final answer

[sewerdog]

i have posted on the plasma and blu-ray threads now i am here i have an hitachi 51in it only outputs to 1080i i also have a toshiba hd dvd player also 1080i the picture quality on this tv is great i have no complaints at all. i am planning on getting a sony 350 blu-ray player it is 1080p. since the toshiba player looks good i am thinking that the sony will to does it matter that the tv is only 1080i i was told to get rid of it and get a 1080p plasma or lcd. hope to get a final answer from some one who has this type of tv keep it ot let it go

[Djnx]

Is your RPTV calibrated, I mean, in depth calibration within the service menu or by a professional? Have you (or a professional) cleaned the guns?

If the answer is yes, keep the TV and upgrade your speakers (if you want to). Blu-rays will look exquisite.

If the answer is no, or "I don't want to go through all that hassle" buy a plasma.

[andyman1970]

Just like Djnx said, if the TV is properly calibrated then the 1080i should be fine.

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by sewerdog

i have posted on the plasma and blu-ray threads now i an here i have an hitachi 51in it only outputs to 1080i i also have a toshiba hd dvd player also 1080i the picture quality on this tv is great i have no complaints at all. i am planning on getting a sony 350 blu-ray player it is 1080p. since the toshiba player looks good i am thinking that the sony will to does it matter that the tv is only 1080i i was told to get rid of it and get a 1080p plasma or lcd. hope to get a final answer from some one who has this type of tv

I used to have that same tv sewerdog (lost it in a divorce)! Is it an SWX? I'll bet it is. I still think to this day that is one of the best HDTV's ever made! When properly calibrated, it had an exquisite picture with deep, inky blacks!! By comparison, I now have a Sony SXRD rear projection tv. While I think my Sony has a sharper picture with better contrast, it still does not have the beautiful blacks that my old Hitatchi had.

Like others have said, keep the tv and get an isf calibration!

[sewerdog]

It's the 51f59 no it has not been calibrated but i really do not want to get rid of it .I have checked out 50in plasmas and they are just to much money unless I want to drop down to 46in or 50in ones that are 720p. the pic looks really sharp and clear colors really stand out so does it need to be calibrated and what are the guns[I'm not real technical ] have a good sound system so i do not need to bother with that so what is involved in calibration who is the best person to do it and how do i know if it needs to be done looking for the final answer

[Djnx]

who is the best person to do it and how do i know if it needs to be done

Depends on your area, try consulting Mr. Bob at avsforum.com

what are the guns

The red, green and blue "projectors" inside the TV.

At avsforum, there must be a thread dedicated to your tv, where you'll find lots of information. Your TV will look better than when it was new after ISF calibration.