I can't believe I did this.......

[cobrabitn]

Well, I just got back from Tweeter and bought a new wide screen projection TV so I can see the dragon run on video ( by the way Greg, where's my video? ;) ) I bought the Pioneer Elite 53 inch wide screen projection to go with my Pioneer Elite 500 watt receiver, CD player, and cassette deck. This is one tough set and you don't want to know how much, you'd think I was crazy. I have been wanting this set for three years now since I got the stereo equipment. All I can say is I can't wait for the early Christmas present. :bounce: It's going to be fun watching the Panthers lose on WS but the DVD stuff on it , like Star Wars, with surround sound is out of this world!

Now if I can just get my computer in the recreation room, hmm.... :thumbsup:

:starwars:

[98banana]

Congrats Tony!!! That is one excellent TV. My dream TV is the Pioneer Elite 720.

There's a company here in Columbia called AV. They have a few Elite's on display. This company will come to your house and "tune" the TV where it sits which will do amazing things to the picture quality. They had 2 Elites sitting side by side. One was tuned, the other was not. There was a very noticable difference.

I know how much the retail is on your TV so I strongly suggest getting your TV tuned as well. It costs about $300 (2 years ago) to get it done. It also has to be done where it sits because if you move the TV, you have to get it done again. It's actually sensitive enough to be affected by the magnetic field if it sits at a different angle.

I have a Toshiba 52" that needs to be tuned badly, but it's beyond it's life expectancy. So I'm waiting for the money tree to buy me an Elite.

[Ken 01-Cobra]

Heheh...if you guys spent more time at your puters like the rest of us Netizen junkies, you wouldn't need those big tv's and could save your money for car mods and computer parts! :D ;) :D

[STU]

Congrats Tony. are we talking the flat screen plasma TV here?:eek: A wide screen has been on my wish list for awhile, but I have been waiting for the HD part to get sorted out. My understanding is that the ones now are HD monitors and don't have the actual HD tuners in them yet.

Enjoy....

Tom Gentry...Can I purchase a copy of the Dragon run video from you? Either VHS or DVD will work.

[98banana]

Originally posted by STU
Congrats Tony. are we talking the flat screen plasma TV here?:eek: A wide screen has been on my wish list for awhile, but I have been waiting for the HD part to get sorted out. My understanding is that the ones now are HD monitors and don't have the actual HD tuners in them yet.

Enjoy....

Tom Gentry...Can I purchase a copy of the Dragon run video from you? Either VHS or DVD will work.

If I remember right, when I was looking at the Pioneer Elite before, they didn't include the HD decoder. You could buy the decoder seperately for $2495!!! It was like a Computer card that plugs in a slot on the processor board in the TV.

Is that still the case Tony?

[Big Daddy]

Tony,

I'll send the CD of the Dragon Run with my check for the hat and shirt tomorrow. Congrats on the new TV!! I wish I was at your house today to see the Browns kick the Panthers butts! :D ;) I'm a Browns fan from my early childhood! (which was a LONG time ago!) :D Take care and enjoy! Talk to you on the chat tonight.

[cobrabitn]

Tom,

You do not have a tuner in the set. You have to use an external source but in order to get true HD television, the following has to happen:

Movie is filmed in HD
Movie is tranmitted in HD
Movie is received in HD by your set

Most movies are not filmed that way. If I ever go to Satellite or dish then you can use that box as your tuner, so there isn't a need for two tuners.

I got the 5 year extended warranty on it, they come out once a year for the next five years and tune the projection TV at no charge.

I'm not sure about the computer card but they had this box that goes with the TV at an optional cost of $349.00 which turns the electrical interference to a minimum and creates a better picture. Everything gets plugged in to this thing instead of the surge protector. You can tell the difference in the interference. It acts like a tuner for picture and sound.

A/V (Audio/Video) was bought out by Tweeter so they should be the same company now, Tom. Oh I forgot to mention, I have the "Definitive" Tower speakers with two 100 watt powered subwoofers in each tower speaker with the bi-polar surround speakers. Everyone at Tweeter said that it was one tough set-up. I like it. :)

Stu, It's a wide screen projection TV not a plasma screen. It will take me a year to learn all of the features on it but it will go great with the rest of the Elite set-up I have. I would have liked to go with the 720 but that $7,000.00 is more then I wanted to spend and I think I will be satisfied with the 530. Can't wait to get "The Matrix" on DVD. I already have it on VHS.

Greg, maybe we need to have a party at the house in the next year?

Ken, next on my wish list is an 03 Cobra, I don't think it will be out of reach for me. ;). This TV is something I have wanted for three years now.

Can't wait for it to get here! :bounce:

[98banana]

I'm sure you'll be more than happy with the 530. The 720 is 63" so it's not that much bigger for the money.

