" In the 30"-42" sizes I'd probably look at direct-view LCDs - some of them are very good..."
Any model numbers ?
Do you like SONY or...?
Thanks
I do like Sony, but I'm not devoted to them.
From personal experience, I can tell you that the LCD models with XBR2 or XBR3 all have very nice pictures. For example, the KDL-40XBR2 is a nice 1920x1080 LCD. The XBR3 version has a different bezel and maybe some few other additional features.
The non-XBR 1920x1080 models, like the KDL-40V2500 seem to share many of the same specs, but not all. I haven't see one in person.
I have seen the KDL-V32XBR2 (32" 1366x768) in person and it looks very nice, too. In fact, it was the first of the new Sony XBR LCDs that I saw, and the first LCD I saw in person whose picture really impressed me.
Being Sony, of course none of the above are what you would call cheap - the last one I mentioned going for $1,999. Hmmm, there's also a 32" XBR1 model at the same price with pretty much the same specs, except for having the Wega engine (signal processor) rather than the Bravia engine.