Brands

There are literally scores of brands of TVs, some very well-known, others much less familiar. Some manufacturers offer sets of various types, while others are known mostly for one type of TV. Here's a rundown of some of the major brands you'll encounter, listed in alphabetical order. Information on the performance history and reliability history of major brands is available to subscribers.

Epson

Sells front projectors.

Epson is a leading front-projector brand known for offering 720p and 1080p models at low prices. The company was the first to offer a 1080p projector with HDMI 1.3 connectivity for less than $3,000. It uses 3LCD technology exclusively.

Funai

Sells LCD TVs.

Funai might not be a household name because it's the company behind other brands, mainly lower-priced labels such as Emerson, Sylvania, and Symphonic, that tend to be sold at mass-market stores, such as Walmart. Funai recently acquired the rights to two longtime TV brands, Philips and Magnavox, in the U.S. and Canada (Philips will no longer be making and selling its own sets here). It's possible that Funai will use those brands, particularly Philips, to gain entry into retailers that don't carry its other brands.

Hitachi

Sells plasma and LCD TVs.

Hitachi, at one time a leading rear-projection TV manufacturer, now focuses exclusively on flat-panel HDTVs. The company has been strong in plasmas, sometimes offering unusual sizes (such as a 55-inch screen) and resolutions (1024x1080). It previously had a limited LCD line, but it is making a strong push into LCDs with a line of ultra-thin 1.5-inch-deep LCD TVs.

Insignia

Offers LCD and plasma TVs.

Insignia, Best Buy's electronics house brand, is exclusively sold by the retailer. Insignia TVs, which are made overseas by contract manufacturers, are positioned as a "value" line offering more features for the price than better-known makes.

JVC

Sells LCD TVs and front projectors.

The company's LCD sets are typically positioned in the mid-to-upper price range. JVC recently signed a deal with Funai to jointly develop and produce LCD TVs. It recently exited the LCoS rear-projector microdisplay business, but continues to make LCoS-based front projectors for the consumer and professional markets. JVC is merging with Kenwood, a consumer electronics company known largely for car audio products.

LG Electronics

Sells plasma and LCD TVs.

LG is a growing force in the plasma and LCD categories. Often, the company offers the largest screen sizes available for each type. The company's newer TVs have had a strong design focus. LG sets typically sell in the mid- and upper price brackets.

Mitsubishi

Sells LCD and rear-projection microdisplay TVs and front projectors.

In LCD, Mitsubishi is positioning its sets as a premium line with step-up features (all models are 120Hz, 1080p sets, for example) and ultra-slim bezels for select dealers. The company's flagship line is the Diamond series. Mitsubishi is the only major brand still actively selling rear-projection microdisplay (DLP) TVs. It is promoting models with 3D technology and has introduced the first set (dubbed Laser Vue) using a laser as a backlight. In the front projector market, it has competitively priced 3LCD-based high-definition (720p and 1080p) models.

Optoma

Sells front projectors.

While it doesn't offer any regular TV sets, Optoma is a big brand in the front-projector market. It has aggressively lowered prices for high-definition front projectors and offered the industry's first 720p model under $1,000 and one of the first 1080p models under $3,000. Its projectors all use DLP technology. Optoma also sells an ultra-large (80 to 100 inches) DLP-based rear-projection TV series, called BigVision, through custom installers. This requires installation of an in-wall projector to project images on the rear of an in-wall display screen.

Panasonic

Sells LCD and plasma TVs and LCD-based front projectors.

Panasonic is the market leader in plasma TVs, with an extensive line of sets ranging from 42 inches to 58 inches. Plasma sets are usually competitively priced and are widely available, including at Costco. The company also offers an assortment of LCD TVs. Its apparent strategy is to offer LCDs in smaller (37 inches or less) screen sizes that won't compete with its plasma TV lines. Panasonic also sells 3LCD front projectors.

Philips

Sells LCD TVs.

