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Wandering around the halls of the Messe Berlin for IFA 2010, it's easy to be blasé about new technology. Especially when there are 26 exhibition halls crammed with 3D televisions, brand new laptops, camcorders, 3D Blu-ray players and all manner of computing and AV hardware.

It makes defining the 'best' kit at an IFA show a tricky task. What really stands out? Where are the real "ooh" and "aah" moments that twang the heart strings of your inner geek? Here's our pick of the gadgetry that we think is worth a second look…

The Samsung Galaxy Tab

Microsoft must be kicking itself. Or perhaps it's developed some sort of prototype robotic boot device that can kick people for it. Really hard. Because while Bill Gates predicted the success of the tablet PC back in 2001, he didn't foresee that it would be running Android rather than Windows.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This giant-sized Galaxy S is the poster-boy for the new breed of keyboard-less portable computers running mobile operating systems. Built with a 7-inch display, it's smaller and far less sexy than the inspirational Apple iPad. Nevertheless, it impresses with expandable storage, Android 2.2, a built-in 3MP camera and a 7-hour battery life.

Samsung SF-series laptops

Samsung's engineering might is unquestionable and it is fast becoming the most prolific tech-builder on the planet. Its new SF-series laptops certainly catch the eye and not just because of an attractive, curvy design.

Powered by Intel's Core i3 or i5 dual-core processors, they also include a Jekyll and Hyde hybrid graphics solution – an Nvidia GPU for power processing, a lower-powered Intel option for everyday spreadsheeting and word processing. Battery life is around 7.5 hours, claims Samsung.

CURVY: Samsung's new SF-series laptops feature hybrid graphics technology

Toshiba Regza VL HD TVs

Toshiba describes its new VL series as a 'premium range of Full HD LED TVs'. Featuring an all-new design (courtesy of Danish designer Jacob Jensen), the VL sets feature a built-in Freeview HD/DVB-T2 tuner so you can switch on and be watching BBC HD minutes after plugging it in.

Philips Cinema 21:9 Platinum Series TV

If money was no object, we'd eagerly fritter away thousands on the wider-than-widescreen Philips Cinema 21:9 HD TV. It's a well-worn cliché, but you never truly appreciate this eye-catching HD telly until you see it. The 21:9 aspect ratio is unique, almost breathtaking, making it the perfect cinematic screen for blockbuster Blu-rays.

The new 'Platinum Series' version on show at IFA this year evolves the 21:9 model by adding support for 3D. With a 58-inch full HD display, it's two inches bigger than the previous model. Philips has also improved the backlighting– out goes the old-fangled CCFL technology, in comes an array of locally dimmable LEDs. Look out for this bad boy in September.

WIDE SCREEN: The eye-catching Philips Cinema 21:9 HD TV now supports 3D

Philips "3D of the future" requires no glasses

The first time that you experience a 3D image without wearing a pair of Jarvis Cocker-esque Active Shutter glasses is a revelation. "Surely this lenticular viewing is the future", you think. "Why are we bothering with 3D specs?" And then you move. Whereupon the 3D effect dissipates for a second and you're forced to shift slightly to correct your viewing angle.

That's the problem with glasses-free 3D TV. As amazing as the tech demos undoubtedly are, they're only amazing when viewed straight on. Philips has been flogging its lenticular technology since 2007 and, while it's certainly made some improvements, there's still a long way to go.

Sharp BD-HP90S Blu-ray 3D player

Sharp is dipping its toes into Blu-ray 3D territory with the skinny BD-HP90S player. It's a stunning-looking slab of hardware, part of the Aquos range, mounted upright and featuring built-in Wi-Fi for easy Internet connectivity. Pair it with one of Sharp's new quad-pixel Quattron 3D ready HD TVs and you'll have an empty wallet but a home cinema setup to die for.

SKINNY BLU-RAY: Sharp's BD-HP90S looks (but doesn't act) like a slimline PlayStation 2...

Viewsonic ViewPad 100

Luke-warm on the heels of Apple's iPad, Tablet PCs are becoming all the rage. Gangs of these keyboard-less laptops have been roaming the halls of IFA, effortlessly seducing tech journalists with their roomy touchscreens and Android-powered UIs. The Galaxy Tab has been enjoying most of the attention, but don't overlook the ViewPad 100 from Viewsonic.

While the smaller ViewPad 7 underwhelms, this '100' model is a more ambitious 10-inch tablet that can dual boot Android 2.2 and Windows 7 Home Premium. It's surely the best of both worlds – Android for easy (and battery-friendly) access to web content; Windows 7 for more in-depth tasks. Tablets are often viewed as devices for 'consuming' content rather than creating it. The ViewPad 100 offers tablet and laptop functionality in the same device.

Hey! What about OLED?!

Every year we get excited about the prospect of OLED-based TVs. But as far as TVs are concerned, the technology is still a long way from replacing LCD and plasma. So while LG's 31-inch, super-duper-thin OLED TV looks pretty nifty, sumptuous even, we're not foolish enough to believe that it's anything more than another tech demo. For now.

And that's it. Seven outstanding products that caught the TechRadar eye at this year's IFA. But what about you? What gadgets and technologies are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.

The big TV manufacturers have been talking about OLED technology for a long time now, and yet the largest screen size currently available is a somewhat pitiful 15-inches. And the price? An intestine-tangling £1,700. No, we can't afford one, either.

The superior picture quality of OLED (organic light emitting diode) TVs is achieved by passing an electric current through an emissive, electroluminescent film. This technique is thought to produce better colours and higher contrast and also enables screens to be extremely thin and flexible.

The main drawback is that the tech is in its infancy, and so yield-rates are very low. It's very difficult to create pixel-perfect OLED panels without any flaws, and that means the prices of producing and therefore buying them is prohibitively high.

However, LG has been tinkering with OLED tech for a while now and first showed off its 15-inch model, the LG 15EL9500 at IFA 2009. It went on sale only very recently and now we've been treated to a first look at the Korean company's stunning 31-inch effort.

The differences between this larger OLED screen and the LCD and plasma efforts around it are immediately obvious. It's just so bright and vibrant. Full HD source material looks simply stunning – TV company's carefully choose what pictures they display on which displays at shows like this, and the choice to display colourful footage of flowers and trees, as well as animations worked a treat.

3D pictures also looked extremely impressive, with the added brightness over LCD equivalents making it truly stand out from the crowd.

We can't praise OLED tech highly enough. It's just such a shame it's taking so long to make it into the homes of ordinary people.

There are many exciting new TVs on display at IFA 2010, but none more impressive than LG's brand-spanking new LEX8 'nano LED' effort.

Using a new kind of LCD panel, the LEX8 has a super-thin film in front of the Direct LED backlighting. This film is covered in tiny pinpricks which are designed to disperse the light from the LEDs more evenly. This is designed to create a better viewing experience by making the screen brighter and more colourful.

It's the first TV of its kind, and LG has signs up at its stand proclaiming it to be the 'world's first nano LED TV'. While that is strictly true, it's unlikely that any other manufacturer would ever use the term 'nano LED'. Some of the big telly companies like to give their tech slightly different names to make them sound more special – LG calls its Direct LED TVs 'full LED', for example. Philips calls them 'LED Pro' TVs.

The LEX8 is certainly a striking set – it's just 8.8mm thick, which LG claims makes it the thinnest direct LED TV ever built. Until now, this kind of slimness has only been achieved using Edge LED technology, which places the LEDs around the edge of the screen, thus sacrificing brightness, contrast and colour reproduction.

The LEX8 is stunningly bright, even on the bright showroom floor of LG's IFA hall, with colours popping out of the screen.

The TV also includes a new anti-reflection panel which is designed to minimise the distraction of light bouncing off the TV's screen. It works, too – compared to a TV without such tech, it's a much more comfortable viewing experience. Most of the top-end TVs on display here have similar anti-reflection efforts.

The LEX8 also includes localised dimming – a de facto feature on Direct LED TVs these days, which means contrast levels are excellent. Blacks appear deep and rich, although it's hard to truly test this aspect of a TV's performance when viewing in such bright conditions.

And the other feature-of-note is the inclusion of LG's new 400Hz TruMotion tech, which smooths out fast-moving pictures to eliminate motion blur and judder. Again, it works a treat. The test footage being displayed looked breathtaking.

When it goes on sale, the LEX8 will include LG's NetCast IPTV service which will offer various web TV access, similar to the offerings of the other telly bigwigs. It also comes with what LG is calling the Magic Motion Remote which is able to control a cursor on the screen – thus making it easier to surf the IPTV services as well as play games etc.

We're genuinely excited about this 3D TV – it's certainly LG's best telly to date and we'll be giving it the full TechRadar review treatment in due course – stay tuned!

Pleasing news for all you 3D sceptics out there - Philips is set to launch the world's first glasses-free 3D TV as early as 2013.

That's according to Maarte Tobias of Dutch company Dimenco, which is developing the lenticular glasses-free technology on Philips' behalf.

A working prototype of this TV is on display in the Philips hall at IFA, and it really is truly impressive.

Philips has displayed a glasses-free 3D TV prototype at IFA every year since 2007. But only now has the technology looked so genuinely fantastic, and Tobias says that not only will the finished product go on sale in the next three to five years, but a professional monitor like the one on display at the show will be going on sale within months.

The technology works very much like a lenticular photograph where the illusion of depth is created by the use of a series of interlaced strips at different angles.

In development

Dimenco is made up of a team of ex-Philips engineers who left the company when it decided not to further pursue the use of lenticular panels in 3D TVs. They're now developing the tech, in conjunction with Philips, and have made several breakthroughs in making the tech viable.

The underlying panel on display has a resolution of 4K (four times 1080p) which is the minimum needed to produce a 1080p 3D picture once the lenticular lens has split the light from the CCFL LCD panel underneath.

"As a TV people will be able to buy this in three to five years, and as a monitor it'll be available in a few months. This panel you see today is a 56-inch panel but the one we're bringing to market will be a 52-inch model," said Tobias.

"How it works is that we put a lenticular lens over the panel which creates a left view and a right view, each eye then sees a slightly different image and that's why you perceive 3D. The panel we have here today uses CCFL LCD but it will work just as well with LED."

Flaws in the system

While the 3D panel was striking – it was displaying full-motion movie footage and looked flawless from directly in front - there was a definite shimmer when walking off axis, and the panel blurred considerably - with all 3D effect being lost - when viewed from an acute angle. Tobias said this will have to be overcome before the TV can be brought to the consumer market.

"There are some big innovation steps still possible, the quality will be hugely improved especially when it comes to the consumer market," he said.

Tobias also said that the Dimenco/Philips lentcular 3D display is currently the most advanced glasses-free TV in the world.

