Pio - Thoughts following What HiFi show

Have just come back from the What HiFi Show in Bristol where there were numerous plasmas. There was a demo of a Pio 868 and 504HDE (showing Pirates of the Caribbean) and a comparison between PAL prog component and HDMI. The latter was definately better - there was more 'depth' and solidity to the images. However, this difference pailed into insignificance when Pioneer demoed a 433HDE with HDTV from a DVHS(?) source - it was a Grand Prix. This image just seemed much more alive than the HDMI test.

 

Well, given that the source material is higher resolution with the DVHS input than a dvd, its hardly suprising it offered more of an improvement. It's all in the source in this case.. I think for it to be an fair comparison you'd need to have a D-VHS with HDMI and one with component output.

 

Pioneer did exactly this at the heathrow show, used Harry Potter on a hi-def. tape to demo the screen. Put your hands up if you have a d-vhs recorder. OK, a few. Now put your hand up if you have a library of Hi def software and a HDMI hi def satellite reciever for euro 1080. Oh' sorry, you've only got one input. Doesn't your amp switch HDMI? What? out of date already?