I see the empeg BBS lamp hasn't lost its magical powers! You guys rule.

Regarding my price range, I'd be willing to go up to about $3500, plus whatever it costs for an extended service plan. Going beyond that would require a very good reason to do so.

On the flat-panel (LCD/plasma) vs. rear projection question, I really don't need the flexibility that a flat panel provides. I don't plan on mounting on a wall, and have enough room for the bulkier rear projection models if it's needed. I had a hunch that the rear projection models might provide more value, and that seems to be supported by many of the responses here.

Regarding the DLP sets, I don't know if I'm susceptible to the rainbow effect, but the fact that the LEDs last longer and draw less power is very appealing. If I do go with DLP I think I'll probably get one of the ones with LEDs. The LCoS technology looks interesting, but I have a bit of an anti-Sony bias due to other Sony products I've owned, and the JVC LCoS models seem to have mediocre reviews. The Sony SXRD models do get good reviews though, so I will definitely take a look at one of them.

The way things look now, if I do go the plasma or LCD route, I'm probably topping out at about 50" at my current price range; whereas going with DLP could get me into the 60" range with LED or all the way up to 72" with a bulb. I'll have a better idea about my target screen size once I move into the new place, but the room is 24x12, so I'm thinking 50" might not be quite enough. In that case, plasmas are pretty much out of the question.

I agree with the sentiment that what's important is how the picture looks *to me* and not what specs the TV has, but I want to go into the stores with as much info as possible so I can make an informed decision. If I know a set has been reviewed and the reviewers found screen uniformity issues, problems with high-motion scenes, etc. I want to look for those things specifically and see if they bother me. Maybe I'll notice them under normal conditions, maybe I won't, but it's good to get an idea before shelling out thousands of dollars.

At this point based on input here and the reviews I've read, I'm leaning towards one of the newer DLP models with LED from Samsung, but I'll be looking at the Aquos, the Sony LCoS, and a few other DLPs as well. If I decide I can get by with a 50" screen, I'll throw a few of the plasmas into the mix as well.