[KenLand]

First of all, I'm not sure if shopping around helps. Since none of the higher end shops here in Houston calibrate their displays it's close to futile to base decisions on displayed units.


That said, I watched a Pio Pro-1000 displaying HDNet for quite some time and it bettered any other display I've ever seen. Everything was not just highres but the thought of thats a nice dsiplay never crosses your mind. What goes through your mind is thats really a sheet or a turbine or a person or whatever. It's like your watching the original and not a copy. I've got to get me some of that!


What else did I see there? Well the 42" Sony plasma was nothing to get excited abount. The Sony GW however was exceptional save for the blacks that we (an agreeable salesman) could not get right. (at one store however the Sony GW had ok blacks on a DVD source - not sure)


Anyway, one thing is for sure the 43" Pio *seems* huge in comparison to the the 42"'s around it. (maybe an optical illusion due to the side speakers?)


The 50" Fujitsu looked great, and the fan was almost silent. I had to put my head right up to it to hear the fan. Another 42" fujitutsu in the same store was wailing however. This 50" Fujitsu while on HD did not, I repeat did not look as realistic as the Pro-1000. The colors on the Pio are real real real! Not a copy, the real thing! No red push, no greenies, no nothing but texture revealing resolution with perfect color rendition.


Now the Fujitsu may do as well if calibrated, but the Pro-1000 definitely bested it out of the box. Anything more realistic would be "too" realistic.


If the 503CMX really is the same display, then my current thinking concludes it as the best value in plasmas.


Oh, BTW, I had them switch over to SD Direct TV and SD OTA and the colors on the pio were still better. There was one OTA channel that looked better on the Fujitsu. Not sure what was going on there but the Pio's colors were overdone on that one channel only.


Again, if the Fujitsu were calibrated maybe it would be the winner. Who knows?


I've seen a few other posts here state that the Pio colors are more realistic than the Fujitsu - even ones that prefered the Fujitsu overall. You need to see both for yourself as the more realistic colors on the Pio won me over by a comfortable margin.


The $13000 prices though make me want to take my chances with mail order. You could almost buy two for the local B&M price. Admittedly I did not ask for a better price.


There you have it.


Ken

 

[dowlingm]

What store did you visit in Houston? Were the sales people knowledgable about inputs, video cards, etc?


Thanks

 

[joys_R_us]

Hi Ken,


how did you like the PQ of the Pio 43 ? Apart it looking much bigger than others...


Appreciate your comments.


Thanks


Kemal

 

[KenLand]

It was the Home Theater Store and the Tweeters both on Westheimer.


HTS is a friendly no hassle place that will let you spend hours and hours in without pressure. I've had very knowledgeable salesmen in the past but the one I got this time was just ok.


He had a bit of attitude like "These are the most expensive monitors available, why ask questions?". Perhaps that's about the only reason someone would pay retail is if it was a status purchase?


The Tweeters was actually pretty nice. The guys were young, enthusiastic and at least the one I spent some time with was very knowledgeable. The signals to all the sets were well done without noise etc. Much better than the Tweeters by my home in Sugar Land.


Ken

 

[dowlingm]

Thanks,

we have a Tweeters in the woodlands but last time I was there they only had 42" not 50". I am basically in the same boat as you as far as choices. I just stay confused basically because of all the information on this board. Seems when I get one issued resolved in my mind then someone comes up with another. Its great to have this type discovery available to the novice consumer however.


Thanks again

 

[KenLand]

Kemal, the picture quality on the 43" looked great considering the material was a rather poor homemade DVD. (Some training DVD for the salesmen) Easy to tell what was the panel and what was the source.


I did not spend too much time with it, but liked what I saw and was amazed at how big it "felt". The media box is attractive.


If its got the same pixel technology as the new Pio 50's and you're considering any 42" then I'd say go with the Pio 43. One thing is clear the blacks are fine. If a Panny were right next to it I'm sure we'd all agree the blacks are blacker but the color rendition and resolution of the Pio give it my humble nod. (don't everybody rush out and buy one at once )



Ken

 

[Gaucho100K]

If I understand you correctly, you are saying the 42" Fujistsu was noisy. Did you observe this in all modes or was this only on certain settings that the display turned noisy? Thanks.

 

[KenLand]

Don't know. I just noted that it was a 42" fujitsu and that the fan was loud. I *think* it was displaying the same OTA HD loop as most other displays in the store. (local PBS loop)


I didn't really pay much attention except for the fan.


Ken

 

[Jim Boden]

Ken:


I agree with your observations. I've seen the Pioneer Pro 1000 and Fujitsu 5002, both showing high definition in the same store with the same source material. I also preferred the Pioneer.


I've since bought a 503CMX. One thing you'll never hear is fan noise, because they never run. HD on the 503 is awesome. For SD, I'm using an NRS, with mixed results. The NRS doesn't run at the proper refresh rate for the 503 and causes jerky pictures and horizontal tearing during camera pans.


I've spent a fair amount of time using the 503 without the NRS and actually think its deinterlacer/scaler aren't really as bad as some people on this forum have portrayed it. The NRS still provides the most detailed picture, though, which is to be expected.