I don't get anything like maximum contrast out of the TV, but that's because the very first thing I did once it was plugged in is back its brightness off to about half. I don't have massive kliegs illuminating my sales floor, so I get a much more attractive picture--nicer saturation, and I don't have to wear sunglasses to watch it.

Doubles, give or take, the effective life of the unit as well. Everybody wins.

I straight up ignore the Pioneer units--they are lovely and wonderful, but they are not three-or-four-times-as-expensive lovely and wonderful.

Yeah, ours is a noticeable source of heat as well, though not a patch on the three-computer (or four if I'm working with the laptop) 140-square-foot office upstairs.