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

Is it still a wise decision to also purchase the after market warantees when buying a plasma? Do the newer plasma's still suffer from issues that will need warantee work within 2 years?

I'm also interested in the Panny TH-42PX60U, and see great prices from several on-line merchants (@$1300). Or is it worth it to buy from a local store (@$300-500 more) where you can bring it back easily if/when something goes wrong.

Thanks,
Bob

Actually, some of the online retailers offer better customer service as far as repair and returns than Brick and Mortar stores-- a large swathe of a general comment to be sure, but easy to assess-- ask any retailer wherever they may be, what their dead/stuck pixel return policy is and go from thewre. The variance in answers may surprise. Also-- get it in wiriting-- or at least see who is willing to write anything. Soundslike overkill- but you dont want to be looking at a display with a red pixl near the center for instance--it happens.

Just last night I picked up the Tosiba XA1KN-- (Sept build). From above; my displays are: the Mits 65815 and the Sony Ruby. I only watched one movie--(twice) Now in my case the dif between 480p 720p and 1080i are huge!! 480 and 720 are crap, compared to 1080i. DON"T buy a HD- player unless your display has an HDMI. Hooked by component cables---the player WILL NOT allow 1080i,so there.--There is a resolution toggle between the 3 choices.At the lower resolutions the Tosh. ain't much to write home about. My Arcam 27 is pretty great; compared to the Tosh's 480p and 720p.(i.e. the Arcam has a much better upconverter/ deinterlacer--. BUT, now that I've seen HD-DVD at 1080i--- hi=def on HBO pales---AND by a huge margin!!!

I have been at avsforum for 7 years. I have read 100's and 100's of posts re. the Toshibas. (the A1 and the XA1) The model I have has none of the problems everybody was talking about.i.e.---not slow--no color aberrations--excellent hdmi handshake.--Once "ANY-VIDEOPHILE" has seen these new formats--HD-DVD or BD,(BD= blue ray) they will find it hard to watch SD discs. I paid 399 for mine and I rent from Netflix-- (They rent both formats)--- Remember these new formats have put DVD back in the lead over Sat. or Cable's HD image and since this thread started and continued "about PQ," FEEEEDDD your display these new formats.----'Cause if you ain't; you're just watching,'TV'.----More on BD; there is a thread on BD vs. HD_DVD at avs. DEAD EVEN in PQ.--It's just that HD_DVD is cheeper than BD,right now.

That's a great suggestion Rysa4. It's not just a matter of finding the best price. Problems definitely DO happen, and enough of us have been burned by needing to return a defective unit before (e.g. claims that it was never received back, rediculous restocking fees, buyer pays all freight charges, etc.).

In the long run it might be better to buy it at Costco. Now I wish they'd just carry that Panny (hey, that rhymes).

Enjoy,
Bob