Path to HDTV - Revisited!

By: Chris Beveridge
Date: Thursday, September 25, 2003

Back in 1999, I wrote a small series of articles entitled the Path to HDTV. At the time, I had spent several months researching and going over all the options as I wanted to get into the HDTV-ready TV market as well as getting away from CRT models. In the summer of 2000, we wheeled in a Toshiba TW40X81 HDTV ready set. A nice 40" rear projection model that served us well, providing a shift away from the direct-view world and bringing us a more film-like experience for the growing DVD collection.



Then in the summer of 2003, the bug bit again. I could feel it. Something told me it was time to start looking again. I tried to resist, but the temptation was too great. Most of the new models displayed at CES back in January would start showing up in August and September, most of the pre-reviews would be in and people would be going over all the final specs and doing initial comparisons. The bug this time around proved to be worse than usual. Due to some considerations at home, namely a three and half year old daughter and an ten month old daughter who was getting her walking under control, it mean my TV was getting touched a heck of a lot more often than normal.



I wanted a plasma.



Ok, I admit it. The coolness factor of being able to hang it on the wall was a factor. I mean, if you're going to spend the money, why not? Not that plasma's are all that expensive as they used to be, which is a common misconception. After Gateway introduced their non-branded models for sale, the prices started dropping quick to compete and there are some amazing deals online. I initially started looking at the new Panasonic TH-42PHD6UY as I wanted to maintain the HDTV ready nature of my Toshiba. Since we have DirecTivo, and the new model is due out next March that will allow us to record two hi-def streams at a time, I wanted to be forward looking. But at about $4200 online, I was looking at next year before I'd do it.




Then I started reading more and more, notably at www.avsforum.com. A lot of opinions coming out in the last year in regards to the majority of models, particularly in comparing the HDTV sets to the growing EDTV sets, is that the visible differences in a 720p playback compared to a 480p playback is minimal. It's all coming down to what you perceive the differences to be now, since the sets are getting better and better and the divergence you got back when HDTV sets first started coming out is being smoothed out. So I started looking at the EDTV models and found that in looking between the two, the difference is indeed minimal. Figuring I'd go even cheaper, I decided that I'd try snagging a TH-42PWD6UY, which is the commercial version of the consumer EDTV model. The main difference is that it doesn't come with a stand or speakers. These are identical to the consumer model otherwise, but they're intended for places like office lobbies or even McDonalds where their menus are done on plasmas. Since I didn't want a stand or need the speakers, and the fact I could get it for $2900.



Much like when I first bought the Toshiba, there's certain things that must be accomplished before a purchase. The first of course is the research. I was pretty pleased with what I'd been reading and researching. The second step is to then convince my wife. In this regard, I am most blessed. While she'll listen to the basic reasons for wanting to change and nod at some of the technical sides of it, she leaves it to me to figure out what I want. What I have to do is to gain her approval on the impact on the room. When we bought the Toshiba, the main issue we had was finding a good component cabinet for all the gear since the Toshiba stands on its own and we couldn't use the one we had. So we had to find something new. So using the www.avsforum.com site again, I took advantage of one of the more useful threads where people show off their setups, which allows you to see how people display their plasmas. While I was intending to hang mine, I still needed someplace new to put the components as what I have now wouldn't work anymore.



After seeing a variety of setups, and a number of them with very nice but far too high-priced Italian made furniture, I ended up discovering a place just a few towns away from me called www.framinghamwarehouse.com. Their site is a display/catalog only and they only sell in-store (no phone orders either). That sucked for a lot of other people, but proved to be optimal for us. Taking the family down, we went through all their showrooms and finally found what would work best based on our layout, odd sized room and component needs. Looking in theirVestergaard section, we came across an eight bay low bookcase that would be ideal. We'd have a top level display area and have every component in its own shelf. Things had gotten a bit tight in our existing setup, so the chance to expand was welcome.



The picture to the left here is an image we came across from someone else's setup where they had their plasma on a stand. Through the Framingham Warehouse Outlet, you're able to customize the item some. With the eight bays, and realizing we have poking-prodding children, we decided to get the two wooden doors, one for each end and then put glass doors on the two center ones. The cabinet itself doesn't have the holes pre-drilled; when they deliver the cabinet, they actually drill and install the doors right then and there. So we'll be rewiring and setting everything up new in the cabinet. Xbox and Gamecube in the right, PS2 and DVD storage on the left. In the left center will be the DVD Player and the receiver below it while the center right will have the DirecTivo on the top and the DVD Recorder on the bottom. Speakers at the sides and we're good to go.



So with the approval of the cabinet and the basic approval of a new set, I figured it was time to go take a look at these plasma sets in person. This is the part I usually dread to some extent, depending on the sales person who comes to help me. Add in the fact that you're trying to determine visual quality based on a faked hi-def feed that's split between an average of forty odd TVs and that most of the TVs really aren't calibrated properly if at all. It's just not a fun thing to do.