"It is important to build further on the lenticular technology. I think this will be the future – 3D without glasses."

The Dutchman also added that the lenticular panel currently uses specially created source material and isn't compatible with standard 3D Blu-ray, for example, but that by the time the product hits the shops, it will all be standardised and compatible with all 3D formats.

And of course, Philips is not the only company currently researching lenticular 3D TV panels – Toshiba is rumoured to be working on the tech, and no doubt the other big hitters are too. But still, no one has yet demonstrated such an advanced model – it's just a pity our 2D photograph can't do it justice.

The Panasonic TX-P42GT20B is the world's first 42-inch 3D TV (and thus, the world's smallest - for now), and the first Panasonic 3D TV to hit the UK outside of the brand's top-end VT20 series.

It launches alongside a 42-inch version of said VT20 series (the TX-P42VT20B), and Panasonic has also announced a whole raft of other new 3D products this week, claiming that they're going to combine to 'change the world'.

Featuring most of the key features in the VT20 3D plasmas, the GT20 includes 24p 'Smooth Film' for 3D, 2D-3D conversion, 600Hz subfield drive, THX and a High Contrast Filter.

The three key differences between the GT20 TV and the VT20 series are that it features a slightly less advanced filter, it has no subwoofer and it doesn't come with any 3D glasses in the box. The design of the TVs are slightly different too, although you'd need to look pretty close to see the differences - the bezel is subtly different, and the VT20 set is slightly slimmer.

Panasonic says it's not shipping free 3D glasses with the GT20 because it has just launched three new types of 3D eyewear and it wants to let people choose which type and which size to buy. We think it should still be supplying glasses with the TV, but there you go.

The GT20 is also being aimed firmly in the direction of gamers. There are lots of 3D TVs on the Panasonic stand hooked up to Nvidia 3D Vision PCs, and the company thinks that the convenience of the 42-inch size will attract gamers who want to ride the 3D wave with games like Gran Turismo 5 on the PS3.

Connectivity

In terms of connections, the GT20 has four HDMI 1.4a ports, and comes with new firmware which will recognise the 3D AVCHD files from Panasonic's new 3D camcorder. All existing VT20 series TVs will also have access to this firmware if you've already bought one and wish to update.

The inclusion of 2D-3D conversion in this new TV (it wasn't in the original VT20 TVs) is also a bit of a surprise. We get the impression that it has been included more to tick a couple of boxes rather than to offer more truly top-end features. Because frankly, as clever as 2D-3D conversion is, it's nowhere near as beautiful as true 3D content and in many cases it's just uncomfortable to watch.

Wearing 3D glasses can be a painful experience even at the best of times, and we don't really see the appeal unless you're watching something that's been shot and presented with 3D in mind.

Not surprisingly, Panasonic is only showing the GT20 displaying proper 3D pictures, with no demonstrations of the 2D-3D conversion to be seen. We'll let you know when we've given this feature the once-over.

TechRadar spoke to Markus Wagenseil, technical marketing manager for Panasonic's TV group, and he said that the GT20 will enable the Japanese firm to properly gauge the interest in 3D among the public.

"The VT20 series sold extremely well," he said, "but it's hard to tell if that's because it's our top-end TV range or whether it's because people are really keen to have 3D."

He said that because the GT20 series is a step-down from the ultra high-end, if it still sells as well it'll be confirmed that people really do care about 3D. We reckon it's a bit of both – because if you can afford to drop £2,000 on a new TV, you're going to want the option of 3D even if you don't anticipate using it much, right?

Performance

In terms of performance, from what we could tell the TX-P42GT20 is an admirable addition to Panasonic's 3D TV range. Motion clarity is excellent, cross-talk (where the two images necessary to make a 3D picture bleed into each other) is kept to a barely detectable minimum, while blacks remain typically deep.

Panasonic's plasma TVs have improved massively even in the last few years, and all the technical improvements are crammed into the GT20.

Is 42 inches too small?

We're unsure though, as to the validity of 3D on a 42-inch screen. To truly appreciate the depth and beauty of 3D, you need your field of vision filled as much as possible. While we were impressed by the 3D pictures on the GT20, we couldn't help feeling that it's just a bit small. We reckon 50-inches is probably the smallest you'd want to go if you really care about 3D, but even so, there's talk that several of the main TV manufacturers are already working on 32-inch 3D TVs, so what do we know?

Needless to say, the GT20 looks extremely impressive in standard 2D mode also.

The Panasonic TX-P42GT20B is on sale now for around £1,500. Not as cheap as we'd like, but you can expect to see that price fall in the coming months. Stand-by for a full TechRadar review in the next few weeks.

We spotted a demo of Sony's new Google TV-toting Internet TV while walking around the massive Sony stand here at IFA.

The Sony Internet TV with Google TV has a release date of November, but it will debut in the US first. It shouldn't be too long before it makes it to the UK though.

As you'll see, the demo seems to be very much focused on 'websites on your TV' as well as a way to bring new TV content to your screen.

As you can see, the system overlays your picture - bringing up a search box and, seemingly, giving you some kind of history/Google Suggest-type feature.

A video demo also showed a guy searching for information on U.F.O.s using voice search - interesting.

As you can see from the screen below, the system is designed so you can search channels as well as programmes and the web.

Here's a complete use-case for the system. You're watching a football match...

...and you bring up the search bar. You want to find out more about the World Cup - the system suggests the official site.

Which you just click and go to from your sofa.

Google TV will also go picture-in-picture - here's the football overlaying Twitter.

And here's the same thing, but with the menu enabled.

Now we're in Google Maps where we're looking for somewhere - obviously Google TV goes in heavy with the various Google services.

And now we're looking at images on Picasa...

...and finally, videos on YouTube. That's Google TV!

To say that Panasonic's press conference at IFA this year was 3D-centric would be a fairly sizeable understatement.

The Japanese company launched not only the world's smallest/world's first 42-inch 3D TV (TX-P42VT20 and TX-P42GT20), but also the world's first consumer AVCHD 3D camcorder (the DMC-SDT750) and a host of other 3D-related product ranges including 3D home cinema systems, 3D TVs, 3D glasses and 3D Blu-ray players.

The press conference itself was full to the rafters with 3D TVs, with the world's tech press huddled round each of them, transfixed.

The invite to the press conference itself mentioned '3D' 15 times in five paragraphs and as expected the conference started with a bit of market analysis, a sprinkling of eco-friendly innovations, before 3D took over for the duration.

The message was clear, and it was thus: 3D 3D 3D 3D 3D!

The hype was very similar last year, but 3D has matured since then and Panasonic was keen to press home that 3D really is about to find its way into the homes of ordinary people.

"Our goal is to develop a digital hearth, and the next step is 3D," said Makoto Nagura, director of the video camera business unit at Panasonic. On the big screens behind him read the words "Panasonic will change the world".

The problem with 3D products so far are numerous - steep prices being possibly the most prohibitive drawback, but this looks sure to change in the months and years to come.

The new Panasonic TX-P42GT20, for example, is Panasonic's first not-quite top-end 3D TV. It's going to be cheaper than the 3D TVs in the brand-leading Viera VT20 series of plasma TVs. There's no official pricing info available yet, but Amazon UK has it available for pre-order for £1,557 which is about £500 cheaper than the 50-inch TX-P50VT02 model.

It doesn't come with any 3D glasses in the box though, so it's not quite clear exactly how much cheaper it's going to be, but cheaper it is nonetheless. And you can expect the price to come down after Christmas for sure.

What this means is that even though 3D TVs have been available on the market for less than a year, the tech is now making its way down the product ranges of the biggest manufacturers. The practical upshot of this is that if you buy a new TV in a couple of years time, it's going to be 3D-capable whether you like it or not.

Fixing 3D's problems

Another problem with 3D has been the availability of 3D content. Live 3D transmissions are few and far between across Europe, and 3D Blu-ray players are not only expensive but also hampered by a lack of available 3D discs.

Panasonic is looking to help out here too, by launching 3D IPTV services to bring 3D content through your internet connection (the latest Panasonic 3D tellys have built-in Wi-Fi).

"I guarantee you that now is the time to buy Panasonic 3D products, " said Hirotoshi Uehara, the director of Panasonic's TV business, as he addressed the press conference. "We anticipate 3D IPTV as one of the most important elements."

Hirotoshi said that 3D IPTV would be coming to Panasonic's 3D TVs in 2011 through the Viera Cast service. We were treated to a sneak preview of this 3D IPTV content in the shape of a trailer for The Last Airbender. We reckon Panasonic could have chosen some better source material there, but the picture looked pretty good - nowhere near as sharp as 3D Blu-ray, but impressive nonetheless.

Online shopping - in 3D?

Another key feature in the launch of 3D IPTV will come in the world of online shopping, said Uehara. He hinted at a future service which will enable 3D TV-owners to walk round, browse and purchase from 'real' shops in 3D, from the comfort of their own home.

Yet another reason to not bother going outside next summer.

Despite what XKCD says, watching high definition movies on a big LCD TV is a rewarding experience - especially if you've just upgraded from that ten-tonne CRT megalodon you bought in the '90s.

But choosing the best LCD TV to buy can be a bit of a tricky affair. And it's actually gotten a lot more complicated in the last couple of years, thanks to the arrival of several different types of LED-backlit TVs.

There's now a choice between standard LCD TVs using always-on CCFL backlights, Direct LED/Full LED TVs that use LEDs behind the screen to produce the light and colour, and Edge LED TVs that put the lights around the edge of the telly so that the screen is as thin as possible.

The technical lowdown

One long-standing problem for LCD is that it has struggled to deliver the extremes of black levels and colour ranges demanded by movies – especially when compared with plasma. But these problems are slowly being overcome.

So while LCD's emergence as a top TV technology may have been anything but smooth, it's now in the position of being the best flatpanel technology for TVs. In terms of both public awareness and, even more importantly, high street sales, it's pushed its once-dominant rival plasma into the shade.

So emphatic has LCD's dominance become that most brands – Sony, Philips and Toshiba, to name but three – have ditched plasma entirely.

At TechRadar, we test every major TV model by every major TV brand. So let's start with a list of all the best LCD TVs, sorted by manufacturer...

Panasonic makes some of the best LCD and plasma TVs on the market. It has a vast range of both LCD and plasma models. Most Panasonic TVs under 40-inches are LCD models, while anything over that size in Panasonic's range is usually a plasma. Here's a list of Panasonic's best LCD TVs...

Panasonic TX-L37D25 37-inch LCD TV

If you are shopping for a do-it-all telly but are serious about picture performance, the TX-L37D25 should be one entry on a very short list.

Panasonic TX-L32S20B 32-inch LCD TV

If you are shopping for a do-it-all telly but are serious about picture performance, the TX-L37D25 should be one entry on a very short list.

