HI-FI

Hello David

Pioneer have always stuck with 1024x768 in there 43 Plasma Display
and PlasmaTV models - both models use the same panel one with an
internal video card (MXE) the other with an external Media Box (HDE).

Panasonic offer two options in the 42 display (though you would be
forgiven for thinking they only had one as the higher resolution unit
gets so little press) - Standard Definition (SD) is 852 x 480 and
Higher Definition (HD) is 1024x768.

Both Pioneer and Panasonic are Progressive scan devices and will
accept video signals from Interlaced sources (and apply progressive
scan processing within the display) and Progressive sources (bypassing
progressive processing in the display).

The 1024x1024 ALIS panels you have seen/researched are all based on
technology designed and manufactured by Fujitsu (with Hitachi a
partner in this technology).

ALIS was originally conceived to enable lower cost panels to be built
for the corporate signage and display market - these panels are
interlaced (there are not actually 1024x1024 pixels if you count them
- there are 1024x512) and by upping the refresh rate to double the
normal rate Fujitsu claim they can achieve 1024x1024 without you
noticing the change over!!!

The Fujitsu panels will work with Interlaced or Progressive sources -
and in some models apply third party progressive deinterlacing to the
incoming signal - BUT they then have to turn the progressive signal
back to interlaced again.

For me thats just way too much processing and I prefer the Pioneer
and Panasonic units and would suggest you look at the 1024x768 units.

I too would avoid the units with a Tuner box - though the Pioneer
04HDE is probably the exception to that rule as the Media Box is way
better than previous offerings.

Look to using your AV Receiver as a video and audio hub or add in an
external hub (Zektor, DVDO, Lumagen) for simplicity of switching and
operation.

Where possible use RGB not S-Video from your Digibox. There are lots
of options for connecting up a system - drop me a note and I can try
and narrow down your options a bit.

Best regards

Joe

joe@tmfsolutions.co.uk