kids would probably enjoy 3D (if glasses are reasonably priced)
There are different types of 3D in LCDs. Passive 3D gives a lesser quality but has cheap glasses. Active 3D gives a higher quality but glasses cost money. Some 3D LCD models are active, others are passive. I don't think I would bother with 3D if it was second rate but I can't comment on specifically how good one type is relative to the other. Usually plasma televisions are touted as being better at 3D but it does depend on the model.
While we're no expert at all, we preferred the slim LEDs and did think (from what we saw) the picture quality was better than plasma.
There are limits to how much televisions can be judged in a shop environment. How well the TVs were set up, which models are on display and the lighting can make a large difference. The last time I was in an electronics shop they were sending HD into some TVs and SD into others. There can be significant differences between low and high end models too. Often LCDs are set up to display animated demos because animation looks better on LCDs.
Videophiles usually prefer plasma televisions because they look more realistic. LCDs make up the majority of the market because their less realistic but brighter look is what more people prefer. High end LCDs are more expensive than high end plasmas.
Samsung and Sony use numbers for marketing purposes are that confused with the real LCD panel Hz speed. More Hz means smoother motion but smoother doesn't always mean more realistic.
How does Sony rate? Harvey Normans didn't have a 55" one but wondered of it was worth us investigating this brand further or stick to LG or Samsung?
A broken 55" television is not a cheap or fun thing to deal with. Samsung would be my last choice for build quality except for the no name brands.
Only bonus feature I would look for is Skype capability
That feature can be found in some Blu-ray players too :)
Lounge is open plan - very bright room with big ranch sliders and bifold doors. Could shut all curtains tho which we do anyway if sun is directly in our eyes
Alot of televisions don't cope well with glare. Cheap plasma televisions are notoriously poor at handling glare, but high end ones are much better. LCDs are generally better for glare but high end LCDs with the best glare handling may be above your budget.
Where the tv will be situated one couch will face straight towards the tv and one will be side on
Plasma televisions usually have the advantage for viewing angles. The viewing angle of an LCD depends on the model's panel type. Some panels are much better than others. IPS panels are probably still the best LCD panel type for viewing angles.
At present we have a DVD and mysky plugged into tv.
Blu-rays will look much better on a HD TV than DVDs. Make sure any BD player you buy is either region freed for DVDs or can be. Region freeing for Blu-ray discs is a much rarer ability.
The old original MySky isn't HD. You'll want HD going into the TV, either via the Freeview|HD UHF receiver built-into the TV or via MySkyHDi/+ if you're outside of the Freeview|HD broadcast zone. 50" is too big for SD-only unless your sitting distance is extreme.
Also use a harddrive and media player plugged in for movies
Don't use the supplied composite cables for the new TV. HDMI is a better option.
If I was in your position and looking for a 50 - 55" TV I would get the Panasonic P50VT30Z, which is at this moment available for $2,599 and comes with one 3D glasses. Other shops may be reluctantly willing to price match. The Z on the end of the model names is specific to NZ so you'd need to remove it to Google for overseas information.
Turn overscan off if you get an LCD, do it too with a plasma but wait a couple of months until it's worn in. Overscan ruins the picture quality. Any of today's TVs needs some adjusting of the default picture settings to get the best picture.
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