Panasonic TX-L32D28BP 32-inch LCD TV

This TV produces excellent picture performance, seeing it over the hurdles of a clunky interface and fussy approach to digital media. But those are sideshows; the TX-L32D28BP may be expensive, but it's got a load more talent than your average 32-inch LCD TV.

Panasonic TX-L37S20B 37-inch LCD TV

Panasonic rarely makes anything really duff and the TX-L37S20B definitely has its moments, but it exists in a slightly awkward limbo where it lacks the high-end chops required to impress dedicated videophiles

Panasonic TX-L32S10B 32-inch LCD TV

If you can find the TX-L32S10 for less than £500, it's worth considering because at it's heart this LCD TV is as good as it gets at the entry level

Panasonic TX-L32V10B 32-inch LCD TV

It may lack ultimate star quality, but this super-sharp, super value Full HD set is a worthy step-up from entry-level models.

Panasonic TX-L37G10 37-inch LCD TV

The TX-L37G10's black level response isn't shockingly bad by any means – it's certainly good enough to give pictures containing a mixture of light and dark content plenty of punch.

Panasonic TX-L19X10 19-inch LCD TV

The only disappointments about the TX-19X10BW are that peak whites aren't particularly crisp and the appearance of motion blur. But while these weaknesses cost the set a picture mark, it must be said that the blur isn't bad enough to be a deal breaker.

Panasonic TX-L32G10B 32-inch LCD TV

While not quite so jam-packed with gadgetry as some other new Viera LCDs, the TX-L32G10B is nonetheless one handsomely appointed piece of kit.

Sony was one of the biggest names in the telly manufacturing business long before LCD TVs were even conceived as an idea. But so convinced is Sony by LCD tech's merits, it abandoned plasma long ago and ploughed all its efforts into producing the best LCD TVs possible. Here's a list of what we reckon are Sony's best LCD TVs...

Sony Bravia KDL-32EX503 32-inch LCD TV

With LED panels still commanding a premium price, Sony has left the technology off the KDL-32EX503, with few complaints from us – it sports one of the best, most contrast-capable LCD panels around.

Sony Bravia KDL-32EX703 32-inch LCD TV

While Sony hasn't produced anything too exciting at this screen size for a while, it's good to see the Bravia KDL-32EX703 representing a stunning return to form for the manufacturer.

Sony Bravia KDL-37EX503 37-inch LCD TV

To celebrate the ground-breaking nature of this Freeview HD Bravia KDL-37EX503, Sony has departed from its usual aesthetic by adding a comely strip of brushed aluminium to the bottom edge.

Sony Bravia KDL-40HX803 40-inch LCD TV

Sony may be making a belated splash with 3D, but at the very least it looks committed with no fewer than three full TV ranges, of which the HX800 series, reviewed here, is its mainstream proposition.

Sony Bravia KDL-40EX703 40-inch LCD TV

Freeview HD, LED backlighting, and internet widgets have gone from being pipe dreams to mainstream in no time at all, but few sets have combined all three to such seductive effect as the Sony KDL-40EX703

Sony Bravia KDL-40NX803 40-inch LCD TV

Part of Sony's monolithic mission statement is that 'a television should look incredible even when you're not watching it'. With the continuous glass face of the TV fitting flush at the edges, the 40NX803 does look like a featureless slab of darkness.

Sony Bravia KDL-40V5810 40-inch LCD TV

The Sony Bravia KDL-40V5810 Sits towards the bottom of Sony's current line up of TVs. This would signal a telly that's born into mediocrity with many other manufacturers. However, the 40V5810's impressive specification would suggest otherwise

Sony Bravia KDL-40Z5800 40-inch LCD TV

Despite carrying a slightly high price tag that inevitably forces us to look more keenly at its failings, the 40Z5500 remains overall a really terrific TV thanks to the way it combines the clutter-busting appeal of the built-in Freesat tuner with a totally uncompromising stack of picture processing

Sony Bravia KDL-40HX703 40-inch LCD TV

The Bravia KDL-40HX703 boasts Sony's new Monolithic design, with the screen sporting a fetching single-layer, black-edged fascia, and the facility to tilt backwards.

Sony Bravia KDL-40EX503 40-inch LCD TV

The Sony Bravia KDL-40EX503 was Sony's very first TV to come packing a built-in Freeview HD tuner. The bottom line is that if you live in an area that already has or is soon to get Freeview HD, then the 40EX503 absolutely demands an audition.

Sony Bravia KDL-46EX503 46-inch LCD TV

As its 'Essentials' moniker suggests, Sony has put just enough tech on this 46-inch LCD TV for it to compete on both price and performance.

Sony Bravia KDL-46NX703 46-inch LCD TV

The Sony Bravia KDL-46NX703 makes a big impact right out of the box, with its slender profile thanks to edge LED lighting and Sony's single-layer 'Monolithic' fascia. Our test sample was finished in a striking white, too.

Sony Bravia KDL-52HX903 52-inch LCD TV

While it's a technological and design marvel capable of delivering outstanding multimedia talents and producing terrific 2D pictures, its 3D talents are slightly scarred by their susceptibility to crosstalk noise. Its audio is nothing to write home about either.

Sony Bravia KDL-52V5500 52-inch LCD TV

Using the accepted wisdom that bigger is better, the Bravia KDL-55V5500 52-inch giant from Sony's mid-priced, V Series definitely demands an audition.

Samsung's ability to churn out both brilliant high-end TVs and affordable mid-range models has led to it becoming one of the dominant forces in the TV market. Recently, Samsung has been releasing a lot of very impressive high-end 3D-ready TVs. Here are the best LCD TVs in Samsung's range...

Samsung LE46C750 46-inch LCD TV

If you want a high-end 3D TV, but can't afford to step up to Panasonic's 3D-loving £2,200 50-inch P50VT20 plasma TV, the 46C750 is an appealing and startlingly cheap alternative.

Samsung LE40C650 40-inch LCD TV

The LE40C650's lowly position in Samsung's range is misleading and proof of just how far flat TVs have come in recent times; this is a very fine flatscreen indeed.

Samsung UE55C9000 55-inch LCD TV

Samsung's 9 Series screens represent the pinnacle of its TV range. Designed with money-no-object flair, the models – available in 40, 46 and 55-inch sizes – combine the very latest in LED backlighting techniques and picture processing modes with 3D capability.

Samsung UE32C6000 32-inch LCD TV

The UE32C6000 is an appealing screen with supermodel looks and a penchant for serving up some wonderful HD pictures. Its Freeview HD tuner makes terrestrial TV look as good as it ever has and its a perfect partner for a Sky box too.

Samsung UE26C4000PW 26-inch LCD TV

The Samsung UE26C4000PW LED-backlit LCD TV is by far the most attractive we have seen close to this price. Merely millimetres thick and finished in a seductively rose-tinged gloss black, the UE26C4000PW looks to combine high-end aesthetic swagger with mass-market affordability.

Samsung UE46C8000 46-inch LCD TV

Samsung got the UK's 3D ball rolling in solid fashion with its UE40C7000 a couple of months ago. But we're hoping that its more glamorous and larger sibling, the UE46C8000 will launch the brand into the same kind of stratosphere occupied by Panasonic's 3D debutante, the Panasonic TX-P50VT20.

Samsung UE40C7000 40-inch LCD TV

This is a fine set with state-of-the-art LED backlighting technology, it has Internet capabilities, Freeview HD built-in and the options of PVR and wireless functions.

Samsung LE32B550 32-inch LCD TV

Samsung is doing very nicely indeed with its high-spec B650 LCD TVs and, especially, its edge-lit B7000 and B8000 LED series. The LE32B550 is a rather more modest set aimed at keeping up the firm's sterling mainstream reputation.

Samsung UE40B7020 40-inch LCD TV

With Samsung's flagship TV, the UE46B8000, wowing us a couple of months back, we have understandably high hopes for the brand's 'step-down' model too. And, pleasingly, the Samsung UE40B7020, doesn't let us down.

Samsung LE46B750 46-inch LCD TV

This elegant 46-inch LCD TV giant is one of Samsung's most lusciously designed TVs and its best LCD performer yet. The LE46B750's glass screen surround is coupled with the stand's central, vitreous pole to create a sophisticated and unique look.

Philips has always sat staunchly in the LCD camp when it comes to TVs and the dedication shows. It's possibly the leading manufacturer when it comes to pumping out consistently impressive LCD TVs. The only problem is that you often have to pay a high price for that Dutch quality. Here are the best Philips LCD TVs currently available...

Philips 42PFL7404H 42-inch LCD TV

Philips' high-end TVs are some of the most feature-packed on the market, boasting more high-powered processing than NASA mission control. But if the recession has forced you to set your sights a little lower, it doesn't necessarily mean you have to miss out on those enticing features completely.

Philips 47PFL9664H 47-inch LCD TV

Philips' 47PFL9664H is one of the top dogs of the Dutch manufacturer's LCD TV range. Boasting a plethora of picture enhancing tech alongside Wi-Fi, web and media-streaming DLNA capabilities – not to mention the iconic Ambilight rear lighting system.

Philips 46PFL9704H 46-inch LCD TV

Using LED backlighting in LCD TVs is no longer news. Over the last few months we've seen a flurry of new TVs from a growing number of brands all exploiting the technology. Yet the Philips 46PFL9704H makes LED feel all shiny and futuristic again, simply by virtue of how damn good it is.

Philips 40PFL9704 40-inch LCD TV

For the last few years we've often wondered why some brands had dropped plasma in favour of LCD. Although LCD tech continues to magnify even the slightest problem with images, Philips' LED Pro at last delivers on the tech's potential and achieves a picture quality that arguably tops the best plasmas.

Philips 42PFL9664H 42-inch LCD TV

Rival manufacturers of a delicate disposition should look away now, because the super-slim Philips 42PFL9664H LCD TV is about to deal your self confidence a serious blow. It's truly breathtaking.

Philips 37PFL9604 37-inch LCD TV

To be honest, we didn't really want to like the Philips 37PFL9604. With its £1,200 price tag, it's easily one of the costliest TVs for its size, so we felt it would be a bit predictable if it was also the best - but it is.

Philips 32PFL7404 32-inch LCD TV

Those following Philips' meteoric rise up the TV charts this year will know that this 32-inch set, at £700 (or less if you search online) is one tempting prospect. But while it's packed with top technology such as 100Hz (to reduce blur) and HD Natural Motion (to get rid of judder from Blu-ray), a few features have been given the boot.

Philips 32PFL9604 32-inch LCD TV

Having produced some of the best TVs at this size in the past year, Philips is making the most of its glowing reputation with this feature-packed, aluminium-clad 32in TV. While the inclusion of Ambilight and wireless web browsing are the headline acts, the 32PFL9604 has got much more up its sleeve.

