There has probably never been a better time to upgrade to a larger flat-panel television. Competition among manufacturers is keen and bargains abound.

Australians like their sports and we're more than a little fond of the telly. Put the two together and it's hard to go wrong. Footy, cricket, soccer, tennis, motor racing and, of course, the Olympics have all helped drive sales of bigger and better TV sets over the decades. In the past few years that's meant super-sized flat-panel LCD and plasma sets capable of displaying digital high-definition pictures in large, lush high definition.

If you haven't already made the move to HD TV, this is a pretty good time to get onto the starting blocks. We've got the Olympics next month, of course, but that's just the beginning. All local TV stations now broadcast digital signals, with extra channels for those who have a digital TV set. Foxtel has already introduced high-definition services and the digital-ready TiVo box is only weeks away from making its Australian debut.

Blu-ray technology has emerged as the next-generation DVD standard, with more and more movies being released on BR discs. Throw in high-definition gaming from the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 (the Wii isn't HD but it's so much fun that nobody cares) and there's simply too much happening in the HD space to miss out.

This is also a good time to buy because HD TV sales across the industry are, quite frankly, a little off the pace. The reason is that the homes most likely to plant large-screen tellies in their living rooms have already done so in the past few years. This has been spurred on by sports events such as the 2004 Olympics and the soccer and rugby world cups in 2006 and 2007 respectively, or the arrival of Full HD TV as the centrepiece of a total home-theatre upgrade.

There are still many old tellies to get the heave-ho, so manufacturers and retailers are adding appealing incentives and cutting some exceptional deals. Pioneer has dropped the price of its stunning Kuro plasma TVs, which are generally considered to be the benchmark in HD TV, while still offering free installation - including wall mounting (see Page 6) - through to the end of next month.

Also until the end of August, Samsung is offering free installation of Foxtel HD+ (including the iQ2 video recorder and three months' access) to buyers of select Series 5 and Series 6 LCD TVs. However, if you buy before the end of this month you can opt for a Samsung Blu-ray player instead of Foxtel. "HD is the future and never before has so much HD content been available," says Kurt Jovais, the director of marketing for Samsung Electronics Australia. "We want to help consumers unlock the real potential of their HD TV sets."

If gaming is more your style, Sony's current promotion to give away a PlayStation 3 console (which also doubles as a Blu-ray player) with any Full HD Bravia LCD TV will suit you. You can see how many of the pre-allocated 35,000 consoles are remaining by visiting http://www.sony.com.au/PS3countdown.

Many retailers are also running special two-for-one sales in which a large Full HD panel is accompanied by a "free" smaller flat-screen TV. Those bonus models are usually HD rather than Full HD but the difference is negligible on the smaller display, so this can be an easy way to score a second TV for the bedroom. However, ensure it has a built-in HD TV tuner or you'll be restricted to the regular channels unless you spring for a digital set-top box.

The choice between LCD and plasma comes down more to your own requirements. Plasma panels kick in at 106cm, so LCD is the default choice if you don't have enough room for a screen of that size. LCD panels are also better where there's more direct or ambient light, although most TV viewing is done of an evening so this is rarely an issue.

Plasma is held to have a superior picture quality and is better for fast-moving images, such as sports and action movies, but LCDs have substantially narrowed the gap in both areas, especially if you opt for an LCD set that uses 100Hz technology for handling sports.

Happily, we've now reached the pinnacle of HD TV for the foreseeable future. The sets can't really get much bigger - they're constrained as much by available space as by technology costs - nor will the HD standards take another leap in resolution. Now it's all about fine-tuning the existing formula, so it's more a case of refinement than revolution.

"There won't be any massive steps for a number years. The changes will be more cosmetic to some extent," says Kristian Dow, the product manager at Pioneer. "You'll see advances in the picture quality itself, especially in the area of contrast ratio for even better blacks."

New features are being added, such as the ability to run a series of photos in "slide-show" mode. "TV's becoming less about just TV and more a hub for your digital life. And that's everything from high-definition gaming to showing your photos on the TV, just like the old slide-show nights our parents used to have," says Paul Colley, the technology communications manager at Sony Australia.

Design is another area where sets are evolving. Manufacturers such as LG and Samsung are also adding a splash of colour to their panels, while others use a glass bezel that extends past the edge of the panel to create a "floating" screen effect. This all moves the panel towards being a design element in its own right, rather than a big black slab.

Shopping list

Pioneer Kuro
http://pioneer.com.au

With its rich colours and incredibly deep blacks, the Kuro set a new benchmark by which other plasma panels are still being judged. The best-selling Full HD 127cm model now retails for $5699 (down from $5999) or you can hunt around for the hard-to-find 106cm HD model. The panel looks even better once you remove the side-mounted speakers. Free installation, set-up and wall mounting is included in the price.

Philips 9000 Series
http://www.philips.com.au

Philips fresh-baked Full HD series starts with a 106cm panel ($3299), although the only other option is a 119cm $3999 set. In addition to 100Hz, these LCD sets boast a punchy 30 watts of sound with an integrated subwoofer and dome tweeter, plus four HDMI ports compared with the usual three - handy if you've got both a PlayStation and Xbox game console or need to quickly connect a DV camcorder.

Samsung Series 6
http://www.samsung.com.au

If you're over the mandatory "piano black", the lustrous burgundy hue injected into the bezel of these LCD screens adds a subtle yet striking touch and has to be seen to be appreciated. Seven screens in the range span from 81cm to 132cm (at $1999 to $4999), all with Full HD support and most with 100Hz scanning. Top-end models also have a USB port for playing music and running a photo slide show.

LG Scarlet
http://www.lge.com.au

LG's flagship Scarlet LCD panel also steps gingerly away from the comfort zone of high-gloss black, with a splash of dusky red or blue on the rear of the set - although we don't know anyone who looks at their TV from the back. There's Full HD in all models bar the 81cm set and 100Hz to keep sports and action flicks kicking along. The premium LG70 models start at $2999 for 106cm, with $3299 for a special whippet-thin model.

Sony Bravia
http://www.sony.com.au

The Full HD arm of Sony's Bravia clan now reaches down to the 81cm V Series ($2099), although the larger-screen W Series remains the hero of this highly regarded LCD family. At 101cm to 132cm ($2699 to $4699), these are decked out in a shimmering midnight-blue finish. All the new Bravias also get enhanced sound, which creates a wider listening area through the front speakers, plus excellent photo-show capabilities.