Speaking of brands and fanboyism:
For LCD TVs, brand is not much of an issue.
As I previously stated, three panel manufacturers make 90% of all panels, so buying a Sony does not mean you get a "Sony" panel.
If you are not a brand whore, I would recommend you look at the following:
- panel grade / class (this determines the kind of panel defect warranty you get)
- overall features, e.g. color calibration, resolution, built-in scaler (mine has a Faroudja built in), PIP, etc
- Warranty on both the TV itself and the panel. They tend to differ.
If you can get the same same grade / class panel, with the same overall features, and the same warranty, you'd do well with a lesser-name brand, as by paying for a big-name brand you are doing just that - paying for the name.
Keep that in mind: My panel is zero-defect, has good features and a three-year warranty, but since it's not a "brand-whore" model, I bought it for less than 1/2 the price of a comparable "brand-whore" model.
Essay Pro