Philips Cinema 21:9 56PFL9954H LCD TV

Widescreen is dead; long live Cinema 21:9. The Philips 56PFL9954H is a daring experiment in screen dimensions, designed to maximise the cinematic potential of hi-def discs while rewriting the rules on home entertainment.

Very much like Samsung, LG still makes both LCD TVs and plasma tvs. But make no mistake, most LG TVs out there are LCD models. The number of plasma models out there is falling all the time. LG made waves last year with the launch of its 'borderless' TV range which have a one-pane, no-bezel design.

LG 15EL9500

It's not technically an LCD TV, but the UK's second OLED television has finally arrived. Although at a mere fifteen inches across and an extraordinary 3.2mm deep the LG 15EL9500 is barely here at all. It's tiny - and yet it costs nearly £2000. And thus is the nature of the OLED TV market right now.

LG 37LH3000 37-inch LCD TV

The LG 37LH3000 is a budget LCD TV and also happens to be very attractive, boasting a glossy, curvaceous body that looks anything but cheap. While it sits quite low down in LG's current LCD TV lineup, it does have a few handy tricks up its sleeve.

LG 55LX9900 55-inch LCD TV

Every year LG seems to get more ambitious with its TVs, partnering its hugely successful budget line-up with some real show-off stuff for the premium end of the market. But nothing the Korean giant has done before quite prepares us for the amount of innovation and extravagance it's thrown at the 55LX9900, a 55-inch TV so jam-packed with technology – including active 3D playback — that it's likely to have even Philips and Samsung scurrying for cover.

LG 47LE8900 47-inch LCD TV

The launch of this year's Infinia TVs sees LG pushing the design and specifications of its premium sets to a whole new level, and with its seamless, flush-fitting screens and outrageous nine-million-to-one contrast ratio claims, the Korean company's TV division looks set to carry on chewing up market share.

LG 42LE7900 42-inch LCD TV

It's big, it's purple and it's only wafer thin. LG's latest boundary pushing screen, the 42LE7900, with its subtly plum-tinged frame and improbable profile, is jaw-droppingly lovely to look at and comes packed full of some the most exciting spec of any telly available today.

LG 19LH2000 19-inch LCD TV

The LG 19LH200 is a soberly styled, no-frills LCD TV, which in its user friendliness and picture performance makes up for much of what it lacks in aesthetic panache (a groovy, blue standby LED aside) or extras on its features list.

LG 42LE5900 42-inch LCD TV

LG is enjoying something of a purple patch. It's gone from being Korea's 'other' manufacturer to a big league player in the space of a few years and has been right at the forefront of LED innovation. The slender 42LE5900 LED edge-lit LCD TV is future-proofed to receive free HD, web ready and decked out, appropriately enough, in a gorgeous, violet-accented finish.

LG 42SL9500 42-inch LCD TV

Cast your mind back to our review of the LG 42SL9000. That five-star-bagging set is, to all intents and purposes, the same as the LG 42SL9500 here, except that the latter is exclusive to Currys, while the former is available in other outlets, including Comet.

LG 32SL8000 32-inch LCD TV

The 32SL8000's weaknesses are few, but could be crucial to some users. If you're planning to watch a diet that largely consists of Blu-ray, you might be a little disappointed that the Full HD image lacks a little sharpness.

While less prolific when it comes to serving up top-end tellies than some of the other brands on show here, Toshiba has found success by aiming to provide good value above all else. While Toshiba's best LCD TV models are still expensive, there's a broad range of surprisingly cheap tellies further down the pecking order.

Toshiba 40RV753B 40-inch LCD TV

LED backlighting is currently all the rage, but Toshiba reserves that luxury for its top-end WL and SL Regza ranges. If your budget can't quite stretch that far, then the company's RV range packs many of the eye-catching features found on those premium models into traditional CCFL LCD sets, all for a more wallet-friendly price.

Toshiba 32LV713 32-inch LCD TV

The 32LV713 is graced by a decidedly average-looking gloss black frame that curves backwards and inwards at the top and bottom and is just deeper than 27cm with the desktop stand fitted. Remove the latter and you'll have a depth of 9.5cm, which puts it at the chunkier end of the spectrum and thereby, perhaps, rendering it unsuitable for wall-mounting, although there are holes for a standard VESA bracket to the rear.

Toshiba 40LV713DB 40-inch LCD TV

Toshiba's 40LV713DB is one of the cheapest 40-inch LCD TVs around. So we guess we'd better brace ourselves for a few compromises. These start, to some extent, with the set's looks. The chunky, rather plasticky bodywork looks a little old fashioned.

Toshiba 32RV635DB 32-inch LCD TV

It's no surprise that the Toshiba 32RV635 is one of the more affordable LCD TVs, though it's far from the cheapest set in Toshiba's current range. This means that it has a number of unexpected features compared to similarly priced rivals.

Toshiba 55ZV635D 55-inch LCD TV

Any home cinema fan will tell you that big is best when it comes to screen size. It's a philosophy Toshiba seems to understand too, having bolstered its Regza ranges to offer a choice of 55-inch sets, this one being the Toshiba 55ZV635D.

Toshiba 32AV615 32-inch LCD TV

With some pretty run-of-the-mill audio to accompany its pictures, the 32AV615 fails to outgun any of its rivals in this test in terms of pure performance. But what really matters as far as we are concerned is that the 32AV615 surpasses everything we've seen at anything like this price.

Toshiba 46SV685DB 46-inch LCD TV

The 46SV685DB is Toshiba's debut LED-backlit television, a variant on traditional LCD that is fast-becoming commonplace and is the entry level model of the SV range of Toshiba's Regza TVs.

Toshiba 47ZV635D 47-inch LCD TV

Proudly heading up Toshiba's TV hierarchy is the ZV range, which represents the very best the brand has to offer. The 47ZV635D packs a full house of features, including the alluring Deep Lagoon finish – a graduated blue/grey edge around the bezel.

Toshiba 46XV635 46-inch LCD TV

Even though it only cost £825 at launch last year, the Toshiba 46XV635 sits in the middle of Toshiba's TV range. This proves just how aggressive the manufacturer is now getting with its pricing – especially as this set has the performance credentials of many 46in TVs costing hundreds of pounds more.

Sharp is one of the biggest manufacturers of LCD panels in the world. It supplies some of these panels to other manufacturers, while quietly churning out some really top notch LCD TVs of its own.

Sharp Quattron LC46LE821E 46-inch LCD TV

The whole world and its mother seems to be talking about 3D right now. That's where the hype machine is headed, to an extent unprecedented since the first arrival of HD. As a result, it would be easy to imagine that 3D is the only interesting new thing happening in the world of TV this year. But actually, nothing could be further from the truth. For tucked away in a small corner of your nearest quality AV store, probably hidden behind a heaving pile of 3D TVs, you might soon be able to pick out a 'Quattron' TV from Sharp, almost apologetically claiming to be the world's first TV to use Quad Pixel technology.

Sharp LC40LE700E 40-inch LCD TV

The Sharp 40LE700E spends more time looking pretty damn good than it does looking blurry and disappointing, so it's certainly worth hunting down for an audition, especially if you can find it for a knock-down price on some website or other.

Sharp LC52LE700E 52-inch LCD TV

The LC52LE700E was Sharp's first affordable mass-market LED TV and very own prospective OLED-killer. While the company has dabbled with LED-backlighting before, with its super high-end XS1E range of screens, they cost two arms, a leg and half a lower intestine, so it's welcome to see the brand finally bringing its own form of the technology to the wider marketplace.

Sharp LC-32LE600E 32-inch LCD TV

Flatscreen TVs increasingly come loaded with extras; four or five HDMI inputs are de rigueur, video-capable USB ports are becoming common, and it's even possible to bag wireless home networking and limited internet browsing. Sharp has eschewed all of that on this LCD TV and continues to concentrate on keeping the price as low as possible in the belief that most TV buyers just want two things: a flat screen and a good price.

Sharp LC-46LE700E 46-inch LCD TV

With its 'normal' LCD TVs failing to grab the public's attention as much as Sharp would like, it really needs to fire our imagination with something a little different. Something, in fact, like the LC-46LE700E: a 46-inch TV that gives you direct LED backlighting without costing an arm and both legs.

Best TVs by brand

• All brands
• Panasonic
• Sony
• Samsung
• Toshiba
• LG
• Sharp
• Philips
• JVC

Best TVs by price

• All TVs
• Up to £500
• £501-£800
• £801-£1,200
• £1,201-£2,000
• £2,001-£3,000
• £3,001-£4,000
• £4,001- £6,000
• £6,000+

10 best LCD TVs: 32-inch

Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK.

But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k on the best ones.

There's only one certainty at this size – your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently...

Read more: 10 best 32-inch TVs in the world today

10 best LCD TVs: 37-inch

Making the decision to upgrade from a bulky old 28-inch CRT TV is almost too easy, but heading straight for a 42-inch plasma can seem a little daunting.

And thus the 37-inch size has become one of the UK's most popular shapes; a lot more impressive than a 32-incher, yet not big enough to entirely dominate a living room. It's also often the maximum size for those of us who are forced, simply by the shape of our living room, to shove a TV in the corner.

It's a size division that's as competitive as any, with the big brands weighing in with both LCD and plasma TV models. Despite its direct forerunners being some of the best-reviewed (and best-selling) TVs around, Panasonic's TX-P37X20 is the only plasma left in this category...

Read more: 10 best 37-inch TVs in the world today

10 best LCD TVs: 42-inch

Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 40-42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best.

Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room.

As well as being the fastest growing sector of the market, this size also offers possibly the best value TVs around. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices...

Read more: 10 best 42-inch TVs in the world today

10 best 3D TVs in the world today...

Slip on a pair of £100 3D glasses, nestle in front of a brand new £2,000 TV and switch on a £350 3D Blu-ray player and you'll likely warm to the notion that 3D is more than just an illusion.

It's created by your brain processing two separate images coming to it via your eyes, and while this stereoscopic approach can be done relatively cheaply, the big manufacturers have plumped for a rather expensive format that relies on rather clumsy, heavy glasses.

It's called Full HD 3D, and, to be fair, it's the best form of 3D TV currently available...

Read more: 10 best 3D TVs in the world today

If you're not sure whether LCD is the best TV tech for you, check out our guide to the strengths and weaknesses of LCD TVs...

1. Resolution

All the plasma manufacturers seem to agree that it's not particularly easy to squeeze 1,080 lines of cells into plasma screens under 50-inch, because the requirements of the cells' design mean that they can't be made small enough.

