At that size you have the option of going:
CRT- if you want it big and heavy
LCD - very popular, thin, falling rapidly in price, image quality is uneven but I don't know how critical of an eye you have. I have an extremely critical eye (and 20/10 vision with my glasses) and so I dislike many TVs that some people find just fine. For example, I have a hard time being satisfied with any LCD TV, while many people find them great. My problem is that the blacks just aren't black enough for me, which distracts me when watching movies.
The best 32"-37" LCDs are probably the Sharp AQUOS series, but they are pretty pricey ... up around $1600-$2000.
A very popular brand that gets good consumer reviews and is less expensive is the Toshiba REGZA line.
There are also good sets from Sony (Bravia), Panasonic, LG (not lowest models), Samsung, and Vizio (but not their lowest priced models). Even Westinghouse, long a low-end & low-quality brand, has some decent models at the top of their line.
Some of the lower priced sets have significantly grayer blacks, meaning lower contrast. This washes out all of the colors.
Where do you buy from? Doesn't make that much difference, although I would buy from a local store and not mail order it, in case you have a problem. Even Wal-Mart is beginning to carry some of the better sets. Personally I've had good success & support from Circuit City.
One decision you'll have to make is whether to buy an extended warranty. Everyone will pressure you to buy one, as they make much more profit off of the warranty than from selling the set. The odds favor not getting one - about 90% of all sets have no problems within the extended warranty period. But some people like the peace of mind that comes with them. I would only get one if they offered a very good deal on it.
The higher end sets will feature full 1920x1080 resolution, referred to as 1080p. While I find this resolution to be great on 50" & larger sets, it doesn't make as much difference on 32"-37" sets, where 720p is quite good.
Another new technology is 120Hz refresh rates. This does reduces motion artifacts, allowing sharper smooth motion. But these sets are just coming out and are pricey. Will get cheaper over time.
If you go up to 42" then you would need to consider plasma, which to my eye produces a better picture than LCD. They used to make 37" plasmas, but most of them are gone due to the price competition from LCD.
Last edited by Tom Bombadil; 08-26-07 at 07:51 PM.