tv brand? sony, samsung, lg?

almillar

nescafe - how about a size and budget to get us started? All the brands above make good TVs, but if you try a bit harder you can find the best value TV of the moment that gets you the best picture for the least money. Offers change all the time...
As for the different technologies:
Plasma - glass screen with gas behind it. The gas gets electric passed through it and gives out different colours. Plasma screens aren't efficient to manufacture below 40" really so it's only for big screens, but gives the best picture IN MY OPINION.
LCD is a screen of individual pixels, again an electrical charge is put into them and the can change to different colours. There is a light behind the screen (sortof fluorescent tube) and that light is allowed to pass through the pixels varying amounts and colours to create the picture.
LED TVs (or LED backit TVs to be more precise) are LCD TVs but are lit from behind by little LED lights instead of the bigger tubes. Less energy required, better picture sometimes, and a thinner TV is possible.
HD ready TV = plug an HD source in (Blu-Ray, XBox 360, FreeviewHD etc) and you'll get an HD picture - that is at least 720 lines. Must have at least 1 HDMI port to get this sticker
HD TV means there's an HD tuner (or indeed blu-ray player) built in - ie it's not just ready, it's already got it.
Full HD means 1080 lines. DOES NOT necessarily mean that it's got something HD built in.