With LCD, it's relatively straightforward. This matters because you're always going to get a cleaner, sharper picture from a 1,080-line (or full HD) source if it can be shown on a native 1,080-line screen, because there's no need for the pristine HD source to suffer the indignity of being 'downscaled' to fit a lower resolution panel.

2. Brightness

An LCD's picture brightness is generated by a constant, extremely powerful backlight (either CCFL or LED) that's positioned behind the main LCD panel. This approach delivers notably more dynamic and vibrant pictures than plasma.

This makes LCD sets particularly good friends for your PC, PS3 or Xbox 360 games, as well as animated movies like Toy Story or The Incredibles. It also means they're easier to watch than plasmas in a bright, living room environment.

LCD's detractors like to highlight its permanent backlight as a weakness, believing that it contributes to problems screens have traditionally had with showing deep and truly believable blacks. This was a severe problem on early sets, and still remains a slight concern with some of today's screens. But with the emergence of LED backlighting, the black level situation on good LCD screens has now improved to the extent that we believe the advantages of the extra brightness with light, vibrant footage outweigh any remaining issues viewers may have with the black levels.

3. Price

The first 30-inch LCD TV, Sharp's LC-30HV2E, cost an eye-popping £5,500 on its launch back in 2002. But now LCD TVs from big-name brands can be found for as little as £200. Or, more significantly, some of the latest 40-inch LCD screens are going for well under £1,000. This means that LCD has not only caught up with plasma pricing at the 'superscreen' end of the market, but is now undercutting it.

4. Size and weight

LCD screens are usually slimmer and lighter than their plasma counterparts. This makes them more manageable to shift around, should you be one of those people who's forever tinkering with their living room layout. But much more importantly, it makes them easier to hang on a wall, which is what they're designed for.

5. And finally...

You might be surprised that we haven't included long-term reliability on the LCD advantage list, since there seems to be a real feeling among consumers – and even some mainstream high street dealers – that LCD TVs last longer than plasmas.

In fact, while plasma cells, with their complex-to-build gas components, might seem more likely to break down first, manufacturers for both plasma and LCD technologies quote roughly the same likely panel life. While it is probably slightly optimistic, the estimated figure is usually around 60,000 hours (that's 2,500 days).

Since we haven't had the opportunity to spend some quality time – eight years to be precise – with a model representing each of the technologies running side by side, we'll take their word for it.

Ultimately, both LCD and plasma screens have their own strengths and weaknesses, and we're massive fans of both formats. At the end of the day, the best way to see the differences is to go and get a proper demo.

LCD Weaknesses

• Turning a plasma screen's pixel black involves stopping the electrical current getting into a plasma cell to prevent any light being generated. This allows the production of deeper blacks than can be achieved with an LCD TV, which uses a backlight to achieve the effect.

• Colour tones can also be superior on a plasma. Plasma's colour creation system has consistently proved able to deliver a wider, and therefore more natural, colour range than LCD.

• On LCD TVs, fast-moving objects can sometimes appear blurred. This is due to the time it takes a pixel to adjust its light output in response to changes in the picture content. Plasma TVs don't have a significant response time issue.

• LCD TVs often quote wider viewing angles than plasmas but, in reality, the drop off in picture quality with most LCD TVs is more extreme than with plasma when you view off-axis.

The different types of LCD TV tech explained:

Standard LCD (CCFL-backlit)
Until recently, all LCD TVs were backlit by always-on, CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent) lamps. This ageing technology has been superseded by the superior LED method on more expensive sets, but is still standard on cheaper models.

Direct LED
These displays are backlit by an array of LEDs (light emitting diodes) directly behind the screen. This enables localised dimming – meaning immediately adjacent areas of brightness and darkness can be displayed more effectively – and greatly improves contrast. LED TVs are also more power efficient and capable of a wider colour gamut than CCFL sets.

Read more: 10 things you need to know about LED TVs

Edge LED
The LEDs of the backlight are mounted along the edges of the panel. This arrangement enables radically slender displays and offers superior contrast levels to CCFL, but can't achieve the same picture quality as directly lit LED sets.

TVs are the must-have technology item of the century so far.

Forget mobile phones – everyone's got one of those. TVs are the tech items that everyone covets the most.

Everyone who doesn't own an HDTV wants one. And most of the people who have got one, want a new one.

But who makes the best TV? Which screen should you go for? Which is the best type of TV tech? Do you need a widescreen TV?

There's so much to consider when buying a new TV these days, that many people are actually scared away. Do you go for Full HD 1080p? Or is HD-ready OK? Do you go with LCD or Plasma? How about 3D TV – is it worth the extra money?

In this article, we'll pull together all of the key info from our TVs@TechRadar channel, with links to helpful articles and all the best TV reviews.

So if you want to buy the best TV for you, read on.

10 best 32-inch TVs in the world today...

Most living rooms can't physically take a TV much bigger than 32-inch, making this size by far the best for a lot of people in the UK.

But within this size division, there's plenty of choice. A basic HD-ready set can be found for less than £300 is you search hard, though it's just as easy to spend over £2k on the best ones.

There's only one certainty at this size – your new TV will be a LCD TV. If you're lucky it could have LED backlighting, but it won't be a plasma; LG used to make plasmas at this size, but there's not one on sale currently...

Read more: 10 best 32-inch TVs in the world today

10 best 37-inch TVs in the world today...

Making the decision to upgrade from a bulky old 28-inch CRT TV is almost too easy, but heading straight for a 42-inch plasma can seem a little daunting.

And thus the 37-inch size has become one of the UK's most popular shapes; a lot more impressive than a 32-incher, yet not big enough to entirely dominate a living room. It's also often the maximum size for those of us who are forced, simply by the shape of our living room, to shove a TV in the corner.

It's a size division that's as competitive as any, with the big brands weighing in with both LCD and plasma TV models. Despite its direct forerunners being some of the best-reviewed (and best-selling) TVs around, Panasonic's TX-P37X20 is the only plasma left in this category...

Read more: 10 best 37-inch TVs in the world today

10 best 42-inch TVs in the world today...

Once known simply as 'plasma screens' in the collective consciousness, the 40-42-inch size is where the flatscreen dream started in the late 1990s - and where it's still at its most innovative and best.

Now a lot more varied, with plasmas rubbing shoulders with (and quickly being outnumbered by) LCD TVs and their ultra-modern LED TV makeover, 40-42 inches is still the sweetspot for anyone not overly concerned with ruining the interior design of their living room.

As well as being the fastest growing sector of the market, this size also offers possibly the best value TVs around. Serious home cinema addicts have moved on to 50-inch and bigger screens, leaving this category a swarm of slashed prices...

Read more: 10 best 42-inch TVs in the world today

10 best 3D TVs in the world today...

Slip on a pair of £100 3D glasses, nestle in front of a brand new £2,000 TV and switch on a £350 3D Blu-ray player and you'll likely warm to the notion that 3D is more than just an illusion.

It's created by your brain processing two separate images coming to it via your eyes, and while this stereoscopic approach can be done relatively cheaply, the big manufacturers have plumped for a rather expensive format that relies on rather clumsy, heavy glasses.

It's called Full HD 3D, and, to be fair, it's the best form of 3D TV currently available...

Read more: 10 best 3D TVs in the world today

TechRadar's complete guide to 3D TV - everything you need to know

With the Blu-ray 3D specification finalised and Sky's 3D TV channel due, the UK faces another telly revolution.

Forget the digital switchover, 1080p 'Full HD' and web-connected TV widgetry. Jump-out-of-the-screen 'stereoscopic 3D' is the best TV tech around!

Trying to describe it is like trying to paint a symphony. So what will you need to watch 3D TV? Who's doing it? When? What's the best 3D TV? And will your existing HDTV work? Carry on reading to find out the answers to these and many more 3D TV questions...

Read more: Everything you need to know about 3D TV

The different types of TV tech explained:

Standard LCD (CCFL-backlit)
Until recently, all LCD TVs were backlit by always-on, CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent) lamps. This ageing technology has been superseded by the superior LED method on more expensive sets, but is still standard on cheaper models.

Direct LED
These displays are backlit by an array of LEDs (light emitting diodes) directly behind the screen. This enables localised dimming – meaning immediately adjacent areas of brightness and darkness can be displayed more effectively – and greatly improves contrast. LED TVs are also more power efficient and capable of a wider colour gamut than CCFL sets.

Read more: 10 things you need to know about LED TVs

Edge LED
The LEDs of the backlight are mounted along the edges of the panel. This arrangement enables radically slender displays and offers superior contrast levels to CCFL, but can't achieve the same picture quality as directly lit LED sets.

OLED
The backlighting on OLED (organic light emitting diode) sets is achieved by passing an electric current through an emissive, electroluminescent film. This technique is thought to produce better colours and higher contrast and also enables screens to be extremely thin and flexible. As yet, though, the only commercially available OLED TVs are small and very expensive.

Plasma
PDP (plasma display panel) TVs use glass panels containing millions of tiny cells filled with a mixture of inert gases. Electricity excites the gases, causing them to illuminate the pixels across the screen. Plasma, while arguably superior to LCD in terms of contrast and colour accuracy, is only viable on large (42in+) screens and has been dropped by all but a handful of manufacturers.

3D TV
These are modern LCD (LED) or plasma screens with electronics able to display 3D pictures. There are two types of 3D technology: passive and active. The former utilises screens with a polarised filter, combined with lightweight, cheap plastic glasses, much like those used at the cinema. The latter, meanwhile, creates a 3D effect by synchronising fast-shuttering glasses with the screen using IR (infrared) transmitters. Sources of 3D currently include 3D Blu-ray players and Sky's 3D TV channel.

Read more: What makes an HDTV a 3D Ready TV?

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The best TVs from £300 to £400
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The best TVs from £500 to £700
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The best TVs from £1000 to £1500
The best TVs from £1500 to £2000
The best TVs from £2000 and upwards

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Our constantly updated list of all the best 46-inch, 47-inch and 50-inch TVs in the world

Which is the best 46-50-inch TV?

Reach the 46-inch size and you enter the TV manufacturer's playground. This is where the latest and greatest TV technologies worked on for years in TV labs in Japan and Korea first see the light of day, principally because these screens are good little earners for the companies in question.

It's not a sector of the market that competes on price - at least, not so aggressively - so it's possible to get peerless pictures and much meatier speakers into the frame once you hit 46-inches.

Obviously there is a smattering of screens that do offer value-busting performances and relatively low prices (50-inch plasmas can be had for less than £1,000 if you look hard enough), but this is the size upon which we witnessed the debuts of HD Ready, Full HD and all manner of picture processing know-how.

And that trend continues in this batch, which includes some novel online portals, Quad Pixel technology (Sharp), super-widescreen (Philips) and, of course, 3DTV.