So on the way home from work, I stop by the Best Buy in Nashua to check it out. Bah, none in stock. So I poke around at the others (the Pioneer 50" is gorgeous looking here) and decide that I'll have to find someplace else to see one in person. Heading out of the TV section, I notice something strange. A Panasonic 50" set for the same price as the commercial model plasma I'm looking at. Looking closer at it, I realize it's an LCD HDTV set. Having not read much about them, I spent some time looking at this set, reading its features and checking out the physical aspect of the unit. Deciding that it can't hurt to read up on it, I snag the model number (Panasonic PT-50LC13) and head home. Next thing I know, I've immersed myself in a 90 minute crash course of reviews, opinions and comments on this particular model, which was just recently released. Comments are very favorable, lots of people have been getting them and giving it excellent reviews (outside of the contingent that don't like LCD monitors). The general feeling I get is much the same as when I bought the Toshiba set - that was a surprisingly affordable model that had a lot of features and hit the sweet spot for a lot of people looking to get into HDTV-ready sets at that time. I'm highly intrigued once I make that mental connection.







So in finishing up my crash course on the set itself, my wife comes home and she realizes I want to go shopping again. We head out to the local Circuit City so that I can get another look at this Panasonic 50" set. I rattle off my discoveries at the Best Buy and some of what I read in the research I did. Since I wanted her to see the plasma's anyway, being able to get a second opinion on the aesthetics of both sets as well as the actual visual quality since she watches plenty of shows with me, it worked out nicely. With both kids with us, TV shopping became an interesting experience. Doing some basic eyeball comparisons, we ended up really liking how the LCD set looked, noting some differences but finding the overall package value to be much greater, since we're definitely going to be enjoying some HD content early next year. Add in that the 720p is a feature and I was drooling over the possibilities of playing Soul Caliber 2 and some other 720p Xbox games. So we took note of it all and headed back home.



Side note: The sales rep at Circuit City was great. When I was explaining to my wife the differences between the HD and ED Plasma sets he came over to offer some help, but heard me going on about the sets and noted that I knew what I was talking about (or faked it well enough) that he simply said to wave to him if we needed any help. That's my kind of sales rep.



Back home, I decided to do some price searching to see what I could find out for online deals. Back at the trusty www.avsforum.com, I was able to find that some people had managed some solid price match deals. Even better, someone had scanned and uploaded a copy of their Sears receipt from my state where they got $500 off the set. Feeling the "rightness" of it, I decided to print it off and informed my wife I was going back to Circuit City to negotiate. She laughs since she knows me so well. Back at Circuit City, I ended up dealing with a different sales rep and give him my spiel (since I'm figuring I'd fall back on the commercial plasma, I tell him as much). Saying that I'd simply like to deal, I give him the receipt and go from there. After dealing with two managers, we finally get approval on the price match and all is happy. It's not in stock, but should be within two weeks. So I'm happy, plans are in motion and things are happening.



So with all the time to wait, I go back and do more research on the unit. One of the folks who had gotten theirs recently was kind enough to post a shot of the back inputs. One of the big attractions of this unit for me is the four component inputs in it, as well as the digital and RGB inputs. The Toshiba set only had two component inputs and I never picked up a switcher, since I always had problems with signal quality loss using them on other modes. With four here, it's quite good since I'll be able to get the DVD player set up as well as all three game consoles. We'll sacrifice the PS2 when the DirecTivo comes out, depending on what kind of outputs that has that may work better instead.



So after a week of reading more and more, visiting various "high end" gaming forums that focus on the more technical side of the systems (something I think far too many game companies overlook), I'm excited to no end. I can't wait. Every couple of hours I check the availability section on the Circuit City site to see if any more have come in stock. They said two weeks, but damn it, I'm like a kid just before Christmas. The only place that lists them in stock in the entire MA/NH area is the Holyoke store, which is like 75 miles away and wouldn't deliver. So I wait patiently.



Well, not really. Melanie laughs at me nearly nightly as I wait. Finally, I break down and call the Circuit City stores. It's still in stock there in Holyoke. They have one. The local store still has no clue when it'll arrive, though they have two on order now (so I wasn't the only one waiting). I find out that I can go out to Holyoke, cancel the existing order and get it there instead, complete with price match (and save $40 taking off the delivery charge to boot). I snap and decide to do it. My  wife laughs. My mother laughs. I'm pegged. So when Melanie gets home, I toss down the seats in the van, grab the comforter off our bed for added protection and head off to the highway for the 90 minute drive to get there. On the way out the door, Amethyst asks Melanie, "Is daddy going to get the TV we can hang on the wall?" Ah, she is SO my child.



To prove how simply geeky/goofy I am, once I got it into the van and underway on the trip home, I "talked" to it. Telling it all the fun shows it's going to see. Hell, I even named it Misa!



