[Frequitude]

Thank you very much for the informative replies. I tried to pick through them all to put together this post. These are my takes on what you guys have had to say.

Originally Posted by shane_c

I have a 42" Panasonic Plasma EDTV and am very happy with it. I have it connected to my Bell HD receiver. The picture on the HD channels is amazing.

Originally Posted by newts

I have a 42" Samsung EDTV plasma and have an HD box hooked up...can't even tell the difference from the HDTV counterpart.

This is good to hear. I’m looking for a better picture than a SDTV but can’t afford a plasma HDTV. And:

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Most people can't tell a difference between the HD and ED 42 inch panasonic plasma fed by hd signals side by side from over about 10 feet away.

This is what I noticed in the store.

Originally Posted by nfotiu

I'll repeat what I've said before. If there is a big difference in price, and price is a concern, going with an EDTV in the 42 inch range is not a bad choice, especially if you'll be sitting a good distance away. I'd pick a good 42 inch ED plasma like a Panasonic over a cheap hdtv plasma.

EDTV is not going to be obsolete. EDTV's do a good job of showing HDTV, just not in its full resolution.

Originally Posted by Reaper

For my wife and I, it was smarter to buy a name brand EDTV plasma as opposed to a Prima or Norcent or "Sorny" HDTV.

In essence, we are making the lower resolution of the EDTV work for us by magnifying fewer source flaws than an HDTV would.

The above quotes reflect my thoughts. I would rather buy a Panasonic EDTV than an off brand HDTV. Which it looks like Ken agrees with:

Originally Posted by ken0042

Buying a Panasonic plasma EDTV would be better IMHO as well than buying an off brand plasma HDTV. (Way better in fact.)

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

Well said, and I agree completely. Another factor to consider is in my experience, EDTVs do a better job of displaying non-HD channels (which still is, and will be for quite some time the vast majority of channels) than a full HDTV.

This is very important to me. I still want to watch CSI before passing out, 24 every week, the news and random sitcoms. I want to have a good picture quality for this.

However, this is now my sticking point:

Originally Posted by ken0042

What I was trying to suggest was (once again IMHO) it is better to go with a Panasonic LCD or DLP Projection than to buy a Panasonic plasma EDTV.

I’m concerned about response time in an LCD that I can afford. I don’t want the ghosting effect, but don’t think I can afford an LCD with <4ms response time. Or can I? Is there a good LCD HDTV in my budget that will have good picture quality for regular SD feeds of sports, sitcoms, news, etc...but definitely sports?

Originally Posted by White Doors

I don't understand why anyone would get an EDTV vs a HDTV, but whatever floats your boat I guess.

Price…if we’re talking both plasmas. And picture quality on a non-HD feed if we're talking LCD HDTV vs. plasma EDTV.



Sooooo, this leaves me at the decision of buying a plasma EDTV or a LCD HDTV. $1500-$1800 is my TV budget (exclusive of cables, etc). No ghosting on regular channels is far more important to me than the extra bit of picture quality I get on an HD feed by going from plasma EDTV to LCD HDTV. Just so long as there is a significant upgrade in an HD feed with an EDTV compared to a SDTV. You dig?

Being an engineer, put it this way:
"An SD feed on a plasma EDTV" - "An SD feed on a LCD HDTV"
must be greater than
"An HD feed on a LCD HDTV" - "An HD feed on a plasma EDTV"


BTW, the Panasonic TH42PD60 is the plasma EDTV I am looking at. It is item 73 in today's Soundsaround flier. I was also considering Samsung's SPS4223 EDTV. It is the top right item on the front page of today's Future Shop flier. I have been told that Panasonic is a better route than the Samsung, though the Samsung will be $300 cheaper. If anyone feels an LCD HDTV would be better based on the above criteria, please recommend one.




And finally,

Originally Posted by Jimmy Krack Korn

By the time ALL channels are HD, you'll likely be ready for another new TV anyway.

This is correct.