It also represents the absolute cutting-edge of LED and plasma tech as well as proving a showground for the latest dreamy designs. So clear a huge space on your wall and dive into the foremost 46-inch+ flatscreens.

Philips Cinema 21:9

Super-wide, ultra chic and devastatingly effective 1080p LCD TV

Widescreen is dead; long live Cinema 21:9. The Philips 56PFL9954H is a daring experiment in screen dimensions, designed to maximise the cinematic potential of hi-def discs while rewriting the rules on home entertainment.

It is 21:9 (or 2.39:1, if you prefer), enabling it to display movies in the true-cinema aspect ratio in which most will have been shot, as opposed to the 16:9 compromise that has been the norm on standard widescreen televisions.

While this set is clearly destined for greater things, Freeview survives being blown up to 56in surprisingly well - and Blu-ray looks fabulous. Whether the 21:9 concept ultimately catches on or never develops into anything beyond a diverting curio remains to be seen, but for the time being this remarkable screen can consider its trail well and truly blazed.

Read: full Philips Cinema 21:9 review

Samsung UE46C8000

Superb 3D-capable TV with Freeview HD and LED backlighting

The UE46C8000's compatibility with all the key new 3D formats is obviously its dominant feature, but it also boasts a so-called 3D HyperReal Engine that's claimed to deliver significant performance benefits over other brands.

The 3D pictures really are an advance on Samsung's C7000. This is particularly true where motion is concerned, with the moving image components suffering markedly less from resolution blur and crosstalk.

Another contributory factor is that the 46C8000 doesn't suffer as badly as the C7000 series with backlight inconsistencies. The pictures are fearsomely bright and vibrant, too, exploding off the screen with 2D footage, but retaining good brightness when watched through Samsung's 3D glasses.

While undeniably expensive against standard 46in TVs, it does feature extensive multimedia support, a stunning design and a large amount of innovative 3D technology.

Read: full Samsung UE46C8000 review

Panasonic TX-P46G20B

Panasonic steals the high ground with a feature-bursting Full HD plasma

The Panasonic TX-P46G20 is the first TV equipped to handle Freeview HD and Freesat HD broadcasts, making this one of the most highly specified TVs ever made.

It has four of the very latest HDMI 1.4 inputs, Ethernet for the VieraCast internet video service, Wi-Fi networking and even PVR recording via USB.

The image processor is the latest incarnation of Panasonic's NeoPDP engine with 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation (IFC) Pro. The result is super-smooth, judder and flicker-free images.

Throw in a native contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1, more picture tweaks than there are buses in London and you have what amounts to one of the most cutting-edge screens on the planet, and not bad value for £1,300.

Read: full Panasonic TX-P46G20B review

Panasonic TX-P50VT20B

The 3D Panasonic VT20 is here, and it doesn't disappoint

The Panasonic VT20 is Panasonic's first 3D TV, and it's a belter. Samsung may have (just) beaten Panasonic in the race to put 3D TVs on the high-street, with its range of LCD and LED-backlit 3D screens, but the Japanese giant's arrival is perhaps more portentous.

The smoothness and clarity of 3D on this plasma is better than any we've seen on rival sets to date
The TX-P50VT20 is an altogether superior telly that will thrill plasma technology aficionados.
Even without the embellishment of 3D, it delivers a great HD picture, although you will need to tinker to extract the best from it.

Read: full Panasonic TX-P50VT20 review

LG 50PK790

LG's 2010 range kicks off in fine fettle with this good value Freeview HD plasma TV

The 50PK790 packs a serious feature punch. This kicks off with its design, which is certainly one of the most attractive we've ever seen wrapped around a plasma TV.

The screen is strikingly slim, for a start, especially right at its extremities - so much so that it actually cuts into your fingers a bit when you're lifting it into position either on a wall or on its very attractive, opulent-feeling desktop stand.

It's also got a NetCast online service, DivX HD playback from USB, 600Hz processing and a fabulous user interface that's simply the finest around.

It's great to see LG still putting so much effort into the supposedly 'unsexy' plasma format, and achieving some extremely likeable results in the process - well worth checking out.

Read: full LG 50PK790 review

Panasonic TX-P50G20B

A worthy mainstream successor to Pioneer's legendary Kuro sets

The TX-P50G20 employs one of the brand's high-spec 'NeoPDP' plasma panels. Especially so, as Panasonic claims numerous improvements to NeoPDP since its debut last year, including a new filter, a new discharge gas, improved phosphors, and even a redesigned cell structure.

Add a claimed 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, THX endorsement, a THX picture preset, USB HDD recording, a Freeview HD tuner and VieraCast (YouTube, Eurosport, Bloomberg, DailyMotion and Picasa) and the TX-P50G20B is something special. In the picture department it's truly outstanding, finally delivering a worthy mainstream successor to Pioneer's legendary Kuro sets.

Read: full Panasonic TX-P50G20B review

Sharp Quattron LC46LE821E

Forget 3D, Quattron technology is here to blow you away

While most folk are obsessing about 3D, Sharp's been busy instead adding a fourth colour to its latest LCD TVs. Called Quad Pixel technology, it does what is says on the tin by adding yellow to the traditional red-green-blue 'RGB' colour mix so ingrained in our TVs.

Four years to perfect, this TV takes mere seconds to impress; the range, purity and sheer realism of the colour palette on show is nothing short of startling.

Also employing Edge LED tech, this 46-incher also manages a sterling performance with standard definition sources, upscaling Freeview pictures brilliantly - though it also has a Freeview HD tuner.
If you can stomach spending £2,000 on a non-3D television, there's few better than the LC46LE821E.

Read: full Sharp Quattron LC46LE821E review

Philips 46PFL9704H

Philips' second-generation LED TV leaves us awestruck

The Philips 46PFL9704H makes LED feel all shiny and futuristic again, simply by virtue of how damn good it is.

The 46PFL9704's play for your AV heart begins as soon as you take in its crisp, metallic (brushed aluminium, metallurgy fans), two-tone design, offset by the spectacle of Philips' Ambilight system spilling from three of the TV's sides.

Its siren call merely grows louder, too, with the discovery of five HDMIs, an Ethernet port and a USB input among its connections.

The single most devastating element of the 46PFL9704's pictures is their black level response, in terms of both the depth of grey-free black and the amount of shadow detail reproduced with dark interior shots; a truly high-end big-screen TV in every way.

Read: full Philips 46PFL9704H review

Sharp LC-46LE700E

Sharp's first mainstream LED TV is finally here - and in many ways, it's just peachy

Sharp's use of Full LED backlighting enables the LC-46LE700E to offer local dimming, where the arrays of lights behind the screen can be controlled individually. This allows almost pitch black colours to sit alongside really bright white tones in a way that's not possible with standard single-lamp LCD backlights or edge-lit systems.

Other key specs include four HDMI inputs, a full HD resolution, a USB port able to play JPEG pictures and MP3 audio files, Brilliant Colour processing and, perhaps most important of all, 100Hz processing to keep a lid on judder and motion blur.

It illustrates just how potent a technology LED backlighting is - and it should also be enough to get Sharp back on the UK TV map.

Read: full Sharp LC-46LE700E review

Philips 47PFL9664H

Philip's new high-end 47-inch LCD screen is packed with features

Philips' 47PFL9664H is one of the top dogs of the Dutch manufacturer's LCD TV range.

Strip out the Cinema 21:9 and LED Pro models and it's actually the most highly-specced TV it offers, boasting a plethora of picture enhancing tech alongside Wi-Fi, web and media-streaming DLNA capabilities - not to mention the iconic Ambilight rear lighting system.

The 47PFL9664H's excellent picture performance, fine array of features and stylish, high-end design make it a very impressive LCD TV.

Its price tag will put a lot of people off, but if you're looking for a top-notch large screen and have the money, then add this one to your list.

Read: full Philips 47PFL9664H review

Ofcom has backed the BBC's proposal to use DRM to protect some of its HD shows from multiple copying, with high value film and drama content set for a copying lockdown.

According to a statement by Ofcom, the BBC's decision to control the copying of some of its shows - something which was proposed back in January - was in the best interest of the broadcaster, noting: "Ofcom has concluded that the decision to accept the BBC's request will deliver net benefits to citizens and consumers by ensuring they have access to the widest possible range of HD television content on DTT."

The new ruling, which is a change to the multiplex license means that no restrictions will be placed on standard definition shows, but restrictions will be put in place for HD content as long as the BBC can "secure an effective content management framework on the HD Freeview platform".

Copy cats

According to Ofcom: "The BBC is proposing to licence the intellectual property required to gain access to the HD EPG data (Huffman lookup tables) free of charge and major receiver and integrated digital TV manufacturers are including content management in their HD Freeview products."

Essentially this means that viewers of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 in high definition will be restricted to how many copies they can make of particular films and TV shows – something which affects those who have a Freeview HD set-top recorder.

A similar system is already put in place for those who have Freesat and DRM can already be found on the BW880 and BW780 Panasonic Blu-ray disc / Freeview HD recorders.

Content management

This standardisation of DRM over EPGs will annoy those who want to copy what they want how they want but it does mean that there will be a definite response to consumers about what they can and cannot record in HD.

Ofcom is also proposing that 'user friendly' consumer guide to content management which should be published on broadcasters' websites and made available to manufacturers and retailers.

Millions of homes in the UK currently have HD ready TV sets but still only watch television in standard definition. But this has changed this year with the arrival of Freeview HD channels.

Freeview HD is a service that now provides not only the same standard definition channels that Freeview currently hosts, but also high definition offerings from the BBC, Channel 4 and ITV.

These new high definition channels are free and there is no subscription necessary. Although anyone wanting to view the new service will have to buy a new Freeview HD-compatible set top box (STB) or a Freeview HD TV with a new DVB-T2 tuner that can deal with the high definition transmissions.

Old Freeview (DVB-T) tuners – in both televisions and set-top boxes – can't decode Freeview HD signals and can only receive the existing standard definition (SD) channels.

When will Freeview HD arrive?

In some areas, Freeview HD is available now. The service is being rolled out over a three year period, with some regions potentially having to wait until the very end of 2012 before they can get free-to-air high definition TV broadcasts.

The first Freeview HD transmissions were switched on for the Granada TV region in December 2009. But the availability of the HD service was limited to the Winter Hill TV transmitters in the North West (covering Preston, Blackburn, Bolton, Manchester and Liverpool). At the same time, Freeview HD also began broadcasting from the Crystal Palace transmitter group in South London.

The roll-out will continue throughout 2010 as the UK continues to go through the digital switchover process. Black Hill for Glasgow and Edinburgh, Pontop Pike for Tyneside and Sunderland, and Emley Moor for Leeds, Bradford, and mid Yorkshire were scheduled to come online by March 2010.

