Hello, I have 2k to spend on a TV and this would be my 1st HD purchase.

I am looking at the Samsung FTP5084 and the Panasonic 50PZ700u.

My question is will the Samsung handle 3:2 pull down, will it also do a 4:3 ratio?

Sorry for my ignorance.

Thanks.

It will do 3:2 pulldown, but only on a 480i source. I'm 95% certain on that. I tried the Film Mode on 1080i material coming in from my antenna and I got combing that wasn't present when Film Mode was off. Also, it will present 4:3 material in 4:3 ratio (i.e. with black bars on the sides).

How do you watch SD cable w/out black bars on it? What about the Panny?

How do you watch SD cable w/out black bars on it? What about the Panny?

Personally, I watch SD cable stuff in the Wide mode. It crops a little bit off the top and bottom and stretches the remaing picture to fill the screen. You're only missing a small amount of the image, which you never really miss, and it's less distorted from the stretch as a result.