I just got this 1080P model a couple of weeks ago as an exchange for a 4yr old 1080i HDRPT and am very pleased with the upgrade...
Got an email ad from TigerDirect selling this 08 model, HL50A650; this is a fairly typical sale price for the tv alone, thus includes the stand for free....so if you need the stand, and have no objection to the vender, it's a pretty good deal...
link
The TV itself weighs less than 60 lbs so it's easy to set up....
As for replacing the bulb in 3 years or so, I'll do so once as part of my extended warranty I got from my local B/M, and then decide whether to upgrade if there's any better TV out there 6+ years down the line (and most likely there will be at the least the lure of bigger real estate 
)... But for me, 50" is the right size and this model has a lot going for it...
