HD resolutions for 42 inch displays

[expat]

I'm hoping to get a HD-ready display this fall. Viewing distance will be 2.5m (8 ft.). Budget constraints make 42" plasma seem like the best choice. I've been following the plasma and LCD threads for a long time, but there's one issue that's currently bothering me:

42" HD-ready plasmas all seem to have a resolution of 1024x768 (apparently due to manufacturing constraints). But a 720p signal is 1280x720, so the display has to horizontally downscale the image.

My question is: assuming that the scaling is done properly, is this loss of horizontal detail perceivable at a viewing distance of 2.5m (given the limits of visual acuity)?

I've seen that 42" LCD displays/TVs will soon be available with a resolution of 1366x768 (e.g. LG RZ42LP1D). These will probably be quite a bit more expensive than the Panny TH-42PV500, Pioneer 435FDE etc. Decisions, decisions...

[hornydragon]

the sharp 45GD1E is 1920x1080 LCD but is a bit pricey, 50" plasma are cheaper!!!! as they are 1024x768 so it will need to be scaled in both resolutions that goes for every display, if its a 1366x768 it still needs to scale a 1280x768 and a 1920x1080 as well as scaling all SD signals its far more impotrant to have a screeen with great scaling than super duper his res that it cant scale the signals you want to watch to a reasonable level...

[AML]

This has probably been asked somewhere before but, which 42" plasmas have the best scaling?

I own a Fujitsu 42" just now. (1024X1024) Ive used a few hi def sources on this TV (XBox, PS2 and HDTV) and they all looked really good.