so who knows stuff about lcds, plasmas, and so on?

I'm bet looking at Vizio TV's

Few reviews:

Best value, 50-inch plasma HDTV.Nearly every reviewer we found cites Vizio plasma TVs as absolutely the best value, and the Vizio P50 gets especially good reviews for its accurate color, good black levels, picture detail and features. Though all experts say the Vizio P50 can't equal the superior performance of a Pioneer or Panasonic plasma TV, the Vizio P50 is an excellent budget pick for those who don't need the best possible picture quality. Experts say the picture will likely need some adjustment out of the box. Critics add that this plasma television actually outperforms many higher-rated TVs in displaying standard-definition TV signals.

Budget 42-inch plasma HDTV.According to reviews, the Vizio VP42 plasma HDTV has a rare combination of low price and good performance. While it won't beat the best in a head-to-head image-quality competition, reviews say the black levels and color rendition are good. The Vizio VP42 also has good connectivity and is easy to use. Other features include a versatile PIP/POP function. One downside is that this HDTV is harder to find than others.