The Perfect Vision 2005 Editors' Choice Awards

This is the big one - our annual roundup of every product we recommend in every category and at every price level. From loudspeakers to video projectors to HDTV sets to DVD players to A/V receivers to everything in-between, Our Editors' Choice Awards recognize the best-performing and highest-value components in home theater-- the crème de la crème. To make our select list, an item must have been reviewed in The Perfect Vision or in our sister publications, The Absolute Sound and AVGuide Monthly. (In a few cases where a products has not yet been formally reviewed, one or more of our editors may have had enough experience with it or its immediate predecessor to make a provisional recommendation.) All recommended products must be current at press time, which is why you will find that some old favorites have been dropped from the list. (By the way, this does not mean that a previously recommended product is no longer recommendable- merely that it is no longer current.) Full reviews of our recommended products can be found on our Web site, www.AVGuide.com.

V, INC. VIZIO P42HD (PLASMA)
$1999
Vinc.com

Upstart V, Inc. just might be driving the entire budget plasma market right now. Just when you think HD plasma prices can't go any lower these guys roll out some outrageous new deal at Costco and Sam's Club. Although the VIZIO P42's deinterlacing and video processing leaves something to be desired, especially compared to its higher-priced competitors, its performance with DVD via DVI is superlative making this set a killer buy for movie lovers. The P42HD we reviewed in TPV 62 sacrificed some features to make its then $2799 price point--no HD tuner, a singler DVI input--but as we were putting this feature together V, Inc. informed us that the remaining P42HDs are now priced at $1999 and that later in the year the set will morph into the P42HDTV and will include an over-the-air HD tuner for the same price. At this rate everyone in America will be assimilated. Reviewed by Randy Tomlinson, Issue 62

V, INC. BRAVO D2
$249
Vinc.com

A more refined version of V, Inc.'s knockout Bravo D1, the Bravo D2 withstands the challenges of name-brand, upconverting DVI/HDMI-equipped players by offering smoother performance with fewer artifacts for less money. You have to spend a lot more to get a better DVI image than that of the Bravo D2. If you own a DVI/HDMI-equipped display, this player at this price doesn't leave you an excuses for not going digital all the way! Reviewed by Shane Beuttner, Issue 60