I would hold out for the cable card model. Although your cable company may not have this available for some time, I here the benefits of not having a cable box to convert video are worth it.
The expression "you get what you pay for" may also apply. B stock is always a roll of the dice.
I would check and see if the extended warranty covers the bulb. I have seen the bulb go after only a few months one TV in particular.(we sell a lot of these). The bulb retails for around $350.