I appreciate high quality products as much as anybody, but I don't think buying the latest, greatest thing in HDTV is necessary or wise.
Buy something that you know will perform and make you happy for the near term (5 years?), w/out breaking the bank. If that's all I get out of my HD Phillips 60" then so be it. That TV was the best value/enjoyment purchase I've ever made. The picture quality of the "cheap" CRT HD RPTVs is far better than adequate.