I have to add that Panasonic and Pioneer have always topped the ratings/reviews. Personally I chose the Panasonic Professional series, since it is much cheaper than the consumer models and ships without a lot of extras I don't need (e.g. speakers, integrated HDTV receiver, etc.). The only downside is you have to buy a separate HDMI board for about $150.
I would recommend you avoid Pioneer Elite and Fujitsu plasmas. The price premium doesn't necessarily translate to better image. In fact many of the Pioneer Elite models marketed in the US are regular Pioneers overseas.
Read Cnet, Engadget.com and Gizmodo.com to get some insights and good reviews. In fact there was a recent post on Gizmodo how the vaulted 1080p format marketed as the be-all, end-all of resolution may not in fact be any better than 720p in real world situations.
I would recommend you avoid Pioneer Elite and Fujitsu plasmas. The price premium doesn't necessarily translate to better image. In fact many of the Pioneer Elite models marketed in the US are regular Pioneers overseas.
Read Cnet, Engadget.com and Gizmodo.com to get some insights and good reviews. In fact there was a recent post on Gizmodo how the vaulted 1080p format marketed as the be-all, end-all of resolution may not in fact be any better than 720p in real world situations.