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  1. EricHaas

    Plasma TV vs. Rear Projection TV

    You have to be more specific about models. I personally feel that plasmas have better PQ on the whole than RPTV's, regardless of the source. However, this is a gross generalization and some individual examples will not fall in line. There are some plasmas that are not as good with any source...
  2. EricHaas

    RPTV, FPTV, Plasma - Which way to go?

    You can do an RPTV, FPTV, and aforementioned modifications for less than the $6K price of a 50" plasma? Sounds like a great solution.
  3. EricHaas

    RPTV, FPTV, Plasma - Which way to go?

    Runco plasmas are very overpriced and offer nothing over the big 4 brands (Panasonic, Pioneer, Fujitsu, NEC). Pioneer's 50" model goes for $6K shipped, $5500 from Dell if you can get in on one of their deals. The aforementioned Panasonic (next generation actually) goes for $3600 shipped. If...
  4. EricHaas

    Should I upgrade to a Plasma?

    Interesting how depending on who answers first in a thread, major purchasing decisions are made. Go to the store please and look at the Panny 42" and do your best to compare it to your XBR. The lower resolution on ED panels, particularly the Panasonic, is not what people assume it to be. But you...
  5. EricHaas

    Help newbie: Best Plasma screen

    Yep, all three 50" Pios use exactly the same glass and electronics. Pioneer has confirmed this many times. The 5030HD uses an inferior scaler in the external box. That's why the PQ isn't as good. But even then, there won't be any difference in the black levels. Sometimes different models will...
  6. EricHaas

    Help newbie: Best Plasma screen

    That particular critic is not held in high esteem among many plasma enthusiasts. There are often technical inaccuracies in his reviews, though admittedly this doesn't mean his opinion of PQ is invalid. Then again, any one guy's opion of PQ is about as good as the next. My own opinion is that...
  7. EricHaas

    Gateway 42" Plasma TV--- Reviews?

    This is a long thread, but there are several comments from people who viewed the panel in-store: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...0&pagenumber=1 That and the CNET review are all there is online right now.
  8. EricHaas

    What's the Best 50" Plasma for 10K+-

    The Panasonic and Fuji have very comparable blacks because they use the same glass. I wouldn't worry about the resolution of the Gateway panel. Surprisingly, low resolution PDP's can look great with HD. What concerns me more are the negative observations of people over at AVS who have demoed...
  9. EricHaas

    Gateway Plasma TV

    FYI, I don't mean to come off like a smartass, but this forum comes equipped with a very functional search engine. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...hreadid=104398
  10. EricHaas

    What's the Best 50" Plasma for 10K+-

    Why do you want to pay $10K for a 50" plasma? Every single good 50" model can be had for between $5500 and $8500. Unless you must buy from B&M outlets, don't pay that much. The leading contenders among the 50's are your PDS 5004, the Panasonic, and the Pioneer 503cmx. Briefly: The...
  11. EricHaas

    Mitsubishi Plasma

    Mitsubishi was the second manufacturer (after Fujitsu) to get into plasmas way back when, but then they got out of the market after their first generation didn't profit (duh). This panel marks their return. I concur it is most likely NEC glass based on the resolution. And the differences in...
  12. EricHaas

    Gateway 42" Plasma < $3k?

    This plasma offers a lot for the money, particularly with the speakers, stand, built-in amp, and tuner with PiP. However, it should be noted that the Sampo it is made from and a Daewoo model (possibly made from the same Sampo) have been selling at Costco for $3K for many months now. Unless this...
  13. EricHaas

    Gateway 42" Plasma < $3k?

    There are two other 42" plasmas that are 1024x768. The Pioneer 433cmx and the NEC MP4. Surprisingly, some of the lower res. plasmas look very good in HD, especially the Panasonic.
  14. EricHaas

    Gateway 42" Plasma < $3k?

    It's an LG technically but it is actually a Sampo.
  15. EricHaas

    PLASMA SETS...limited life span?

    Samsung makes its own glass and electronics. Pioneer makes its own glass and electronics. Panasonic makes its own glass and electronics. NEC makes its own glass and electronics. Sampo makes its own glass and electronics. Acer/Benq may or may not make its own glass. Fujitsu makes its...
  16. EricHaas

    Going 61" Plasma.. What to look for???

    OK, a few more pieces of advice now that I understand a bit more. First, you MUST go over to to the avsforum plasma group. You simply cannot shell out this kind of money without thorough research, and that forum is the best place in the world to do it. Bar none. I'd go so far as to say that it...
  17. EricHaas

    Going 61" Plasma.. What to look for???

