CONSUMER ADVICE Buying an analog TV set is still a good investment

The 2006 deadline for phasing out analog broadcasts probably will be extended.
CONSUMER REPORTS
Top-notch picture quality is the most affordable it has ever been, but shoppers looking for a new television set must still confront nagging questions:
How soon will conventional analog TV become obsolete?
Should I hedge my bets with an HD-ready set, which can accommodate conventional and high-definition broadcasts?
Is it time for a full-blown, wide-screen HDTV?
A conventional analog set is still a good investment. Judging by how slowly the transition to digital broadcasts has proceeded, any analog TV purchased now will serve you for many years. (The Federal Communications Commission will likely extend its 2006 deadline for phasing out analog broadcasts. Even after the phase out, however, analog sets will still work normally with the help of an adapter.)
Reasons: There are several reasons to consider spending between $1,100 and $2,500 for an HD-ready set. If your antenna or cable connection provides a good, strong signal, an HD-ready set can noticeably improve picture quality compared with an analog set. It will provide even better quality when connected to a progressive-scan DVD player, whose technology produces a smooth, almost filmlike picture. As the name implies, an HD-ready set can display a much higher resolution image when connected to a digital-TV receiver set-top box, which adds another $500 or more to the total cost.
True HDTVs, which have a wider screen than conventional and HD-ready sets, come with a built-in digital-TV receiver. But the price starts at $4,000. The availability of high-definition programming is still limited to a smattering of over-the-air fare and a few satellite channels. As of late summer, digital broadcasts were available via antenna from only 210 of 2,800 TV stations. And cable companies have so far chosen to use their bandwidth to add more conventional stations -- via confusingly named digital-cable service -- instead of high-definition ones.
Digital TVs may get more attention, but conventional TVs are still the most popular. They provide very good picture quality from a standard analog broadcast. And judging from our tests of sets in 27-, 32- and 36-inch sizes, there are plenty of fine TVs to choose.
27-inch sets: Top scoring among the dozen models we tested were three flat-screen sets. The Sony KV-27FS13 ($600) and the Toshiba 27AF61 ($650) cost considerably less than the Sony KV-27FV17 ($800), which features an automatic volume leveler. (The KV-27FV17 and the Toshiba also include dual-tuner picture-in-picture, which can display two programs on the screen simultaneously without a second device, such as a VCR.) Bargain sets from our tests include the Samsung TXK2768 ($350), the JVC AV-27D502 ($400) and the Philips 27PT71B ($450). All have curved screens and provide good picture quality via their antenna/cable input.
32-inch sets: Both the JVC AV-32D302 ($600) and the Sony KV-32S42 ($650) are worthy choices and reasonably priced. Although top-rated, the feature-laden, flat-screen Sony KV-32FV27 ($1,300) is especially pricey for an analog set this size. For bargains, consider the Toshiba 32A41 ($550) or the Sharp 32R-S400 ($470). Two RCA models, the F32715 ($630) and the F32669 ($550), were very good performers, but RCA has been among the most repair-prone brands for TV sets over the past few years.
36-inch sets: For top analog performance at any cost, you can't beat the flat-screen Sony KV-36FS13 ($1,300) and KV-36FV27 ($1,700). Both had very good picture quality via the antenna-cable input and excellent sound. A better value, however, is the JVC AV-36260 ($750), which includes component-video input (useful with DVD players and high-definition satellite receivers), front-input jacks (which make it easier to connect a camcorder or video-game player) and dual-tuner picture-in-picture. For a bargain, consider the Sharp 36R-S400 ($650).