Philips, which exited the plasma business to focus on LCD models, recently announced that it will be licensing its Philips and Magnavox brands to Funai for use in the U.S. and Canadian markets. As a result, Philips- and Magnavox-brand LCD TVs will be made and sold by Funai, which also controls the Emerson, Sylvania, and Symphonic brands. Philips had used the Magnavox brand for its entry-level products aimed at mass-market retailers.

Pioneer

Sells plasma TVs.

Plasma stalwart Pioneer has consistently targeted consumers willing to pay more for a "prestige" label, particularly with its higher-priced Elite series. The company offers a line of performance-oriented Kuro plasmas, which are typically priced much higher than its competition. The company recently announced that it would no longer make its own plasma panels but would instead source them from Panasonic (though it will continue to apply its other proprietary technologies to the TVs). In addition, a recent investment in the company by Sharp could result in the first Pioneer-branded LCDs.

Polaroid

Sells LCD TVs.

Polaroid is a value brand that is often among the lowest-priced sets of its type and size. Polaroid's TV presence in the U.S. has expanded thanks to increased shelf space at Walmart. Polaroid TVs are made overseas, primarily in China and Taiwan, by contract manufacturers. The Polaroid brand was acquired in 2005 by a former U.S. licensee, Petters Group, which had previously used the brand for TVs and DVD players.

Samsung

Sells plasma and LCD TVs and front projectors.

Samsung is a top-tier manufacturer and often an innovator, as with its use of LED backlighting in rear-projection and LCD TVs, and 3D capability in rear-projection and plasma TVs. (It no longer makes rear-projection sets but is still selling existing inventory.) Samsung has value-priced and premium lines.

Sanyo

Makes LCD and plasma TVs and front projectors.

Sanyo's focus is largely on LCDs TVs and front projectors, though it still has one plasma model. Its flat-panel TVs are sold through Walmart, typically at lower prices than sets from first-tier manufacturers. In front projectors, the company's 3LCD consumer models compete with entry-level HD models from companies such as Epson, Panasonic, and Optoma.

Sharp

Sells LCD TV and projectors.

Sharp is a force in LCDs and has been at it longer than almost any other manufacturer. The company sells its TVs under the Aquos brand. It has one of the most advanced LCD panel manufacturing plants in the world and is often an innovator. Like many other major brands, Sharp segments its lines into several different series. Some of Sharp's biggest, most innovative sets are expensive; others are competitively priced. The company recently took a stake in Pioneer; the benefits to Sharp are likely to be audio related.

Sony

Sells LCD TVs and front projectors.

Sony is a powerhouse LCD TV manufacturer with one of the most extensive product lines of LCD sets, which are sold under the Bravia name. There are several distinct Bravia lines with varying levels of features and quality; most are mid- to high-priced, and its flagship XBR-series models are generally the most expensive of their type. Sony recently started offering a low-priced line for mass merchants such as Target and Walmart. Sony has exited the rear-projection microdisplay business (LCoS), but continues to make front projectors for the consumer and professional markets.

Toshiba

Sells LCD TVs.

Toshiba, which sells LCDs under the Regza label, has some sets that emphasize value, with features comparable to those of other major brands, but generally at lower prices. Its Cinema Series models are higher priced and loaded with features. The company, which makes LCD TVs in a large range of sizes, has a new line with very thin bezels, allowing a larger screen size to be used in a smaller physical space.

Vizio

Sells LCD and plasma TVs.

From its humble start just a few years ago as a warehouse-only brand, Vizio has emerged to become a top-tier TV brand whose sets are now also available in Walmart and Sears stores. Vizio TVs, which are made overseas by contract manufacturers, are generally sold at very low prices compared with more established names, but the company has introduced some new models that have higher prices and some step-up features.

Westinghouse

Sells LCD TVs.

Westinghouse Digital, which licensed the venerable brand from Westinghouse Electric, has emerged as a lower-priced alternative to more established LCD brands. It has typically been among the first to offer step-up features such as 1080p resolution at lower prices than its competitors.

See also:

Blu-ray & DVD players

Digital video recorders

TV Service Providers

Special Section:
Digital TV switchover