First HDTV purchase

[TOP SECRET]

got my 50 inch LG on a good deal from best buy. It has been excellent.

[Uncle Stan]

Don't over look Vizio.

My repair guy says its the best buy for the buck and is quality mdse. Just doesn't have the name acceptance yet.

[Loose cannon]

 For what its worth I got my 1080 46 inch Vizio of the scratch and dent aisle at my local Sams club. They were asking $700 and I negotiated down to $500.Every Sams club Ive ever been in has one of these little sections somewhere in the store.In fact I make a beeline for it everytime we go in while my wife shops for what we need.
  I sprung for the extended warranty and the picture is as good as any Ive ever seen. Dont forget that youre gonna have to upgrade your Direct TV dish to HD at additional cost.And would somebody explain to me why I have to pay extra to get the SUNDAY TICKET in HD after Im already paying extra each month.

[Vongles]

Here's a good graph on HDTV viewing distance and how 720p compares to 1080p for a given viewing distance.



If you check a website like slickdeals.net or fatwallet.com you can usually find a bargain price on a HDTV that suits your needs. If you stick with a "name" brand, you'll most likely get a good product. This is also dependent on how much of a difference you can see in Video. Your best bet is to go to a quality brick and mortar home entertainment shop and actually VIEW all of the sets. Bring source material that you are familiar with so you can get a good comparison. I'd also highly recommend checking out avforums.com for a LOT of great advise (And they sometimes have great posts on TV Deals), and make sure you calibrate whatever set you end up buying for optimal viewing pleasure!