What are your top three models in the 42" and 50" sizes..... I can't go over three thousand so most 2007 models will be out. I also would prefer a tv with TV guide (nut not a must have)...So far i'm guessing...

42 inch

1) Panasonic 42px75
2) I like the Hitachi 42x99 Directors series....
3) ?

50 inch

1)Panasonic 50px75
2)?
3)?

ble to get the Panasonic 42PZ700 for $3000 or just under. It's new for 2007, 1080p.

If you want to spend $3000 on a 42", check out the Pioneer 4280 (1024x768). The new pios are reportedly a huge leap better in terms of pq; 80% improvement in black levels! They also have great processors, 4 hdmi ports, etc. I haven't seen one yet. MSRP $2999.

I'll probably end up with the panny 42px75 because the pio's 50% more expensive, but if they're as good as reported it'll be tempting.

Cheers... Perry.

Pick the size you want first, then worry about the model

Bigger is always better... let's say 50".

Hi BCbud,

I am actually in the market for a 42" Plasma and had been looking for a while. I have pretty much narrowed down to two models, the Pioneer PDP-4280 (which has a 50" model in PDP-5080), and the Panasonic TH-42PZ7000 (which again, has a 50" model in TH 50PZ700).

I have done side by side comparison with both unit comparing against each other as well as against the Sony XBR2.

My fiancee and I both see that the Pioneer has a much deeper black than the panasonic, and that is after we played with all sort of calibration with the Panasonic. And I should mention that the difference is so noticable that it didn't take us more than a minute or 2 of viewing to see the difference.

So perhaps you may want to take a look at those models yourself, both are the lastest models from their respective manufacturers. You can easily see a side by side comparison at a bestbuy store as they usually have them lined up next to each other, playing the same source (Futureshop for some reason always set them in different areas, making comparison very tough).

Hope this help you.

Oh, and just in case you wonder, I feel that overall, the XBR2 has better picture than the 2 mentioned if you are not going to watch a lot of fast moving objects. But I'm still going with the Pioneer because I watch a lot of sports.

The other difference between the 5080 and PX700 is resolution: the Panny is 1080 and the Pio 768. You need to decide how important that is to you; for most people's viewing habits, imo, it shouldn't be nearly as important as the hype, salesmen and fans would have you believe. ;)

bcbud - kinda the same boat you are in. I wasn't really looking to buy, but I was looking. The new Sammy HP-T series (not the "S" sold at Costco) really caught my eye. In Best Buy and Future Shop, this set side by side with Pios and Panasonics, the Sammy was easily the best pic for me.

Best of all - I got the 50" screen for less than $2200.

Downside - it's 720P, not 1080P

Upside - it still delivers an incredible pic.

Now 1080P proponents have been going on how the 1080P is such a better pic. Only time I've seen a better pic on the 1080P is when being fed a specially designed manufacturer disk with an HD (or Bluray) player on HDMI. And yes, the pic, up close, is that damn good. From 10 feet away - looks the same as a 720P

But wait, there's more - each set given an HD signal - I'd take the 720P set over the 1080P any day - as the quality looks the same.

1080P is only good if you are getting a 63" or higher screen, or are using it as a computer monitor and sitting only 2 or 3 feet from the display. Otherwise a 50" or 42" showing an HD or Blue Ray disc from 10 feet away - you'd be hard pressed to determine the diff between 1080P and 720P.

So check out the Sammy - good set at a great price. BTW - the blacks are fantastic too - even the wife couldn't believe all the detail we were seeing when watcing a movie - far better then our Mitsy 39" CRT tube, never mind the Sammy DLP.

Good luck with your search anyway - and if you do end up with a Pio or a Panny - no worries - those are great sets too and will do you well - you'll just pay more for the name.

bcbud, make sure you do some research of your own, and take advice from all the rest of us with a grain of salt. People usually praise the brand and model they bought above all others, but that doesn't mean that they know enough to make valid comparisons for you. A lot of "in store" comparisons are fairly meaningless, as they were't done under controlled circumstances by people who knew what to look for. I scanned the online forums and checked out every unit in the stores for several months before I bought my plasma TV. To summarize what I learned:

There's only 6 companies making plasma panels in the world. Most of the cheap models use OEM panels from LG. There's nothing wrong with those panels, but they probably aren't the latest technology generation, and the video electronics in a cheap TV probably aren't the best.

Panasonic is the biggest seller, even though it costs a lot more than the discount brands. Primary reasons: good picture quality, the best build quality and reliability, and good service and support.

Pioneer usually gets the most praise for their video electronics, generally considered to be even better than Panasonic's. Their panels also have some picture quality advantages over Panasonic, but among the top brands it's a question of different trade-offs rather than any one brand being uniformly better than another (e.g. colour, contrast ratio, brightess, lifespan, burn-in resistance etc.). You usually pay a price premium for Pioneer's top models with the best video electronics. Beware their cheap models - they are OEM units manufuactured by another company.

Professional reviewers have told consumers over and over that 1080p resolution is not visible from normal viewing distances with the size of screens most people are buying (50 inches and smaller), so it's probably not worth paying more. But it's the one number that sales and marketing people can easy sell to buyers who don't know much about the technology, and it's easily visible standing 2 feet in front of the screen in the store, so a lot of people end up thinking that they have to buy a 1080p screen.

Consumer Reports says that in their surveys the #1 regret of HDTV buyers was that they wish they bought a bigger screen. That's the one thing you'll remember most in future years as you're looking at your TV at home, far more than small picture quality differences.

I too say go bigger. If you look around there is some great deals on some of the end of year 2007 models I found a Hitachi 55HDT79 for $3000 before tax.

If you can find a 55HDS69 you should be able to get it for about $300 less than that.

I too say go bigger. If you look around there is some great deals on some of the end of year 2007 models I found a Hitachi 55HDT79 for $3000 before tax.

If you can find a 55HDS69 you should be able to get it for about $300 less than that.