Crave

Enter for a chance to win this Vizio 32-inch TV.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

If you were waiting for us to give away one more LCD TV, you're in luck, because we're serving up the 32-inch Vizio VO320E, and it's a special one.

What so special about it? Well, it's actually a review sample that Editor David Katzmaier calibrated for his review of the product (bottom line: the Vizio VO320E offers decent picture quality for a rock-bottom price). So while it's slightly used, you do get a TV that's been tweaked by our video guru, which is definitely a nice bonus. (I'm still waiting for Mr. Katzmaier to come over to my apartment to calibrate my TV.)

We'd also like to give a shout out to Shopper.com for helping set up this Crave giveaway. Shopper.com powers CNET's price-comparison engine, and it's a great site for finding the best prices on products. (See all of Shopper's deals, coupon codes, and rebates).

Normally, the Vizio VO320E would cost you about $450, but you have the chance to get it gratis.

So, how do you try to win this Vizio 32-inch LCD TV? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Vizio VO320E 32-inch LCD TV. Approximate retail value is $450.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, December 21 at 6:59:59 a.m. EST.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 7 AM ET on December 21, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

Come back Monday for our next holiday giveaway, which will be a Technical Pro PM22 Podcaster.

Another Monday and another hot holiday giveaway here on Crave. We've given away Sony, LG, and Vizio 32-inch TVs, and now we have a Samsung 32-incher, the LN32B360.

Editor David Katzmaier reviewed this set and says that although it isn't as feature-heavy as some models in its class, "Samsung's LNB360 series takes the picture quality cake among entry-level LCDs." (Read the full review).

Special thanks to Shopper.com, which powers CNET's price-comparison engine and is a great site for finding the best prices on products. (See all of Shopper's deals, coupon codes, and rebates).

Normally, the Samsung LN32B360 would cost you about $500, but you have the chance to get it gratis.

So, how do you try to win this Samsung 32-inch LCD TV? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) Samsung LN32B360 32-inch LCD TV. Retail value is $500.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, December 8, at 6:59:59 a.m. EST.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 7 AM ET on December 8, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

Come back tomorrow for our next holiday giveaway. Tomorrow's prize will be a set of Targus Crave laptop bags.

Sharp's LC-32D47UT has solid energy saving features and a third HDMI input.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

None of the cheaper 32-inch LCDs we've compared recently will satisfy viewers seeking the best home theater picture quality. The main strength of the Sharp LC-32D47UT, for example, lies not in the fidelity of its image, but in areas that might be more important to shoppers at the entry-level price point: features and energy efficiency.

The former is comprised mainly of a third HDMI input, conveniently mounted on the side panel and quite rare for the breed. The latter will only save you a few bucks a year, at most, but over the lifetime of your typical bedroom TV, that can add up.

The sacrifice compared with other entry-level sets, despite the Sharp's relatively deep black levels, comes in other areas of picture quality, namely color and video processing. But if you want that third HDMI input and prize eco-consciousness, this little Sharp belongs on your own comparison list.

Read the full review of the Sharp LC-32D47UT

Sharp LC-32D47UT (photos)

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

Much like Vizio, budget TV brand Westinghouse has decided to capitalize on the usual energy efficiency of small-screened LCDs. Its "greenvue" line, which includes the SK-H640G series, is said to surpass Energy Star by 20 percent.

That's not a very high standard yet, however, and according to our tests, the 32-incher, while among the most efficient of its kind, will save you at most a few bucks a year over similar TVs. Compared with those TVs it also came up a bit short in the picture quality and features departments, but its simple design and control scheme could appeal to bargain hunters fed up with a typical HDTVs' complexity.

Read the full review of the Westinghouse SK-H640G series.

Westinghouse SK-H640G series (photos)

This mammoth monitor can be yours for under $200.

(Credit: TigerDirect)

Update (7 a.m. PT): Wow, I just can't win. This item disappeared from TigerDirect's site shortly after I posted it--a very common occurrence these days. My apologies. I'm going to think long and hard before posting another item from CompUSA/TigerDirect.

I can't quite decide which is better: two smaller monitors running side by side or a single gargantuan monitor.

If you're in the latter camp, TigerDirect has a refurbished Vizio VMM26L 26-inch LCD monitor for $184.99 shipped. (That's if you use Google Checkout--otherwise the price is $189.99.)

That's the lowest price I've seen on a monitor of this size, and check out the specs: 1,900 x 1,200 resolution (i.e. slightly better than 1080p); DVI, VGA, and HDMI inputs; a 3ms response time; and a USB hub with four ports.

Because this is a refurb, however, the standard 90-day warranty applies. Also, the monitor lacks speakers, so it's not ideally suited to pairing with game consoles or Blu-ray players. (You can do it; it's just BYO speakers.)

But if you're in the market for a big, huge monitor for your PC, this could be just the ticket. If it sells out, try checking back in a couple hours or even days--TigerDirect sometimes replenishes its stock.

Backup deal: Got N? Buy.com has an Asus Wireless N Router for $20.99 shipped (after a $20 mail-in rebate). It doubles as an FTP server and triples as a printer server.

Score a 22-inch Acer LCD for $109.99--and get a three-year warranty!

