Pioneer versus Elite HD RPTVs

First of all, be wary of comparing RPTVs in a showroom - they are almost never calibrated properly and there is often too much ambient light.

That said, there are major differences between the Pioneer standard line and the Elite sets. The Elite sets have a very good de-interlacer (just like in progressive scan DVD players), liquid cooled lenses for better focus and detail, and a 6500 degree preset color temperature option. The biggest difference is the dot pitch of the screen, which is 0.52mm, which is the smallest dot pitch for a RPTV in the industry. This is what gives the Elite sets a CRT-like appearance, and you can move closer to the screen than with other sets and not see the screen structure. This is a very expensive feature and is one reason for the high cost of the Elite sets. You can buy this type of screen as an after-market piece for most RPTVs, but the cost is around $1500 to $2000, depending on screen size. Feel free to email me if you need more info.

I own the Elite (the smallest, 53 incher) and after watching DVDs on a friend's regular pioneer HD RPTV (same size) here are my impressions:

1. When converting an ordinary TV-size picture (Tina Turner DVD) to widescreen, digitzation artifacts were noticable (usually groups of about 4-6 inches in diameter of rectangles of about 1/2 inch in size). I presume that the hardware on the Elite can better keep up with the conversion of one format to another. On the Elite, there were some jaggies along the edges of objects, but very small (1/8 inch?) and only slightly disturbing.

2. The depth/purity of the colors, which is what sets the Pioneers apart, is somewhat better on the Elite.

3. Can't comment on the sound, as we both run the sound through HT systems.

My overall impression was that I was glad I have my Elite, but that the regular version would be 'OK' if one could get it for a great price.

The enjoyment factor of the Pioneer Elite is unmatched in RPTVs IMHO, but be aware there is a background of 'snow' that is everpresent, diminishing only somewhat with use of a PS Audio P600 power conditioner.