JVC PD-42B50

If coneheads disturb you, look away...

Lounging atop its cone-tastic Italian designer stand, this elegant plasma screen is sure to have your friends and neighbours cooing with appreciation and barely concealed jealousy. Though it's not quite as sexy as Sony's see-through screens, the tasteful black-and-silver livery certainly makes it one of the cutest fl at tellies out there.

But don't assume it's just a pretty face. Thanks to a strong contrast range, it can display dark colours and blacks far better than most of its rivals, while quick movements are almost totally blur- and judder-free. Detail and colour levels are also strong. Indeed, the only (slight) let-downs are the presence of a vague series of dots and vertical lines just visible in the lighter areas, and the rather low resolution of 852 x 480 pixels.

Despite this, the screen is compatible with high-definition TV (for when Sky starts broadcasting it in 2006) and Media Centre PCs via component video and RGB D-sub inputs. There's no digital video input such as HDMI or DVI, but connectivity is otherwise decent, with three Scarts and an S-Video input.

The TV's sound is also worthy of a mention, being a cut above the average stereo audio you often get with plasma screens. Fancy processing called BBE ensures decent sonic accompaniment at all times, and there's a rather overly dramatic virtual surround mode if you fancy a change.

All told, this telly is highly impressive. If a classy cone and a designer living room are more important to you than Freeview and a digital video input for future-proofing, you won't be disappointed with it.