I've got a grand to spend..I don't want to go overboard on a TV...Just picked up a philips LCD today..1080, 29000:1 dynamic contrast, 60hz, 5 ms response, etc....While I'm happy with it, I don't think I can deal with the motion blur...So I'm looking at picking up a plasma to hook up to my other HD box and compare the two during the day and at night.....I'm going to compare the two and most likely return the LCD....

Here's what I have
Living room where the TV will be viewed from 3" to 8" away depending on where you sit..I'm pretty much already decided on a 42", so leave the size discussion out please.:D

I play alot of FPS video games and watch alot of SD content during the day..At night I watch HD channels and play some PS3..

The bay window has sun beating directly in until about 1:00 and the room is still bright thru-out the whole day...This is why I choose LCD..The motion blur is just unbearable to me..

So I've been looking around at 42" plasmas...I found two in my price range.
panasonic 42pz80u and 42px80u..I've heard good thing about pioneers...Is there a good 42" pioneer in my price range that can compete against the 42px80u (The 720 version)

The reason I list both the 42pz80u and 42px80u in my price range is becuase I can get both online in my price range...The only one I can get locally in my price range is the 42px80u....I'm sure in the next few months the 42pz80u will be in my price range locally....The 42pz80u locally currently would be out of my range..I would probably purchase the 42px80u locally and pay the same as a 42pz80u online since I can return it easier..

Is there much of a "noticeable" difference between the two @ 3" away?
Is this the hands down best TV for under $1000.00
Any other TV's I should "look at" and compare for myself, or is the under $1000 market pretty much wrapped up by panasonic? Thanks in advance..

Note: I'm not opposed to looking at LG...Even Vizio or other generic brands. I'm more focused on picture quality in my price range...Would a $1000 LG or Vizio be better than a $1000 42px80u (or 42pz80u)

Oh yea: Are any of these better in bright rooms...That's going to be a major concern for me...Thanks

I'd say they are probably your best option, if you could find a Pioneer 4280 that would be best, but since they are last year's model you might have trouble.

If $1k is your absolute max....the TH-42PZ80U would be my recommendation.

How are these screens for bright room viewing?? is this a MAJOR problem or just excaterrated by some people? I had a 32" tube. During the day if I was trying to play a sniper level it would be kind of hard to see in dark spots due to the glare....Is a plasma that much worse than a tube when comparing glare..Or is it better than tube with glare, just not as good as LCD?

plasmas are not as bad in terms of reflections from tube tvs in my observations