Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to the world of HDTV and despite reading/researching - I have a newbie question to ask - please excuse my ignorance.

I understand the basic differences between plasmas and LCD and have been reading up on reviews on some units I'm interested in. I understand (from reviews on CNET and discussion threads here) that there is a pretty minimal difference in picture quality between 1080p and 720p even if the source is 1080p. Since comcast only broadcasts in 1080i and I do not plan on using bluray/HD DVD technology anytime soon, I figured I should just order a PANASONIC TH-50PX75U 720p online. So here is my problem..

I got a great deal on a 75U for $1200 but it hasn't shipped. I walked into Best Buy today just to take a peak at what the picture quality looks like. The unit was right next to the Samsung LNT4665F 1080p and several other plasma 1080p units. I didnt even look at the description (1080p or 720p) yet I can tell clearly that the 1080p units are noticeably BRIGHTER than the 720p units.

I understand that, in general, LCDs are supposed to be brighter but is there a difference between 720p and 1080p in terms of brightness? Im sure this question has been asked a million times but it just seems that the picture quality of the samsung 1080p units look noticeably brighter and better than the panasonic 75U I ordered. The employee there told me their video was playing at 720p and that 1080p will always look better at any resolution versus 720p...

Is it possible that Best Buy turned the brightness on 1080p units higher so they can sell more 1080 units .. ? Also, the Samsung 65F is also noticably brighter than the other 1080p units.. Again, my imagination, artificially set, or are samsung screens just that much better than the other brands?

Any information or your past experiences would be very helpful for a newbie like myself. I am about to cancel the order on the Pana 75U because I dislike the fact that its picture is definitely dimmer than the samsung 65F. Thank you all for your help and please pardon the simplicity of my question.

Stores crank up brightness..color..contrast to suck people in...simple as that.

Stick with your great deal. I've seen the 75U look terrible in one store and then look awesome in another. It depends on how it's set up. Also, in general LCDs will look better than plasmas under the bright lights of the stores, but that better picture won't be there when you take it to your low-light home setting.

About the 1080p vs. 720p issue, I'm not sure why the 1080p sets were brighter. I've never heard that in any review or comparison, so it was probably an issue at that specific store or with their source. At 10 feet away from 50" TVs, you shouldn't be able to tell any difference between a comparable 1080p TV and 720p TV. Even at 8 feet away, most people can't tell much/any difference. In other words unless you sit closer than 8 feet to that TV, you likely wouldn't get any benefit from a 1080p TV except a much lighter wallet.

Great - thank you both for your informative answers and reassurance. I have decided to just stick with the Panny 75U instead of spending another $1000+ to go up to 1080p. From all the threads here and other expert reviews, I really think I won't be able to tell the difference between the two (my viewing distance at home is about 10-11 ft) - I dont even know what to look for :o

Thanks again!