Buy LED, LCD or Plasma

I just spoke to the son of an Audiogon member who's manager for Best Buy up North.

He suggests the Panasonic Plasma for combo of best color, reliability and price. He likes the Samsung but doubts it worth the additional $1000.00 and 3" smaller screen.

A doctor in my audio group can buy whatever he wants, ordered the new Vizio 552. It's only $1595.00, sports local dimming LED and specs look like Samsung and LG.

Spread is $1000.00 for each jump. Cheap Vizio, more expensive Panasonic Plasma and most expensive Samsung.

Other suggestions are welcome. Also, anyone experienced with the HDMI switcher that Oppo builds? http://www.oppodigital.com/hm31/

How many HDMI inputs do you need? Keep in mind HDMI 1.4 is coming, mostly for 3D. Oh, one more thing, go big, nobody ever says I wish I got a smaller one.

Two HDMI would work, U-verse HDTV box and the Oppo Blue Ray player.

There is about 50 foot run from high on the fireplace to my Oppo Blue Ray and the rest of my stereo gear. If I put the U-verse box in with stereo, I could run it and Blue Ray via HDMI into Oppo switcher.

The Oppo switcher is 1.3 compliant, amplifies and corrects signal up to 50-75 ft. This also keeps the Blue Ray next to my preamp. One set of RCA interconnects from Blue Ray and / or U-verse box would send sound through my music system.

Pioneer Kuro, best I've seen, easy on the eyes, smooth, film-like natural colors (no bleeding edges) and the deepest blacks.

More money, but worth seeking out !

Rx8man,

http://gizmodo.com/365001/pioneer-officially-quits-making-plasma-panels