Is 52A656 is by now old and obsolete since we now have (in Europe) 52A756, 52A856 and now 52A956?

All the later models seem to be more expensive, although from technical specs, I fail to see any major difference. By going in for 52A656 (perhaps the equivalent of 52A650 in the US), will I be buying something obsolete (or soon to be)?

Well, sooner or later every model gets discontinued, but I don't think a year will mean you'd end up with a dinosaur. In fact, investing in last year's model is a great way to save a bunch.

Thanks James. I understand that. What I was asking was the newer models are 'technically' seriously superior to 52A656, or the enhancements are mostly cosmetic and peripheral and the basic stuff (picture quality etc) is the same.

Well, it actually may be both. It largely depends on how well you "see" and "hear." Most won't really see the difference with the enhancements. But what they may easily see is the 120hz refresh rate, especially while watching action films and sports events. Movement needs more frames otherwise you end up with artifacting as the TV (which is rated at 60 Hz) struggles to keep up.

With 120 Hz, the TV is pushing twice as many frames through, providing a smoother image to watch. So if I was in the market for a TV today, I'd definitely consider investing in the 120Hz model.