Choices broaden considerably in this price range, which might be considered the entry level for a main TV. A major-brand 720p LCD set with a 40- or 42-inch screen would be a fine choice for most homes. Good candidates from our Quick Picks of LCD TVs (available to subscribers) include a 40-inch Sony and a 42-inch Toshiba, offering excellent picture quality. At the lower end of this price range, the Toshiba is such a good HDTV value that we don't think it's worth getting a slightly cheaper set with lesser picture quality. The few 1080p models we tested that fall in this price range weren't as good, so we'd pass.

Here's where you'll start to see a wide selection of plasma TVs, another smart choice and a good HDTV value for many consumers. For top quality, stick with a major-brand 720p plasma set with a 42-inch screen. The Panasonic model in our Quick Picks of plasma TVs (available to subscribers) stands out for low price and excellent picture quality. You can get more screen for the money with a 50-inch 720p plasma from a secondary brand, but you'll trade off a little picture quality. If that suits you, consider a recommended 50-inch Vizio ($1,500) with very good picture quality. Keep in mind that brand reliability is unknown.

A 50- to 57-inch rear-projection microdisplay would give you more screen for the money, but with a bigger footprint. We haven't tested any models in this price range lately, though previous tests indicate these TVs are capable of fine performance. Keep the repair rate in mind.

Holiday forecast. You may soon have even more compelling reasons to opt for a plasma set rather than an LCD. We expect to see 50-inch 720p plasma models from major brands for less than $1,500 and the first 42-inch 1080p plasmas at or near the $1,500 mark this holiday season. Either would be a great choice and a good HDTV value. There's also the possibility of price cuts on smaller-sized rear-projection sets, including 1080p TVs.