The Vizio XVT553SV is a 55-inch LCD TV that offers a lot of bells and whistles, but doesn't forget that performance should be at the core of any great TV. Unfortunately, Vizio has never put an emphasis on exterior design, so you'll have to contend with a beautiful screen in a rather homely frame.

The TV features a limited array of online features (at least compared to the outstanding offerings from Sony), but you get Netflix, which is enough to satisfy most users. There's also built-in WiFi, so you don't have to worry about running an ethernet cable across the living room. With five HDMI ports, but only one input each for component and composite, you'll be limited to the number of older AV devices you can support.

The remote control that ships with Vizio XVT553SV is definitely an upgrade from the industry standard. It features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard that allows you to take full advantage of the online features without the slowness of using the 0-9 buttons on the a regular remote control.

You'll find lots of features for tweaking video performance, including motion smoothing and local backlight dimming. Vizio, like most manufacturers, sees these an incentive and an opportunity to bump up the retail price. We can assure you, though, that most of these features do more harm than good. A pure, unadulterated signal should be your aim.

Performance (Read the full lab performance results at Televisioninfo.com)

The Vizio XVT553SV had a good performance, on the whole, but was hampered in some areas. The black level, in particular, was not nearly as black as we've seen on similarly priced televisions. As a result, the contrast ratio only managed about 784:1. If you enabled the local dimming feature, the contrast increased exponentially, but it was accompanied by too many side effects for us to find acceptable.

The color performance was excellent, which is typical of Vizio TVs. (Local dimming also decreased color performance, when enabled.) The motion performance was also strong, though the motion "enhancing" features produce some bizarre side effects. We recommend that you experiment with them for yourself.

The viewing angle on the Vizio XVT553SV was wider than a typical LCD TV, but still doesn't match the performance of a plasma TV – an important consideration if you're trying to service a shallow, wide room. 

Comparisons (Read more in-depth comparisons at Televisioninfo.com)

To put the Vizio XVT553SV in context, we compared it to three similar TVs. The Samsung UN55C7000 retails for $1000 more, but offers 3D display and a much prettier exterior design. The contrast ratio performance was better, but not the color performance or viewing angle. The Sony KDL-52EX700 has a much better selection of streaming content, has better contrast performance, a better user experience, and a lower price – that's a compelling argument for the Sony. Finally, the LG 55LE5400 has the same great color performance and same weak contrast ratio. The LG is probably a bit overpriced, but can be found online for cheaper. 

Overall, the Vizio XVT553SV is one of the strongest Vizios we've reviewed in 2010. Sure, the contrast ratio is a bit low if you use our recommended calibration, but contrast ratio is generally an overrated spec. You won't be disappointed with this TV.