Mitsubishi 73" DLP - 742 or 842?

I don't see a choice for the 642. If you are only going to do IR, and you don't need the internal speakers it comes down to the Advanced video adjustments and perfect Tint and Perfect color.

But then if you have no need for the Smart TV features then you can go down to the 642 and get an emitter which would be cheaper than getting one built in. I got the 642 series and got a Bluetooth emitter for the 3D glasses. I'm not sure what Perfect Tint and Perfect Color give since in my 642 I'm still able to individually adjust the six colors with the Advanced video calibration feature.. And I'm not sure what the ISF advanced video adjustments give you either. But in my situation I am using an external scaler that can calibrate the colors itself. So I just adjusted the individual colors of the TV using my meter to get as close as I can to what it should be, and then let my scaler do it's auto calibrate thing for the rest. In my situation it wasn't worth the extra cost to me for the features that I would not use. Sure it would be nice to have them but there was a big difference in price between the 642 and 842 sets.

DIT: I see the ISF adjustments just allow you to have one setting for day and one for night. I already have that capability with my external scaler. The 642 already has two memories you can use for each input. I use one for 3D and one for 2D on the Mitsubishi. And then I have Day and night settings on my external scaler that I use as well.

This is a video I found for the 838 series.
http://www.sonicelectronix.com/product_videos.php?product_id=24561&video_id=260

Not sure how much had changed with the 842 series, but the adjustment screen they show in the 838 is the same thing I have on my 642 series with the advanced video calibration adjustments.
Edited by aaronwt - 1/10/13 at 5:47am

Like aaronwt I have a WD-82642. Upgraded to that from my year old WD-73640.

I'm glad I went with this years model as opposed to an 82 of last years model. The PQ on the newer set looks noticeably better to my eyes and everyone else who has seen my old set and the new 1.

I decided the 642 series was the best fit for me since there isn't anything on the 742 or 842 that I would actually use. There's a comparison chart that shows what extra you get with each series.

You've probably already seen it but you can view 1 here if you haven't.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TGKLFM/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Being a 73640 owner myself, I was wondering if it was worth going to the 82642 this year. Because I would have went with a 82640 if it had been available. Is it really all that noticable PQ wise?? I am deciding between that
and going projector/screen route with mits leaving the RPTV market.

I just got the 73742, and while shopping for it, was told by the salesman at Paul's that the biggest advantage of the 842 over the 742 is the built in sound bar. He told me this even though he was sold out of the 742's, but did have 842's to sell. I think the biggest defect in all of these sets, which was also a problem on my 2009 mits, is that there is an internal reflection in the tv, which may cause halo's or similar bright reflections with some content. My 742 still suffers slightly from this, although not near as bad as my 73C9, which also got better over time. Good luck in your decision.

Your experience in not necessarily indicative of these TVs as a whole. I know of six Mitsubishi DLPs (mine, plus five others among friends and family, from 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011) that have no halos or reflections, so it is not a problem with all of the sets. In fact, except for a lens cleaning issue with the 2007 set, there have been no issues whatsoever with any of the sets.

I just purchased from Paul's for $1199.00.

I had about the same requirements you had.

Same here with 3 of my DLP's bought within the last 4 years.

Definitely a very noticeable increase in PQ. I'm very happy with going from the WD-73640 to the WD-82642. Not just size wise but definitely PQ wise.

See I have to disagree on the PQ, I have a 65736 and 73642 - side by side. The difference between the two is almost impossible to see - and I bet if I cleaned the lens on the 65" they would be identical.

As it is, with the same settings on both, on HD (OTA and cable) the 73642 might have been just a touch sharper - almost impossible to see just watching the screen.
On SD the 65736 was slightly sharper.

The 73" is bright, but it is new and the 65" has 1500-2000 hrs. on the lamp.

I didn't compare using bluray, but I already know the 65" pic on bluray is great so I can't see there being much of a difference.

I've read you state that elsewhere and just cannot believe you'd say that.

Well to each their own I guess. How many hours does the 73642 have on it? The PQ should improve quite a bit after 1-200 hours on it. I had my 65736 for about 2 years, and I just could not stand the PQ on it after getting the newer sets.

Curious to see what you think of BR's on the 73642.

The 73642 is new as in maybe an hour or two. If you never cleaned your 65736 I could see why you would say that, the lens gets very dirty and just kills the picture quality.
OR I have a really good 65736

I'm not sure I'll have a chance to, I think I am going to just box it up and keep it for later down the road.

Only question is do I buy an extended warranty now or not, knowing it won't be used for a few years ?????

Mind you I am not complaining, both have great pictures and I'll get more life out of the 65, I still have to use up a couple of years on an extended warranty

I never cleaned the lens on my 65736. But I can recall the picture not being that great even early on compared to my last set the WD73640 and my new set, the WD82642. When I sold the WD65736 I think it had maybe 3000 hours on it. I remember when the guy came over to check it out, I just kept thinking to myself, I sure hope he hasn't seen any of the newer DLP's that are out right now. He saw my WD-73640 in the other room and I was relieved he didn't want to check that out. I was just glad to be able to sell off that WD65736. And for a pretty good price to. It basically paid for my WD73640.

If I did not intend to buy an external box for calibration and scaling I can't imagine buying one of these sets without either Advanced Mode or Perfect Tint, Perfect Color. The factory setting are not all that close.

I'm still wondering exactly what perfect color and perfect tint give you. With my 642, and the advanced calibration features, I can already adjust all six colors independently. It seems like perfect color just gives you an easier way of adjusting each color. I have not seen a screen of what the perfect Tint looks like. But since in the advanced calibration menu I can also adjust the individual colors that make up each of the secondary colors, I'm guessing that should have the same effect as perfect tint. It just wouldn't be laid out as easily as a Perfect tint or perfect color menu would be.

EDIT: yes, I just found a picture of what the perfect tint screen looks like. It looks like that is just an easier way of making the adjustment than using the advanced calibration feature. While it would be nice to have, I don't think it's worth the extra several hundred dollars if you don't need the other features that the 842 offers. Since the advanced calibration settings allow you to adjust the same settings, but not in a simple menu like the Perfect tint and perfect color menus give you.

Perfect Color and Perfect Tint are much easier to use... unless you are trying to use a wide gamut picture mode like Bright which is way oversaturated. You can't bring down the oversaturation. That is unfortunate because blue is undersaturated in Natural and Advanced.