[Freo-1]

 I have a Pioneer Kuro 5080, and I absolutely love the picture!

Best Buy had a big sale on them the week before the Super Bowl this year (they threw in a geek squad picture adjust at a big discount).  It was not THAT expensive (only a few hundred more than the Panasonic).  Well worth it (IMHO).

I had family over for the Super Bowl, and it was just like the commercial: (each person that came in looked and simply said "WOW" when they saw the picture.)

The professional adjustment is worth the money (on a plasma TV, anyway).

[sbrtoy]

FYI if you all haven't seen, Panny dropped prices on their current midline sets from $200-$300, this means a nice set like the 50" 1080p  TH50PZ85U can be had for $1699 (or less) and the 42" version for under a grand! 

Gotta love the prices of these things, I paid $2200 for a 480p Panasonic around 3.5 years ago...

[jimdgoulding]

I bought a Panasonic THX 800u 50" model.  Had it four days.  The Kuro has the best blacks in the bis.  All the mags say so.  How important this is side by side with the 800u, I don't know (not much according to the mags- I've been reading for 4 months), but I'm not wanting for anything.  I set my movie watching settings like the ones CNET published for this TV.  The rich browns and warm reds warm my bum.  For broadcasts, I use the Custom color mode and dialed in the settings myself.  Watched Monday Night football on the latter settings and the movie Kansas City on the former.  I am fornicating speechless!

[oris98]

I had a side by side comparison between a Panasonic 800 series with a Samsung LCD 750 series and noticed the LCD technology is very mature now with Samsung. Their black contrast level even surpassed Panasonic Plasma technology.  The brightness and 3D effect is just unbelivably good which can make your draw drop.  Samsung has anounced their 950 series and is aiming for the market to compete directly with the Kuro in the black contrast level with more dynamics plus their usual added features..  It is exciting to see new products coming to the market and driving the price for the current lines down..   With the down turning of the global economy,  we will probably see more price reduction in the near future !

[jimdgoulding]

Based on the reading and viewing I was able to do at the dealer's, the 6 and 7 series of Samsung IS very impressive.  I can imagine being happy with that, too.