what size flat pannel are you looking for? from what i've read the reason you get plasma is because you can get a much larger TV. That is quickly changing with LCD available at the 42” mark now. Plasma are still around at 50+ range where LCD is not though.
plasma large screen = pioneer
if you're buying electronics a lot of brands manufacture the same (or nearly the same) product and then at the end of the line put different names on them.
LCD for example Phillips and LG have a joint venture to produce LCD's. So in the grand scheme of it all if you buy a phillips and your friend gets an LG, you both got the same shit.
Plasma superior brightness, wider color range, and wider viewing angles, when compared to LCD TVs, especially good for HDTV. Improvements in LCD have closed the gap. LCD is lower weight, price, and power consumption. Plasma is very fragile. Plasma TVs can be viewed from a wider angle than LCD TVs. Generally, 160 degrees for plasma and about 130 degrees for LCD TVs. Beyond 90 degrees the LCD picture degrades, particularly in holding the blackness of black. As a whole they, don't last longer or less long than LCD TVs. LCD TVs are somewhat less likely to have screen "burn-in" than are plasma. LCD TVs are superior to plasma TVs for use as a computer monitor, even a very large computer monitor. Plasma TVs are technically not as well able to handle computer inputs, so their text typically appears jagged on a computer. But for moving images, such as for computer games, plasma TVs produce a better image, in part because LCD TVs can leave a trailing effect during fast moving action on the screen.