So what's the top tier in TVs these days?
 

Gentlemen (or ladies): I have been vaguely thinking about getting a new HDTV. I upgraded to a 42" 720p Panasonic Viera in 2007 or 8 from an old CRT/SD TV. It is pretty nice, my only real complaint being that when I play video games they are excessively contrasty. This could be down to the game programming but somehow I don't think so. . .blacks are usually crushed to dust except on the highest brightness settings (as set by the in game menus---the way it TELLS you to calibrate the gamma/brightness in each game generally leaves me with a much too dark image).

Anyway, in its day that TV was pretty spiffy, but now 1080p is not a radical new feature on TVs and something in the 50"+ world is a more common size.

In that ancient era, conventional wisdom was that plasma (which is what that TV is) supposedly had the nicest picture, cost and other issues aside. So what's the deal today? Same? What is this OLED business? Who are the high quality brands?

Yes I know of the "soon-to-come" 4K revolution, but I'm not really down with all that jazz 'til they come way down in price. I paid about $800 for the TV I have now back in 2007/8 (can't remember), so in that $1K neighborhood is where I'd like to be. I'm sure 1080p would likely serve me well for a long time.

Again, this is all vague, not saying I'm ready to buy tomorrow, just curious what's out there. Thanks.