[SteveFromNY]

One very serious word of advice:

I read an article in the Crutchfield magazine that stated "no one has ever returned a television to them because it was too large". Keep that in mind as you shop. Bigger makes a real difference. With the clarity of the high definition screens you can sit closer than the old tv's with their 420 lines of resolution, so ignore any of those rules about how far away you must sit from the set. I do know personally of 2 people who regret having bought sets that are too small (both 42").

My personal preference lately has been for an LCD set from either Sony (Bravia's), Sharp (Aquus) or Samsung. When seen side by side with others, these sets do seem to stand out for clarity, color and contrast. I suggest you watch for the "contrast ratio". In some sets it's 1200:1, in others its 20,000:1. This makes a huge difference in the brightness of the screen.

That said though, any set you bring home will probably look great.

Good luck!