Pioneer PDP-428XD

[admin_exported]

Hi,

On the back of your wonderful review and advice on this board, I went out and ordered myself one of these tellys from an internet retailer. It arrived the other day all pristine and all and works wonderfully - except for one minor flaw - there's no stand for it.

Now, having looked around on the internet - there's several other reviews that intimate that this telly doesn't come with a stand (your review does not - and pictures it with one). Anyway - a trip to Currys later (I noticed they sold them), and the bloke in there promises me that it should ship with one and that you can't even buy one separately as Pioneer refuse to even sell you one. So - being in the habit of not believing what a high street store tells you I had a look around, and there's ones for sale on the internet for £100 to £200 ish. The Pioneer website is no help in this regard.

Anyway - to cut a long story short - I'm still not sure as to whether I should have received one or not. It beggars my belief that anybody could sell a telly for nearly £2k and expect the customer to sit it on the floor and prop it against a wall. Should I have received a separate box with this in or not? If not, should this not be mentioned in your article? Has anyone else experienced any problems with this or am I just a nieve customer that expects to be able to trust someone to sell something in a working state?

thanks,

Adrian

 

[Anonymous]

Ady, the stand only comes with ths cheaper 428Oxd, not with the 428xd.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes the 428 like the 427 before it comes with no stand. This is the high spec model and is very often used in high cost installations and offices, so it's far more often wall mounted. You're paying for the insides.

With the 4280 and 4270 they've created a reduced price and slightly reduced spec model for the home market only. It comes with a simple stand and is perfectly adequate.

But the 428 is the one to go for. Yes the stand costs more and no, the site is not rubbish. You should be able to find the stand on there. Any decent hi-fi retailer will sell you one. Be sure to get the swivel stand, it costs more, but the quality is worth it. You may be able to buy it cheaper online.

Sorry you didn't know that the stand was seperate. Who-ever sold it to you doesn't know their stuff at all. Never ever use Currys or Comet etc, unless you do your own research very very thoroughly. Seems you didn't do so on this occasion. (Thoroughly usually means asking more than one person, incase they feed you a line of bull. You've got to double check in this game!)

Enjoy your screen, at least you bought the right one! Defo!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Another crazy person who refers to a 'wonderful review' and then purely on spec goes out and buys. In fact the 4280XD is what perhaps you should have gone for as it's more of a plug and play TV with the Stand than the 428XD. No difference in picture quality or sound-Just that with the 428XD you can have it ISF calibrated and one or two extra features you wouldn't even miss. Plus the fact that you could have bought the 4280XD for a mere £1600 max including a 5 year guarantee from tlc broadcast which is a Pioneer dealer.

I keep saying it, but there are some crazy people out there that but the glossy magazine as good as it is and then go out and buy once they've read the review. What you should then do is some visual and hearing reseach of your own...........now you have to spend even more for the stand or a wall bracket whereas the 4280XD would have been just as good and comes with a stand for less money.

 

[Anonymous]

The only 'crazy person' seems to be Tallyho who seems to be under the illusion that we all live within 50 miles of a tv audition room! I am fotunate in SW London that I live a shortish distance from three very good HiFi shops where I can, and have, auditioned many an amp/speaker/cd combo, often being able to bring in some of my gear or take kit home to try. There is also four AV outlets which I occasionally pop in and chew the fat and listen to some of the latest(and expensive!!) surround sound systems. Two department stores and numerous 'mass market' electrical retailers make up the rest of my tv retailing world.

Sound can be very subjective, hence the need to audition. HiFi mags just help you compile a shortlist. However a good tv picture is a good tv picture is a good tv picture. To make a judgement on picture quality by simply going around various shops and looking at various screens, often showing different content at the same time, would for me be just about impossible - and that is even if I did manage to find one selling the Pioneer 428XD. No, I will stick with the experts who review the screens in controled environments.

As for the lack of stand, I think this may be the future of screen sales. If the fixing dimensions of wall brackets and stands(and the back of the TVs) become standardised, then there will be no need to supply one every time we change tellys. The money saved would go towards providing the best picture for the price.

Likewise, had you ordered the 508XD you probably would not have had any speakers either. The reason being that if you are buying a 50" plus screen, then you have probably got a better sound system than the one that the TV manufacturer would have provided you with.

You have bought the best 42" that is currently available. Be happy - very happy!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Sound can be very subjective, hence the need to audition-I'm with a 100% here and the same goes for Picture.

You have bought the best 42" that is currently available.This too is very subjective and I just happen to be one of those, that thinks it's not the best thing since sliced bread. I have spent months looking and researching!!!

