42PD5100 or PD5300

J

jpd2

Guest
Hi Guys

Could do with your input on which screen, I have read lots of positive threads on the Pioneer ( to expensive) the panny's and Hitachi (except 3000 cloud issue) amonst others.

I have decided on the hitachi and was going to buy the 5100 ( basic screen with video connection board) but looking at the spec for the 5300 which has the turner box it would appear the box does a lot more than just acting as a receiver, although I would still need a freebiew box.

Are the functions listed below worth paying a few extra hundred pounds for? Are the functions like noise reduction, comb filter, aspect switching done by a screen alone?

AV3000E MULTI-MEDIA BOX
Technical Specifications

Picture

Digital Noise Reduction
Digital Comb Filter
Black Stretch/Picture Boost/Vertical Enhancer
White Point-Cool/Normal/Warm Variable
Screen Format Modes 8
WSS/SCART Signal Aspect Ratio Switching
Picture Modes Dynamic/Natural/Cinema/Favourite
Progressive Scan (625/50p / 525/60p)

Tuner

Easitune System/Programme Memory
Autosort/Manual Sort Analogue
Cable/Hyperband

Operation

Sleep Timer
Screen Saver/Power Save
Split Screen Text/Picture
Picture in PC mode
Unified Remote TV/VCR/DVD
Fastext/Toptext
Teletext Page Memory 100
Viewlink (SCART 1)
OSD Languages 12
 
i have one with the video board and the picture options are setable for each of the 4 av inputs on the video board, although this only has 1 scart which does aspect switching for you if you set it on auto, the others you can change the aspect yourself if required

also i think the 5300 comes with speakers and a desk stand while the 5100 there an optional extra.....if you need them that is

so its what you need that counts,
for me the video board was ideal for what i have connected into it, never needed the tuner as always use sky, use an external amp for sound so didn't need speakers, and wall mounted it so didnt need a desk stand
so thats why i choose the video board although the only thing i slightly miss is teletext
 
Hi gam

thanks for the reply. Are you pleased with the screen? whats the picture like on Sky? I don't need the speakers or stand but just wondred if the AV box had more functions to improve the picture quality than the screen alone as just comparing the specification sheets seem to sugest this, but I could not check the manuals as they are not online yet.
 
i've had it for just over a month now after reading posts here and looking around i ended up looking at the same three screens you mentioned and ended up going for the hitachi after playing with one for a fair while with my own dvd player plugged into one

however when i first got it up and ran an avia set up disc through it i wasnt overly impressed for the first week or so with either sky or dvd :eek: (although maybe i was just being my fussy self)

however if you read through other posts it takes plasmas a while to get run in and since i got it the picture has greatly improved and especially the picture now on sky i am more than happy with, although my dvd is even better:clap:

so yes i am happy with the screen which is used mainly for sky with dvd's a few times a week and the xbox getting played on it too now and again

the only slight negative is a little screen retention with menus now and again which are almost unnoticeable now and go away quicker than they did at the start

oh and the mad contrast level it was set at out of the box (if you get one turn it way way down on all the inputs - mines now set between -22 and -17 depending on input from the factory setting off +31 )
 
I've purchase a 42PD5100 and the picture quality is now excellent. When I first purchased the plasma I spent hours changing the video output and promised my girlfriend that I would not change it again.

After about 2 weeks of use the picture has settled down and I think it's better now than my Sony 22 inch CRT TV. I have sky via scart and dvd via s-video. Couldn't imagine now going back to a CRT TV. :)
 

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