[Free]

I just got my Pioneer 503CMX.


First the two most important questions. I haven't had much of a chance to examine the picture quality.


1. Yes it comes with Feet!!


2. Yes it has 3:2 Pulldown although it may only be because I installed the 5002 card.


I am trying to calibrate it and will give more impressions but I am having problems hooking my DVD to it. I am getting a green tinted screen. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Any suggestions??

 

[doody]

that must be because you haven't let your digital audio cables burn-in enough ;-)


seriously though, i don't have a clue.


but CONGRATS!


fwiw, i haven't yet been able to get a good svideo feed from the PRO1000HD, but i think that's my fault - it's my homework for tonight.


QUESTION: i am trying to find the rs232 control codes for the PRO1000. nobody has a freakin' clue. does the 503 ship with a tech manual? they have the 502 tech manual online and it has a full section on rs232, so i assume that's what i need.


enjoy!


doody.

 

[Brucer]

Free (Phil) -


Alright!!! Glad to here about feet and 3:2 pulldown. Don't have a clue on green screen.


I got word that Dell Shipped today a 503cmx and video card for my client. How was yours shipped and how well was it packaged? Was it drop shipped from Electrograph on west coast?


Looking forward to your report. Did you also get your projector?


Regards, Bruce

 

[Free]

Brucer, The Plasma came very well packaged in a box within a box. The card came seperate and was very easy to install. It was shipped consolidated air freight from my dealer.


Doody, I dont have the tech manual, sorry


As for the green tint, I think it has something to do with the RGB connection. I hooked up my DVD through an Iscan and ran RGB into the set which worked perfectly. I need to fiddle with it some more to make sure it will actually accept a component signal!


No projector yet, they are very late but it gives me more time to play with the plasma

 

[jlm]

re. green screen:


you didn't indicate your input choices. if using PbPrG component or rgb, check to make sure all the BNC connectors are on correctly and not loose. If you have a bad cable, you can find that by moving it from red to green, for example and see what happens. also make sure you try the various plas settings for the input: component 1, component 2 or rgb. then try using a different input to the plas, i think the pioneer will accept component through two different inputs; finally try HD via the vga and see if that is ok.


if you post back, indicate how you have the signals hooked up. good luck.

 

[Free]

I figured it out! After hooking up component there is a place in the menu to switch from RGB to Component

 

[Free]

Ok, after fiddling with it for a while here are my thoughts:

Note: I have the Panny 42" so that is my closest comparison.


1. Brightness: Unrivaled in anything I have seen.


2. Viewing angle: Perfect.


3. Color: Dead on With Avia at factory settings: Perfect


4. Black Level: Not quite as good as Panny but shadow detail is significantly better. I watched Dark City and it was the first time I have been content to watch it in the day time with any display.


5. Fan Noise: Virtually Non Existant: If you put your head right next to the display it sounds a bit like those air purifiers that use an ionizer but you really have to strain to hear it.


6.Screen Glare/ Reflectivity: This is the only area I am a bit dissapointed. It is slightly better than my Panny but it still is a highly reflective screen. I guess this is just something I am going to have to put up with.


I calibrated the set with Avia but all I really had to do is turn the Sharpness down and the noise reduction off. Everything else was perfect.


I am really astonished how well a composite signal from my VCR as a tuner looks through this set. It is clean and sharp. DVD is phenomenal and I have only hooked up my Panasonic RV80 to check out interlaced performance. It does not appear to really need prog scan at all!!


Well those are my initial impressions. I will try to answer any other questions anyone has.


Overall a big

 

[Free]

Double Post, Not my fault

 

[Alexander]

Thanks Phil, you made my day.


How's s-video through the Iscan versus s-video through the built-in card? (i.e. do I need to consider purchasing an Iscan, or is the built-in deinterlacer just as good?)


I heard that the Fujitsu 5002 also has a highly relflective screen, but is easily bright enough to overpower any reflections. I assume that this is the same with the 503CMX, and it's just the disappointment at knowing that there's a reflection in there somewhere?


Alex

 

[Free]

I think that this display is the brightest available. If you check Peter Putnam's review he measured the Pioneer as the brightest by far and it sure looks like it.


As for the Iscan, I don't think you need it and I am not a big fan of it at all. I have an Iscan Pro and it is very finicky and IMO does not give a superior picture. I think the built in deinterlacer in this set is quite good.

 

[Free]

By the way, for those of you who have ordered this set, don't have a heart attack when the box arrives. Mine said 502mx on it and I almost refused it until I saw a piece of paper taped to one side that said 503CMX.


Gave me a little scare

 

[Free]

Just an observation: It seems that the Pure Cinema 3:2 pulldown is done in the optional 5002 card. There is no mention of it in the main owners manual and the card comes with its own owners manual. I didn't try the set without the card so I cant be 100% sure that this is the case but I don't want to remove the card to see if it goes away.


So the bottom line on this feature is that if you want it, you better get the optional card

 

[Free]

I just wanted to add some information for those of you who are worried about radiation and IR interference.