Go into Sevenoaks Hi Fi and blind test a PS42Q97HDX alongside a PDP428XD or 0XD, but don't get them to tell you which TV is which .Cover the badges up and walk into a dark room and judge purely on Picture ( as I admit the Pioneers sound is better ) pop in a Blu Ray of Casino Royale even though the Samsung doesn't accept a 1080p/24 feed and then say which TV was which and if so which one was miles ahead of the other.

But then again Sevenoaks don't sell Samsungs, only Pioneer and Panasonics

 

[Anonymous]

I'm going to buy a 428XD purely based on reviews. Living in Dublin, I haven't been able to see one operating anywhere, so I have to just bite the bullet.

As for a retail outlet offering to set up a totally dark room, with three badgeless tvs running the same input so you can blind test them - this just sounds incomprehensible to me. If these places exist, they're certainly not in Ireland!

 

[Anonymous]

Look............I'm not knocking Pioneers or indeed Panasonics, but quite frankly that's all you ever hear of on this Forum and in certain magazines as allegedly being the best brands around today for Plasma displays. OK some smart person will no doubt say that's because they're the best....we'll OK I'm saying they're not as I believe there are better value for money (and in no way far less significant performance displays) out there in the market. OK granted...Panasonic have lessened their sights a little recently in so far they seem to be pushing to more mass prouduction. Pioneer however are being more selective and concentrating on producing less volume higher profit displays so their prices need to be higher than most. Pioneers are good TV's....no one is disputing that but you can get other good 37inch and 42inch plasma displays for around £800 that really aren't that far off the Pioneers two 42inchers unless you're the type of person that wants to go over evry nook and cranny on a TV with a fine toothcomb and microscope.

 

[Anonymous]

Just out of interest I've just come back from a lunchtime jaunt to Sevenoaks next door to where I work. 2 things to note:

1. The gorgeous 42"pioneer 428 is in pride of place in the showroom for sale at £1999. I asked the guy if that included the stand "...er...no..." was his reply, its an extra £200 he said.

2. The salesman also said that Sevenoaks dont sell panasonics, just Pioneers and Fujitsu's (maybe he just means the branch i was in, not sure)

Just thought you may be interested.

SB

 

[Anonymous]

I'm in a similar boat to jphealy - no way of seeing a PDP428XD in action so have no option but to rely on reviews in WHFS&V and fora such as this. As a matter of interest the only place I have seen the TV for sale here is through komplett.ie where it is available for 2,500 euros - have you seen any better?

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure where 'here' is for you, but UK internet prices are around £1500 (not including stand). Typing in the pioneer in your search engine should give you a number of UK sellers. You will probably then have to call them to check whether they will ship overseas. At least you will not have to pay any Duty within the E.U.

Good hunting!!

 

[Anonymous]

I have prices from two places in Dublin:

Alliance Electric on Georges St at ?2649 with the basic stand http://www.allianceelectric.ie/products/tv/plasmalcd/pdp428xd.htm

Cloney Audio in Blackrock at ?2500, plus about ?100 for the basic stand.

Don't know if either of these prices could be bargained down a bit.

 

[Anonymous]

Sevenoaks are the biggest rip off merchants in the country. Second only to Harrods. I can't understand why they get away with it. When they began they were fantastic value. I bought my first hi-fi from them when they had their first few branches back in 1991 and from an ad they ran in What Hi-Fi with combo deals of CD Amp and Speakers. They were so good back then. Now they're just a reliable RRP retailer and never even attempt to compete on price or for that matter, remotely offer good value. I don't care how knowledgeable they are. £500 premium on a 428XD is not worth any "advice" or salesman service. It's just a rip off plain and simple.

 

[Anonymous]

Adrian, just to come back to the topic of this thread for a minute, I've just bought this plasma myself. It seems you were unlucky in not noticing that no stand was included. As standard, you do not get one, but I guess the logic is that buyers of models like this probably want the choice (I know I did) of having a wall mount, a rack, or the stand. I don't want to pay for the stand if I'm only going to take it off again to wack it up on the wall.
It seems the muppets at Currys are still talking rubbish when they don't know the answer (or they don't stock the object in question). Pioneer DOES sell stands separately. Check the UK site (http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/products/62/63/PDP-428XD/accessory.html) for the stands etc. I've seen a site selling the screen with a TS27 stand included but the price was bumped up too.
On the up side, if you haven't bought a stand yet, you now have the unusual choice of putting the screen up on the wall if you wanted, or even buying a dedicated rack, with no wasted expense on the stand.

 

[Anonymous]

I have just bought the 428XD from Sevenoaks in Bromley. Paid £1690 including stand, 5 year warranty, delivery and the store manager even helped lift it into place and set it up for me. There's a big difference between just a price and value for money. Having said that the price was very good as was the service.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello - I've done my research and I'm on the verge of buying the Pioneer 4280x - only one doubt lingers - I have seen elsewhere that a noticeable 'buzz' emanates from the screen - is this true and if so to what extent is it intrusive? Bearing in mind the price of this TV I would have little tolerance for anything too noticeable....

