Plasma 42 inch ....

The Panasonic Onyx and standard series are indeed different in PQ, and this is easily apparent in any setting where both can be compared side-to-side with same signal and quality of adjustment. 3:2 or 3:3 pulldown is available in DVD players but that doesn't address other digital sources that are transmitting film-based rather than video-based programming. It also doesn't mean some sets don't do it better. You can plainly see this effect on the mass-market Pannies displaying film-based media from non-DVD sources, and it is addressed in the Onyx series, as well as Pioneer and most others. For most people it is a small issue, since most people are not critical.

As for the Runco, well of course they don't make their own glass. But again, I've seen it in direct comparison with Elite, Onyx, Fujitsu, and it is clearly more natural. I didn't expect this, so was surprised. Worse, it costs more. But damned if no matter what you did to the picture, the Runco PQ dominated the group.

The limitation of LCD, and the cause of their false vivdness compared to good plasma sets, is their 24 bit displays. 16.7 million colors isn't nearly sufficient to show film, and this is easily demonstrated by the superior subtlety and gradients visible in the 1+ billion color displays in Pioneer, Hitachi and Panasonic plasma.

I agree the new Hitachis look promising, and the newest Elites have advanced as well.

Phil

Good luck to the original poster. Also I really agree that Hitachi is a true plasma force yet to be reckoned with. Soon the vastly improved quality of their displays will take front center stage in the plasma world, as other makers fall by the wayside. SAmsung has the resources to put out a high volume quality product as well, but they have had more QA issues than Panny and Hitachi. Pioneer stops their production lines in 2006 ( March) and will source glass.

Don't worry he will hook it up look at it a soon return it to you.

2 plasmas -- both 42" -- Panasonic latest commercial and Fujitsu commercial from 2004; 1 32" LCD (Philips). The Fujitsu kills the others in black levels, picture quality, etc. etc. If you want the best, buy a Fujitsu. Despite what others say about Panasonic black levels, the Fujitsu is the best (and I am comparing a model from mid-2004 to a late model Panny...bought Panny because of the supposed better black levels and regret the choice). All have been calibrated by an ISF technician.

And what's the price difference?