32" television

"Easily betters your 50" plasma. Then I have to say you have a POS for a 50" TV.
ANy CRT has at max 410 lines of resolution.
Any flat panel worth a nickel has a resolution well over twice that.
Now stuff like contrast ratio, sure the CRT has an edge. Color, nmost likely the CRT has an edge (unless the flat panel is a very high quality one)
But basically the CRT is totaally SCREWED when it comes to resolution.

For example one can watch a VCR tape on a CRT, even a BIG one, and it seems OK. Put that VCR tape up on a flat panel and you can see how crappy the VCR image really is.
Ditto a laserdisc.
So If to you your CRT 'beats' the plasma you own.. Man you got screwed and should sue the fool who sold you that pos flat panel.

I have no problem if you love CRT displays.. just do not try to make claims they are 'better'.
(except as I mentioned for contrast, and sometimes color)
For actual total picture quality and rendition. Nothing beats a great plasma screen. If you ignore resolution totally, then well yeah I am sure you can be happy with your CRT.
I knew a family who liked to watch TV on a really old black & white round screen 13" TV. Whatever makes you happy.

Any CRT has at max 410 lines of resolution.

Elizabeth, that's for standard definition CRTs. My Sony KD-30XS955 CRT-based high definition TV falls into the category that is referred to in this Wikipedia writeup as "Super Fine Pitch," which has a theoretical vertical resolution of 1080 lines.

I don't know precisely what it's actual measurable resolution would be, but I suspect it is likely to be upwards of 900 lines.

Best regards,
-- Al

And my 30" Loewe Planus does 480p and has a better picture than any LCD that's for sure. Too bad it's really only good for DVDs. It's a 16:9 form factor; not sure how much it weighs; maybe 100 lbs but it sure is bulky/clumsy. Anyone want it?

Best advice is buying a 42 inch Plasma. Plasma is still superior in every part you Judge a screen for. It is that simple! Read about it. In the US they are honnest to tell that plasma is better. The 42 inch Panasonic S60 is stunning and not that expensive. Google it and read it. I could not sell lcd to my customers cause of the many limitations it gives to the image. I only sell Panasonic and Samsung plasma.

My 2005' 42" viera died 4 years ago. 6 years ago it developed problem of blacking the screen in the middle of work that required disconnecting the unit from the wall and than connecting it back till it won't ever came back. Blown digital board itself is $250 new $175 reman-d. Work to replace it isn't easy and paying someone off to do that job isn't worth it. Nice 6yo plasma junk. Statistically it happens nearly to every 3rd unit.

Switched back to 2002 CRT Sony XBR 32" and still don't look any further.