ED or HD with Dish TV?

[Sea926Sky737]

Howdy All. I'm looking to spend between $2500 - $4500 on a 42- in plasma and I'm looking at the Sony KDE-42XS955 and the Pioneer PDP-4340HD. The Sony KE-42MI (ED) also has been getting alot of good press, so I'm wondering if going the ED route might be a little more cost effective. The Sony KE-42TS2 is currently reduced from $7000 to [MSRP is allowed]. What gives with this rig? Sounds a little too good to be true.

Living out in the boonies, Dish TV is my only choice. Are there any special things that I need to be thinking about when looking at these sets?

If I seem a little prone to Sony's, I've always had great luck with them. They just seem to just always work with zero problems. However, I'm open to any suggestions that you fine people might have.

Thanks!

[jcpzero]

How far away will you be sitting from the TV? At 10 feet, it is hard to tell the difference between a 42" ED and 42" HD. You can check this for yourself by making comparisons at the store at your viewing distances. Alot of folks here that really want an HD model step up to a 50" as a 42" HD is not typically cost effective.

Regardless if you choose an ED or HD set - make sure you get HD programming.

JCPZero

[Sea926Sky737]

Thanks jcpzero,

I've read that if you're closer than eight feet, that is when you start to see the pixelation. the TV will be sitting up in a corner at the the end of a 12x30' room. The opening for the TV only allows for a 42' set. Average viewing distance will be 10-12 feet.

You say make sure you have HD programing. Does the mean what you order from you satillite provider or is there something internal, such as an HD tuner that is required?

[darrellt]

A significant amount of Dish SD is often somewhat marginal, especially for local channels. If you are concerned about higher quality for SD viewing then ED, reported by a number of people here to be better with SD, is probably a better choice. OTOH, HD is wonderful and a number of channels can be ordered from Dish depending upon your budget, and there is more HD programming coming on line all the time, so if HD viewing is your priority I'd consider an HD set.

[Sea926Sky737]

Thanks for your reply Darrell,

Not sure yet if HDTV is the priority since my wife and I don't have a whole lot of time to watch TV (we just bought this place and are still in the process of settinmg things up). I do want to be pre-positioned for what might be coming down the pike in the future without breaking the bank today.

Am gonna call Dish TV to find out what their hardware requirements are as well. Some sets seem to have an internal tuner and others don't.

We're having an entertainment wall built, and the builder is waiting on the rough dimensions of the set.. Hopefully there will be a price drop as well after the Superbowl.

[mangopony]

I beleived, for new customers Dish (and Directv) have very good prices for new customers.

[gtsum]

SeaSky,

I was in the same boat as you and decided on the pio 43. The current price reduction on them (with rebate to boot) bring them down to EDTV levels. (just got mine this week). The Sony has a good pic as well, but something about the colors just does not seem as "natural" to me as the pioneer. I say if you can get a HD set at EDTV prices, why not? By the way, I cannot speak for the SOny, but the Pioneer 43HD looks very, very good on standard def channels! (surprisingly so!). Also, I have used Direct TV for the last 5 years and currently have HD cable as we are waiting on our house to be built...there is no comparison in the quality of the pics...satellite is far cleaner. Good luck!