First the Radiation

There was a post a few weeks back that was concerned about radiation from comercial versions of plasma's. Last night I tested for both electromagnetic and UltraViolet radiation. I found that the electromagnetic radiation dropped off to zero about 4 feet from the set (I cant imagine anyone sitting closer to this than that). I also have a pocket UV meter for measuring sun exposure and I pressed it up against the plasma screen glass and measured nothing at all.


As far as infrared interference I have used the remotes for several devices, DVD, VCR, Reciever, etc. and have noticed no interference at all!

 

[Brucer]

Free (Phil)-


According to this link:

www.pioneer.co.jp/press/release84.html




"When mounted in the PDP-503CMX, this card enables smooth reproduction of moving pictures under 8X density NTSC Progressive Scan"...


This ties with the description of 'Pure Cinema' given under the PDP-502MX / PDP-505HD texts in the US web site, Description of Pure Cinema 3:2 pulldown. (2x --> 4x = 8x)


-Which I thought all along but who am I to question others that posted things to the contray when they quote Pioneer sources. Pioneer seems to not use the same labels/language between the Industrial vs. Consumer , at least with respect to this issue. Another label is 'True Matrix Imaging' that is used in 503CMX description but not in Pro-1000, If I remember right.


Maybe someone else can verify. Also I have not found if there is a difference in 'Pure Cinema' vs. 'Pure Cinema II' label associated with the Pro-1000HD.


Regards, Bruce

 

[Alexander]

Does the card also enable 3:2 pulldown on the component inputs, even though they're not on the card?


I saw the PRO1000 yesterday; overall, I was pretty pleased. I didn't take objection to the screen reflectivity, but I did see it in a relatively low-light setup. On a possibly related note, I wasn't particularly pleased with the black level, but it wasn't a problem when viewing a widescreen image, only when there were large patches of black on the sides. It probably was running a little on the bright side, so I suppose it might be tweakable. (It was also near a Panny 42, and they were running the same demo loop. I was surprised to notice that the Panny was only slightly better. Maybe I need to lower my black level expectations.)


I also know those that rave about HD on the Panny 42 are full of it. It IS a very nice image, but the detail is nowhere near that of a higher-res panel. Also, you could easily see pixels from a few feet away, whereas on the PRO1000 you had to get really close before you could notice them. I actually kind of like seeing pixels, but not when they're so big as to point out that I'm losing considerable detail.


Brucer, I did get an order number from Dell yesterday with no trouble, and they show my estimated ship date as 10/24. Not bad.


Less success on getting an OTA HD signal...blah. Antennas suck.


Alex

 

[doody]

free - i've got a question re: the color temp settings that maybe you can toss your experience/opinions/manual against.


the color temp settings on the PRO1000HD are LOW, MID LOW, MIDDLE, MID HIGH, HIGH.


is it the same on the 503CMX? does your manual explain what the actual color temp equivalents are numerically? it looks like the default is MIDDLE.


is that the 6500K equivalent? what are the other settings?


any info?


doody.


PS/FYI - the manual for the PRO1000HD leaves a LOT to be desired. my dealer is working on getting the tech manuals.

 

[PF]

Free,


Your report is indeed very good news about the 503.


I need your opinion. Do you think the feet the 503 comes with give it sufficient stability? The very last thing one would want would be for the thing to tip over as a guest looked behind it to see just how thin it is!


The problem with the optional table stand is that while its oval shape is attractive, it's pricey as plasma table stands go.

 

[Free]

Alex,

Yes I believe that the card enables 3:2 Pulldown on the Component inputs even though they are not on the card. When selecting that input and adjusting picture settings, the option to select the Pure Cinema mode is available.


Doody,

The color temperature settings are as you indicated the same as the Pro1000. My impression just by eyeballing it is that middle is 6500K although I don't have any equipment to verify that.


PF,

The Feet are a bit tippy. I dont have them cinched down very tight so I am not sure if they can be better but the set itself rocks back and forth within the feet a bit. It seems like the feet themselves are wide enough to provide stability. I need to get a hex wrench and tighten them up a bit and then I will let you know.

 

[Free]

Well, I tightened up the hex bolt that holds the feet on and it is still a bit tippy. I think the problem is that the bolt comes in from the back instead of the bottom so the display can rock a bit in the feet. It is not too bad though and I don't think it poses a serious problem. I really like the minimalist look of the feet also.


Guy's I have been watching HDNET all afternoon and I just can't take my eyes off of this picture. Was watching womens volleyball and the picture is absolutely stunning

 

[Free]

Oops I think I found a PROBLEM


Watching HDNET via DTC-100 using the RGB input the set LOCKS INTO FULL!! You would think Pioneer would have this figured out by now


It also chops off the left and right of the HDNET picture. I haven't been watching HDNET much so I don't know if this is normal? Does anyone notice the right and left side of the picture chopped off when viewing HDNET?


Pro1000 guy's have you noticed the lock into full problem?


BTW the progressive component signal does not lock into full. I am able to choose all picture aspect ratio settings