unless you are a serious nut with movies, games, etc ,you may not be able to tell the difference. I looked at the various models in stores, and found out they use some bright mode to make them look more appealing in stores. Theree are many publications out there that do reviews side by side and tell you all of the boring details of flat screens....superheat, subcooling, etc, but in reality they are so vastly superior than your regular tube, any one would be an improvement. According to one magazine, the Vizio's are made the best, and assembled here in the states, as opposed to the rest which are assembled elsewhere. While that is not a true made in usa deal, it caught my eye. I bought the fifty incher plasma, and it is amazing. While waiting for Fios to get installed, I too used rabbit ears and picked up high def local broadcasts.