What size/model Mits to get?? (1 Viewer)

[DerekM]

Hello, my fiance and I are getting married in 2 weeks, and we have chosen an RPTV as one of our wedding presents. We have gone to several dealers in the area, and have decided that we like the picture on the Mits's. My question is, we have the option of either getting the 2002 model Medallion series, or the new 2003 model Gold series. The second question is: We will be living in an apartment for the first year or so, and am wondering whether we should get a 65 inch or 55 inch (in either series). The difference in size at the dealer is very noticeable, but we would have to sit about 10-11 feet away from the screen. Is this too close, or should we go ahead and get the bigger size, knowing that we will be moving? Would the picture look as clear as on the 55 inch screen? What about for regular satellite viewing? Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Jim FC]

I'd go with the 65" Mitsu. It comes apart, which will make it much easier to move into and out of your apartment. Last year's Medallion TVs are essentially the same as the 2003 Gold Plus series is. Some of the Medallions had as built-in HD tuner, others had a feature called Net Command that was supposed to let you control everything in your system with the Mitsu remote; the current Gold and Gold-plus series has neither of these.

The Gold series TV is a very good set, but if there's only a couple hundred dollars difference I'd recommend stepping up to the Gold Plus (65411) instead of the Gold. It has a better picture and a cooler cabinet. If you want the integrated HDTV tuner, go with the Platinum (65511). The Platinum has the tuner and the Net Command thingy. In any case, if you get a Mitsu you're getting a great TV. Good luck!

 

[BruceSpielbauer]

Take a tape measure to the showroom. Measure before you go, and pull up chairs, and try to sit exactly the distance and angle away to simulate your home theater experience. It is much better than any formula (and there are many formulas -- and most of them conflict).

I went with a 65" Mitsubishi Platinum Plus (which may very well be the Medallion you refer to -- I know the Platinum and the Platinum Plus sets say "Medallion," but for some reason, Mitsubishi's actual model names here do NOT correspond at all to the name on the set. Go figure...)

My model is the 65819. The other set which says Medallion (I believe) is the 65809. You are probably looking at one of these. Also, the 55819 and the 55809 will say Medallion. Ignore the Medallion name, it will only further confuse. These sets are really referred to as the Platinum (65809, or 55809), and the Platinum Plus (65819 or 55819). There is also the Diamond series, for more money. If you want the info on all of these sets, go to Mitsubishi web site, and then you can read up on them. You will choose the link to the 2001-2002 models. The newer ones (the 2002-2003 sets, just appearing in stores) are called "Gold," and "Gold Plus" and "Silver."

I sit 11" away from the very front of the set (11 feet from the center of the screen to my eyes, to be exact). I am glad I went with the 65" -- big sets often look too big on day one, but they will shrink in a few weeks, psychologically. I have read posts from those who say they wish they had gone bigger. I have not read posts from people who say they wish they had gone smaller. BUT, you should still visit the showroom, and test for yourself, and watch for awhile, sitting, comfortably, and watch several types of signals.

The bigger the set, the more things are magnified. This means that on a large RPTV a GREAT signal is magnified, but so is a FLAWED signal. Ironically, this can mean that a huge picture on a HDTV can look worse, even though technically it is a superior set. The problem is that you are watching a lousy signal, and you might not notice the terrible flaws on a small 27" set. But, when you blow everything up, those flaws are now huge, just like the "better images." Be aware of that. I thought I had made a mistake, on day one. By the seventh day, I changed my tune completely. I would never go back. The picture got better (good sets tend to do this in the first weeks), and I began to tweak the set, and I bought a cheap in-line signal amplifier for my (already split) cable signal (cost: $26.00), and all of a sudden, the picture was more than watchable, it was actually good. (DVDs in progressive scan looked incredible all along, by the way).

And, this is analog cable. If you have satellite, it USUALLY looks a slight bit better, in some cases a LOT better... (in a few cases, it actually looks worse, but that is probably a lousy set up on the satellite somewhere).

I actually became very good at counting ceil;ing tiles in showrooms, to find the 11" spot. I also watched in different showrooms, and asked to pull up chairs, and watched for a long time. I needed to know first if the picture I would see was going to be watchable. Even then, I had to insist on looking at the cabling runs, and finding out everything I could about the signal source ("Is this cable? digital cable? satellite? Interlaced DVD? Progressive Scan DVD? Do you guys use signal amps or inline amps? What am I REALLY watching, here?")

My best advice, since this is dependant upon your own tastes, and your own critical eye, is to visit those showrooms with a tape measure, and some time on your hands.

-Bruce in Chi-Town

 

[Jim FC]

There were two Platinum Plus "Medallion" models in last year's Mitsu lineup: the xx819s, and the xx859/xx869. It's pretty confusing. The 819s had an improved lens system over the regular platinums (xx809s) and something Mitsu called Quad-Field Focus, which was supposed to focus the electron beam tighter so the phosphors were closer together. The 859/869s didn't have that stuff; they had the same lens and CRTs as the 809s, but what they did have was a built-in HD tuner. If you wanted both the better lens/focus thingy AND the built-in HD tuner, you bought a Diamond series last year. To make a long story short, if you are looking at getting one of the last remaining 2002 models, you can get a great deal but make sure you get the actual model number rather than just "medallion" or "platinum plus," so you know which TV you're getting.

Sitting down in the showroom may not be the best thing to do, it depends on how the TVs are set up. It's a great idea to get an idea of the size of a TV, but in many stores it won't help you pick which one looks better. Many stores put RPTVs on risers so they are at eye level when people are standing in front of them. If you sit down in front of a TV set up like that, the TV will look crappy because you are sitting too low.

Personally, I'd get the 2003 model even though it will cost you more. The 2003 Mitsus (unless you buy them from Best Buy) have a very cool feature that allows you to adjust each of six colors individually. This is great because Mitsu has what's called "red push," which means the red is set a bit higher than it should be for a neutral picture. This color balance feature lets you adjust this, and it alone is worth the wait IMHO.

 

[BobRoulier]

Derek, let me tell you from experience that calculating your viewing distance from the screen is bullshit! Last fall I bought a 55809 mits, four months later I called tweeter and they upgraded me to a 65819 and now I want a front projector I sit about 10' from my mits and I use a panasonic rp91 dvd player and it has an awesome picture. at first when get the set and you turn the tv on your like wow that's big but after a while it shrinks especially with dvds. I am looking at a sharp dlp or dwin both around $10,000 a bit more than what I paid for my 65" but I can move up to a 130" screen in digital and eliminate the big box I am not trying to sell you a front projector just get the 65" you wont regret it
Bob