Protron (ULTRA) PLTV-32

There isn't much information about this Chinese producer of home electronics, but the product is obviously aimed at the price-conscious consumer.  At $1099, you probably will not find a less expensive 32-inch LCD TV.

If you're looking for a TV to be the center-piece of your living room, the same $1200 can get you a higher quality smaller LCD. Because of the manufacturing process, a 30-inch LCD TV is significantly cheaper than a 32-incher. But if you want an LCD TV for your college dorm room or, better yet, you want to impress your in-laws with a gift of a "brand new LCD", the Protron PLTV-32 may be what you need.

Protron (ULTRA) PLTV-32

Although having a built-in TV tuner, is probably best used as a computer monitor

It's not really fair to compare this TV to the impressive Sharp AQUOS line, but this may be the only place where you will find such a comparison.

 BLUE is higher/better than SHARP, RED is below/worse

PROTRON specs from TigerDirect and ShopNBC

No detailed online reviews are currently available for the Protron LCD TV, but from the specs above it is safe to say that they are not aiming to compete with SHARP. The few user reviews that are posted show most people are using it as a computer monitor for gaming and they are reasonable satisfied. There is an external AC/DC converter which one user complained was very loud. Again there is no HDMI input, but a DVI input is good enough for the in-laws. The removable speakers are a plus for some people.

Perhaps as a testament that this TV is for gamers, it comes with a built-in handle for easy portability.

As of 4/24/05, there are only two online retailers offering this TV. TigerDirect has it for $1099 after a new $100 rebate, plus shipping. ShopNBC has it for $1348.99 which includes the shipping fee. That's cheaper than even computer monitors that are smaller than this. That's probably the least upfront cost of any LCD television.