    The 60"+ category consists of three makes of glass. Zenith/LG makes 60" glass. NEC makes 61" glass, which is used in the NEC, Pioneer, Marantz and Fujitsu plasmas. Samsung makes 63" glass, which is used also in a Luce panel. The Zenith/LG is by far the least expensive. Reports of its PQ are...
  18. EricHaas

    LCD/Plasma/DLP @ 1080i?

    Bill: It has something to do with with electrode configurations. In a conventional display, a pair of electrodes is used to light each row of pixels. In an ALIS display, each pair of electrodes lights two rows of pixels, but each pair can only light one at a time. Hence, odd rows are lit every...
  19. EricHaas

    50" Plasmas that have DVI w/ HDCP

    No one wants HDCP. The concern is whether or not it will be required.
  20. EricHaas

    LCD/Plasma/DLP @ 1080i?

    Ah, come to think of it I have heard of HD set top boxes referred to as "receivers." All fixed pixel displays have onboard scalers or they would only display perfectly native sources without an external scaler. But the quality of internal scalers does vary greatly. Among plasmas, most...
  21. EricHaas

    LCD/Plasma/DLP @ 1080i?

    It occurs either internally in the display, or in an external scaler which could be in a set top box. AV receivers do not have scalers. Receivers pass video signals; they do not process them.
  22. EricHaas

    Plasma = LCD? Contrast levels

    The Fujitsu 50" panel uses the same glass as the Panasonic and therefore has the same 3000:1 contrast ratio (or very close). That particular Fujitsu produces superior blacks. Blacks are not the same on the 42" Fujitsu panels (based on Fujitsu's glass) or the 61" Fujitsu (based on NEC glass). All...
  23. EricHaas

    Plasma = LCD? Contrast levels

    Plasma and LCD's are both flat panel, but different technologies entirely. Why the particular concern about contrast as opposed to any other specification? Contrast it important, but only one factor in assessing overall picture quality. The best plasmas have higher contrast ratios than...
  24. EricHaas

    LCD/Plasma/DLP @ 1080i?

    Bill is largely correct, but not completely. There is an exception. Plasma glass panels based upon ALIS (Alternate Lighting of Surfaces) technology display 1024 horizontal lines, interlaced. This is an exception to the rule that fixed pixel displays are never interlaced. The resolution of all...
  25. EricHaas

    50" Plasmas that have DVI w/ HDCP

    The new Sony model has it. I forget the model number but it is on the market right now. The Pioneer 503cmx and Pro1000HD (essentially the same unit) have a card slot that allows the upgrade to DVI/HDCP. Aurora Mutlimedia is coming out with a card for it around 1/1/2003 that will have...
  26. EricHaas

    Where do you stand on the HTF 'hot topic' movies?

    2001: A Space Odyssey - In the right frame of mind, this film is simply astounding. Then again, the second time I saw the movie (1993), I was on LSD. That, BTW, was my most satisfying viewing ever (possibly of any film). I think it is important to understand that is assessing my opinion of the...
  27. EricHaas

    *** Official "THE RING" Discussion Thread

    I saw it today and enjoyed it thoughout the better part of its running time. This filmmaker has a firm sense of the macabre. It owes quite a bit to the Shining, the Sixth Sense, and Videodrome, but not so much to any one that it became a self-conscious ripoff. I agree with comments earlier...
  28. EricHaas

    I wonder if Rent to Own places will ever carry Plasma tvs?

    The fact that the plasma has more horizontal lines does not necessarily make it better quality. Higher res. plasmas in general do worse with 480i and 480p material due to the need for scaling (depends on scaler). Conversely, some 480 line plasmas, such as the current Panny 42" (best price =...
  29. EricHaas

    I wonder if Rent to Own places will ever carry Plasma tvs?

    Well, I am not exaggerating. Not even a wee bit. My observations are easily verified. Take a look here for example: Link Removed Now compare those prices on these specific models to what you find in B&M. For example, the Pioneer 503cmx (50"), has an MSRP of $15,500 (+ tax)...
  30. EricHaas

    I wonder if Rent to Own places will ever carry Plasma tvs?

    I don't know what your budgetary limitations are, but Costco sells a decent Sampo 42" plasma with wall mount for $3K. That's about the least expensive plasma you'll find right now. However, in 18 months you'll see many plasmas down close to the $2K mark. Remember that plasmas sell online for...
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