Hitachi 42PD3000 vs Pioneer PDP434

[blossom]

Anyone out there like me who's thinking about buying a Plasma for the first time, some advice please.

I went to JL Solihull today and got a demo of the Pioneer priced at £4299.00. Sitting next to it was the 42PD3000 at £3499.00

In terms of picture quality on the store terrestrial feed I could not see any difference in PQ. They were both just OK. The assistant then spun a Pinnochio DVD into the 434 from a 868i and the picture was still nothing special but only on a standard scart lead.

I don't think the store guy was very experienced.

I have just e-mailed JL and asked them if they would price match on the Hitachi vs PRC who are advertising it at £2649.00 inc delivery. Hopefully get a reply tomorrow.

Has anyone seen a cheaper price than this on the 42PD3000.

Also is this model being discontinued?

Was thinking of buying a RPTV ( TOSH 42WH36 ) but may now go the whole hog.

Cheers in advance.

Paul

 

[chris]

I have been looking at the various plasmas.

It is very hard where i live to get a decent view/demo...all i got round here is currys and comet, none of which have the pd3000 on display.
I have had a play with the pio 434, i evern got the assistant in currys to change the leads around, so it got a better feed.
I have got a pd3000 on order at the moment and the only place i have got to see it, was currys in maidstone.........
It did look good, but it was sitting next to the daewoo's and the samsungs and the smaller phillips.....there was no pio there.
When i was messing about with the pio434, there was no pd3000 there, so i was compareing it against the daewoo and from a distants, they both looked good, but up close the pio was a lot better.
Saturday i was in Alders in bromley and they had the pd3000 and the 434, both had their OWN freeview feed and both looked CRAP......maybe they had them plugged in the wrong sockets, but the pd3000 was all pixels and smearing and the 434 was well smerry, but slightly better than the pd3000.
I also popped into sevenoaks hifi and they had a 50" pio and the 42" panny........they both looked quite good.....guess they must have had some time to set them up.

I nearly brought the 434 the other day, when i was playing with it in currys.....but i now decided to wait for the pd3000 and if that does not turn up, then i intend to go for the pd5000.

 

[bobbypunk]

42pd3000 is an old model now replaced by 42pd5000
Set up correctly the 434 chews the hitachi up and spits it out IMO
Saying that using Ok equipment and OK leads there wasn't much difference, Using Good equipment and cables the 434 comes into it's own. Price compared they're as good as each other but HDMI may be important within the life of your purchase.

 

[blossom]

Maybe I should go back to JL and give them both a full road test.

Any comments on the pricing. Assuming price match is offered by JL with their 5 yr warranty, is the 434 worth an extra £1600.00.

Maybe £500 for the looks as I think it is a stunner but don't know if the justification is there with the rest of my equipment ( Toshiba sd220e, toshV752 VCR, Panasoninc Sky box ).

 

[blossom]

Got e-mail from JL Solihull today and it said that they would not price match internet retailers, which I knew anyway. However PRC have two stores according to their ad in What Hi Fi.

Does anybody know if their in-store prices are the same as the online ones?

 

[s8ngy]

I have both a 42pd3000 and a pio 434HDE and the thing is whilst the pio has a sharper picture with superb edge definition I prefer watching DVD's and sky+ on the hitachi it just seems to have a better film like quality. I am not saying the pio PQ is not as good as it is better it just looks (to me) a little artificial. Saying that you cannot however beat the pio as a large PC monitor the picture is rock steady and pin sharp. So The hitachi is in the lounge and the pio in the study.

 

[Lewdannie]

Originally posted by s8ngy
I have both a 42pd3000 and a pio 434HDE and the thing is whilst the pio has a sharper picture with superb edge definition I prefer watching DVD's and sky+ on the hitachi it just seems to have a better film like quality. I am not saying the pio PQ is not as good as it is better it just looks (to me) a little artificial. Saying that you cannot however beat the pio as a large PC monitor the picture is rock steady and pin sharp. So The hitachi is in the lounge and the pio in the study.

I want to live at your house!!!

I am wanting to decide between the Hitachi5000 and the 434HDE and so this thread interests me...any further clarification/information would be greatly appreciated

cheers

Lewdannie

 

[Dean]

I'd also recommend you consider the Panasonic 6 series if you hadn't already (under £3k) just my 2pence