Flat panels are indeed improving, very dramatically! But - I have yet to see a flat panel that I can afford that does not have banding artifacts issues with delicate transitions. Visible volumetric lights with ranged fall-offs are a great way to discover this. I currently use a 20 inch NEC CRT at 1600x1200. Going to keep looking though.

Pass no temptation lightly by, for one never knows when it may pass again!