Suggestions on a 50"-ish display?

[vaf]

I'm in the market for a new tv and I was looking at some stuff in the 50 inch range. The only comparable tv's I've spent any real time in front of were my parents samsung 51" plasma which I liked, and a friends 46" Olevia LCD which also wasn't too bad. Until this point I've been riding out my sony wega CRT behemoth so pretty much anything looks good next to that.

I have good lighting in the tv room. I'm no fan of 3D so I'd rather not buck up for it. And I don't really have a need for a smart-tv either. I just want a good old fashioned tv. From looking around in some stores I found a samsung 51" 1080p set in my price range (top end around 750) that looked pretty good, but I wasn't sure if there might be something else comparable or better for the money.

Any suggestions?

 

[ACsGreens]

Questions

VAF- When you say you have good lighting are you implying that you have good control of your lighting without windows behind viewing area? Also, does the thickness of the t.v matter? ALso, what sources will you be playing on this?

 

[vaf]

There are two windows in the room, one on the same wall as the tv but not directly behind it and one on a side wall. Both have blinds and drapes that can block out nearly all of the light if need be. The only other lighting in the room are two lamps.

Thickness isn't really a big deal. Sources will probably be limited to HD cable, dvd/blueray, xbox360.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

If light is controlled, get the highest level of Panny plasma you can afford.

 

[ACsGreens]

If light is controlled, get the highest level of Panny plasma you can afford.

I 2nd this...IMO the Samsung plasma's are not too far behind but would still prefer the panny. There are a lot of good deals out there that may even offer free shipping. Most of the time, but not always, they will tend to look better in your house as the stores have a distribution system that does not lend to "great" pictures, but don't buy based on this. Good Luck.

 

[BMXTRIX]

If light is controlled, get the highest level of Panny plasma you can afford.

For the record - I third this.

If you are using a CRT and are happy (in general) with your image quality that you've had (non-HD), then a plasma will provide the best image quality possible and will be less expensive.

$750 doesn't get you into their higher end models, but this one fits the bill and budget:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-VIERA-TC-P50U50-50-Inch-Plasma/dp/B00752VLRC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343170439&sr=8-2&keywords=panasonic+50+plasma

 

[vaf]

Haha it's not so much that I'm happy with the CRT but more or less that I was waiting for it to die prior to getting a new TV. It is still kicking, and I'm just tired of waiting.

Thank you for all the suggestions though. I'll definitely have to check them out. Much appreciated.

-Vince