So, do you have a DVD player yet? The Matrix is probably one of the most worn out movies in my collection.

Interesting news on the Tweeter / AV thing. I haven't visited the store since they moved it so I'll need to check them out when and if I ever get in the market again. I know Rob Maurer does business with them as well. I'm sure he'll chime in on this thread since he's a connoisseur of fine electronic equipment.

BTW, you know Jack Hidley with MM designs speakers for one of the high-end speaker manufacturers.

[STU]

I have a 5 channell Pioneer receiver w/DTS, cassette and DVD player. Yamaha speakers and powered sub up front and a pair of Mirage speakers mounted up on the wall behind us. We have not rented a VHS movie for a couple years. They just pale in comparrison to the sound of the DVD's. Movies like Twister, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, Band of Brothers, Matrix etc. have awesome sound.

The wide screen is my missing link. still waiting.....

[cobrabitn]

Yes, I have a JVC DVD player I used as a direct component to my 15 inch TV. Trust me the 53 incher will be a whole new world for me.

I also have a color console I will sell to anyone that wants it for $25.00. It still works and I just want it out since I have too many TV's now. That's right $25.00 or trade for John Pearson's CD player out of his Mystic. ;)

The set is 20 years old but still plays. I'm just tired of it and want the new in so out with the old. ;)

[Ken 01-Cobra]

cobrabitn said:
Ken, next on my wish list is an 03 Cobra, I don't think it will be out of reach for me. . This TV is something I have wanted for three years now.
Hey, enjoy it. I was just yanking your chain a little. ;) If it wasn't for PBS, TLC and associated channels, I wouldn't even watch tv except for drag racing and some football games!
:D

[cobrabitn]

Oh, I know Ken. I didn't take it the wrong way especially since it was coming from you. BTW, I just sold the console... :rotf:

[Ken 01-Cobra]

Cool! I didn't know they still made console's! ;)

I have 3 tv's, one 42 or 43" (I forget) and 2 36" Panasonics, and pay the cable company $100 a month for channels of stuff I never watch. However, whenever I try to trim that back the wife rebels, so I guess I'm stuck with it. ;) The 42/43" is set up through my 350 watt Panasonic stereo system with a Panasonic 5 disc DVD/CD player, a Panasonic 6 disc CD player (now obsolete) and a VHS VCR (now obsolete, but needed for the zillions of movies we have on tape that I never watch).

[Black Snake]

The Pioneer Elite is a great set. The picture is really out of this world. Like Tom suggested I would give some serious thought to having the set calibrated by an ISF certified technician. You made the decision to spend the money on one of the best RPTVs so why settle for an inferior display (self adjustment/calibration). Wait a few months for the TV to settle in and adjust to it’s final resting location. If Tweeter can not give you a list of any certified techs in the area, then talk to me.

I really wanted to get an Elite set (was looking at the 710 last year), but I can not get the TV around the corner in the hallway to get to my bonus room. Mitsubishi makes a two piece cabinet to help the situation and now several manufacturers are following suit (Hitachi and Toshiba). Right now I am leaning toward a Mitsubishi Diamond series RPTV.

My dream set-up would be to go with a front projection unit (DLP). I was looking at going down that road a few months ago. Unfortunately my tastes are out of synch with my budget.

Now you are going to have to upgrade your DVD player to progressive scan (or 3:2 pulldown).

[cobrabitn]

My DVD player is progressive scan. ;)

[97whitevert]

boy, know nothing about all this.......:(:(:(

[98BlueVert]

that's a great tv tony. i have the pioneer 64" hd. our cable has several stations that broadcast hd and it's a HUGE difference. i'm waiting for them to add the new espn-hd channel. they've starting broadcasting some of the canes games in hd here too. :D

[STU]

Originally posted by 97whitevert
boy, know nothing about all this.......:(:(:(

This is as much fun as talking about cars. arrr arrr arrr ;)

Read everything here and you'll be up to speed.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_3/dvd-benchmark-introduction-9-2000.html

[97whitevert]

Originally posted by STU
This is as much fun as talking about cars. arrr arrr arrr ;)

Read everything here and you'll be up to speed.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_3/dvd-benchmark-introduction-9-2000.html

thanks Dave--- it sure is good to have friends that can help steer you in the right direction!!!:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

our system is now outdated....thought it was pretty good at the time- for what we could afford... a big screen would be ever so cool......:D :D

[97whitevert]

Originally posted by STU
This is as much fun as talking about cars. arrr arrr arrr ;)

Read everything here and you'll be up to speed.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_3/dvd-benchmark-introduction-9-2000.html ok after a brief.....did i say brief???? skim.. i find there sure is ALOT to read.....sheesh.....ok be back some day... oh i may have to put the cobra up for sale....:eek::eek::eek:







.oh---- ahh--- maybe not...did i skeer ya??

