A very cost effective HD option

Right before Christmas 2007, I had the experience of watching my ancient two hundred pound television die spectacularly in a flash of sparks and acrid smoke. I had not really intended on purchasing a flat panel tv for some time, however it made for an excellent excuse to convince my wife that it was time for the upgrade to HDTV. I did a lot of shopping around and research, since I was not terribly familiar with what my options were (What the heck was 1080i anyways?). Through my research, I made a list of the features and price range that I was looking for and started seriously shopping. I looked at several tv's of varying resolution, and I decided that I did not need the ultra high 1080i or 1080p tv's. Based on what my wife and I primarily watched, I liked the compromise that the Vizio VU32L offered me. The 720p resolution provides an excellent viewing experience. The 32 inch screen fit well in our living room, and also contributes to better viewing. The price was a big determining factor for me. I paid $650 for the set. Since I did not have any advance notice that I would be needing a new TV, I did not have much set aside when I bought it. I like this tv as an "everyman's" tv. It is very competitive in price for the quality that you get.