I did substantive research on this topic. There are excellent Hi tech forums available on the net.

Be ware, Sony enhances pic quality in the showrooms with  an enhancer. Ask any of the sales staff to play normal TV - on the sony set and see the diff yourself. Never buy based on the images they show you in the show rooms. You will be very disappointed as pic quazlity drops by almost 40% without the enhancer. At least I am talking about Kuala Lumpur - since I have yet to get to Doha. So, I can only give you my two cents worth from here.

Secondly Sony does not manufacture LCD screens. Only Samsung and Sharp.

Sharp Aquos is considered the best technology as far as LCD TV goes and Panasonic is the best for Plasma.

On the other hand all the parameters change if you are talking about the full HD version. Mine is HD ready and for these panels Sony certainly does not manufacture the screens. Why must you pay premium for a sony when the screen is LG or Samsung - can not recall for sure which one.

I am very happy with the 42 inch Sharp Aquos I bought in KL in Sept 2007.