chingrin -
That may be mostly due to the fact one is a Samsung and one is a Sony. I wonder what the price difference between a Samsung and a Bravia is...
As for me, I really enjoy my Samsung 50" 720p Plasma. I saved a ton (about $500) by purchasing a 720p over a 1080p. For me, it made the most sense since I own a 360, and wanted to get a larger TV, even if I had to sacrifice a small bit of picture quality to get a killer deal.
A lot of the issue also comes down to the TV you buy. Not all TVs are created equal. You need to pay attention to what the picture quality is like, as a Visio is unlikely to look as good as a Sony (of course, a Visio is about half the price).
Also, none of the OP statements really have anything to do with Blu-Ray. You are going to get a huge difference between a upper-converted DVD on a 720p vs. a blu-ray. Just because it *can* do 1080p doesn't mean it doesn't look purdy on a 720p 
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
