Struggling to decide between two TV's

[LSUwiggz]

I've got everything in place for my 'home theater' even if it is a bit on the small and intimate side... everything that is except for which television I should go with. After a tremendous amount of research I have settled on one of two fairly new models, but I just can't decide which:

The Samsung PN58B850 or the Panasonic TCP58V10 which cnet named their HDTV of the year.

The Panasonic is a bit bigger (58" vs 55") and a bit less expensive (by about $300-$400)... but I get the impression that the Samsung is both brighter and clearer, though unfortunately I have been completely unable to do a side-by-side comparison, especially on calibrated sets. I have no doubt that both are excellent TV's and that I will probably be quite pleased with either, but I'm looking for that one thing that would make me decide one over the other, that one thing that - afterwards - would make me with I had gone the other way.

A little bit of information: I don't care about sound because that will be taken care of through other means obviously, my viewing distance is going to be about 10'-12' away at eye level, I'm planning on wall-mounting the set and it will be used almost exclusively for HD content, be it blu-ray or HD television channels.

This is the last and ultimately most inportant choice I need to make and I need to make it soon - I'm looking for people with some real experience with either set or both to give me the cons, because the pro's seem to speak for themselves... or better yet, a straight up comparison of what to expect. Thanks.

[chlngr1970]

I have a 46" Pannasonic in my bedroom, and have nothing bad to say about it. I've installed both the Panny and the Samsung, so I don't think you can go wrong with either set. Personally, I go for bang for the buck. In this case, the Pannasonic wins that hands down.

Oh, and welcome to the forum

j