I'd been dreaming of getting a Pioneer Kuro plasma since early Springtime. Here in Canada, they were quite pricey. The PDP 4280 retailed for $2800 at Best Buy locally.
I would watch the weekly sales and almost bit at $2000 last May, but with the extended warranty, an extra $500, it was too pricey.
Well, yesterday I was at East Hamilton Radio, in Southern Ontario, and spotted 2 Kuro demo models on sale. The 4280 for $1300 and the 5080 for $1800. No where else could I find these sets locally. Long gone.
I went back today and got the 4280. $1300 plus $300 to extend the warranty to five years. I'm watching it right now in Cinema mode. Watching the blu-ray version of Pursuit of Happyness.
I'm very happy with the picture. Black levels are better than I antcipated.
My main tv has been the Sony 34HS420. Nice tube set but really not big enough or high resolution enough for watching hi def movies.
I've finally joined the Kuro club and I am STOKED!
Thanks to all the AVS members who have posted a plethora of info. It was due to many hours of reading out here, that I decided to buy the Kuro, not just the good price!

I'd been dreaming of getting a Pioneer Kuro plasma since early Springtime. Here in Canada, they were quite pricey. The PDP 4280 retailed for $2800 at Best Buy locally.
I would watch the weekly sales and almost bit at $2000 last May, but with the extended warranty, an extra $500, it was too pricey.
Well, yesterday I was at East Hamilton Radio, in Southern Ontario, and spotted 2 Kuro demo models on sale. The 4280 for $1300 and the 5080 for $1800. No where else could I find these sets locally. Long gone.
I went back today and got the 4280. $1300 plus $300 to extend the warranty to five years. I'm watching it right now in Cinema mode. Watching the blu-ray version of Pursuit of Happyness.
I'm very happy with the picture. Black levels are better than I antcipated.
My main tv has been the Sony 34HS420. Nice tube set but really not big enough or high resolution enough for watching hi def movies.
I've finally joined the Kuro club and I am STOKED!
Thanks to all the AVS members who have posted a plethora of info. It was due to many hours of reading out here, that I decided to buy the Kuro, not just the good price!

How many hours are on the demo unit?

To be honest I really don't know how many hours are on it. The guy told me it was hooked up for about 6 months. The set was manufactured in Dec.07. I could discern no dead pixels or burn-in or image retention.
I have watched one blu-ray film and right now I'm watching a standard dvd- Disturbing Behavior.
Picture really seems stellar. One thing is the manual... it's a bit confusing. I tried to put the set in Pure Cinema Mode and select Advance to view 24 frames per second movies. NO luck. The setting defaults to OFF and the other settings are blanked out. I tried switching my Sony blu-ray to 1080p and 24 frame output, still no dice.
Whoops! 2/3rds of the way through the second movie, I noticed some burn-in or image retention(hopefully) in the lower right corner. Tv show logo. They had the set on vivid.
To be sure, I put the set in 4:3 mode and sure enough, you could see the shadow of a logo in the gray side bar clearly.
Shame I didn't notice this in the store, I might have negotiated a better deal.
I'm still thrilled with the set. Hopefully, as I won't be keeping the set tuned to a tv station all the time, it might fade after awhile.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news-but you could have bought a brand new 5080 for $1400-$1700 anytime in Sept from Future shop. Heck, it was being offered as low as $1287 for one day in Calgary.
Still a great set!
I bet if you went to FS and asked them to do something like that....you would get it.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news-but you could have bought a brand new 5080 for $1400-$1700 anytime in Sept from Future shop. Heck, it was being offered as low as $1287 for one day in Calgary.
Still a great set!
I bet if you went to FS and asked them to do something like that....you would get it.

Unfortunately, the 80 series has not been available in my area for many months now...
I'll see what I can do tomorrow when I complain to the salesman who sold me this set.
I know one thing for sure...having seen a Kuro I can't go back to what I had been watching.