[Black Snake]

Originally posted by 97whitevert
ok after a brief.....did i say brief???? skim.. i find there sure is ALOT to read.....sheesh.....ok be back some day... oh i may have to put the cobra up for sale....:eek::eek::eek:
One of these days I will find myself a cheap hobby. Because it sure as heck isn't the Cobra or the AV gear. Thank God for an understanding wife. :D

[98banana]

Originally posted by Black Snake
... Mitsubishi makes a two piece cabinet to help the situation and now several manufacturers are following suit (Hitachi and Toshiba). Right now I am leaning toward a Mitsubishi Diamond series RPTV.
...

I have the Toshiba 52" and have been REAL happy with the picture quality for about 8 years now. Only thing I did wrong with that TV was buying it with 2-tuner PIP and surround sound speakers. I don't even use 1 tuner in the TV, much less 2. But, it was the only TV with the picture quality I liked so I paid for those things to get the picture. I don't even use the speakers built into the TV, mush less the surround ones that came with it.

Anyway, I've also recently purchased a Yamaha receiver to handle the 6 channel inputs and optical inputs from the DSS and DVD players. It's so much easier to have the single optical connection for all 6 channels. Heck, I even use the optical for the PS/2!! :D

My next purchase is something like this Kenwood DVD Player (http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-LqBJbbIei1W/ProdView.asp?s=0&c=6&g=54500&I=113DV5900M&o=m&a=0) that holds 400+3 DVD's. It has a wireless keyboard so you can enter information on any movie that doesn't have the embedded information on it. I've got 300+ movies and would love to have them all kept clean instead of letting Bonnie put here little fingerprints all over them. :D

And Tony, sorry, I meant "calibrate", not "tune", like Rob said. When I said tune, I meant tune the picture, not the channel. If you're spending that much money, get it calibrated.:thumbsup:

[cobrabitn]

Do they calibrate it when they initially set it up? :confused:

[98banana]

Originally posted by cobrabitn
Do they calibrate it when they initially set it up? :confused:

Good question. I think, like Rob mentioned, that the TV has to settle into it's new home first.

The guy I talked to as AV said to make sure you have it where you want it though because moving it will require recalibration.

Call Tweeter and see what they say. I'd be interested to hear what their answer is if you don't mind sharing it here...

[cobrabitn]

I'll share it when they deliver it next week. I can't wait for next week but that''s the delivery date. I want it here now! :thumbsup:

[Black Snake]

Originally posted by cobrabitn
Do they calibrate it when they initially set it up? :confused:
If you call taking the box off the truck and setting it in your house, “calibrating”, then yes. :rolleyes: :p

You can purchase a reference DVD (AVIA Guide to Home Theater or Video Essentials) and do some setup yourself, but you will never achieve the same level of picture quality as a certified ISF technician. Check out this site for some information. http://www.imagingscience.com/

Like I said, set the TV up and let it sit for a few months (needs to become one with it’s surroundings :D ). You can even play with the adjustments yourself and will probably be more than happy with the quality of the picture. But you will be blown away when you have it professionally calibrated. BTW Tom is right, pick a spot were you REALLY want the TV and don’t move it. It will change the settings.

[cobrabitn]

Well, after moving furniture around all day. (I'm pooped) I think I have my spot picked out for the new arrival on Friday. I lost the 25 inch console and made room for it. Even the room looks better rearranged. :thumbsup: and with the Panthers winning, maybe I'll get to see this Sunday's game with a new and improved set. ;) I can't wait to try it out. We also got the laminated component stand that holds the extras! If I'm not on the board as much, it's because I'm indulging. :)

Later,

Cobrabitn

[STU]

So how is it? Tony, put down the remote and back away.........

[cobrabitn]

It's a long story Dave so I'll have to be brief. Finally, after all day the TV got upstairs. We had to call some professional movers because the Tweeter guys were too small and not strong enough to get it up the stairs, over the railing. The movers got it up there in 10 minutes. All, I can say is awesome! Now you can really tell the differnce between VCR tapes and DVD's, no comparison at all as far as picture quality and sound. The manual also tells you how to tune and converge the picture so I may give it a shot every three months. ;)

[97whitevert]

glad you got it in Tony! enjoy!

[cobrabitn]

Thanks Jeff for coming by and correcting my wiring errors on my system. Listening to everything in 5.1 made a big difference. We should have ordered pizza tonight and watched while we waited for it to be delivered. You'll have to come back again and bring a DVD with you. I meant to let you borrow any DVD I had available that you may have wanted to watch.:bounce: I'll see you on Saturday afternoon. :thumbsup: