I need your opinions about my tomorrow's purchase (1 Viewer)

[Jin Lee]

I'm about to purchase a 53~55" RPTV and I'm really debating on what to buy. I have two choices.
Mitz ws55411 or Elite pro530. I know there is a big gap in price range. I can get the Mitz for $2125 delivered from local dealer or Elite for $3400 delivered from a local dealer also. Basically my main concern is the price and my other concern is the DVI input. Could somebody lead me to the right direction here? thanks

 

[Jin Lee]

anybody?

 

[Masood Ali]

If your main concern is price, then go for the Mits. You can use it now to watch DVDs and HDTV using the component video inputs, and enjoy it for years.

If your main concern is keeping the TV into the next generation of content that will use copy protection (mainly HD-DVD) then choose the Pioneer. The Mits will cost you $1000 to upgrade to DVI-connectivity, which would put it on par cost-wise with the Pioneer, but not quality-wise (the Pioneer is a much better set).

Be wary of the industry; there is no "set" standard for next generation content, so although many predict that DVI-HDCP will be the preferred pathway for future HD signals, the manufacturers could change it once again.

Good price on the PRO530 and the Mits; you'll be getting a deal regardless of what set you choose.

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Yeah, I'd say get the best you feel comfortable buying. That might mean getting the Mits, if you have to starve yourself for a year to get the Pioneer. What's the point of spending the extra $1000 to HELP future-proof content availability if you can't afford to pay for any content and/or source components for a long while and enjoy the big new TV even if you are willing to starve a little?

Regarding PQ difference, I suspect spending 1/2 of that $1000 on ISF calibration instead would give you at least as good PQ as the Pioneer out-of-the-box, except for the stretch modes and linedoubling for non-DVD NTSC sources. Then save the rest toward something like an upcoming HD PVR receiver for that killer app for your big new HiDef RPTV. At that point, you won't care too much about stretch modes or linedoubling for crappy regular TV sources.

Oh, and if you decide to REALLY starve yourself and get the Pioneer ISF-ed, well, just remember that HDTV technologies still have a long way to go. Since the extra $$$ is a concern, you probably won't want to upgrade so soon unless you only paid $2K instead of $3K. And who knows? Perhaps, even by the time the lack of DVI/HDCP actually becomes too restrictive for you, you might already be better off upgrading to a new $2K HDTV (or HD FP system!) than sticking w/ the Pioneer.

And personally, I'd actually wait until the new Panny RPTVs come out this summer since they should be cheaper than the Mits and will offer DVI/HDCP. Then the savings would be enough to pay for ISF and maybe the full cost of an upcoming HD PVR receiver...

_Man_