[mattg3]

Just saw a pioneer pdp433hd in tweeter running a high def ces show.It was next to a panny sd 42 running the same program and I could see a real difference.The pioneer even a few feet from the unit was clean with no pixels showing but the panny was duller and i could see more pixels than the pioneer.I realixe the pdp4330 has a tuner and speakers and tweeter wanted 10 grand for it but the 433cmx without tuner and speakers is much cheaper but is it the same specs and picture quality as the pdp4330hd I saw? thanks matt

 

[DonBerg]

Actually the 433CMX with a 5002 video card is considered higher picture quality than the 4330HD with the external media box. The 5002's scaling and de-interlacing electronics is considered superior than the Sharp-made media box. So the 433CMX is both cheaper and higher quality! The 433CMx also has more upgrade possiblities due to its card slot, since many new cards are going to come out next year to add tuners, DVI/HDCP, even better scalers, etc. The 4330HD is not upgradeable at all.

 

[mattg3]

Thanks for the eye opener.My biggest point of confusion is not seeing the highly rated panny beat out the pioneer 4330 picture and I was standing with another forum member who also found the pioneer a better picture

 

[DonBerg]

Not everyone rates the Panasonic as a slam dunk winner in all points over the Pioneer. Don't go buy one or two online reviews. The Panasonic has some strong points and the Pioneer has other strong points, there is no clear winner. With the recent price drops on Pioneer's they are certainly more of a bargain than the Panasonics. Most compare the 852x480 Panasonic vs the 1024x768 Pioneer, instead of the HD models from both manufacturers. The Panasonic's only have one compoent video input and are not upgreadeable, so you usually have to add other switching boxes to get more inputs. The Pioneer has a lot more inputs and is upgradeable.

 

[mattg3]

Thanks don.Im a little confused on what cables I need to connect my dvd player to the 433cmx.I now use the component with rca plugs but I didnt see an input for the three component rca plugs on either the supplied 5002 card or the more advanced tv1000 card.With the 5002 card I assume I need to use my vcr as a tuner and what would be the best way to hitch this into the unit.As you can see as a novice to all this the pdp 4330hd does present me with a simple all in one connection but like everyone else on the forum its about getting the best damn picture we can for the best deal possible Matt

 

[DonBerg]

The component video input connectors are on the Pioneer panel itself, not on the cards - they access the panel connectors. The Pioneers provide two video inputs that can be configured in the setup menu for either RGB or Y-Pr-PB (component) format. One uses a VGA/DB15 connector and the other input uses BNC connectors. You can get RCA-BNC adaptors (you need 3) from Radio Shack and other electronics stores for a few dollars - you then use a regular RCA component video cable. For more money, you can buy a special cable with RCA at one end and BNC at the other end too. Computer stores also carry VGA to BNC breakout cables to use the VGA input. A composite (single BNC) connector can be connected to a VCR as a tuner, again you may need one RCA to BNC adaptor for that.

 

[jhersco]

Does the 433 cmx with a Pio 5002 offer 3:2 pulldown and/or upconversion of SD signals to 720 or 768p? The Tweeter salespeople claim that the 4330 with media receiver does.


Also, if one already has a cable box delivering stahndard and HD signals, is there any reason to choose the more expensive Aurora TVP 1000 over the Pio 5002?

 

[turt]

Quote:

Does the 433 cmx with a Pio 5002 offer 3:2 pulldown and/or upconversion of SD signals to 720 or 768p?

Yes.

Quote:

Also, if one already has a cable box delivering stahndard and HD signals, is there any reason to choose the more expensive Aurora TVP 1000 over the Pio 5002?

For most people, no.


This thread discusses the details:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...urora+AND+1000

 

[mattg3]

Thanks again Don.One more thing I need cleared up.Does the 433cmx have terminals that I can connect a pair of speakers so I dont have to fire up my surround system to hear the news etc.or do I have to buy their overpriced speakers for the unit in order to get speakers? I also would like to know if the 433 ships with those little feet the 503 comes with or do I need to buy the stand. Thanks this thread has been a great help Matt

 

[Dave T]

Hey, Matt. That was me at Tweeter yesterday. It was nice meeting you. I thought you'd probably post about what we saw.


Regarding the Pioneer vs. the Panny: I talked to a high-end installer friend of mine about it. He has a great eye for video - he's one of those guys who can see a "night and day" difference between displays x and y, when most people don't see any difference at all. He thinks the Panny does have a better picture than the Pioneer, but does like the Pioneer, too. Anyway, he was sure that Tweeter must not have set the Panny up correctly. It's pretty obvious it wasn't - the picture on the Pio was so obviously better. My friend actually said that places are often trying to push a certain model on people, and they will intentionally set up the comparison models worse, just to make the one they want to sell look better. Of course, we don't know that Tweeter was doing that, but it is obvious the Panny wasn't set up right...


- Dave

 

[mattg3]

Hey dave I just got back from tweeter in saugus and saw just the opposite of yesterday.the pioneer in a sunny spot washing out the screen which was set very low and the panny in a dark room and the picture was amazing.It was a high def feed of course and yet I did see some pixilization close to the panny that I did not see on the pioneer close to even with its poor tuned picture.I guess this has to do with thw pioneer being a high def higher resolution unit.Im going to go with the pdp 433cmx rather than the 4330 because of the upgradable video card and the higher resolution of the unit.I feel this will make it more valuable in the future.The set comes with no speakers ,tuner or stand so Im trying to weigh it all out .Im presently trying to find if the cmx has terminals For small speakers for when I dont want to fire up the surroundsIwish i could say this is my final choice since this is all like a roller coaster ride and i did just see the new sony ke-42ts2 in best buy which is a head turner.Maybe the process is more fun than the product? thanks for you input and if I can help you at all let me know Matt

 

[DonBerg]

Download the PDF brochure on the 433CMX here, it should answer all your questions, it does show two 2W speaker outputs on the panel:
http://www.plasmainfo.net/PDP-433CMX.pdf


This place has a special this month, where they throw in the 5002 video card for free with the purchase of a Pioneer plasma:
http://www.plasmaextreme.us/pdp433cmx.htm

 

[mattg3]

You keep coming up with the goods Don--thanks a million Matt