The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with liquid crystal display (LCD) flat-panel televisions measuring between 20 and 36 inches by examining four key factors that drive satisfaction (listed in order of importance): picture and sound performance; ease of operation; features; and appearance and styling. The Flat Panel Television Usage and Satisfaction Study is a complementary study to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Large Screen HDTV Usage and Satisfaction Study released earlier this month.

The Sony LCD series earns an overall satisfaction score of 792 on a 1,000 point scale and performs particularly well in the picture and sound performance and features factors. The Samsung LCD series and LG LCD series follow in the rankings, achieving scores of 786 and 776, respectively. The Samsung LCD series performs particularly well in ease of operation and appearance and styling.

The study finds that while most flat-panel television owners desire an energy-efficient model, far fewer owners actually possess one. Fewer than one-third of flat-panel television owners report that their current model is ENERGY STAR qualified, while the majority of owners (57 percent) say that they want this feature on their next flat-panel television.

"ENERGY STAR qualified flat panel televisions meet energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy, so not only do they conserve resources but they also help owners save on their utility bills," said Larry Wu, senior director of the technology practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Manufacturers that offer ENERGY STAR qualified models stand to attract not only environmentally conscious consumers, but also those who wish to save money over their life of their television -- which conceivably could translate into an increase in market share."

The study also finds that owners of smaller-screen flat-panel televisions tend to use their TVs for a wide variety of uses -- including video game play, computer monitor display and video playback. For example, 87 percent of smaller-screen flat-panel television owners report connecting a DVD player to their television, and nearly one-third of owners report connecting some type of home video game console.

"Since smaller-screen flat screen televisions are used for a myriad of purposes, the most successful models excel not only in picture quality but also sound quality," said Wu. "Owners are looking for their flat-screen LCD televisions to provide a rich visual and audio experience to support these various needs and to do it independently of additional sound support such as external speakers."

The average price paid for a flat-panel LCD television measuring between 20 and 36 inches is $810. Approximately 65 percent of flat-panel television owners admit to spending many hours researching or shopping for their new TV set, with nearly two in three revealing that they have some brand bias and are more likely to purchase a brand with which they have had some prior experience.

Customer Satisfaction Index Ranking

	  (20- to 36-inch Flat Panel Televisions)

	  (Based on a 1,000-point scale)

	  Sony LCD                792

	  Samsung LCD             786

	  LG LCD                  776

	  Panasonic LCD           767

	  Toshiba LCD             762

	  Industry Average        758

	  Sylvania LCD            750

	  Sharp LCD               748

	  Vizio LCD               748

	  Magnavox LCD            739

	  Philips LCD             736

	  Westinghouse LCD        734

	  Olevia LCD              695