For a high-performance plasma television at a very reasonable price (relatively speaking, of course), check out the VIZIO P4. This stylish 46-inch widescreen set is framed in silver, with only a few control buttons located along the bottom edge marring the facade.

Picture-in-picture functions and built-in stereo speakers add to the appeal of the P4, which can either be mounted on the ceiling or wall with an optional mounting kit or used with the included removable table stand.

The P4 can display computer content as well as DVD and TV, with a resolution of 852X480, at the EDTV level. Standard content (480i) can be displayed without any fuss, as can 720p or 1,080i (down-converted), though a separate HD receiver is needed for high-definition programming.

All types of content look good, and the 3-D digital comb filter ensures that dot crawl is eliminated. Standard-format content can be viewed in any of four modes, and users can freeze the action, pan across the screen, and zoom in up to 20X for close-ups. Movies are adapted to the video screen with reverse 3:2 pulldown conversion, eliminating any jerky motion that can result from the film-to-video switch.

The P4 operates silently, with no annoying fan noise to distract from the action on screen. The internal speakers produce 10 total watts of audio output, which can be configured to imitate surround sound.

Other features include closed captions on mute and parental V-chip controls to limit access to adult programming. The rear panel contains a number of useful inputs and outputs, including an RF input, an audio/video input, an S-video input, a set of component video inputs, a DVI input, and a 15-pin D-sub (analog RGB) input. A set of stereo audio outputs is also provided for connecting external speakers. A basic remote control completes the package, with buttons laid out in a logical arrangement.

The VIZIO P4 presents contrast and sharpness standards that are impressive, with deep blacks and bright whites. A viewing angle of 160 degrees makes it possible to watch this TV from nearly anywhere in a room.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor