Bargains ahead for HDTVs

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 22 (UPI) -- Retailers say they hope to tempt bargain-hunters with discounts on high-definition televisions this holiday season.

Prices on HDTVs are expected to plummet, with 47-inch LCD TVs going for as low as $800, analyst Riddhi Patel of ISupply told the Los Angeles Times. Watch for 42-inch plasma TVs to be selling for as little as $500, he said.

The best deals are expected on the big shopping holiday -- "Black Friday" -- the day after Thanksgiving. Desperate retailers, however, may slash prices again after Black Friday if electronics inventories remain high, the Times reported Saturday.

Some plasma TVs already are selling for less than $1,000, said Paul Gagnon, a director of TV market research for DisplaySearch, adding $1,000 is a psychological barrier for shoppers.

"That's where a lot of consumers make the distinction between a luxury and regular purchase," he said.

TV buyers don't need to take home the best-known brand set these days, but they should check out budget brands' resolution and contrast before pulling out their wallets, Gagnon told the Times.