Okay, I ran the Video Pattern sweep twice. So that's 2 full hours. The logo ghost is alive and well. So, it's definitely burn-in.
Here's my dilema. Otherwise the set is perfect. I don't realistically expect to be able to find a new 42" Kuro anywhere within a reasonable driving distance. Plus, by very local standards at least, I got the set cheap.
I don't really want another size as I'll only be sitting 8 feet from the set. 42" is fine for me.
What would you guys do? Get used to the little logo ghost that you can only see sometimes, or return the set?
I'm kind of torn which way to go...

Okay, I ran the Video Pattern sweep twice. So that's 2 full hours. The logo ghost is alive and well. So, it's definitely burn-in.
Here's my dilema. Otherwise the set is perfect. I don't realistically expect to be able to find a new 42" Kuro anywhere within a reasonable driving distance. Plus, by very local standards at least, I got the set cheap.
I don't really want another size as I'll only be sitting 8 feet from the set. 42" is fine for me.
What would you guys do? Get used to the little logo ghost that you can only see sometimes, or return the set?
I'm kind of torn which way to go...

I would return it, Kuro or not that's not something you want to have to live with. That very much sounds like burn in that might never go away.

I'd take it back due to the burn-in. We tend to keep televisions for several years and no way I'd want to keep seeing that burned-in spot for years after I forget the couple hundred bucks I had saved up front. You're paying darned near a new-TV price for a damaged, heavily-used one.

Thought experiment. You buy a brand-new-in-box Kuro at a pretty good price. You get it home and there's an obvious bad spot in the corner of the picture. Instead of replacing it Pioneer offers to send you a check for $250, would you accept it? Most people would say no.

i'd return it, forget about the warranty, and cough up an extra $200 for the 50", provided there was no burn-in of course.

you sound excited to get the TV, and that's understandable. but in your enthusiasm, you may be willing to overlook something right now that could possibly annoy the hell out of your after the honeymoon period ends.

just sayin'.

Big hassle but take it back. I bought a 5080hd Friday at Future shop for $1489, they are on clearence. Agreed once you go kuro you can't go back BUT don't do a demo. Factory fresh w/30 day return is essential.

No Futureshops or Best Buys in my local area, Niagara Falls/St.Catharines, have any 80 series Kuro's and haven't had any 42" models since the summer. I should have bit at $2000 last May.
I'm going to call the store right now to complain. Problem is, this isn't a big box store. They have a very strict policy of 30 days RETURN only. They never give cash refunds.
I'll see how it goes.
Thanks for the replies!

I personally believe you got hosed on this deal. If it had turned out to luckily not suffer any damage from nearly a year on torch mode it might have been a decent deal at $1,600. But IMO a burned display is defective whether it cost $1,600 or $800 or a buck fifty. Actually, I'm not sure how an extended warranty (or any warranty at all) is even defined given that it's already damaged.

If they only accept "returns" I'd offer to "return" it in exchange for a 4280 with no burnin in lieu of a refund. Otherwise I'd stop payment on my charge card and dispute the purchase that way. It's a bad deal, sorry to be so blunt.

Yeah man..I'd take the bugger back for sure.

I'm going to return it this weekend. I just got off the phone with the salesman. It's actually shocking how uninformed he is.
His first response was "Plasma tvs can't get burn-in anymore." He tried to tell me they kept the tv with the Orbiter mode turned on. I told him when I went into the Options menu to turn on the Video Pattern... Orbiter was turned off!
Then he said, "well we are just clearing these out at below wholesale you know!"
Finally he said that the tv should clear itself up after 48 hours of use. The burn-in will "fill in." If it doesn't I can bring the set back for a refund.I went through the whole torch-mode/static image spiel but he wasn't having any of it.
I'll take it back Saturday. He has no new 42" Kuro's.
At least I can say I've seen the Kuro in action and I know it's the display for me! Aside from this major pain in my ass, it's been a good experience.
Now I've got to do some searching and see if there are any new 42" Kuro's in the surrounding areas. I'll start doing some phone calling...

