I've got a 55" Philips 16x9 RPTV I got late last year. I love it. HD is here now depending on where you live. The current programming is here:
Programing Schedule What's on nitely is here:
www.hdtvgalaxy.com
Mine is on from 5am to 12PM (got 4 boys and late nite wife) We watch all programming in 16x9, the Philips has great stretch options, as well as anti burn technology. Currently you can get HD over the air in the UHF band (simple antenna and $300 box), Sat, and the long term (has by far the most bandwidth) choice, Cable. I currently have CBS-HD, NBC-HD, Discover-HD, ESPN-HD, SHO-HD, and HBO-HD. On the way (Cox is working out details) HDNET and HDNET Movies, Bravo, IND-1 & IND-2, and of course the other HD Locals ABC-HD, WB-HD, PBS-HD, and end of year FOX-HD. I get NFL, NBA, and Baseball in HD, Primetime shows, Movies, and Discovery HD is addictive. Unreal. And no matter what you think....even a 36" TV can not give you real movie impact. And HD comes with 5.1 sound also, coupled with a nice Home Theater system, even the Football sounds are wild! Cost...I pay $7 more for the HD box over what the regulat Digital box cost, and the ESPN/Dicovery are in a HD Tier..$9.99.
My TV was on sale at Good Guys last week for $1500, plus there are always 10% off Coupons and free shipping and no tax. (when I got it at BB it retailed for $2200...though I paid about $1700 at the time.)
And never base a TV purchase on what you see on the showroom. The brightest one is the newest outta the box. All TV's sold are set too bright on purpose at the factory...makes for wow factor to the masses in the showroom. Also washes out all faint and subtle details, shadows, etc...use a good setup DVD like Avia and tune your TV...can make a HUGE difference in any TV. (Projection sets need it done yearly) And with a Digtal (HD) Set, get a good progressive scan DVD player....makes a big difference in your movies.
It makes watching regular programming tough....HD is brilliant, detailed, and 3D looking....regular tv is often washed out and no detail in comparison.