Help with a new TV.

Hey Guys,
Well I'm not interested in EDTV, I think it's a half-measure and I would come to regret not getting hdtv. I've been to Costco and didn't find anything I liked, also went to Best Buy without much luck. This Sharp at $2500 really seems like the best deal. I also don't like Panasonic products, I've had too many things break on me, so they're out. Keep it comin'.

You seem to indicate that you have more restraints aesthetically speaking than with a given technology. I can understand that but IMO your making a huge compromise in performance over how it looks in the room. Again, that is not to downplay the importance of looks. If it doesn't get past your significant other neither of you will enjoy it for a long time. Just be sure you understand the limitations of LCD and the warranty that comes with it. LCD, along with DLP and DILA, are still emerging technologies when it comes to everyday video display and plasma still has it's problems as well. Most don't do black worth squat, but DLP and DILA do it better than LCD and plasma. You can't touch plasma HD at the price you mention. If you don't have room for a 12-14" deep set you probably won't consider tube sets. But for the price and size your talking the best HD displays are crt sets. IMO, IME, etc.

I have a 60" Sony GWIV and a 42" NEC ED plasma. I can honestly say HD vs ED is not very obvious unless you are sitting too close to the screen. Especially in a 42" or smaller screen, ED vs. HD is even less obvious.

If I can afford a 60" plasma, that will be my first choice. PQ on plasma is in a different league, nothing come close right now (except maybe the new Sony Qualia 005...)

I have a feeling that the first generation plasma TV's will be regarded as were the first generation CD players and discs in the near future. There are still plenty of bugs to be worked out with the plasma system.

Jond,
I went through the exact decision process approx 6mos ago. I moved into a condo with an oddly-shaped family room that would not accomodate a floor-standing set of any size (while still maintaining ideal conditions for the 2-channel system, of course). Thus, I was looking only at wall-mount units, at this time, LCD vs. Plasma. I opted for a 42" Panasonic EDTV plasma for several reasons. First, the family room has a lot of ambient light, so it was important that the set look good in close to full daylight. Plasma has a BIG advantage here. Second, plasma was more forgiving from wide viewing angles - so it can be enjoyed from anywhere in the room. As to ED vs. HD, I primarily watch DVDs, which are actually slightly better on a ED set. Also, EDTV was more forgiving for standard def signals - the other primary use in my case. Currently, I only have 4 HD channels available, and it accounts for less than 5% of my total use. Besides, ED looks exceptional with a HD signal and the improvement with an HD set was slight. With the slow implementation of HD by the television industry, HD signals will comprise only a small amount of my viewing.
Thus, you really need to balance price with an honest assessment of your viewing practices. The Panny plasma that I picked up is the latest generation commercial version that can be bought for under $2k, delivered to your door. While I also have little regard for Panasonic audio gear, in the world of plasmas, they are very respected, and considered the benchmarks at their pricepoint. No problems/concerns with my set, and the picture is stellar. Good luck in your quest, hope this helps.