whether plasma's picture is the best (outside of crt) is open for interpretation actually. It CAN be better. I've seen some unbelievable pictures on some high end plasmas. But I've likewise seen some pretty poor plasma pictures as well. The cheaper you go the more likely you are to get a bad picture. Comparatively speaking that is. They are all decent and watchable. But if you get a bad one you are stuck with the picture you get. DLP and LCD pictures? Pretty much universally good. It's hard to get a bad one. Even the cheap ones have pretty good pictures.
I just can't justify a plasma until a 60" is somewhere around the same price that I can get a DLP/LCD rear projection for nowadays. When they get below 3 grand. I'll start looking at them a bit harder. I mean... Why pay 3500 for a 50" plasma when you can get a 62" DLP for the same price, or a 50" dlp for 2000 dollars? The picture won't degrade on the DLP, it doesn't heat up the room like a plasma (they have active fans on them to cool them), and the picture just isn't THAT much better even on a good plasma to justify an 80% price difference.
BUT. If you go looking for a tv and you think you can see that much of a difference in quality... And you want the flat-screen approach... and don't need a 60-80" screen... By all means, get what you think looks best and fits your budget. The simple truth of the matter is that you can't go to awful wrong with a high end television these days. They will all give you a number of years of good service.
I just can't justify a plasma until a 60" is somewhere around the same price that I can get a DLP/LCD rear projection for nowadays. When they get below 3 grand. I'll start looking at them a bit harder. I mean... Why pay 3500 for a 50" plasma when you can get a 62" DLP for the same price, or a 50" dlp for 2000 dollars? The picture won't degrade on the DLP, it doesn't heat up the room like a plasma (they have active fans on them to cool them), and the picture just isn't THAT much better even on a good plasma to justify an 80% price difference.
BUT. If you go looking for a tv and you think you can see that much of a difference in quality... And you want the flat-screen approach... and don't need a 60-80" screen... By all means, get what you think looks best and fits your budget. The simple truth of the matter is that you can't go to awful wrong with a high end television these days. They will all give you a number of years of good service.