28 days to decide.......

[codesixty2]

Hey All,

I recently purchased a Zenith 42" EDTV plasma; and am kind of on the fence so to speak on weather or not I should keep it. I have 30 days to return [28 left] if I am not satisfied and am unsure. In store it looked great and now that I have it home some stations/channels seem flat. It also seems to me that the monitor doesn't have the controls to enhace the display. However, stations like FOX look amazing!

I have digital cable and was wondering what "Digital Set-Top Boxes" are all about? Are these used in addition to my standard cable box? Could this enhance the other stations?

It's a difficult decision because I know the monitor is capable of brilliant displays. But for the most part the whites just seem grey and there's no real pop to the color. Any help would be fantastic.

cheers
-c62-

[kevinw]

EDTV plasma
This is a good enough reason to return it. DVD quality is not good enough for me I like High Definition. Just because it is Plasma does not make it good.
You already are not happy with the picture. Excercise your rights as a consumer.

[Ratman]

IMO...
Plasmas have their place. If you have $$ to spend, are cramped for space and want your friends to go, "Wow... so cool!", then it's for you.

If you are looking for HDTV and want "you" to enjoy what is available, get a real HDTV!

All of the "new" technologies look good (LED, LCD, DLP, LCoS, EIEIO), but you pay a lot for half of the picture quaility. (No slamming allowed... yeah I know there are sets that do 720p!)

You can spend less than half the $$, get what you desire today with an RPTV or Direct View and when the newer technologies catch up and drop in price, you can then jump on the bandwagon.

[raidbuck]

Your cable box is your STB. Of course, you can get a separate STB to receive HD signals through an antenna for broadcast stations broadcasting HD. And there some people who have two STBs, for Cable and Satellite. The satellite can usually accept a broadcast HD signal as well.

You must make sure that you like the EDTV performance with HD material, since that is why most people buy a set that costs more than $300. (You can get a really nice 32" SD TV for that price, I think). If you don't get the WOW! picture on HD stuff, then I would send it back. I know on my DLP, HD is usually breathtaking, but SD stations are sometimes extremely poor, much worse than on a regular TV.

These sets are investments for most of us who can't afford multple TVs costing multiple thousands each. I expect my TV to last many, many years and have traded SD performance for HD performance. The best part is that my wife will now watch some shows with me in HD with no commercials (there are a lot with Comcast - PBS and the INHD pair).

Rich N.

[woodman]

I must echo what has already been posted by Kevin and Ratman. You've paid a premium price for something that doesn't have much going for it other than "wow, that's really cool - a TV that you can hang on the wall like a painting".

We're in a period of transition of our television system from analog to digital, and there are gonna be "growing pains" associated with such a monstrous undertaking. Unless you have a real abundance of money to burn, an EDTV plasma display is a huge waste of one's resources, IMO. I've worked with television sets for all of the years that they've been part of our lives, and today any plasma display would be at the very bottom of my list of technologies to consider buying for myself.

Of course, you are the one to establish your own set of priorities, but for what it's worth I highly urge you to excercise your rights to return that plasma display and opt for something that not only makes a lot more sense financially, but will also be capable of true HDTV performance in the bargain.

Hope this helps you -

[Usedoats]

Woodman,

That was one of the most lucid posts I have ever read on this forum. Thanks..........