I'm having no luck in finding a new 42" Kuro anywhere locally. I called Futureshop in a city about 50 miles from me and the guy laughed, saying they were cleared out 4 months ago.
From what I hear Pioneer has no plans for another 42" model. I can't afford their 50" 1080p sets as they cost $4000 in my immediate area.
I'm thinking now of getting the top 42" Panasonic. They have that set for $1800, new, at East Hamilton Radio. It did look good in the store, but you could see the blacks were a shade or two lighter on the Panasonic.
For a 42" size, which is what I would like and can afford, it's either keep the burned plasma or return it for the Panny 800 model.
It pains me to give up on this set, but everyone agrees it's a bad deal.
I do notice when watching a 2.35:1 film, the logo ghost is hidden by the lower black bar and you'd never know that the set has burn-in. Maybe I should use it strictly as a display vehicle for 2.35:1 films? LOL!
Do you guys think the top 42" Panny would be a good or at least a close substitute for black levels?

get the 5080 if sitting 8 feet away. Return the 42 and stay away from demo plasmas. Too risky. Trust me. You will forever be starring at that spot where the burn in is located and it will ruin your viewing experience.

Agreed, the 5080kuro beat all 1080p sets in a home theater magazine side by side shoot out. It's an amazing set. I'll bet if you saw it with hd source you'd grab it. I'm feeding mine hd cable, blue ray and ps3 games at 1080i and with a couple small tweaks it's stomping all the 1080p sets I've ever seen except other kuros-looks the same as those. I think 1080p is a non issue @50" size. At clearence prices now it's the best plasma deal out there.

^At which size do you think 1080p is necessary? What if one sits 6-8 feet from their 50" set?

Unfortunately, there are NO 50 series, or 8 gen Pioneers locally. East Hamilton Radio does have a 5080, but it's a demo model just like the one I have. Set to Vivid and blasting away the Oasis HD channel all day long.
I'm sure it will have the same burn-in logo that mine has.
For me to get a Pioneer it will have to be the new 5020 series and they are charging a small fortune here in Southern Ontario Canada. The hotbed of high prices for North America in general.
Also, from what I've read the 5020 has lost some of the versatility of the 5080, in regards to gamma control. I like to be able to match gamma to my various dvd players.
I guess I should just take it back and get the refund and call it a day. I really want another Pioneer. Settling for the Panasonic would be as bad, in a completely different way, as settling for the burn-in, I guess.

I'm going to return it this weekend. I just got off the phone with the salesman. It's actually shocking how uninformed he is.
His first response was "Plasma tvs can't get burn-in anymore."He must be a member of the AVS Forum. :D

Most likely he used the break-in DVD too. :rolleyes:

I've never seen one of these Kuro displays but sight-unseen I'd be willing to betcha a dollar (Canadian) the difference in specifications and Internet-forum hype far exceeds the actual, visual difference in real-world picture quality. Not that I wouldn't love to own one and I'm not saying you can't see a difference in black levels and so forth. But IMHO a bit of perspective is in order if it seems like the Kuro-to-Panny difference in similar in magnitude to the damage caused by a year of torch mode and a burned-in logo.

They don't have mail-order dealers in Canada? I prefer dealing with brick and mortar stores too but for a very specific hard-to-find model I'd consider having one shipped to me.

lazerfan,

check your pm

Miles

I've never seen one of these Kuro displays but sight-unseen I'd be willing to betcha a dollar (Canadian) the difference in specifications and Internet-forum hype far exceeds the actual, visual difference in real-world picture quality. Not that I wouldn't love to own one and I'm not saying you can't see a difference in black levels and so forth. But IMHO a bit of perspective is in order if it seems like the Kuro-to-Panny difference in similar in magnitude to the damage caused by a year of torch mode and a burned-in logo.

They don't have mail-order dealers in Canada? I prefer dealing with brick and mortar stores too but for a very specific hard-to-find model I'd consider having one shipped to me.

