[forrestcook]

Hello, I'm a complete newb when it comes to AV stuff, but I don't want to be. I'm at a point in life where I'm trying to get some nice things and a good home theater is definitely on the list. Here's my current question...


A friend of mine was recently burglarized. He had a PDP 503PU on his wall and the thief took/broke the media box but could not get the panel off of the wall. As a result of this he has a different TV now and has given me the panel and remote etc. (picking it up tomorrow, I think) From what he's telling me it won't work without the media box but he suggested that I could find a replacement part somewhere.


Here's where you come in (hopefully). I've been looking everywhere I know to in an attempt to find a new or used media box to make this TV work. I can't even find the part number that I'm supposed to be looking for. Can you help me out with a part number and/or a place to buy one? I don't think Pioneer is supporting this model anymore, so I doubt they still sell the parts. If the part specific to the PDP503PU isn't available anywhere, is there a media box from a different panel that will still make it work?


Thanks for you time and help.


Forrest

 

[forrestcook]

hopeful bump....

 

[RandyWalters]

Those old Pioneer Media Boxes are very very hard to find - they go bad very often and are extremely expensive to fix so people end up just throwing them away and getting a whole new TV, re-selling the now orphaned panel, and that buyer jumps on the first Media Box he finds on Ebay. And when you do find a working one on Ebay etc they tend to go for $300 - $500 and anybody would be a fool to buy one of these time bombs, especially considering that the 503 series Pioneers are old 2004(?) models and don't even look as good as a 2008 Panasonic PZ85U.


If you have the special proprietary Pioneer cable that connected the Media Box to the Display then you can probably sell that for a lot of money - they're hard to find as well. You might even get a few hundred for the orphaned panel from someone who had theirs broken and they happened to stash their good Media Center away in the garage.


Bottom line - unless you can find the proper Media Box for that particular display for $100-$200 then it's probably not worth persuing. And if you also do not have that special cable, then forget it.

 

[Gx35]



Quote:
Originally Posted by forrestcook /forum/post/18175997


Hello, I'm a complete newb when it comes to AV stuff, but I don't want to be. I'm at a point in life where I'm trying to get some nice things and a good home theater is definitely on the list. Here's my current question...


A friend of mine was recently burglarized. He had a PDP 503PU on his wall and the thief took/broke the media box but could not get the panel off of the wall. As a result of this he has a different TV now and has given me the panel and remote etc. (picking it up tomorrow, I think) From what he's telling me it won't work without the media box but he suggested that I could find a replacement part somewhere.


Here's where you come in (hopefully). I've been looking everywhere I know to in an attempt to find a new or used media box to make this TV work. I can't even find the part number that I'm supposed to be looking for. Can you help me out with a part number and/or a place to buy one? I don't think Pioneer is supporting this model anymore, so I doubt they still sell the parts. If the part specific to the PDP503PU isn't available anywhere, is there a media box from a different panel that will still make it work?


Thanks for you time and help.


Forrest

The TV Model should be the PDP-5030HD.


"PDP-503PU" is the part number of the Panel.


The Media Receiver part number is PDP-R03U.

 

[forrestcook]

Thanks for the help!


I'm picking it up tomorrow, has the remote and cable etc... media box is the only missing part. The only cables the burglar took were for the PS3, everything else was just unplugged and taken.


I'll keep an eye out for one in the price range you suggested, I just can't pass up the opportunity in case I find one that works.

 

[jhart6490]

Now that my PDP-503pu has shut itself off, it will not turn back on. I removed the Okaya Noise Filter on the AC input area and the output is ~8v DC. Does this mean it is not the problem or do I really need a more advanced bench test to confirm the power supply issue?

 

[Kilian.ca]

I have an old 4330 which is of the same generation and as I've said before in old threads you don't really need the media box or the proprietary cable. I substituted (upgraded) it (I still have it) with an external VP (DVDO Edge) and it worked via HDMI-DVI, even though it's not even supposed to be HDCP compliant. It also works if you connect a blu-ray player directly via HDMI-DVI. The other half of the cable and connector (D-terminal) isn't necessary for the panel to work!


No need to keep looking for a replacement media box, an external VP offers a significant upgrade. The panel is only 768p but with the VP it also can display 'PAL' source which the media box refuses to do properly.

