Panasonic's PT-56DLX25 is a 56-inch HDTV that uses digital light processing (DLP) to maintain a relatively slim profile, deliver a great picture, and keep the price affordable.

This wide-format HDTV generates a picture with a single chip holding more than a million tiny mirrors, and a high-speed eight-segment color wheel handles the colors while cutting down on the rainbow effect that can be problematic with DLP. The silver cabinet looks very sleek, with a black panel below the screen and a curved silver base containing stereo speakers.

The PT-56DLX25's native resolution is 1,280X720, with progressive scan doubling of standard 480i content. The contrast ratio is impressive, at levels up to 2,500:1, creating a rich picture with deep blacks and bright whites. The internal ATSC/QAM and NTSC tuners and CableCARD slot give you the option of viewing HD programming from your own antenna or from a cable source. Movies utilize 3:2 pulldown conversion for a smoother look.

The internal audio system is well matched with the video, with a pair of two-way speakers producing 30 total watts of audio output. Volume can be set to remain steady during commercials and channel changes. Other convenience features on the PT-56DLX25 include automatic on/off and sleep timers, parental V-chip controls, and with its memory card slot, slideshow viewing of digital photos stored on SD card.

The universal remote control fully illuminates for use in the dark, with a disc controller for moving through the menus. A matching silver stand is available separately for those who want to create a built-in look for their HDTV.

The Panasonic PT-56DLX25's inputs and outputs are adequate though not as extensive as on some competing models, with three composite video inputs (one on the front panel), three S-video inputs (one front), three component video inputs, an HDMI input and the standard RF input.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor