Finally making the leap of faith into the world of HDTV. Did a-lot of research on all the brands available at the price point I wanted to stay at (Hitachi, Sony, Samsung, Toshiba, Mitsubishi). At 65", all the prices were with $400-$500 difference. Therefore, it was a tough choice to decide.

Here's why I chose the Mitsubishi:

Pros:

Picture quality:

Out of the box, the picture was spectacular! The colors were rich, vibrant, and crisp.

Size:

Eventhough it weights 375lbs, the 65907 was built for moving it in mind. It can be separated into 2 sections (screen and base). When I took delivery of the set, I was able to see the ease in which it was taken apart, moved, and reassembled. This feature was definitely plus for people who live in apartments and narrow stairways (like I do). Keep this in mind when buying such a big TV. It maybe a problem to get it into your residence. Once it's in, you can easily move it around because it's on casters.

Navigation:

The menu was very intuitive and easy to use. Getting around with the remote was a breeze and all the functions are clearly labeled.

Inputs:

There is a plethora of inputs. 3 component videos, 4 s-video/composite, 1 VGA (640x480 only), dual tuners. This should be enough to handle all your component needs.

480i/480p/1080i:

Cable is 480i. As for most cable signals, it looks horrible. However, the Mits has a line doubler which enhances your regular cable signal to either 480p or 960i. This improves the picture a bit, but you still will notic the artifacts (pixelation). It is then recommended to be at least 9-12 feet away from the set to minimize seeing the artifacts.

480p, which when you have a progressive scan DVD player, looks stunning. 1080i is HDTV, you will need to have a decoder for this. But if you have one, it looks SPECTACULAR! You can actually see the pimples on peoples faces! Now maybe that is too much clarity for me!! :)
Tweakability:

This is one of the most important factors for me in purchasing this TV. While research HDTV, I found that nearly all rear projection TVs, regardless of manufacturer, have some issues with the set out of the box. For example, most sets have a greater push in the red gun so as to make the picture more vibrant. From what I have read, this is done so in a setting where sets are lined up against each other, like at Best Buy or Circuit City, the TV with more red will stand out more than the others.

Mitsubishi has this issue. Therefore, I wanted to find out if there are ways to fix this. The answer is YES. The user community for Mitsubishi is larger than any other on the NET. The website www.hometheaterspot.com (thanks Paul) is one such sites. It offers technical explaniations and advice for almost every conceivable issue that you might have a question about your TV.

Now think about this, let's say you bought a TV. You took it home, plugged it in and it was OK. The picture was good but wasn't great. Or maybe you think you might problem with your set. You look in the manual, there isn't anything that directly speaks to your problem. You call a tech and they have no clue what you are talking about. You might have one come out and again, they either don't see the problem, understand the problem, or don't have any idea how to fix the problem. Sound familiar? Sound like it may happen to you? I know if it was me, it would drive me nuts and I would feel that I would rather find the fix myself rather than having some tech who doesn't have a clue trying to fix it.

Well, you are in luck. Since the user community for Mitsubishi is so large, there is actually information that speaks directly on your issues. Can you say that for most other manufacturers?

So then, enough ranting. The Mitsubishi sets are highly tweakable. You can adjust color, focus, geometry, convergence, etc. etc. by yourself. Eventhough, it is not recommended if you don't know what you are doing, but the information is at least available if you feel bold enough. Bottom line, with all the tweaks, the picture is as good or better than TVs much more expensive. So if you are like I am, wanting the best picture possible, then this set is for you.

Construction:

Overall construction is very good. The cabinet is sturdy and has a nice glossy finish.

Other:

A nice little bonus is that the TV comes with an IR emitter that can be used to change all your component to the right settings to match the signal you are using. It makes it handy so that you don't have to make a bunch of changes when you want to watch DVD, HDTV, Cable, etc...



Cons:

Red Push:

As mentioned above, the Mits pushes about 20-25% more red color than normal. This makes flesh tones red and looks like everyone has a sunburn. Now, every manufacturer does this to an extent, it is more pronounced in Mits. There is a fix that costs about $9 to make called an attunator. However, it only fixes component inputs (DVD, HDTV). There is fix that will eliminate this problem permanently on all inputs but you need a certified ISF technician with the right equipment to do this.

Sound system:

The speakers are small and they look like they came out of a Pinto. But in reality, if you are going to buy this TV, you would be using it in a home theater setup with AC3/DTS hence make the speakers a moot point when watching movies. When watching regular cable, it isn't a big deal.

Cabinet:

Because of the glossy finish, it seems that it needs constant dusting :) Yikes.

I hope that this helps you decide on a set. But I suggest checking out www.hometheaterspot.com just to see the user support for this product. I think it will help your decision.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 4000