 

[forrestcook]

can you explain a little bit more what the VP thing is? Where do I learn more about it?

 

[Kilian.ca]

 DVDO Edge product page

AVS DVDO Edge thread


The proprietary media box is essentially a video switch and processor (VP) and NTSC tuner in one box. The panel is a monitor. There are other VPs but I've only used the Edge.

 

[forrestcook]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kilian.ca /forum/post/18218578

DVDO Edge product page

AVS DVDO Edge thread


The proprietary media box is essentially a video switch and processor (VP) and NTSC tuner in one box. The panel is a monitor. There are other VPs but I've only used the Edge.

Very cool, thanks! I've got a PS3, I think I'll pick up a HDMI-DVI cable and see if that can push video through. If so I can at least put this thing in the office and have a new gaming TV.

 

[jhart6490]

OK, I apologize, I should have done my homework better. I have read enough of the other threads that I understand now the 5 blinking red lights are an indicator of the power supply board failing (part AXX1064), but at $300+ for a re-built one, I am better selling all of the cabling and media box components for parts. Is there a way to test the individual Axx1064 parts? If so, I could solder on a part for a fraction of the cost. Any suggestions?

 

[BlakeThompson]

I've got a media box for the PDP503PU.

 

[RandyWalters]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BlakeThompson /forum/post/18525037


I've got a media box for the PDP503PU.

Congratulations?

 

[BlakeThompson]

Hahaha let me expound. I've got a spare media box if you're still looking for one Forrest.

 

[forrestcook]

PM sent Blake.


I've been stalking eBay and missed out on a few reasonably priced units due to my work schedule. Lately there's been one for 320+20 shipping... That's about 100 more than I want to spend though.

 

[forrestcook]

I tried hooking it up to my ps3 via a monoprice HDMI to DVI cable with no luck. I also tried my PC with the DVI output but couldn't get thatcto work either. The TV turns on, it just won't process the signal.

 

[BlakeThompson]

The display needs the box to alter the signal somehow I'm guessing. I sent you a pm as well.

 

[ofer carr]

i had same problem replace the cap c144 22 uf at 450v solves this problem at power supply

 

[nicekato42]

Hi Killian,


I have a super old 50" pioneer plasma TV that my father-in-law bought for like $14k back when it was the thing to have, unfortunately the media box is broken.


I saw your post about using a DVDO EDGE in place of the box along with a DVI-HDMI cable. Is this the combo you are talking about?


1. DVI (male) to HDML (female) adapter: http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-P130-000-Female-Adapter/dp/B000BTGVUS/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1360109863&sr=8-12&keywords=hdmi+dvi


2. DVDO Edge: http://www.amazon.com/DVDO-High-Definition-Processor-Connectivity-Solution/dp/B001OOZU8I/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360110465&sr=1-1&keywords=DVDO+edge


Thanks in advance for your help!


Cheers,

David

 

[Kilian.ca]

My plasma is PDP-4330HD (same lineage as the 5030HD). HDMI-DVI will also work directly from a player, the DVDO is not strictly necessarily unless you need more than one input. The plasma will display incoming 480p-720p via DVI correctly but not higher. The DVDO I have is the old model, not the current 'Green'.


I tried two adaptors from Monoprice. I didn't buy a HDMI-DVI cable as it's cheaper and more flexible to buy the adaptors.

It's a long time since I had this connected (I've upgraded since) so IIRC:


One is HDMI (F) - DVI-D (F) adaptor, so you still need the HDMI cable and the system cable that comes with the media box.


The other is HDMI (F) - DVI-D (M) adaptor without using the system cable, just HDMI cable.


A HDMI (M) - DVI-D (M) cable should work without using any other cables between player and TV.


The DVI-D (M) connector on the system cable is dual link but single link adaptors work for me.


If your TV model isn't one mentioned above there's no guarantee it'll work but it's worth trying for a few dollars worth of adaptors. Try it directly with a player, if it works then it should work with DVDO. It's possible that other components like newer players, cable box and receivers may not work if these are more picky on HDCP.


Although it worked for me it has limitations, I had to power on the components in specific order and occasionally it will lose connection and get a green screen and I had to power down and up the TV again. Hope it works out for you, I'll be interested to know how it goes.