Price Paid:  $2400.00 from Sears

Summary:
Great HDTV unit for digital cable TV with the set top box using the S-Video input. Great video & sound. Problems with the video display "anamorphic" with the bars at the top and bottom of the video display. It is very annoying. Problem: As of 8-8-02 we've had the unit 21 months and it has failed three times. Every failue occurrence has been exactly as "Jake Hild" (earlier review) has described. Unit turns ON, No video, No audio, will not turn OFF by remote control or front panel power button. I paid a Sears repairman the 1st time and noted his correction was to "jiggle" the power module harness wires. Since then, I have duplicated his action twice. I am now "zeroing-in" on the exact localized area of the power module board assembly to then, at that time, remove it (ESD measures adhered to) and re-solder the localized connection points (1st) and circuit card trace runs (2nd...if 1st doesn't fix it).

Strengths:
1) I'm very impressed with the multiple "ports" in the rear and front for connecting video and audio devices with the provision for S-Video AND Component Video inputs. 2) Great Audio and high resolution video.

Weaknesses:
1) Power Module failure every ~ 6 months requiring me to pull out the unit from the wall and dig into it again. Have now resorted to a methodical approach to eventually correct the issue because the family really does like the TV. 2) DVD "anamorphic" movies. I've resorted to only selecting DVDs that have two recorded modes, one of which is the 4:3 "full screen" recording to "save our eyes". This situation is much like viewing vivid computer graphics with a large background border. It just doesn't feel "relaxing" after the day with Windows.

Price Paid:  $2600.00 from circuit city

Summary:
Hitachi 53FDX01B bought this in Oct.2000 set worked great and had great picture untill March 2001 turned set on and nothing happened. Factory approved repairman out could not find problem something in the power circuts? Needs to go to the shop $160.00 charge to transport estimate to repair $475.00 to $595.00 this on a set that gets used a couple of times a week that is only 16 months old. Repairman said this is not an unusual problem. I feel like I now have a piece of junk.

Strengths:
Had a good picture and sound while it lasted.

Weaknesses:
If this is any indication of life span of this model highly recommend extended warrenty.

Price Paid:  $2060.00 from HH Greg

Summary:
the TV is Great!!!! it is my first big screen and boy does it make watching DVD''s something else.....I set 10ft away and really enjoy the view.....I don''t have the Grey bars for wide screen, mine are black...maybe they changed late in the model year...only problem is couldn''t stand watching anolog cable on it, went out and subscribed to dish network and boy does a digital picture look fantastic

Strengths:
picture quality

Weaknesses:
Looks not so good with anolog signal...maybe none of the big screens do.

Similar Products Used:
none

Price Paid:  $3500.00

Summary:
The Hitachi 53FDX01b is very difficult to beat for $3000 and under, read on and see why. When I purchased this HD ready projection tv I has happy with the quality but not satisfied with what I was getting interms of over picture quality. Out of the box the colour red was a bit pushed, tint was right on the money, convergence was off, and the contrast was pushed to high, high enough TV killing the TV within months. After calibrating the Hitachi the quality of the picture was rich, breath taking and very, very real with accurate flesh tones, perfect resolution and sharpness, plus gray scale tracked very well because the contrast was brought down down to 25% from 100%. The sharpness on the Hitachi can be turned up very high (60%) because it wont shimmer nor produce false outlines that other TV's produce when the sharpness is turned up. Colour was brought down to 41% from 50% which produce perfect reds, in some movies you can see different shades of red which most TV's have difficulty produce. Overall, great TV for the price.

Strengths:
Excellent colours, flesh tones are perfect,perfect video noise reduction and great resolution.

Weaknesses:
Brightness gets dark then jumps to bright then dark again, which can kill dark lit scenes. The hitachi also has a odd aspect ratio feature which produces a grey top and grey bottom on the tv with widescreen movies, I prefer the old black top and bottom bars, but grey! yuk.

Similar Products Used:
Can't be touched for the price.

Price Paid:  $2300.00 from Ultimate Electronics

Summary:
Picture is excellent for the money. Has two component video inputs. Picture from DSS very good. For purchasers either before or after---IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO HOOK UP A PROGRESSIVE SCANNING DVD--TEST IT FIRST!!! Many HDTV models require a factory modification; otherwise DVDs played will have 1-6 second video blackouts particularly when picture is dark and suddenly turns bright, ie cannon shot at night.
Not all DVDs affect the TV; those that have include some Toshibas, Pioneers, JVC; see http://www.hometheaterforum.com
under "Hitachi" header for info from other people with similar problems. Repair is reasonably simple. Call local Hitachi authorized repair, have them refer to Hitachi Bulletin PTV 00-17. If buying a new set, have dealer check unit before delivering--not sure if newer models are repaired.
Good hunting!

Weaknesses:
REQUIRES FACTORY MODIFICATION FOR PROGRESSIVE SCANNING INPUT

Similar Products Used:
Front projection TVs