The only place that carries the 8gs stopped selling them online (Futureshop) Honestly I don't think you can go wrong with either an 800/850, the blacks might not be 8G level but they're close and color accuracy is as good or better than the 8Gs. Considering how cheap the 800s go for they might be worth a good hard look.

Whoah! Lazerfan, if mwan sent you a pm, check it asap! Probably good news. The guy has great contacts! :)

PS - I feel for ya man! I almost offered you my 4280 after reading your woes. If you can get a 5080
for cheap anywhere, go for that one! I recall seeing one at a FS near me not long ago (Oakville), but
it might be gone by now.

Well, I got a tip on a store that does have a few 5080's. They are clearing them out at $1999 which is still good by Canadian standards.
He mentioned that these are not NIB but recent out-of-the-box demos. I told him about my issues. He told me to try leaving video snow running on the set overnight to see if that helps.
Unfortunately, I hooked some rabbit ears to the set and it just goes to a blue screen! So, I hooked up a vcr. Blue screen. Hooked the rabbit ears to the vcr and I find I can only get a somewhat snowy channel and hold the signal. Once it's too snowy, the vcr itself kicks in a blue screen.
I'll see how the "somewhat" snowy channel does. I'll leave like this for a day or so. I zoomed the picture to remove the logo of course.
I have another line on a demo 4280 in a nearby city. Problem is the guy wants $2000 for an "Out of the Door" deal. As is, out of the door, no return.
I'm going to go there now and bring my receipt for the $1300 tv with me. If the set is perfect with no burn-in, I'll see if I can get him to budge.
In the meantime, does anyone know how to bypass the Pioneer's blu-screen and display pure video snow on the screen??

Dunno, $1999 for a used/demo 5080 isn't that great if you ask me. If I have
the time, I'm going to look around my area for deals. I haven't been impressed
with some of the stuff you're being offered. I wouldn't settle for anything but
a new 5080 at this point if it's over $1500. Oh, and that 4280 deal is bad. Get
your money back and look around some more.

Unfortunately, there are NO 50 series, or 8 gen Pioneers locally. East Hamilton Radio does have a 5080, but it's a demo model just like the one I have. Set to Vivid and blasting away the Oasis HD channel all day long.
I'm sure it will have the same burn-in logo that mine has.
For me to get a Pioneer it will have to be the new 5020 series and they are charging a small fortune here in Southern Ontario Canada. The hotbed of high prices for North America in general.
Also, from what I've read the 5020 has lost some of the versatility of the 5080, in regards to gamma control. I like to be able to match gamma to my various dvd players.
I guess I should just take it back and get the refund and call it a day. I really want another Pioneer. Settling for the Panasonic would be as bad, in a completely different way, as settling for the burn-in, I guess.

Maybe not. Turning the orbiter off was complete stupidity by that store, and I would imagine that this store left a video loop playing 24/7 with the same logo. EHR may have been a bit more careful, and it may be a newer demo. There have been lots of reports of demo units being perfectly fine, especially if they were set up for a relatively few number of months. The key is checking them in the store. I would imagine turning the orbiter off is not usual behaviour.

All this being said, I agree a better deal on a kuro may be elsewhere. If you want a kuro, get one. It could be another actually non-defective floor model, or maybe you will have to wait it out a bit for a good deal on the 20 series to come your way, but it can be done.

"I'll take it back Saturday."

You should take it back ASAP. For all you know the person you bought it from will change his mind on the return. Sounds shady and unreliable.

Maybe not. Turning the orbiter off was complete stupidity by that store, and I would imagine that this store left a video loop playing 24/7 with the same logo. EHR may have been a bit more careful, and it may be a newer demo. There have been lots of reports of demo units being perfectly fine, especially if they were set up for a relatively few number of months. The key is checking them in the store. I would imagine turning the orbiter off is not usual behaviour.

All this being said, I agree a better deal on a kuro may be elsewhere. If you want a kuro, get one. It could be another actually non-defective floor model, or maybe you will have to wait it out a bit for a good deal on the 20 series to come your way, but it can be done.

