TV upgrade 2010: What a difference five years makes (photos)

It's the moment no technology enthusiast wants to face: my old 42-inch plasma has gone to the great TV repair shop in the sky. Click through this gallery for a step-by-step look at the replacement process, and also read the full story on how a CNET editor shops for a new TV.

Honestly, it seemed slim back when I got it five years ago.

The collection of consoles and boxes connected to my television.

A hitch in my wiring plans: the Slingbox (which itself has pretty spotty performance of late) doesn't support HDMI connections.

I make no excuse for this tangled rats' nest of wires.

My secret shame: my current setup consists largely of component video connections.

Maybe I should have gotten the Vizio.

Bon voyage, Maxent! Also, does anyone want to come over and help me carry this thing down three flights of stairs?

Semi-carefully labeled cables, all ready for the new TV.

The box arrives with no visible damage.

Inside the box, with the stand helpfully packed right on top.

The new Samsung weighs about half what my old 42-inch did.

I always start with the instructions, seriously.

Despite all the advancements in TV technology, no one has figured out how to make the instructions more understandable.

Setting up the stand, I drilled one wall mount into my exposed brick wall, and it's not a task I want to repeat.

Screwing the set into the base.

The assembled television and base, ready to test.

My able assistant pauses to examine the packing materials.

The moment of truth--time for a power test.

It's hard to see, but this is the set actually turning on for the first time, passing the DOA test.

Flipped around and ready to be wired up.

A Final Fantasy game, via PS3.

A peek at Call of Duty: Black Ops, via Xbox 360.

A close-up view of the brushed-metal screen bezel.

At 1.4 inches deep, this is a plasma that's as thin as many LCD sets.