In the market for a plasma.........suggestions?

Chazzbo - I need to set the record straight on something you said.

..."but I am amzed at what lower end Hitachi and Samsung can do."

Hitachi plasma TV's are NOT lower end. The Hitachi brand is is less well known in the US, but they are huge in Japan and the rest of Asia. Hitachi plasma screens are made in the same factory as Pioneer Elite. All of the electronic "experts" I've talked to about Japanese and Korean electronics state that Japanese made products tend to be of higher quality. Based on my consumer experience with both brands I would have to agree with their take.

Earlier this year I did a side-by-side plasma comparison (all things equal) between LG, Samsung, Phillips, Hitachi, Panasonic and Pioneer elite. The best was the 50" Pioneer Elite, followed by the 55" Hitachi. With 5 extra inches and $1K+ price difference, the Hitachi was a no brainer - particularly in light of the only minor PQ differences.

Hope this helps.

When it comes to TVs, I look for what the pros use, and the pros use Sony or Panasonic reference monitors in their broadcast centers.

While side by side comparisons are helpful, I believe it's highly unlikely that all the displays are properly calibrated in dealer showrooms. This is a problem with TV shopping in general.

Okay, Undertow, let's get the technologies straight. You gave kudos to the Sony SXRD, and I strongly agree, however the SXRD is Sony's tweak of LCOS, not LCD! Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) is actually my preferred of the "new" technologies for RPTV, CRT RPTV still being number one for many reasons. Why? Recently The Perfect Vision, after testing one, said that the SXRD had resolution and black level equivalent to the best CRT RPTVs!?! My experience as well. LCOS TVs do offer great resolution and picture quality and prices are coming down. JVC's tweak is called D-ILA, or Direct Image Light Amplifier. In any case I prefer these to DLP or LCD RPTVs, with an honorable mention to Sony's new three-chip LCD RPTV, which is outstanding for the money, but as deep as a CRT RPTV and costs more. LCD flat panels, if they're over 25", IMHO, suck. There has been no significant break-through in this technology nor do most experts predict one. The retailers are pushing them now since plasmas have come down in price, so the LCD flat panels are the new "cash cows," but one can do better for less with a plasma. I also agree with Dawgbyte that Hitachi plasmas are overall the best popular price displays I've seen, but I know that the Panasonics get good reviews as well. (They all have pros and cons.) The absolute, hands-down best plasma I've ever seen is a Runco, pricey, but probably worth it. And to Tvad, the "pros" use those because they likely get them for little or no cost; that's the way this industry works. If you mean the custom installers, they're going for availability and mark-up, not performance (generally).

Right on, Bradz! Since you have Maggies, you're obviously an audiophile, so you "look before leaping," and you're wise. The surge protectors with advanced line filtration, like the Monster, clean-up the picture quality because they eliminate AC line noise and stabilize voltage, either of which can have negative effects on picture quality (and of course sound in a good system). I use the Monster surge protectors with "Clean Power" when I do a system, because they work and I can get a decent price on them. Regarding the Oppo 971, I haven't tried that combo, so I'd go with the recommendation from the folks who have. The 970, as you've read, is a very nice unit for the money. Though Toshiba typically builds good, reliable products I don't think I'd invest in an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player yet. They're still in the "teeth-cutting" stage.

And to Tvad, the "pros" use those because they likely get them for little or no cost; that's the way this industry works.
Soundsmith1 (Answers)

Yes, the networks get the gear at attractive prices, but that's only part of the story. I promise you the people responsible for generating and sending out the programming from the broadcast centers are fanatical about the quality of the picture and audio. Network equipment buyers do not procure gear that gives them less than the reference picture quality necessary to meet their standards.

Wouldn't you think NBC, which is owned by General Electric, would use GE TVs in their broadcast centers if all they cared about was the bottom line? NBC uses Panasonic.

In any case, mine is just an observation that one may or may not find helpful in making their decision.