I've actually got 30 days to return this set. It was a pain in my little Honda to handle this so, two Saturdays from now, my friend with a van is going to help me out. I'll wrap everything up then. The return, and hopefully another tv the same day.
I got into the service menu and the set has been plugged in for 6123 hours and has been on for 2170 hours. That works out to 8.5 hours per day, for 8.5 months, in the Vivid mode with the Orbiter off.
I have it set to Cinema now, watching the blu-ray version of Dark City. The ghost logo isn't visible in the lower black bar. The picture quality is amazing. Clear, no noise, and great black levels.
I'll just have to be patient and watch the weekly sales. Maybe a miracle will happen and Futureshop will drop the 5020 from $4000 to $2500! LOL

^At which size do you think 1080p is necessary? What if one sits 6-8 feet from their 50" set?
Less than 6 feet, some say 2 feet. Read this review for more:
http://www.hometheatermag.com/lcds/208hdface/index.html

I've actually got 30 days to return this set. It was a pain in my little Honda to handle this so, two Saturdays from now, my friend with a van is going to help me out. I'll wrap everything up then. The return, and hopefully another tv the same day.
I got into the service menu and the set has been plugged in for 6123 hours and has been on for 2170 hours. That works out to 8.5 hours per day, for 8.5 months, in the Vivid mode with the Orbiter off.
I have it set to Cinema now, watching the blu-ray version of Dark City. The ghost logo isn't visible in the lower black bar. The picture quality is amazing. Clear, no noise, and great black levels.
I'll just have to be patient and watch the weekly sales. Maybe a miracle will happen and Futureshop will drop the 5020 from $4000 to $2500! LOL

Good to hear you got a chance to experience the PQ, now you just have to find one. I wouldn't necessarily give up on 8G demos. I would just bring the break-in disk to the store as a tester, and put it through its paces there. Any IR/burn would be revealed by this, and I sure hope another store would have enough sense to not turn the orbiter off. If it doesn't have any IR, and the unit appears otherwise solid, there is absolutely nothing to fear with demos (if you are getting a good deal, and it carries the regular warranty). You can also ask about the demo loop they are playing. If there is an area of the screen where the pixels are never refreshed, and the model has been on the showroom for months, there may be a problem. All it needs is to have two different types of programs running on its loop and its probably okay. And again logos are generally taken care of with the orbiter anyway so you would likely not run into the same problem on another demo under the much better circumstances I have detailed.

If you can stomach the wait though, for sure do that, as the 5020 is decidely an upgrade, even with the lack of gamma control that you want. On a side note, as you may have heard there is likely going to be a bit more control of these sets opened up using the controlcal interface. So maybe that is something you would be interested in.

I agree that your target price would be a bit of a miracle, but futureshop did recently have it for only 200 dollars more than that price for one day recently. So maybe, just maybe they would go even lower during the next friends and family sale which should be quite soon. Otherwise, keep in mind that 2 month holiday price protection kicks in sometime in early to mid november, so you can just buy it on the first day of that and wait (and hope)for a reduction (double check with sales staff that they are still doing this if you do). Boxing day prices are exempt from this however.

Unfortunately, with the size of the room that the tv is in, 50" is actually too big. The room is 13 feet wide and I have an audio stand in one corner and an end table in the other corner. So, the center area has a little over 6 feet of space. A 50" set is 4 feet wide, so that leaves about one foot on either side of the set. Just too cramped for getting in behind the set. The 42" is 8 inches less wide. Doesn't sound like much but that extra 4 inches on either side makes all the difference to me.
I'm going to see if I can spot another 42" demo model somewhere. First thing I'll do is put the set in 4:3 mode to see if I can spot tv station logo burn-in in the gray bar!
Thanks for the advice!

get the 5080 if sitting 8 feet away. Return the 42 and stay away from demo plasmas. Too risky. Trust me. You will forever be starring at that spot where the burn in is located and it will ruin your viewing experience.

+1
stay away from Demo plasmas.

