The VIZIO P50HDM is a 50-inch plasma display that offers excellent performance and a handful of useful features at a relatively moderate price. This HD-ready monitor does not have a tuner, so it requires an external HD receiver or other tuner (such as a VCR, cable box, or satellite receiver) before it can display any TV content. The P50HDM is otherwise well equipped, with a pedestal stand (removable for wall-mounting the monitor), built-in speakers, and an excellent selection of inputs and outputs that include PC connectors. There are no front-panel inputs, as they are all situated on the bottom rear of the monitor.

The P50HDM's native resolution is 1,366X768, with HD programming displayed at 720p. The picture is very crisp, with sharp edges and a high level of detail. The contrast ratio is 10,000:1, and 231 billion colors are available, including 6,144 shades of gray. A 3-D digital comb filter eliminates edge artifacts and dot crawl. The P50HDM is capable of displaying two HD sources or other types of content in a split-screen configuration or other PIP format, although additional video sources are required.

The internal audio system features stereo speakers rated at 10 watts per channel, creating a lively audio accompaniment to the rich video. Additional convenience features include a choice of three picture formats (normal, wide, and zoom), memory for the settings for each of the video inputs, and a choice of five video presets for movies, games, sports, and vivid content, as well as a user-defined setting.

Connectivity is one of the strengths of the P50HDM. The rear panel is clearly marked, and it is home to two audio/video inputs, two S-video inputs, two component video inputs, one analog RGB input with stereo audio for a computer connection, two HDMI inputs with stereo audio (which can also be used to connect to a computer), one audio output, and one headphone jack. The universal remote control is well designed, with direct access buttons for three components and a nicely contoured shape that fits the hand very comfortably.

Warranty
1 year parts and labor