LCD technology allows screens to be thinner and televisions to be lighter and more energy-efficient than ever before. The result is television that not only fits on a wall, but fits in places conventional televisions cannot. The 17PF8946A's comes outfitted with Digital Crystal Clear III technology, a suite of picture innovations including Dynamic Contrast, green/blue stretch, and a 3-line digital comb filter. The comb filter removes blurred edges between colors and reduces dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).

A feature called Active Control continually adjusts picture settings at over 60 times per second for all inputs, correcting both sharpness and noise reduction. Auto Picture lets you change--at the touch of a button--the picture settings (color, tint, contrast, etc.) for various types of programming, including sports, movies, multimedia (games), or weak signals.

Auto Sound allows you to select from 3 factory-set controls and a personal control that you set according to your preferences. Use the factory-set controls (voice, music, and theatre) to enhance appropriate programs. Virtual Dolby surround simulates enveloping surround sound from any 2 speakers.

Inputs include 1 component-video, 2 S-video, and 3 composite-video connections, as well as a VGA computer input, which accepts signals up to WXGA (1,280 x 768, from 60 to 75 Hz). Side-panel AV inputs accommodate a camcorder, gaming device, or VCR hookup, and a headphone output (minijack .125-inch) lets you listen in private.

What's in the Box
TV, stand, remote control, remote batteries, and a user's manual.