I am looking at a few TVs, and would appreciate any advice before proceeding:

1. LG 42PC1DV - £699.99
2. MATSUI 42PSDO1 - £599.98
3. GOODMANS GTVPSDVBT - £679
4. LG 42PC1DA - £688
5. SAMSUNG PS42C7HDX - £713
6. GOODMANS LD4255HD - £699.99
7. LG 42LC2D - £699.99
8. PHILLIPS 42PF5521D - £719 (WITH 3 YR WARRANTY)

I have also seen a Wharfedale in Argos for £499!!! - as you can see, I don't want to spend a fortune on a screen, but I would like to hear peoples' comments if they have any of the above. I was leaning towards the PHILLIPS, but read somewhere on a forum here that it wasn't that good - so it's back to the drawing board. Also, with so many companies just "rebadging" TVs, it is hard to narrow them down on price alone - who makes what??? Thanks very much for any help you can give.

Depends if you care about the picture quality. If not buy the cheapest ...
Otherwise cough up for a Panasonic

Just use the three P rule if you want a large screen TV (40" and above) and ya wont go wrong. It's Plasma, Panasonic or Pioneer.

i had always understood the 42 inch Pioneer blows every other one away in tests. I have seen it, and it looks fantastic.

Out of that list it'd be the Samsung or the better LG (I think the first LG is the best of them - number 4 is just number 1 but without Freeview, not sure about 7 though) for me.

dont go for a Wharfedale... it is may be some thing low end that has been rename for argos..