Sharpjunkie,
Where have you been man?
Is that 5080 still treatin ya good??

Good to hear you got a chance to experience the PQ, now you just have to find one. I wouldn't necessarily give up on 8G demos. I would just bring the break-in disk to the store as a tester, and put it through its paces there. Any IR/burn would be revealed by this, and I sure hope another store would have enough sense to not turn the orbiter off. If it doesn't have any IR, and the unit appears otherwise solid, there is absolutely nothing to fear with demos (if you are getting a good deal, and it carries the regular warranty). You can also ask about the demo loop they are playing. If there is an area of the screen where the pixels are never refreshed, and the model has been on the showroom for months, there may be a problem. All it needs is to have two different types of programs running on its loop and its probably okay. And again logos are generally taken care of with the orbiter anyway so you would likely not run into the same problem on another demo under the much better circumstances I have detailed.

If you can stomach the wait though, for sure do that, as the 5020 is decidely an upgrade, even with the lack of gamma control that you want. On a side note, as you may have heard there is likely going to be a bit more control of these sets opened up using the controlcal interface. So maybe that is something you would be interested in.

I agree that your target price would be a bit of a miracle, but futureshop did recently have it for only 200 dollars more than that price for one day recently. So maybe, just maybe they would go even lower during the next friends and family sale which should be quite soon. Otherwise, keep in mind that 2 month holiday price protection kicks in sometime in early to mid november, so you can just buy it on the first day of that and wait (and hope)for a reduction (double check with sales staff that they are still doing this if you do). Boxing day prices are exempt from this however.

I've been doing alot of thinking about this whole topic. The sad truth of the matter is I'm a fellow who doesn't have a lot of leeway in regards to the cost of the tv set. I simply cannot afford a new 50" Kuro. I've been trying to convince myself all week that I can afford it, and that I CAN find a way to squeeze it into my small viewing area.
I know that I must have a Kuro plasma as the black levels are my minimum for viewing. I'm a CRT tube guy. I've been watching all of my blu-ray/HD DVDs on a 34" Sony widescreen tube set for the last 2+ years.
Believe me, if I could afford it and price were no object, this thread wouldn't exist. I'd be spinning my discs on the best Elite Kuro I could get my hands on. No questions asked.
But, as my penury limits me...I've decided to go back to East Hamilton Radio and talk to the salesman tonight. I'm going to take a good long look at their 50" demo 5080. It's only $500 more. I know what to look for now and how to fully operate the tv so I will be able to tell if there's any issues with burn-in fairly quickly. I'm sure it's been on the floor as long as my unit and has the same use...8.5 months at 8.5 hours per day, every day.
The key thing will be to hit the Options menu and see if Orbiter is OFF or ON. If it's OFF then likely it will have burn-in.
If it does have burn-in then I'll simply have to return my set and get the refund promised me.
To be honest, I'm sorry I noticed the demo Kuro to begin with. This odyssey would have never transpired
To risk heresy.... I have to admit I really don't notice it that much when viewing my 1.78:1 dvds. I'm re-watching my Dead Like Me season one boxset and unless I make myself look in the lower right corner of the screen, I must admit I watch the show quite normally, focusing on the center of the screen like a normal viewer and then following the action.
I guess it's along the same lines as viewing most tv shows. We're so used to seeing the logos that our sub-conscious minds can block them out.
To cover another base I called Pioneer of Canada and explained the whole situation to the service rep. He assured me that while the burn-in itself isn't covered under warranty, everything else is. I was worried that the burn-in could be a loophole to void the warranty but he said "of course not."
He told me to try leaving a whitescreen on the set overnight. He said the movie Ice Age is a good one to run in a loop-mode. I doubt it will work as this really seems permanent.
Thanks to all those who offered their advice. If this wasn't a Kuro, I would NEVER have even looked at a demo tv. As much as I really loath to admit it, a demo is the only way I can get into Kuro ownership.
Also, I agree that even if I were to buy a new set at a cost I cannot afford, there's the chance that in the 30 day period, or extended holiday period, I could get a lower price match.
Problem is I have already sold my 34" tube set! It will be out of here tomorrow or Saturday! So, I'm set on a Kuro course for right now...and gambling that a set that I can't afford WILL become affordable is a gamble I can't take.

