[RickM]

Warning: Brain dump about to take place....
I've been waiting for the newest Pany 50" Plasma. Apparently the "just replaced" 50" had some big shoes to fill as the newest iteration has not had stellar reviews. So now I look for an older 50 (or 500) model. Pany has had some of the best plasmas for the money. The same may go for the smaller models. Just be careful and read as many reviews as possible.

Also, I have been watching a Sony 37" Bravia (LCD) for a while now and I'm very impressed. Costco sells for a decent price but you should be able to do better.

Other tidbits: A friend has a Maxent 42" from Costco (recently on sale for $1499) and couldn't be happier. He said that while a few other units were better the price and decent quality sold him. Besides you're not comparing side by side with other units when home.

Other well regarded brands are LG and Hitachi.
IMO, Pioneer (Elite) is one of, if not THE, best out there...but you'll pay. Beware of the 41" Pioneer at Costco. It is a stripped down Costco-only set and does not compare favorably to it's slighty more expensive counterparts.

Things to consider....LCDs typically have a lower contrast ability as compared to Plasmas. The latest generation has them fairly close though. Dead Pixels are another consideration....just like with computer LCDs.

Plasmas have had burn-in problems and should be broken in properly. Also less of an issue with the newest technology.

Try to research the features you'd like to have. From DVI and HDMI ports to 1080 standards and cable card ports......there's plenty to consider.