50(ish)" 4:3 HD- ready RPTV w/ 2 comp. inputs? (1 Viewer)

I'm looking for a cheap 50" 4:3 HD-ready RPTV for the bedroom with 2 component inputs, so I can connect my prog. scan DVD player and later connect a HD box as well. My viewing will be about 70/30(cable TV/widescreen DVD). There apparently are not that many models out there to choose from. I found a 50" Mits VS-A50(BestBuy), Mits VS-50111, Toshiba 50-A62. But all these sets only have one component input. Toshiba shows a 53HX71(Cinema Series) that has dual component inputs, but isn't that an older series set, since their new models are 81 and 83 model numbers? Would it be hard to find, and does anyone know how the line-doubler is? Some of the older line-doublers just make cable look almost unwatchable. Finally, can I assume all these sets have true 16:9 raster squeeze mode for anamorphic DVD/HDTV?

Any other sets out there? Thanks much for your help.

BestBuy.com has a 54" Samsung 4:3 HDTV with 2 sets of hD component inputs for $1500. The model is PCN-5425R (sorry, htf won't let me post linking urls yet!).

Hmm. I did some shopping today and I am being steered away from a 4:3 set. They say they are being phased out, that network programming will all have to be in 16:9 by 2006. Mits no longer even offers a 4:3 set for the new models. They don't see any reason to buy one unless I only wanted to keep it for 2 years. If I get a 16:9 set, I want it to be pretty big, so that the resulting 4:3 image will still be big enough. One store recommends using the stretch modes(which i don't like)for 4:3 viewing so as to avoid burn-in, while another says using the gray sidebars will not cause burn-in. Anybody have any recommendations?

I'd suggest you place a higher priority on getting the size set right for the distance you'll be viewing from.
I can't speak for the stretch mode abilities of the brands out there, but on my Toshiba I have NEVER viewed anything 4:3. And I mean not more than two minutes total in 1 1/2 years of ownership.
On the very odd occasion I might switch to see what it looks like in 4:3 if I have an issue with what I am seeing in stretch mode.
4:3 sets look "alien" to me now and I have a far bigger issue with PQ than stretch that seems a bit off.

Yesbut Yesbut Yesbut . . .

There's a lot of 4:3 material out there, and if we're going to stay on our high horse about watching movies in OAR (which we should), then there's no way we should be STRETCHING such material to fit a 16:9 screen.

Watch the movie, not the TV, right?

Good point, Doug. If I had a 16:9 set, I would watch 4:3 material in the 4:3 mode, since I don't like stretch modes. But what about my earlier question about burn-in from that? I am getting two different answers on that.

One great thing about the single feed into the showrooms is the ability to see the difference between how the different sets compensate for the various modes for stretching 4:3 content. I think most would agree that the most recent models and the 2004 and upcoming models have much better abilities to display the content in an acceptable format.

Sony 53HS30 has 2 component inputs but lacks dvi. I would seriously consider the 51WS510.