I demo'd the Samsung PS42P2S vs the LG MZ42PZ14 on display in Richer Sounds in Middlesbrough last Thursday.
The PZ14 wasn't for sale but I used it to determine whether to buy the PS42P2S (1999 pounds) or the MZ42PZ17 (2499 pounds).
The way they had them set up was the LG on Svideo (I think?) and the Samsung on composite. Not surprisingly the Sammy looked crap and the LG looked better (obviously they were trying to push the more expensive LG over the Samsung). They were playing CGI-fest Monsters Inc which would look pretty good on my arse let alone a plasma.
I got them to demo both on Svideo (I know the LG has component but as the Samsung doesn't I thought I'd do a fair test) and the LG had better black levels and a more detailed picture. For example at the beginning of "Armageddon" on the Samsung it was difficult to make out many stars in the background of outer space, and the background of space was grey. On the LG there was a veritable sky full of them and a blacker sky. This was despite fiddling with the Sammy settings to attempt to improve the picture.
The LG looked better build quality (proper metal surround rather than the plasticy Samsung), and also came with an extra year's warranty. It also had component inputs. On the downside it would only do NTSC progressive (480p).
The Samsung would do PAL progressive scan (576p) but only on the VGA input.
On balance I preferred the PZ14, and on the basis the PZ17 may have better contrast and brightness I chose that. (I know there is some dispute in this forum as to the specs of the PZ17 as to whether it has better contrast and brightness than the PZ14)
For my money the LG was worth the extra 500 quid.
I wasn't willing to compromise 5" and more money to get the Panasonic 37", and didn't have the extra 500 to go to the Toshiba 42" Panny clone.
RS sold me a 3rd party wallmount for the LG for 150ish.
I don't have a delivery date for the plasma yet, I was told it could be "March or April". Hopefully more news on that later this week.
Mike