balances sound levels so you no longer have to experience volume ups and downs
• Sophisticated styling and deep java brown color enhance any room's decor
• Built-in multi-media feature enables you to enjoy music and photos directly from your HDTV

Price: $900

Sony Bravia KDL-40W5100

Packed with innovative features, the 40" BRAVIA® W Series incorporates the latest in HDTV performance into a slim and stylish design. Personalize your entertainment experience and access the latest news, weather, stocks and sports information with BRAVIA Widgets. You can also stream on-demand entertainment including hit movies and TV shows with BRAVIA Internet Video. Additionally, the W Series comes with BRAVIA Engine™ 3 for enhanced overall image detail and Motionflow™ 120Hz refresh rate technology for a crisp, more natural viewing experience while watching fast-paced scenes.

Model features: Full HD 1080p resolution, Motionflow™ 120Hz refresh rate, BRAVIA Engine™ 3, 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, BRAVIA Internet Video/Widgets, 7 HD inputs

 Price: $1100

LG 42LH50 - 42” Class Full HD 1080p Broadband 120Hz LCD TV (42.0” diagonal)

LG 42LH50

Get ready to experience NetCast™ Entertainment Access. This Full HD 1080p LCD TV lets you tap into the Internet content directly on your TV --something you may have never imagined possible. While watching TV, use Yahoo! Widgets to check the latest headlines, weather, financial updates and more. And wait until you experience the entertainment services. Having instant access to Netflix®* and YouTube™ lets you watch movies and online videos whenever you want them. The future of TV entertainment is available now with the LH50.

*Netflix® subscription required and sold separately. Most movies and TV episodes appear in standard definition and many selections are not new releases. 

 

Key Features

• NetCast™ Entertainment Access
• TruMotion 120Hz
• Intelligent Sensor
• Full HD 1080p Resolution
• 70,000:1 Contrast Ratio
• Picture Wizard
• Invisible Speaker System
• Clear Voice II
• AV Mode

Price: $1000

Samsung LN40B650 - 40-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p

Samsung LN40B650

Product Features and Technical Details

Product Features

• 40-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest picture possible and red Touch of Color design
• Auto Motion Plus 120Hz for amazingly fluid motion, 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
• Side-mounted USB port for displaying JPEG/MPEG files and listening to MP3 audio
• Inputs- 4 HDMI-CEC, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
• Includes removable stand- measures 39.2 x 27.8 x 10 inches with stand, 15-watt x 2 bottom mounted speakers with subwoofer

Technical Details

• 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio
• Fast 4ms response time
• Picture-in-Picture
• Game Mode
• Crystal neck Swivel Stand
• 4 HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) version 1.3: (3 rear/1 side)
• PC input
• USB: 2 (side)
• DIMENSIONS (WXHXD): TV with stand: 39.2" x 27.8" x 10.0", TV without stand: 39.2" x 25.6" x 3.1"
• WEIGHT: TV with stand weight: 41.2lbs., TV without stand weight: 32.6 lbs.

 Price: $1100