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[Xombe]

If you had two or three grand to spend, lived in the U.S., and needed a new HDTV between 46 to 52-inch in the next week, what would you buy?

My folks' old set is dying, and now's the time to buy.  

It'll never be a gaming set.  It's GOT to be a flatscreen.  No RP/DLP.

The have DirectTV service but mostly stick the major networks/channels.. however there will be some viewing of SD content.  They're not videophiles but will be pissed if they can't enjoy their TV shows.

They've got a great upscaling DVD player, so the SD worries are almost exclusively TV channel related.

Seats are about 8 to 11 feet away, within about a 90 degree angle, 45 to each side of straight ahead (Mom's chair).

If any of you guys could take some time to offer up suggestions I'd greatly appreciate it.  I'm feverishly doing my own research, but I haven't looked at the market seriously in about two years.  Suggestions for research sites and reviews by people who know what they're talking about would be very helpful.

I'm leaning towards a Sharp Aqous having done a very brief inital rundown.  Caveats?

TS, I'm looking at you for this one..

Thanks,
Xombe

[deadparrot]

Pioneer is what you seek.

[Chancer]

At the lower end of the screen size. The Panasonic TH42PX700B is a superb set. It's Plasma so the viewing angle is not critical. If you go bigger I would say the seating needs to be further back than 8 to 12ft.
 I installed 6 at a local snooker Hall. The owner was putting low quality looped video feeds through them and they still looked amazing. Sky HD and upscaled DVD from Panasonic DMREX85 looked the business on them. Not sure of the equivalent model in the US though.
Stay clear of the Hitachi. Seen far too many of these less than 18 months old needing serious repairs.