Help! Can't decide between Sony and Hitachi (1 Viewer)

[CapnSharpe]

I realize this is old stuff but...

I have a gift card that will allow me to purchase either a Sony or Hitachi set. I'm torn between a Sony KP-43HT20 and a Hitachi 43UWX10B. Yes, I do realize the Sony is a 4:3 with v-compression and the Hitachi is a 16:9. I primarily watch DirecTivo on weekdays and DVDs on the weekends. I'm terrified of burn-in and don't know whether HDTV via Time Warner cable is in my future. I've tried looking at these sets at CC and Sears, but CC was playing a non-HDTV broadcast of the evening news with the format somehow warped and Sears had low end DVD players using composite inputs and somehow lost all their remotes. In the end, both sets in both stores looked terrible!

I already have a JVC 65GD progressive scan player (which looks great on my 2 year old 32" Tosh).

I'm also concerned about service and problems. I realize Sony reliability leaves much to be desired. But how is their customer service? I got burned by Hitachi 4 years ago on a VCR - their basic attitude was tough. In the end, Hitachi refused to fix a 3 month old VCR, despite being under warranty. I had to purchase another one. That would not be an option with a set worth 2k.

FYI, I could get a Panny, but I don't like the colors. They look all washed out and I'm not tweaker. I want something that looks good using Avia.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Theresa,
I had the Hitachi's bigger brother, the 53UWX10B for a couple of weeks. It had a swampy green tinge in the low end of the grayscale, couldn't maintain a consistent black level when changing cable or satellite channels, and it's line doubler and stretch modes were not very good with 4/3 ntsc pictures. HD and DVD looked very nice indeed except for the green tint, and I'm sure that with an ISF calibration the set would have been ok. I live 250 miles from the nearest ISF tech.
I returned the set and got a Sony KP57HW40, widescreen but essentially the same chassis as the 4/3 model you're considering. Out of the box this beast only needed a quick AVIA calibration to look fantastic. It's handling of ntsc sources is much superior to the Hitachi's imho. Sony's DRC (line doubling) has a bad reputation for blurriness and artifacting, but this has been greatly improved on the new line of sets.
Overall, the Hitachi just didn't seem like it had undergone any kind of quality control as far as proper setup at the factory. The Sony looks like a completed, ready-to-go product that doesn't beg for constant tweaking.

 

[CapnSharpe]

I got a better look at both sets last night, but this time alongside a Pioneer and a Toshiba. The Sony had a definite problem with artifacts and the Hitachi was very green. The Pioneer and Toshiba needed some tweaking but both looked good. I was able to work out a very good deal on a Pioneer SD533HD5. I should be in home theater heaven in time for the holidays.