I love my 4280 and 6 months later I'm still amazed. Check here:https://www.projectorexport.com/productdetail.asp?level=&catid=0&productid=7366

Well, there seems to be a happy ending to my story.
I went back to East Hamilton Radio tonight. I checked the PDP 5080 demo. First thing I noticed is it was playing a Panasonic demo disc. No fixed logo. Then I checked the Options Menu. Orbiter was ON.
Next I put the set in 4:3 mode to check for a burned-in logo in the gray bars. NO burn-in.
Then I watched the tv for awhile and tried to spot dead pixels. Couldn't notice any.
The set was $600 plus tax more but the warranty didn't go up in cost.
I'll be getting it in 8 days when my buddy helps me with his van.
I'm still using the 42" Kuro until then.
I really didn't want a 50" set, but I think I'll get used to it ;)

Congrats, lazerfan! Glad to hear everything worked itself out. I, like you do not have that much money to get into the Kuro Ownership Club, and I managed to haggle down the price of a brand new 4280 back in May at a local Best Buy. After sitting 8' away from a 42" TV for the past few months, I wish I had gone for a 50". You won't be disappointed with the 5080, that's for sure!

Enjoy it! :D

Great news, enjoy. I guess EHR is a bit smarter then wherever you bought your 4280. Actually, I bought some speakers there recently. The salesman didn't know too much about he was talking about, but he gave me a good deal and was patient as I tried everything out. The whole layout is pretty nice too, lots of interesting little rooms. Sure beats buying electronics at BB.

Great news, enjoy. I guess EHR is a bit smarter then wherever you bought your 4280. Actually, I bought some speakers there recently. The salesman didn't know too much about he was talking about, but he gave me a good deal and was patient as I tried everything out. The whole layout is pretty nice too, lots of interesting little rooms. Sure beats buying electronics at BB.

Actually East Hamilton Radio is where I did buy the original 42"!
The 42" had the Orbiter turned off and it was tuned to the Oasis HD channel. The 50" had orbiter turned ON and it simply had a Panny HD demo disc looped- no static logo. I guess that's where the difference was.
It will be nice to get it here and set up in 8 days!
I agree- East Hamilton Radio has a very nice set up. They have my local big box stores beat by a mile. I loved their $7500 Pioneer Elite reciever and their $899 Elite blu-ray players! Beautiful looking jewels.
Thanks for the kind words carftopher!

I love my 4280 and 6 months later I'm still amazed. Check here:https://www.projectorexport.com/productdetail.asp?level=&catid=0&productid=7366

Looking for a 4280 myself but this place is not an authorized Pioneer Dealer.
Still..great price on the 4280. Hmmmmmmmmmm

I've actually got 30 days to return this set. It was a pain in my little Honda to handle this so, two Saturdays from now, my friend with a van is going to help me out. I'll wrap everything up then. The return, and hopefully another tv the same day.
I got into the service menu and the set has been plugged in for 6123 hours and has been on for 2170 hours. That works out to 8.5 hours per day, for 8.5 months, in the Vivid mode with the Orbiter off.
I have it set to Cinema now, watching the blu-ray version of Dark City. The ghost logo isn't visible in the lower black bar. The picture quality is amazing. Clear, no noise, and great black levels.
I'll just have to be patient and watch the weekly sales. Maybe a miracle will happen and Futureshop will drop the 5020 from $4000 to $2500! LOL

go to red flag deals and see the boxing dale sales. Futureshop must have read your mind as there price is even lower! To paid i have already purchase 6 months ago!

Looking for a 4280 myself but this place is not an authorized Pioneer Dealer.
Still..great price on the 4280. Hmmmmmmmmmm

And remember they have tons of old skus on the website for SEO. :rolleyes:

Chris

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