(Credit: Staples)

Update (10:10 a.m. PT): Looks like everything but the Dell laptop is sold out. Sorry, folks! It's worth checking back on the other items, though, as sometimes stock gets replenished.

Ah, Cyber Monday. Now this is a day of deals I can get behind. No crowded parking lots, no unruly mobs, no pushing and shoving. (What? The old lady got in my way!)

Of course, as regular visitors to The Cheapskate know, nearly every day is Cyber Monday--the deals keep coming all year 'round.

But this Monday is special, so I've rounded up four particularly sweet bargains that are good today only. And, as always, the sellout risk is high, so get your mouse-clickin' finger(s) warmed up.

1) In the market for a monitor? Staples has the Acer X213HBbd 21.5-inch LCD for $109.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). Specs include VGA/DVI (HDCP) inputs, a 5-ms response time, and a three-year warranty (score!). This is the lowest price I've seen on a new 22-inch monitor.

2) Need a desktop replacement? Dell has an Inspiron 17 laptop for $549 shipped. It sports a whopping 17.3-inch display, a Core 2 Duo processor, and Windows 7 Home Premium. You can customize just about every feature to your liking, but the base configuration is mighty solid. That's the best deal on a 17-inch lappie I've seen all year--not the lowest price, mind you, but the best bang for the buck.

3) Still shopping for the perfect portable PC? Best Buy has the Samsung N140-14R Netbook for $279.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). That's higher than other models I've posted recently, but this is a decidedly high-end Netbook. Specs include Intel's Atom N280 processor, a 10.1-inch screen, a 250GB hard drive, 802.11n, and a six-cell battery. The OS: Windows 7 Starter.

4) Here's a great stocking stuffer: Newegg has the Zune Premium Headphones for $9.99 shipped. I've had a pair for years; they're my preferred earbuds for travel. They do a great job isolating outside noise (like airplane engines), and they're extremely comfortable. Obviously you don't need a Zune to use them; they'll work with any phone or MP3 player. Microsoft sells them for $39.99, so I can't recommend this deal highly enough.

Well? See anything you like? If not, don't worry--there's always tomorrow. In the meantime, hit the comments to share your tales of Cyber Monday scores.

P.S. Anybody catch me on Good Morning America today? No worries: you can catch me daily on CNET's Holiday Help Desk at 1 p.m. PST.

A couple of days ago we gave away a Sony Bravia 32-inch LCD TV. For all of you who didn't win, don't despair. Now we're serving up an LG 32-inch LCD TV, which is just as good. It may be an entry-level model, but our video guru David Katzmaier had some nice things to say about it in his review.

"While its light shade of black won't win over bargain home theater sticklers, the LG H20 series' features and adjustability stand out among the entry-level crowd," he said.

Normally, the LG 32LH20 would cost you about $499, but you have the chance to get it gratis.

So, how do you try to win this 32-inch LCD TV? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.

• Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, there's no need to register again.
• Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
• Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
• The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive (1) LG 32LH20 32-inch LCD TV. Approximate retail value is $499.
• If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
• Entries can be submitted until Monday, November 30, at 7 a.m. EST.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 7 AM ET on November 30, 2009. See official rules for details.

Good luck.

Come back Monday for our next holiday giveaway. Monday's prize will be a Vizio 32-inch LCD TV.

This 25-inch LCD sports a pair of HDMI inputs and an impossibly low price tag.

(Credit: CompUSA)

Update: Unsurprisingly, this is sold out. Sorry if you missed it! Killer deals like this rarely last long.

You all know my motto by now: "Cheap things come to those who wait." The last time I posted a 25-inch LCD monitor was in July. The price back then: $199.99.

Today, CompUSA is offering a 25-inch I-Inc LCD monitor for $149.99 shipped.

D'oh! Wasn't it just yesterday that a 24-inch Synaps was selling for $159.99? (Yes, yes it was.)

So, to amend my motto, cheap things come to those who wait--a whole entire day. The I-Inc is not only $10 cheaper and one inch larger (diagonally speaking) than the Synaps, it also comes with an HDMI input. Two of them, actually.

That means if it's not destined for PC duty, you can pair it with a game console and a Blu-ray player. It also has built-in speakers, natch, though don't expect room-filling volume or Dolby-quality sound.

Other noteworthy specs include 1,920 x 1,080 resolution (aka 1080p), a 2ms response time (faster than most), and a one-year warranty (this is new, not a refurb).

Without putting too fine a point on it, this is the best monitor deal I've ever posted. Consequently, it'll probably sell out seconds after I click Publish, and then everyone will be mad at me (and I wouldn't blame them--even though it's not my fault :).

On the other hand, maybe we'll all get lucky and CompUSA will have enough supply to last the day--because I guarantee you these will sell like hotcakes. And rightly so.

LG's LH20 series has more picture adjustments than any TV in its class.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

We can't fault the LG LH20 series for trying.

The company's least expensive lineup of LCDs for 2009 offers more features than the competition, including the only USB port for digital photos and by far the best selection of picture adjustments. All of those tweaks allow users to dial in superb color, but color accuracy only goes so far when black levels look gray instead.

But as long as you don't expect deep blacks from your entry-level LCD (and why should you?), the LG LH20 series still has a lot to offer for a tempting price.

Read the full review of the LG LH20 series.

LG LH20 series (photos)