The Sony XBR direct view sets are some of the finest out there. That said, you might also try the Panasonic Tau line and Toshiba's widescreen sets for comparison. I would also check out the HDTV Ready projection sets if you have the room, especially if you are getting a HDTV dish and progressive scan DVD. I personally could not justify the high price for the direct view sets with only a 34 or 40" screen.