I agree with rlustig. I always laugh with clients when they think the 42 may be too big in their room. In my old house I sat 9 and 12 feet from my 63 inch plasma. In this house I sit about 7 feet from my 42 and its too small.

My philosophy is that with more and more HD, DVD and good electronics inside the plasmas we sell, go big or go home.

Or you could always just put a Screen Innovations Mirage screen on the wall and a projector.

RIght, don't forget that a ton of the programming we watch, at least in the states, is still 4:3. Tohave the same 4:3 image as I am used to in a widescreen (16:9) I would need a 72" diagonal Widescreen . Thats why I went with a 92" front projection screen. And it ain't too big!! :)

A42" plasma has abouta 33-34" diag 4:3 image, a 50 is maybe 38" 4:3. and for me, stretching a 4:3 to fit the screen is so not an option.

Which is why the PDP-504CMX with the KDS Xpore card would get my vote. Discrete IR and serial --and I am testing the KDS Xpore macro as we speak ( I took a break to try to hook s-video from the lab VRQ to the Xplore S-video input ). Set the CATV or sat IRD for 1080i and 480i and watch the picture just come alive. I was up late watching the World Series last night on a SD Sony B55 and the picture was stunningly HD like. For a composite SD signal upconverted ( and I am aware this was originally a HD signal down converted ) by the scaler it was unbelieable.

I also have a commercial Panny 42HD set with a KDS HDLIZZA and that combo is fabulous but a bit pricey. The Pioneer has better resolution and the Xplore is much less money than the full blown Lizza. I do mean to put a Lumagen on the Panny but as I am testing modules that will need to wait.

Alan

Hi,
Does this option scale 4:3 images to fit the 16:9 plasma screen without distortion etc?

Perhaps you will tell me how you can take a 4:3 image and fill the screen without any form of distortion? It is simply not possible although the aspect ratio options do this, depending on the screen size you select quite well, considering. The code AP40Dh provides a stretch which fills the screen by stretching the edges while keeping the center untouched.

Alan

LOL, I am going to have a sign printed and put it up on the wall outside of the showroom.

Your Hitachi dealer should be able to offer an extended warranty.

....

This message was edited by Carl Spackler on 10/29/05 00:00 ET.

No one has mentioned NEC plasma. I have heard that some of their models use Pioneer glass and cost less than Pioneer. I believe they have a 3 year warranty. They looked pretty good a CEDIA. I believe they have gotten very high ratings in evaluations. What do you think?

Pioneer bought the NEC plant, so what used to be Pioneers using NEC glass, now is NEC using Pioneer glass. (right?)

I sold the NECs before I became a Fujitsu dealer.

Now my lower than Fujitsu plasma is the Pioneer with KDS Xplorer card as per Audible Solutions suggestion. Just did a 50 this week and it has a great picture for the money.

How does it compare to the Fujitsu, EJ?

I am coding a Crestron macro for the Xplore card. I am awaiting the firmware revision that will permit pasing feedback but have tested one way control.

Alan

I just bought the Pioneer with the KDS card. The picture is great, but I noticed that the component picture just drops out in the middle and then reappears a few seconds later. I've tried different cables and different sources to make sure and it happens with every one. Anyone else have this issue before?

i bought the DWIN hd50 for my house...its nice.....outboard processor and all

its on the pricy side but....wow is the image awsome......

i like it the best out of all the brands i sell

my 2 cents

ed