I've been doing research on a new set, and I'm looking at ordering either the KDF-E50A10 50" LCD or the 42" version. I wanted to order from amazon because of the deal I can get there, but I read that even minor bumps in shipping can cause dead pixels. Am I better off just paying the extra at a B & M store, or is the dead pixel thing relatively rare and overblown? I'm 160 miles from the nearest city, so the B & M option isn't as convenient for me as for most people. Also, what can be done to fix dead pixels if they do occur?

I have a 37" LCD (768p) and no dead pixels. After owning it for two months, I moved and had it shipped from Wisconsin to California. Still no dead pixels.

So, no, they don't magically appear after some shipping bumps, that is for certain.

Dead pixels are not a myth, but if you like the technology otherwise, you don't need to be too worried about them, IMO.

A $400 discount compared to B & M stores?? Wow! I bought my KDF-E50A10 from Best Buy in November and have been very pleased with it so far. Does Amazon have a good replacement/service plan? Better hurry and decide if you want to order from Amazon, I checked at 3 CST and there were only 4 left...

I have a 42" A10. There are several dead pixels but unless you're literallly sitting inches from the screen you will never notice them. Anyone who's complaining about it is totally anal or they watch it with their nose to the screen.

Thanks for the replies. After reading countless threads about viewing distance, I decided to go with the 50" Sony LCD. Now I just have to wait for it to ship and arrive.

Many people have reported success with this method for fixing dead pixels, so if anyone has them, try this:

http://www.widowpc.com/2005/08/fix_dead_pixels.php

Edit: I forgot to mention, I used a similar thing for my PSP and it worked like a charm.

You realize that the TVs are shipped to the B&M stores, too. Often from other countries, where they are actually put together.

Yeah ... I kind of thought of that after I posted the initial concern about mail order. That realization is what led me to feel OK about just ordering from amazon.