Just my 2 cents.
When looking into Plasmas, there are two important things to look into. One is resolution. For a 50" display, the standard is 1280x768 pixels, anything below is not HD. The other is contrast ratio. I know Pioneer makes good plasmas but having actual numbers would be nice. The last time I looked into details of all plasmas was a year ago when I bought mine so I don't remember the numbers anymore. I do have confidence in Pioneer but it's better safe than sorry. A contrast ratio of 1000:1 is standard, that's the reason for those who have done their homework would stay away from Sony.