If you do spring for a flat TV, I'd recommend avoiding an LCD. GD mentioned them earlier. The technology just hasn't been refined enough yet to not have artifacting or pixilation being a problem. I can't speak for HD, but as far as screen type I will say that LCD, for now, sucks. (Maybe the ultra high dollar sets are different, I don’t know. But the average consumer level LCDs do suck.) And if you already have these issues with Comcast (which I agree are lamer than lame) then an LCD would just make it worse.

Is that true for smaller ones as well (and thoughts from others on the various formats appreciated I know advocates of each one)? When I do buy it will not be a big one. I can't imagine wanting or needing a 40" TV (let alone the 50-something inch monster my friend just got for his living that is only about 8 feet wide) so something in the 26" to 29" range is probably what I'll be shopping for. Does size matter when choosing a format?

Heck my 22" widescreen LCD computer monitor is just about big enough for me to put out in the living room.

From what I've seen (the models we carried as well as the sets I've looked over at Best Buy and Circuit City) size doesn't change the quality of LCD. Big or small I've seen the same problems with the images "smearing" during faster paced video. They do look fantastic as far as the vividness of the colors and such, but once the images start moving on an LCD you start to see where the screen can't keep up. They are, after all, basically just great big computer monitors. I'm sure though that somebody will work out a solution in the near future. I just wouldn't recommend picking one up right now.

I don't know if I mentioned this earlier in the thread, but when you (and by "you", I mean the general you ;) ) do buy an HD setup, do NOT buy the cables from Circuit City/Best Buy/et. al.

For example, ANY six-foot HDMI cable at Best Buy was in the $100 (yes one hundred dollar) range. For a stinkin' cable!!! I went to Orvac Electronics and bought a 15 foot HDMI cable for about $20 and could have purchased same on the internet for even less.

There is little margin in the big TVs for the retailers so they make up for it with the "add-ons".

My $.03 (inflation) on the subject (if you are in So. Cal and looking for a big/flat screen) is to go to Ken Cranes. Avoid Paul's: they are in a world of hurt.

For those with access to HD (or standard definition for that matter, it should be cool either way), you might want to keep your eye out for this. A nature series that utilized major advances in strategies to stay as far away from the animals as possible. Night vision lights of wavelengths outside of the visible range so they have the most naturalistic night film likely ever shot (including nocturnal hunting). Super high powered zooms to allow use of helicopters at high enough altitudes to not disturb the animals. And the fastest high speed cameras (by double the frame rate) to capture a Great White attack. All recorded in HD.

I'll be watching.

Thanks for the heads up - I'll go look for that.

Must have. Now.

You can, it's available on DVD already.

No no no... go to Woodwork Creations. They'll price match and give you MUCH better service! :) :snap:

For the record: I've purchased almost all of my higher-end electronics (TVs, cameras, camcorders) from onecall.com. It's based out of a store called "Huppin's" up in Washington state. The salespeople are great and the prices (including shipping) are great.

...and thanks for the 'Planet Earth' reminder, GD. We saw the commercial a week ago and were excited... but neglected to set the DVR. Done now.