Freeview MD Ilse Howling has suggested that 16 million UK homes would have the service by the end of 2010. By the time the digital switchover is completed in 2012, 98.5% of the UK should be able to receive Freeview HD.

More recent news reveals more transmitters that will get Freeview HD by June 2010: West and Central Wales (Blaenplwyf transmitter), Swansea (Kilvey Hall), Cardiff and Newport (Wenvoe) and around the Winter Hill relays were all up and running by March 2010.

In April 2010, Freeview HD rolled out to Carmarthenshire (Carmel), Exeter and parts of Devon (Stockland Hill), Bristol, Somerset, Dorset Wiltshire and Gloucestershire (Mendip).

May saw Shetland (Bressay) and Orkney (Keelylang Hill) join the Freeview HD party and June 2010 invites North Wales (Long Mountain, Moel-y-parc, Presely), Caithness and North Sutherland (Rumster Forest).

Almost half of the UK could be watching the World Cup in South Africa in high definition this summer. For others the wait will be longer – although most major cities should be covered by the end of 2011. Check the Freeview website and the rollout map to see when your area will be HD-capable.

What channels will be in HD?

As the first service in the Granada TV region was rolled out last year, Freeview HD only carried two channels – BBC HD and ITV1 HD. The BBC already shows several of its flagship programmes in HD on Freesat, including: Hustle, Being Human, Survivors and Mad Men. ITV1 HD is an upscaled simulcast of the existing standard-def ITV1 channel.

Channel 4 HD has also launched onto the service. While viewers in Wales now have access to S4C HD, which launched on 30 April 30.

Five was expected to bring its high definition channel to the market later in 2012, with a slot already reserved for the broadcaster by the communications watchdog Ofcom. But regulators withdrew Five's licence, which now reverts to the BBC. Another Freeview HD slot will become available in 2012.

What hardware is available?

The likes of Panasonic, LG, Sony, Humax and Pace have all indicated that they will be producing equipment for Freeview HD. New hardware is required because Freeview HD is based on the new European DVB-T2 transmission standard, which uses MPEG-4 compression instead of the bandwidth-hogging MPEG-2 format used by DVB-T.

ABOVE: The Panasonic TX-P46G20 / TX-P46G20B

Humax was the first to market with a Freeview HD box. The company already manufactures a Freesat STB and its HD-FOX T2 box features an MPEG-4 decoder, HDMI output, Ethernet jack and a USB port.

The Humax FOX T2 is one of four Freeview HD boxes currently listed on the official Freeview website. The others include the Bush DVB680 , the Ferguson F02HDB and the Metronic T2 HD. You'll find more hardware on our definitive list of Freeview HD receivers and Freeview HD recorders.

Of course, Freeview HD is also being built-in to new HD TVs. Bush sells 32- and 40-inch HD TVs equipped with DVB-T2 hardware, while Panasonic's TX-P42G20B, TX-P42S20B, TX-P46G20B, TX-P46S20B, TX-P50G20B and TX-P50S20B VIERA models all feature Freeview HD tuners.

Sony, meanwhile, seems seems to have stuffed Freeview HD into its entire Bravia range for 2010. As an example, take a look at our review of the 40-inch KDL-40EX503.

For those that care about these things, it should be noted that Freeview HD isn't broadcast in full-blown 1080p, but a mix of 720p and 1080i. The BBC HD channel currently transmits programmes using the 1080i standard, as does C4 HD on Freesat.

What other HD services are available?

For those who can't wait- or who want access to other channels in HD there are other options available in the UK, although two of the three require a subscription.

Freesat is the exception – with viewers needing to pay for installation and a box and then having a limited HD service available – currently this runs to just BBC HD and a red-button service at certain times on ITV that allow programmes to be watched in HD.

Virgin Media is expanding its HD offering significantly. The cable operator offers an extensive on-demand HD library and linear channels. Following recent changes these channels include BBC HD, Living HD, FX HD, MTV HD, ESPN HD, Channel 4 HD and National Geographic HD.

Last, but certainly not least, Sky is the home of the most linear HD programming offering a staggering 40+ channels including premium sports and movie channels. Access to HD channels is dependent on your subscription package, but BBC HD, ITV1 HD, Luxe HD and Channel 4 HD are all available without subscription.

Beyond traditional 'broadcast television', the BBC iPlayer now features BBC HD content, which can be streamed or downloaded for playback on a PC and output to a high-def screen.

Similarly, Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network both have a library of HD content, while iTunes currently features HD shows such as Lost, Desperate Housewives and Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica, available to buy as single episodes or part of a virtual box set

It was billed as the first-ever World Cup in HD but those who watched Saturday's England V USA game in high definition wouldn't have seen Steven Gerrard's goal live as the channel cut to adverts instead.

For the first time this tournament, the vuvezela's were drowned out by the screams of anguish from English fans who missed the only goal their team has scored so far.

And, to rub it in, the transmission which re-appeared was in standard definition for the majority of the rest of the match.

ITV HD did apologise for the problems during the game, with presenter Adrian Chiles at half-time merely, saying "apologies for those watching in HD. I believe there was some interruption in your coverage."

But the official apology noted that it was due to "human error" and that there was a transmission problem blamed on supplier Technicolor.

Due to the fault happening right when the goal was scored, there have been some who are looking into whether or not the transmission was sabotaged, with the Daily Mail reporting that Paddy Power was giving odds of 8/1 that this would happen during the World Cup.

HD glitch

Apparently ITV HD bosses are meeting in Chiswick today to discuss the problems at the weekend – the transmission, not the game – which has been called by ITV chairman Sir Michael Grade an "inexcusable glitch".

1.5 million tuned into watch England's opener in HD, but the 90,000 or so who had been trying to watch the World Cup online will have also found glitches with ITV's coverage over the World Cup opener between South Africa and Mexico.

According to the Guardian, the live stream stopped allowing new users to view the event, with ITV explaining: "We had a problem with our CDN [content distribution network] which was preventing new members joining the stream.

"It was an issue since half time in the game."

There is still a very long way to go in this World Cup and ITV will be hoping that it it doesn't have anymore Robert Green style blunders during its coverage of the event.

So will Freeview HD and Freesat - two companies that are pinning their hopes on the World Cup bringing HDTV to the mainstream.

UK set top box specialist TVonics has announced its intention to release a Freeview HD box, insisting that the lateness to the party will be countered by a 'technically robust' and aesthetically different option.

With a host of set-top boxes already offering Freeview HD – including versions from some major manufacturers, UK company TVonics is keen to remind people that it is planning a launch – although, unfortunately, it does not give any expected release date.

"The HD market has been much anticipated, but TVonics is committed to delivering on its promises," said TVonics Andy Carr.

Better late than never

"When we launch the new HD boxes to the market via our retail network and online they will be technically robust, aesthetically unlike any other digital set top box on the market and will provide consumers the best way to watch Freeview HD on an HD Ready TV," he added.

"Our range of HD products will ensure that consumers are easily able to view Freeview HD with high quality surround sound, by simply connecting the box to the HD Ready TV - delivering a user experience we believe is superior to other boxes in the market place."

So all we need now is an actual product.

The UK's first Freeview+ HD PVR has hit the shelves in the UK, with the Pace-designed Philips HDT8520 available for £299 at major retailers from today.

The Philips box is the first PVR with a Freeviw HD enabled T2 tuner, and also boasts a 500GB hard drive for recording.

"It is currently the only Freeview HD device that will allow you to record the World Cup action, explains the press release.

No subs for the World Cup

"The box provides great value access to the superior sound and picture quality of Freeview HD services for a one-off price, without the need for a monthly subscription.

500 GB allows 125 hours of HD programming to be recorded, and the Philips HDT8520 also features one-touch recording, series recording, 3 hour buffer for time shifting and two tuners.

We're also told that the box has been designed to be as quiet as possible, has 1080p upscaling and Ethernet ports for enhanced connectivity.

The Philips HDT8520 goes on sale today at a recommended retailing price of £299 from high-street retailers John Lewis, DSGi (Currys), Comet, Tesco and Richer Sounds, online at Amazon, and at hundreds of independent retailers throughout the UK.

Humax has announced details for its new Freeview HD recorder – the HDR-Fox T2, due for launch in July.

With the World Cup starting in June, the HDR-FOX T2 is missing one of the key HD events of the year, but the recorder does offer some impressive features.

They include a 500GB hard drive – which still seems on the small side for HD recording – an eight-day EPG, series recording, schedule tracking and split recording.

Other features include photo and MP3 playback through a USB port, and Ethernet connectivity.

High-quality

"Humax was first to market with a Freeview HD receiver, the HD-FOX T2, allowing users to access outstanding HD content through their rooftop aerial for the very first time, said Humax's Graham North.

"The forthcoming HDR-FOX T2 continues our reputation for delivering easy-to-use, high-quality products, with a feature-packed digital TV recorder that is set to provide the very best in recording and viewing features for Freeview HD+."

The new box has a UK release date of July and will be priced at around £349.

Our constantly updated list of the best 3D TVs in the world

Slip on a pair of £100 3D glasses, nestle in front of a brand new £2,000 TV and switch on a £350 3D Blu-ray player and you'll likely warm to the notion that 3D is more than just an illusion.

It's created by your brain processing two separate images coming to it via your eyes, and while this stereoscopic approach can be done relatively cheaply, the big manufacturers have plumped for a rather expensive format that relies on rather clumsy, heavy glasses.

It's called Full HD 3D, and, to be fair, it's the best form of 3D currently available.

We've seen the demos; Full HD 3D might sound like a very expensive hobby for now, but if it's movies you're into then it's your best hope if you're at all interested in the third dimension.

Before your scowl at the prospect of your 50-inch plasma being deemed 'obsolete', bemoan the lack of 3D content, and balk at the high cost of a new breed of 3DTVs, consider this; our list may concentrate on 3D, but the TVs we've gathered here have plenty of other dimensions.

The 3D glasses are optional … and with TV prices being slashed by 25% every year, 3D TVs should be within reach of us all inside the next three years or so.

So, which is the best 3D TV? We've got ten ranges to show you...

Samsung C9000 series 3D TVs

Having just released its BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player for a cool £350, Samsung is about to unleash its huge 3D-ready range of TVs.

The flagship is the C9000 line-up of LED TVs, the 46-inch UE-46C9000 and 55-inch UE-55C9000. Prices are yet to be confirmed, but expect to part with the best part of £2,000 to get your hands on these fully featured screens.

Both are Full HD and come with Freeview HD tuners and 200Hz panels (that's key – a fast blur-free panel is crucial for 3D to work).

The C9000s use an Edge LED backlight system - that may not be quite as impressive as Full LED tech in terms of achieving deep blacks, but it does ensure the frame has a depth of just 8mm.

