Mike Wood

The only thing that's less likely to impress me than a plasma display from a mass-market manufacturer is a lower-priced plasma display from a mass-market manufacturer. Yet Sampo has done just that. At $6,999, the PME-50X6 isn't necessarily cheap, but it is one of (if not the) lowest-priced HD-capable plasma displays on the market, and its image has many impressive qualities. This price point also puts the plasma in the same market as the high-end rear-projection display. Should you extend your search to include this flat-panel model? Read on to find out.

There's something ironic about a rear-projection DLP display. A front or rear DLP projector utilizes millions of microscopic mirrors that reflect light toward or away from the screen for each of the image's pixels. A rear-projection display reflects this projected image off of a large mirror, which bends the image so that it will fit within a shallow, confined space. Samsung's HLM617W makes good use of all of these mirrors in their first 61-inch rear-projection DLP monitor.

Getting big is easy. Just lift weights and eat as much as you can. Losing weight is a little harder: less food, more exercise. The trick is adding muscle mass without adding excess fat. Serious fitness competitors endure grueling weight-lifting workouts and major cardio routines, and they eat frequent low-fat, low-calorie meals to bulk up and stay lean. Sharp has accomplished this same trick with their AQUOS LCD display line without the expensive gym membership.

If you don't want a front projector, you should. Projectors rock! A big-screen image is the only way to get that cinematic feel with home movies (prerecorded movies, that is—not the jittery Handicam shots of your baby's first steps).