Geoffrey Morrison

Well that sure is 1080p.

I must admit I, and I assume you, had never heard of this company before this review. The boss (Maureen Jenson) had been talking with them and had a review sample sent to our studio. I didn't find that part out until later. As far as I knew, this product quietly and unceremoniously just showed up. Its plain, unlabeled brown box was so nondescript that it lay unnoticed for several days. Had we not been clearing space to make room for the six RPTVs from the Face Off we had just finished (see our February 2005 issue), who knows how long it may have sat there. I opened the box to check out what it was, and my eye caught what your eye surely caught when you read the headline above: 1080p. As I investigated further, this DVD player only got cooler.

A "budget" Panasonic plasma HDTV?

I must admit, I was a bit skeptical. Or perhaps wary is a better description. Thirteen months ago, in these very pages, I reviewed a stellar Panasonic plasma, the TH-42PX25. It had the best black level and contrast ratio to date for a plasma. We even gave it our Best Flat-Panel Display RAVE Award for 2005. It was $6,000. A mere year later, its replacement model—the TH-42PX500U—has almost identical specs and is $3,500. My penchant for sushi notwithstanding, I was expecting something fishy.

According to politicians and the news media, there is an epidemic of youth violence in this country, and it’s the fault of violent video games. This myth seems to be believed by everyone who isn’t a gamer, or who believes the news media or politicians. Now I’m ok if you’re not a gamer, but if you believe everything politicians and the news media tell you, I have some land to sell you, real cheap.

I’m sure more that a few of you watch The Daily Show. If you don’t, I don’t care why not so don’t tell me. In case you missed it, Monday’s show had Jimmy Carter (yes, that Jimmy Carter). At one point he mentioned he had TiVo, and used it to record The Daily Show to watch during the day. I’m not sure what I found more fascinating, that an 80 year old would have TiVo and know how to use it, or that an ex-President would have TiVo and know how to use it. I don’t care what your politics are, that is just cool.