Panasonic TH-50PX75U

Pros: Great picture, easy menu navigation, good-looking cabinet.

Cons: Three HDMI inputs would have been nice.

Summary: I had been waiting for about a year to buy my first HDTV and was going back and forth between plasma and LCD for several months. I'm now glad I waited and weighed the pro's and con's of each. The Panasonic TH-50PX75U's plasma picture is incredible! Even SD (standard def) content looks good. I've yet to upgrade my Directv account to HD but non-HD shows like Letterman and the news look so much more vivid and deep in color.

I suggested that one buy a 720p set before they're all gone as I believe that the current crop of 1080p sets will soon be the standard. Currently, the price difference between comparable sets can be close to $1000 (or more) and I'm told that one can't normally tell the difference on a 50-inch screen anyways. Plus, I called Directv and they have yet to broadcast any of their HD channels in 1080p (they're still in 720). I can only assume that Dish Network hasn't yet begun to broadcast their HD channels in 1080p either. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

Anyways, the TH-50PX75U looks incredible. As I type this review, I'm watching the BBC Planet Earth series in Blu-ray and some of the scenes actually look better than real life! I don't know how else to say it: It's as though the shots were filmed with optimal lighting from every angle. The colors and detail are unbelievable.

I also mentioned that three HDMI inputs (one for satellite signal, one for Blu-ray player, and one for DVD recorder) would have been nice but I plan to find an AV receiver to take care of this issue. I'll then simply use the receiver to switch between video inputs.

Hope this helps.