Get a Proscan 55-inch LED HDTV for $499.99
Amazingly, it's new, not refurbished, and although you're on the hook for shipping, it's one of the best TV deals I've seen this year.
About 10 months ago, I paid $899 for a no-brand 55-inch TV. It was a roll of the dice, as I had only a handful of user reviews to rely on, but that was the best deal I could find at the time.
Through midnight tomorrow, and while supplies last, TigerDirect has the Proscan PLED5529A 55-inch LED HDTV for $499.99, plus around $50 for shipping. That's after applying coupon code EPE83551 at checkout.
(Note: The sellout risk here is huge. I apologize in advance if you're not able to grab this.)
That's the lowest price I've seen on a TV this big, and certainly one of the best deals I've seen in 2013. Ah, but is it any good?
According to a small handful of TigerDirect customers, it's 4.1-stars-out-of-5 good. Sound quality was the big complaint, but that's par for the course with most flat-panel TVs. (Buy a sound bar; you won't regret it.) And ignore the guy who said it's "only 51 inches across" -- TV measurements are made diagonally.
On paper, the Proscan's specs are a little better than average, including an LED backlight and 120Hz refresh rate. Most bargain-basement LCDs rely on shorter-lived fluorescent backlighting and have a 60Hz refresh. The latter can prove significant if you watch a lot of sports, though I definitely recommend reading Geoffrey Morrison's excellent "What is the 'Soap Opera Effect'?" Any TV capable of 120Hz may exhibit it.
The one spec I don't love: three HDMI ports. That's probably enough for most folks -- one for the cable box, another for a Blu-ray player, a third for a Roku -- but I'd definitely prefer four. (What if you want to add a game console to the mix?)
Of course, given that most 55-inch HDTVs sell for a lot more, you can certainly afford to add an HDMI switcher to expand your available ports.
If you've had any experience with this or another Proscan TV, hit the comments and let your fellow readers know what to expect. I think if I was in the market for a new TV, I'd jump at this one.