BEST REAR PROJECTION HDTV??

i can get the pioneer elite pro 520 for $4k + $400 shipping. that's pretty good considering local retailer is asking $5400 but down to $4860 at best offer. after tax and delivery this is about $5200. i save $800 by going with the guy on audiogon. seems good, but does anyone know the difference between the 520 and 510? does anyone think it's worth it for the extra $$ to go pioneer elite vs mitsubishi? i've heard the pioneer has a much better line doubler when compared to the mits. any thoughts? baz

I did a side by side comparison with the mits diamond and the pioneer elite 520 today. i must say, the mits picture looked brighter with better color, but the pioneer seemed to handle NTSC better, and the stretched look seemed better (more real) with the pioneer. the mits looked squished. although the pioneer didn't seem as bright, it was much smoother, and a more film like appearance. nevertheless, the color detail and brightness disappointed me. these were both new out of the box and same exact signal at same time (courtesy of the store i was in). any ideas why this big difference? couldn't really decide which one to like. also, the mits fits a 55" screen into a smaller chassis than the pioneer's 53" screen. also, the store agreed to match my internet quote of $4400 shipped. they want 349 for two additional years of service (over pioneers basic 2) and will calibrate twice per year included in the charge (as well as clean and convergence adjustments). all comments appreciated!!

hi-
actually, both tvs were directly side by side, with the same ntsc signal from satellite and the same hd channel when set that way. each was placed to factory default settings as well.

as far as the issue of size, the mits was not as wide as the pioneer, but had a 55" screen. the pioneer is only 53". the difference is in the side of the tv, where the mits only has about 1cm of space on each side (left and right) while the pioneer has more like one inch...

guess i'll stick with the 520...

hi newbie... hehe...
there's a guy on audiogon who sells the elite pro 20 series for really good prices. the 53" one was about $4400 delivered. i think his handle is 'micshin' or something like that. check the home theater - video for sale ads or do a search for pioneer elite from the home page. i know it sounds strange, but sound advice (a local high end dealer) actually OFFERED to match that price, which I couldn't believe.

There are advantages to ordering from a local dealer. First, you can trust them a bit more and have someone to go to in case of problems (which in my case there usually are!). Also, I have never gotten a service plan before, but for this kind of TV, I'm getting it. It's about $400 for 5 years, and it includes three cleanings/adjustments annually. Also, any issues, the local dealer comes to my house and fixes it themselves (no 3rd party warranty company). Those cleanings/adjustments are necessary at least annually on these TVs and can cost $80-$120 per visit otherwise. Yes, you can do it yourself, but I'd rather not fuss with something like that on my own, plus you void the pioneer warranty (2 yrs) if you go in on your own.

Next, I was a bit nervous to have a TV like that shipped to me. All that bouncing around and stuff. Plus, what do you do if something goes wrong and it needs to be fixed? Are you going to pack up a 400-500 pound TV and have it shipped for repair? That would prove troublesome at best I think.

With the economy the way it is an high-end audio/video retailers possibly feeling a pinch, I'd see what you could get the TV locally for. Even if it's a couple hundred bucks more than shipping, I think it's clearly worth it to get it locally. Anyway, good luck, sorry for babbling for so long!

Baz