Nice TV, SG. I was looking to get a Sony XBR4, but I might just go for a Sammy. In the tube days Trinitrons were pretty much worth their premium prices. Today, Sony TVs are not that much better, and sometimes worse, that other manufacturers.
I agree with you 100% about Sony (in my opinion they're coasting on a reputation that was forged prior to about a decade ago) but I have to admit the XBR4's are a great screen.
I'm no expert but recently I've been helping a friend look for a LCD and the Samsung and Sony's are easily the top of the bunch. They both have awesome black levels for LCDs (speaking of the glossy screen Samsung's here), but if I remember right the Sony does resolve a tiny bit more detail in dark areas.
Of course there's other considerations like lag and blur but since everyone has a different opinion it's probably best to drag some consoles to a store and test for yourself.
I'd probably go the Samsung myself - I've been burned quite a few times by the reliability of Sony stuff built in the last decade or so. That said, my Samsung plasma is currently away for warranty repairs at the moment - electronics just aren't what they used to be.
