Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80U 50" HDTV Plasma TV

The Panasonic Model 50PZ80U is an outstanding plasma for the price. 

After a lot of research on LCD Vs. Plasma, I decided to go with Plasma because for sharper picture quality and improved performance handling high speed images.  I did't have a use for the 3 HDMI inputs since only my cable box has HDMI out but I have room to expand.  One nice feature is the independent picture quality settings for each input.  You can switch from your Cable input to the gaming input and the picture settings change to your preset levels for that input.  Nice feature since movies/gaming/tv are best enjoyed at different brightness/contrast/color levels.  I just realized that inputs that aren't connected can be removed from the list to make switching even easier.  The next model up (50PZ85U) comes with a VGA input and a universal remote.  In hindsight the VGA input would have been nice as it allows you to use your computer to view television/movies.    

I am currently using the set for watching HD signal from Comcast and have been very happy.  The 50-inch is a pretty big screen so I would recommend that you view it from at least 10 feet away, any closer than that and a smaller screen would be a better fit.  I know Crutchfield has some rules of thumb for selecting screen size based on room size viewing distance etc.  My recommendation would be to check to make sure you aren't buying a monster screen for a tiny room but if you are on the edge go with the bigger picture.  You will only regret buying it too small.  This set is in our living room with a window on the side and I notice no glare or reflection.  The picture is awesome.

Good resources for reasearch can be found online.  Just be patient and know what you want before going to any store.  I spent several weekends hitting all the electronic stores and just standing in front of the plasma and lcd's they had available.  It is difficult to tell how it will look in your space so arm yourself with measurements before heading out.  Once you've decided on the size/type of tv you want start price shopping.  Prices can vary quite a bit so look everywhere you can, even internet searches can be helpful.     

I shopped for a long time and found a great prize on Amazon and couldn't resist.  I decided to buy my plasma from Amazon because they had the best price/reputation of all the sellers I could find but they weren't the lowest.  Be cautious with online retailers unless they have a good reputation   If you are looking for a great value this fits the bill.  If you want the best plasma available you will need to spend much more money.  Just so you are aware, you will need to have a surround sound system to truly enjoy this tv.  The built in speakers are pretty poor and sound muffled.  This didn't bother me since I run all sound through my amplifier. 

I am very happy with my purchase and would recommend this product.