New Plasma 42" (which one?)

[lennydude]

Need to get a new HDTV. I have been doing alot of reading on this forum and it appears the concensus is a Panasonic 42" Plasma 720p. ????

I will be taking my broken Samsung 42" plasma S4253 back to Circiut City mid next week for an exchange and the manager told me whatever the Samsung S4254 (its replacement) sells for at that time, I can either get the Samsung or use that money and put it toward any other set.

Wondering if you can give me your "up to date" opinions on what I should buy? The Samsung S4254 costs $1100 at this time. I would be willing to spend a bit more, up to maybe $1500 to $1700 on a new set so my extra cost would be $400 to $600 more.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Lenny

[lennydude]

Never mind. Thanks anyway.

This forum is kinda dead I guess. 4 days without any response?

[kennyt]

Lenny,

Plasma's are pretty much a grab bag.

You can go as cheap as $900 for that size or up to $4,500 for the Pioneer Elite, which is head and neck above the rest of the entire plasma world. Yes, it is expensive, and you would be right to consider the likes of Vizio for $999 for the same size.

Which is best depends on you and your needs.

FWIW I still have a Panasonic Plasma in my bedroom, great set, mine is now a model or two old. What would I replace it with? Well, it goes without saying if I could I'd go the Pioneer Elite 60" Kuro 1080p @ $7,500 though, it's a big bite! We all were talking about the TV issue @ CES and I hate to say it but it really seems that the lower priced manufacturers are not only closing in on the upper end ones but setting the market trend.

As for 42" sets, I like the Samsung 81 model, the Pioneer Elite model, and the Sony XBR4. Not sure if you'd get into any of these for the price you want, and honestly if you are tight on a TV, go cheap as they are the most rapidly developing market in HT right now and who knows what will be out next year!