It's not all about the look, either; both models include four HDMI, two USB 2.0 slots (one of which can be used to hook-up a hard drive to add SD and HD recording functions), wireless DLNA networking and Internet@TV (which includes apps for BBC iPlayer, YouTube and Lovefilm).

The C9000s seem a high-end proposition even without 3D (and the largely novelty 2D-to-3D conversion); an iPhone-esque touchscreen remote control lets you watch Freeview channels on a LCD screen while something else is displayed on your TV.

Panasonic VT20 Series 3D TVs

Read: Panasonic TX-P50VT20 3D TV review

Panasonic isn't messing around with entry-level and mid-range 3D sets; instead it's going for the high-end with its two-strong Full HD 3D VT20 plasmas.

A proponent of plasma tech for yonks, the latest Vieras have the same engineering team behind them that produced Pioneer's now defunct Kuro screens a few years ago.

These 50-inch (TX-P50VT20, £2,000) and 65-inch (TX-P65VT20, £TBC) models feature a 600Hz Sub-field Drive (not that plasma struggles with motion, as LCD/LED screens can – something that may make these screens ones to watch for 3D) alongside Intelligent Frame Creation Pro, Infinite Black Pro (look out for Pioneer's Kuro legacy here), Viera Cast and a suave metallic design.

Uniquely, the THX Certified VT20 Series include both Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners, DivX HD from USB sticks, Wireless LAN (via a USB adaptor), and PVR functionality if you attach a hard drive. You'll also receive two pairs of 3D goggles with each set.

Philips 8000 LED series 3D TVs

Philips' 8000 Series is 3D-ready in the most basic sense; the Dutch brand will make a 3D upgrade pack available separately – at extra expense.

The pack will include two pairs of Active 3D glasses and a wireless transmitter to allow them to talk to the TV, though extra glasses will also be available.

As such, you might expect the 37-inch, 40-inch, 46-inch and 52-inch models in Philips' 8000 Series – all of which sport Full LED panels – to be relatively affordable, but that's rarely the case with Philips.

And for good reason; loaded with Ambilight, above average audio and inky black images, it's produced some of the finest LED screens in recent years. Will its success translate to 3D? Find out in June when the 8000 Series is scheduled to go on sale.

LG 47-inch LD920 3D TV

LG has been a touch passive aggressive with its 47-inch LD920 screen, but in a good way; this, the only passive 3D screen (read: lighter, more comfortable glasses with no batteries) has been largely designed solely for pubs taking a feed of Sky's upcoming 3D channel.

Specifically, it's for watching Premier League matches in a few pubs across the UK and Ireland. Intended for commercial use only, this passive 3D screen can't display pictures from a 3D Blu-ray player, though its does have a Full HD resolution.

In terms of 3D, it can host only Sky's 3D service, which may be 3D, but won't be broadcast in high definition. If you're one of the 2.1 million Sky+HD homes waiting for the start of Sky's 3D channel later this year, you'd be much better off settling for an active – and much more versatile – 3D set, though this is the telly you're likely to get your first glimpse of 3D on.

Samsung C7000 Series 3D TVs

Read: Samsung 40C7000 3D TV review

We've already reviewed the 40-inch from this Series, a 27mm-deep LED screen that lacks the special remote of its C8000 and C9000 siblings, and should be considered a 'budget' 3D screen – though at £1,800 for a 40-inch TV, that's a purely relative term.

Also available in 46-inch (UE46C7000, £2,000) and 55-inch (UE55C7000, £2,800) sizes, the C7000 Series has the same features as the pricier series' (Full HD, 200Hz, wireless DLNA and Internet@TV), but is stylistically different.

In an attempt to make up for its 27mm 'bulge', the C7000 Series sports a 'Mystic Earth' textured – and coloured – styling. Identically specified plasma versions that sport an oxymoronic 'brushed black touch of colour' will follow in a few months.

Sony LX900 Signature Series 3D TVs

Sold under the Bravia banner, this three-strong rage counts a 40-inch (KDL-40LX903 £TBC), 52-inch (KDL-52LX903, £TBC) and 60-inch (KDL-60LX903 £TBC) within its ranks.

Representing Sony's stab at 3D glory, all three are bestowed with the 'Signature' moniker and are laden accordingly; don't expect even the 40-inch to come in at less than £1300.

Inside a 'monolithic' design that appears to be based on Bang & Olufsen's TVs, these Signature sets are built around Edge LED panels and include a Freeview HD tuner, WiFi, Bravia Internet Video (BBC iPlayer and YouTube), DLNA and, crucially for 3D, Motionflow 200Hz PRO and Image Blur Reduction.

Philips 9000 Series & Cinema 21:9 3D TVs

It may have swerved Freeview HD in its latest batch of high-end Ambilight LED TVs, but there was no way Philips could ignore the 3D era.

Not due to hit shops until August, Philips' 9000 Series comprises 32-inch, 40-inch and 46-inch models that will ostensibly be high-end Ambilight LED TVs with 3D capability thrown in via an upgrade pack.

Details are scant, but Philips has also confirmed that in 'late summer' it will also launch the second generation of its 56-inch 56PFL9945H Cinema 21:9 LCD TV, which will be Full HD 3D Ready.

The existing £4,000 version features a 2.39:1 aspect ratio 2560 x 1080 pixel resolution LED screen that apes the dimensions of projection screens found in cinemas. Expect it to be shown at September's IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin.

LG LX9900 Series 3D TVs

Get back from a night at the pub watching footie in 3D on its 'passive' LD920 screen and you're going to need the LX9900 – a Full LED 3D Ready TV that comes in two sizes.

Part of LG's step-up Infinia sub-brand, the LX9900 boasts a 3.16cm depth and a single layer design – the glass across the panel stretches over the frame, something we've seen before on LG tellies.

The 47-inch (47LX9900, £TBC) and 55-inch (55LX9900, £TBC) both host Full Led backlighting and TruMotion 400Hz scanning, and these special-sounding sets push the envelope further by building-in Freeview HD, Bluetooth, DLNA, Netcast (YouTube, Accu Weather, Picasa), USB 2.0 (DivX HD).

Unfortunately, the 3D glasses are sold separately.

Samsung C8000 Series 3D TVs

The mid-range of 3D-ready screens from Samsung, its C8000 Series is exclusively LED-based for now.

Plasma variants are likely to appear later in the year, which perfectly demonstrates Samsung's attitude to the competing screen technologies; it loves plasma, but LED TVs sell better. Much better – and with a metallic silver look and four-pronged silver spider (or 'quad') stand, it's no surprise.

There is a 32-inch version (the UE-32C8000), but that's not 3D-ready; third dimension seekers should search out the 40-inch (UE-40C8000, £2,000), 46-inch (UE-46C8000, £2,200), 55-inch (UE-55C8000, £3,000) or 65-inch UE-65C8000 (£5,000).

All feature 200Hz, Wireless DLNA, Internet@TV, four HDMI and USB, though there's no 2D-to-3D converter on board.

The brushed titanium plasma variants will add a square stand, a Real Black Filter, a Motion Judder Canceller and a Cinema Smooth option.

Sony HX900 Cinematic Series 3D TVs

It may lack the silky design and flagship name that its sisters in the 'Signature Series' claim, but Sony's three-strong Cinematic screens are where videophiles ought to head.

For as well as 3D compatibility, these panels are Full LED, which means local dimming – which, in turn, means the best picture quality around (unless you're in the camp that still thinks, with some justification, that blur-free plasma still rules and could be re-born with 3D).

A 40-inch (KDL-40HX903, £TBC), 46-inch (KDL-46HX903 £2,200) and 52-inch (KDL-52HX903 £2,500) are available under the Cinematic banner, with Freeview HD, Wi-Fi, Bravia Internet Video, Motionflow 200Hz PRO and Image Blur Reduction all present.

The much-heralded Sky News HD will arrive with a bang, launching at 9pm on the day of the UK election with Decision Time – covering the results as they come in.

Sky News HD will be the UK's first high-definition news channel, and will be a simulcast of the Sky News channel whe it launches in the evening of 6 May.

The channel, on Sky Channel 517, will be supported by an updated HD studio and HD resources out and about.

Sharper news

John Ryley, Head of Sky News said: "We've made the news ourselves in 2010 by launching the first UK news service in HD with sharper pictures and enhanced services for HD viewers.

"It's an innovation which clearly defines Sky's strengths, our passion and our restless pursuit to be first and to be the best.

"The detail of Sky News HD is stunning - I hope our viewers will enjoy the new experience."

Sky News is the final Sky brand to jump on the HD bandwagon, following Sky Sports, Sky Arts, Sky Entertainment and Sky Movies.

More than 2 million people currently pay extra for Sky's HD service, which offers more channels in high definition than any of its rivals.

Linsar has launched a sub-£150 Freeview HD device – billing the FHD1 as 'the UK's first affordable T2 Freeview HD set top box'.

With a Bush Freeview HD box currently available for £100 in Argos, it's a claim that looks a little hard to justify, but it is a low-price option for free high definition channels.

Upscaling and Dolby

FHD1 can upscale to full 1080p HD and has Dolby Digital Plus sound, with Scart and RF aerial inputs, and HDMI, scart, digital optical and an RF loop as outputs.

An ethernet port is also provided 'for future software upgrades and connectivity features' and there's a USB port to access media.

So, not the cheapest, but available now, and more Linsar products are scheduled to arrive later in the year.

Sony has officially unveiled its 3D-toting Bravia HX803 television, and will be bundling it with 3D Sony PlayStation games.

Billed as a 'launch model' for 3D, ahead of the 2010 World Cup in which Fifa has picked out Sony as its 3D party, the Sony Bravia HX803 and the LX903 will come with stereoscopic PlayStation games bundled.

Sony also confirmed that it would be bundling 'exclusive 3D Blu-ray disc movies with selected Sony 3DTVs and Blu-ray players'.

"Built upon Sony's very latest 200Hz high frame rate technology that allows viewers to see 3D in full High Definition 1080p fidelity, the High Definition 3D image is further enhanced with the inclusion of 'High Speed Precision, 'LED Boost' and '3D up conversion', three technologies unique to Sony and designed to make the 3D image even clearer and brighter and the 3D experience even more exciting," said Sony's release.

Actively expensive

The televisions use active 3D glasses, so fairly expensive if you want more than the two sets and 3D transmitter that will be available "to complement the new HX803 3D launch model' but only for a limited time.

The LX903 comes with a transmitted built in and glasses as standard, and may be bundled with the likes of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Deep Sea Blu-ray 3D discs.

And should you happen to live somewhere other than the UK, which won't be getting 3D World Cup broadcasts, then both 3D TVs are capable of adding a little depth to the summer's footy tournament.