 

[Anonymous]

Just a quick note to say thanks to everyone for their help. It does, indeed seem that the television ships with no stand.

I did, indeed do lots of researching on the telly before I got it - mainly in reviews as I don't know of that many places that sell the tellys, much less have high def feeds to demonstrate them all, and much less all the comparable tellys side by side, which is why on such things you have to give larger value to the experts who not only can do and know how to test them, but can also test them in comparison with each other.

The stand issue is one that annoys me. Fair enough, I don't mind buying the stand separately if necessary - obviously people want to buy different stands / mounting for their needs. The thing that annoyed me is that neither on the Pioneer website (as far as I can see), nor on the internet website, nor in the review did it mention whether to expect one - meaning for my mind that I can't be the only person that's still got their marvellous telly sat on the floor ready to get kicked days after buying it.

Things don't get easier when there's other reviews on the web that give differing opinions. You'd expect this one from Which should be something you can trust.
http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_campaigns/audio_visual/reports/television/watching/lcd_and_plasma_tvs/pp_excel_546_120767.jsp

I really don't want to get into (or have started) a flame war here, and for the record I'm very happy with the telly and anyone who can afford it should go out and get it. Like I say, I haven't had the benefit of a side by side comparison of this and any other telly, so it's hard to tell any differences, but as it's a work expense (fortunately I work in computer games - an industry where), a few hundred quid don't make the difference.

oh, and yeah - obviously £2k is just the ticket price. I spoke to a guy at sevenoaks and to be fair that price is with 5 years insurance and I imagine as with all high street stores there's room for manouvre, but you're unlikely to get close to a internet store price.

thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

To be fair to Pioneer the UK website does actually show the differences between the two versions of the TV, through the 'compare' button try this link: http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/product_compare.jsp

Have you noticed any 'buzz' or humming noise from the screen?

 

[Anonymous]

Hmm. I've just had a look at the comparison page and can't see anything - either way, it should be on the info page for the product.

I've just been downstairs and switched the thing on - and there is a very feint humming coming from it, but it's really nothing. I've not got the best ears in the world, but there's certainly nothing I'd be able to detect from anything other than right up close - and with something that size you really should be a few metres away anyway.

From more than a yard away you certainly can't hear it over the telly, my ps2, xbox or ps3, my purr of satisfaction or the sound of me grumbling something about stands... I wouldn't have ever noticed it if I hadn't been listening specifically for it and it's probably less noise than my old CRT.

Oh, and whilst I remember, and to give Currys some credit for something other than misfeeding me information, they do have these tellys in their stores for anyone that wants to see the picture. Or at least they did last week.

Adrian

 

[smarky]

mv, i take it you mean sevenoaks hifi?? the best deal i could get from the maidstone branch was £1650 no stand and 1 year warranty??

 

[Anonymous]

Yarp

I've recently bought a fair amount of kit from them, at separate times, and managed to get very competative prices. The price I paid for the screen wasn't the first discounted price I was offered though. I wanted to buy from them as they're my local shop, but called around a few internet shops in the back of what hi-fi to get a price comparison and let them know what their competition were selling for. Like I said it's not just about the bottom line cost, it's about value for money. I can't speak for the service from the Maidstone branch, but the service I received in Bromley was second to none. If I was you I would definately go for the 5 year warranty. If you don't mind buying from the internet try phoning Sound & Vision, they advertise in the back of what-fi and came back to me with a good price.

 

[Anonymous]

so can i specify that i want to purchase one with the wall bracket? or does it work out cheaper to buy the bracket seperate? i have seen tilting brackets that are 428 compatible starting from around £60

 

[Anonymous]

I also use Sound & Vision as a 'reference' price point, although I do not always buy from them.

Concentrate on getting the very best price for the screen first, would be my advice. Having done that, give them a chance to offer you a good deal on the wall mount as they will not have to factor in the cost of delivery.

 

[Anonymous]

Just to be nosey, I tried Sevenoaks here in Kingston. £1950 including stand. He quoted £250 just for the stand!! Would not budge further. His attitude was basically 'if you can buy it cheaper elsewhere then do it'.

Sevenoaks at their usual worst. Bromley manager deserves a better company to work for.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="david1997"]He quoted £250 just for the stand!! Would not budge further.[/quote]
So he'd rather make no profit than just a little on the item. He might have even got you as a customer again in the future... probably not any more though.
A quick check found this stand for 170 plus 5 for delivery (depending on distance from their Thetford warehouse). Its from hughesdirect, and no, I don't work for them A Hughes TV & Audio high-street store might have a similar price if you really want to deal with humans, but I cannot confirm that as I don't even live in the UK right now.