So at 8:30 at night, getting back home after both girls had gone to sleep, we started to get things worked on:







This was taken the next morning, but this is the box it came in. These things have gotten much better designed over the years, allowing for no cutting of the box itself. Once the straps are snipped off, the bulk of the box simply slides up and over the unit, allowing for a single person to do it (though two still works better).







Proving again how lucky I am, Melanie had taken the time to get the temporary cedar chest to use as a base for it as that cabinet isn't due in for a few days. It worked well so I had some place to put the set without having to move the Toshiba out of the way before I had a chance to test the power and make sure there were no immediate horrible effects.







Once pleased with the initial power up and letting it run for a bit, we took the time to disconnect the Toshiba and slide it out of its home, leaving a gaping hole similar to our original Path to HDTV article series did.







The changing of the guard, so to speak.







Sliding over the cedar chest and then placing the TV up, we get it into its temporary home until the new cabinet comes in. The component rack on the left will go away next week after all the gear transfers over, so the TV itself will be more centered on that wall but still to the right a bit. Conveniently, the shelf above the TV there will be able to hold the center channel - but poor Sakura and Hitomi will have to move.







Since we had been watching Deep Space 9 on DVD the night before, it became our first test DVD. My jaw dropped with the sheer amount of new detail I was seeing in the opening sequence alone - and that was with zero calibration/out of the box settings other than the brightness going off of torch mode. Even more impressive was the fact that Melanie saw a significant difference as well, something she normally doesn't when I comment on disc quality and other issues. She would rather not know and just enjoy the show unless it's horribly blatant.



We did check out some other discs at the time as well. RahXephon proved the calibration is indeed required since the colors didn't maintain a completely smooth feel. The Sakura Wars movie, complete in anamorphic glory, was simply stunning in every respect. To top it off, we went for the Duel of the Fates sequence on Star Wars: Phantom Menace, to check out a 2.35:1 real film movie. That particular showing indicated we have zero reason to ever set foot in a movie theater again. After that, it was tweaking things slightly for broadcast via DirecTivo, but not much as that's still (sob) connected via a coax cable. Once it's got an S-Video connection, it'll get worked on better.







One of the more enjoyable aspects of the set came the next morning as the girls came downstairs to be surprised by the new set. Amethyst is all giddy wanting to see what's there. When she runs into the room and onto the couch, she just starts bouncing up and down looking at it, almost acting shy and laughing. "It's so big!" became her phrase of the day. We put on her favorite show, Connie the Cow, and put Miria in her playpen to watch as well while we got ready to go out.



  



The left shot is a look at Connie the night before (not the best image to use really based on how its created) in a darkened room at night. The right image is a morning daytime shot of the same room, different angle.



With the set firmly in place now, it's just a matter of letting it settle in and warm up before doing more calibrations on it and tweaking the settings. For Christmas I'm going to try and get it ISF calibrated as well so that I can be sure I'm at least close in the settings. Initial impressions of this set are very good, once you get beyond the "my god its huge" moment. It certainly didn't look that big in the store. We played a little Soul Caliber in 720p last night and were blown away by the opening sequence, allowing us to become quick converts to the praise of 720p. We're quite excited about the set and are looking forward to seeing how it changes our perception of the shows we watch. Presentation is very much key when it comes to watching films and TV shows and this one is going to be another adjustment. We'll definitely be following up this article later on with more impressions.



As promised, some final pics of the completed setup. The only aspect that needs to be reworked really is the center channel speaker, which we found our wire was a bit too short to get it onto the shelf, so it's just offset at the moment for the picture itself. Barring that, the only real issue we had was in dealing with the DVD Recorder and the receiver. While both fit fine initially, once they got their cabling attached, both proved to stick out just far enough so that the glass doors will not shut. So that's going to be problematic.



The changeout time took longer than expected. After the TV base was delivered, it was quick to disconnect things in the original component rack and get them somewhat sorted. Since I had bought a number of new cables and was rewiring things (such as DirecTV going digital and s-video as opposed to pure RCA connections), I opted to deal with each piece separately. After emptying the room, we brought in the new base unit only to find out that it had a solid back and zero slack space at the back to slide wires around. So out comes the drill and we made appropriate sized holes in the corners of each section. That added considerable time. But after all was said and done....



The total swapout and rebuild time took about four hours to do. Each component went into its new bay and got its cabling prepped. Once all seven bays were filled, we moved it to its new home but out a bit and placed the TV on top of it. The easiest part was hooking it all up to the TV since we used up all four component pieces direct from the gear. After that, it was a quick few minutes to ensure each piece worked properly and was getting video. DirecTV was a huge different in going from RCA to s-video for this set. The next thing is to start researching some smaller speakers that can sit on each end. Since the base goes across part of the doorway (which leads to the laundry, which my wife had no issue with), getting something smaller that can sit on the base unit itself will definitely help. This room looks so much more open and inviting now without the dark components in the corner as I had it before. I love my Toshiba set and it got me through three years of great shows. This Panasonic looks set to do the same for the next three!