Black Friday LCD/Plasma Deals

I just received a note from Consumer Reports that helpfully compiled a list of where U.S. customers will be able to find the best Black Friday deals this weekend. Of course, us Canucks support our own homegrown retailers. Nevertheless, I thought it might be interesting to outline a few of the most jaw-dropping deals being offered south of the border (all prices are in U.S. dollars, of course):

Would you believe that a 42" HD (720p) plasma would be available for $900? It is. Best Buy will be selling Panasonic's TH-42PE7U for that price, as will Sears be offering LG's 42PC5D. Even more shocking is that Costco is reportedly advertising a 58" 720p Panasonic plasma for "$500 off"; while CompUSA will offer Samsung's 50" 720p HP-T5044 for US$1,300.

Kmart will sell a 32" Olevia LCD for a measly $420; while 37" models will be available between $550 (Target) to $600 (BJ's). Sharp's 42" 720p LC-42D43U LCD will go out Circuit City shop doors for just $800, while the 46" 1080p LC-46D64U will be just $500 more at $1,300.

What's even more unbelievable is the fact that many retailers have already begun offering what could be considered "pre" Black Friday sales, like Wal-Mart offering the Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player for just $99; and Sears already selling Hitachi's 42" 1080p P42H401 for just $770!

Considering the massive headache one would have to endure by knocking elbows with swarms of consumers, waiting in horrendous lines, and fighting with the guy next to you for the last TV in stock, is it all worth it? I guess it'll make for a nice work-out after U.S. residents have just gorged on excessive amounts of turkey and stuffing (a TV report I saw the other night estimated that the average American would intake 5,000 calories on Thanksgiving night!)

As for us Canucks, we had our fill of turkey a month ago. And with the Canadian dollar continuing to hover around par, we can probably expect some pretty nifty Boxing Day deals once the holiday season has concluded.