My friend has around $5,000 to spend on a screen thats at least 50", is from a top brand name, and has a great picture. He really doesnt care about electronics, other than how they impress himself and others if they funtion properly.

Any advice?

He really doesnt care about things, other than how they impress himself and others.

Any advice?

Find a new friend! :D
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But if he really wants the bling, maybe one of those overpriced B&O plasmas? How much do they cost?

Im not going to that extreme.

But Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Pioneer. Not some smaller less-known brand.

Go for one of the new Pioneer's. The 50" 768p is out now, or he could wait a month or so for a 50" 768p Elite, or wait a little longer (around Aug/Sept) for a 60" 1080p.

My friend has around $5,000 to spend on a screen thats at least 50", is from a top brand name, and has a great picture. He really doesnt care about things, other than how they impress himself and others.

Any advice?

Pioneer Elite.

That's not a big enough budget for something like an Aviamo or Runco, and chances are the people he's trying to impress would not have heard of them so would not be sufficiently impressed.

If he needs it right now, he should get a PRO-1540HD 60", or settle for an unimpressive* non-Elite PDP-5080 50". If he can wait a month or so, he can get the Elite PRO-1150HD 50". If he can wait until September, I bet anything on the list below will be within his price-range, with the possible exception of the PRO-150FD.

Pioneer PDP-4280HD (42-inch, $2,700, June)
Pioneer PDP-5080HD (50-inch, $3,500, June)
Pioneer Elite PRO-950HD (42-inch, $3,200, July)
Pioneer Elite PRO-1150HD (50-inch, $4,500, July)

1080p models:
Pioneer PDP-5010FD (50-inch, $5,000, September)
Pioneer PDP-6010FD (60-inch, $6,500, September)
Pioneer Elite PRO-110FD (50-inch, $6,000, September)
Pioneer Elite PRO-150FD (60-inch, $7,500, September)

*Please note the sarcasm.

with $5k he should get at least something in the 58-63" range, no little 50" for your friend.

Pioneer pdp 6070
Pioneer pro1540hd
Panasonic TH-58PZ700U
Samsung HPT 6374
those are all models available now.

or wait till late August and the new 8g Pioneer PDP 6010 will be out and should be really close to his budget.

if he wanted to save half his budget and get a 50" Pioneer 5080 now that would be a great choice too.