Off brand hdtv sets.....

there are only a handful of manufactures that make large LCD panels. many of those off brands have the same panels as the more expensive one, main differences are in scaler and processor which do make a difference in PQ. take Sony and Samsung for example, Sony buys panels from Samsung and Sony does look better under near identical setting.

reliability should not be a huge concern, IC rarely fails. discrete components have a much higher chance of failure though.

so comes down to how much do you care about PQ. you want nicer PQ, spend more for the name brands which tend to have better scaler and processor. something you use to watch news in bedroom, save the bucks and go for something that are priced right.

I'm with Tvad on this one. What it really comes down to for me is what do I want. For me in this case, after doing exhaustive research I bought a Sony. The primary reason being that I had the last one for twenty years, and the extra expense factored over that period was more than worth it.

It's true 4est, my Sony 32" XBR lasted 17 years and was still working well when I had them haul it away. It weighs to much for me to move, even with a friend! Truth be told, I wish it had died sooner so I could justify buying a new TV and enjoy a bigger and better picture. It all depends on what you want and where you're willing to make compromises.

Does Sony make better amps than Bryston, Musical Fidelity, Spectron, etc? They certainly have more experience. Hope no one is suggesting we only buy Sony amps cause they have the most experience and are the most reliable 'cause I'm thinking tubes are out for sure :)

I'm more with Semi. Decide what you want and pay for that. After 20 years of off brand TVs I may be back to only buying Sony. For now, it's not worth it to me.

I am a bit ashamed to admit I got rid of a 5 year old 36" Panasonic Tao TV for my 50" Vizio but could not resist the big picture experience even though the Tao had better color.