lets say that you only had $1000 to spend on your home theater setup. Would you:

a) buy the PN50B530S2F for $1000 to get 1080p, and NO bluray player
b) buy the PN50B450B1D for $800 and then pick up a bluray player for ~$200, and settle for 720p.
c) suggest something else

Keep in mind, this will be in an apartment, I will have DirecTV with HD programming, I have an Xbox 360, and I will probably hook up either an apple tv if they update it on Sept. 9, or I am going to build a little HTPC over the next few months to get rid of the DirecTV.

Also, if anyone has any suggestions on nice bluray players for ~$200 if they would choose option B.

Thanks!

bump

Get the 1080p set and buy a bd player later during the holiday sales!

other opinions?

The other sources you listed don't have much 1080p content. Most HD television is in 720p or 1080i, most Xbox360 games look the same since 1080p only became on the system in the last year and a half, and only displays via HDMI. More important than all of that though, is can you tell the difference? Some people can, some can't. If you yourself don't see a significant difference, is it worth a couple hundred dollars to say you have 1080p? I mean, how many people you know will walk in and say "Nice tv, oh wait, that's only 720p isn't it"?

--Also, I'm not sure what connections you're using but the B450 doesn't have Component inputs, only HDMI and composite video.

The other sources you listed don't have much 1080p content. Most HD television is in 720p or 1080i, most Xbox360 games look the same since 1080p only became on the system in the last year and a half, and only displays via HDMI. More important than all of that though, is can you tell the difference? Some people can, some can't. If you yourself don't see a significant difference, is it worth a couple hundred dollars to say you have 1080p? I mean, how many people you know will walk in and say "Nice tv, oh wait, that's only 720p isn't it"?

--Also, I'm not sure what connections you're using but the B450 doesn't have Component inputs, only HDMI and composite video.

I agree. Any set 50" or less, you will be hard pressed to notice the difference at more than 7ft viewing distance.

...--Also, I'm not sure what connections you're using but the B450 doesn't have Component inputs, only HDMI and composite video.

Not true...

It has (inputs): 3 HDMI, 2 Component, 1 Composite, 1 PC (d-sub)

Since I have not posted at least 3 times I cannot post the link to Samsung's website directly... From the looks of it ... it will not allow me to post pics of my TV with the proof either.... Head over to Samsung's or Best Buy's website...

I did TONS of research and even more looking in the store .... the 3 Top TV's in Best Buy were the 1. Pioneer Plasma, the Samsung Plasma 1080P "Thin" version (I forget the exact Model Number it was), and the PN50B450B1D......went in early one day (not busy) and had all 3 of them lined up on a 1080P source....

I would have killed for the Pioneer, but even at it's great price, it wasn't in my budget....

I ended up with the PN50B450B1D.... Sure you could tell a difference, but the difference didn't justify a 2-4X price tag. Like someone else already mentioned.... It would be hard for most people to tell without lining them up...