What are the differences between these RPTVs?

[EarleD]

Im ready to buy a HDTV in the next month or so and have been looking at these models:

Philips 55PP9352
Mitsubishi WS55511
Pioneer Elite 530HD
Toshiba 57HDX82
Sony KP57WV600

I have looked at Sears, Tweeter, Circuit City:b. They all look just average in the stores, not really any better than my current TV. Sure the HD signal looks good, but Im afraid that DirecTV/OTA will look bad. Im currently using a 10 year old Mitsubihsi 40" analog RPTV.

Things that are important to me are:

1. A good stretch mode, most viewing will be DirecTV.
2. Being able to independently calibrate each input (DirecTV and DVD)

How important is a DVI input? The Sony, Mits and Toshiba have this.

Which one will look best out of the box after a VE calibration? Which one looks the best after an ISF calibration?

Is one brand easier to tweak than the others. Easier access to the service menus, online support?

Please guys and gals help me out, I never really got into the video side of HT just the audio side. Now that Im done with that its time for a WIDESCREEN set. Im a real newbie with video stuff. I just want the best picture I can afford with the least amount of tweaking.

My budget is $2500-3000.

I was told that a 65" wont fit down bilco doors, so I think Im gonna have to go with a 55" TV. I have the room for a 65". I sit about 14' from the TV

TIA

Earle

 

[EarleD]

noone has anything to say about these TV's? WOW

 

[Robert_J]

I just want the best picture I can afford with the least amount of tweaking.

I've only spent a couple of hours tweaking total. Last Friday I noticed convergence had drifted in the HD mode and spent about 20 minutes cleaning it up in the 64 point screen.

-Robert

 

[Gregg Loewen]

Greetings!

Mits, Pioneer, Tosh, and Sony are quite tweekable and give an excellent picture. I dont have much experience with the current line of Philips TVs

Regards
Gregg

 

[Jeff Aguilar]

I thought that some of the 65" tv's actually could be taken apart and moved in two pieces. I know that the Mits does this, and I think the Sony. Might want to check on that, you may be able to move a larger tv through your doors than you thought.

I have the Sony 57WS500 and am very pleased with it. It has a great strech mode and sattelite tv looks very good on it. I like the fact that there was so much information on sony tv on the net and after AVIA and some tweaks in the service menu, it really looks great.

Having DVI might become very important with the new DVD players hitting the scene that can be connected via DVI. Ititial reports on AVS of the first player have been stellar as far as picture quality. In the next few weeks the new samsung dvd player is also suppose to hit the market. It is suppose to be able to upconvert your 480p to higher resolutions. I do not know how that would be possible, I guess I will wait to see how it turns out. But the picture of the Bravo D1 dvd player by the accounts of the guys who are reporting on them is that the picture is better than they have seen from any dvd player. So DVI may become an important factor to you here VERY soon.

Jeff Aguilar

 

[TroyRD]

I was just in the same postion, and went with the Pioneer 530. It seems that Sony and Pioneer have the best stretch modes and line doublers, maybe giving the edge to the Pioneer, but its significantly pricier and has a smaller screen.

What made my decision, is all the problems people seem to have been having with Sonys over the last year or so. It was worth paying a little more, not to have to worry about a developing this flicker problem. As far as I can tell Sony doesn't even admit the problem on the WV line just the WS, so who knows if they have even corrected it.

Plus the difference in cabinets is worth something to me too, the Pioneer elite, is like a fine piece of furniture, not a flimsy plastic cabinet like most of the others.

 

[Phil L]

The Sony is very tweak-able.

 

[Jeff Aguilar]

I would agree with Troy about the strech modes. I would give the edge to the Pioneer. I think that the Sony is very close, but that is a personal opinion.

The Sony tv's have had the dreaded flicker issue. I do not believe that the newer tv's that were made in 2003 are displaying those issues. I read everything I could on the Sony yahoo site and on the Spot. I felt comfortable going with the Sony only because of the large support of the tv on the net and because it seemed that the flicker issue was being delt with.

For me, it boiled down to price. Like Troy said, the Pioneer is MUCH more expensive than the sony. I was able to get my 57WS500 for $1850 locally. It just made sense. I am sure I would have been happy with almost any of the tv's you listed, for me it just came down to price and support. The DVI issue was not a big deal to me when I got the tv 2 months ago, now with the onset of the new generation of dvd players, I am glad that I got a tv with DVI.

To some, the cabinet is very important. To me and my application, it was not. My tv sits in an alcove so all you see is the front of the tv, so the cabinet was a mute issue.

Keep getting as much information as you can on different tv's, they all seem to have some shortcomings. I am sure you will be happy with whatever tv you decide on. We always seem to be able to justify our purchases!

I know I have!

Jeff

 

[EarleD]

thanks for all the great info guys. Im gonna keep on investigating the brands I have available locally.

Gregg,
I see that you have a Toshiba 65" HDTV any regrets with it? If you were to buy a new HDTV with a budget of $2500-3000 what would you buy now? I only ask because you have tons of experience with different TVs.

Earle

 

[JoeHard]

I have a Pioneer 53 inch that I am very pleased with, but if I could afford one I would definitely go with the Elite.IMO lack of DVI isn't a make or break issue