I got a Sumsung 46" LCD last year. So far, so good. Last TV I got before that was in 1996, so it was a big improvement. 1080p is what you need for anything over 42", on smaller screens it becomes less important. Personally, I'd stick with the name brands as they tend to be better quality and don't have the service issues the no-name ones do:
http://hdguru.com/your-new-disposabl...anel-hdtv/107/
There's so much competition between Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony that overpaying for a name brand is less of an issue IMO.You can get a very nice 46" Samsung from Amazon for $1200 shipped. That Vizio from Sam's will be $950 after taxes. Prices will probably go lower when next year's models come out, too.