I am SO relating to this post right now. Self-control is a key issue for me suddenly. Why? it starts with the fact that my Pioneer Elite BDP-88FD is on the fritz. The tray won't open. The unit doesn't respond to the remote or the open/close button, and rebooting the player (unplug then re-plug) worked only the first time I tried it. There's a service center in Manhattan that can fix it probably (they fixed my 20-year old LD player, also Pioneer Elite), but it would be more of a hassle to get it there than shipping it off someplace, as they're cash only so I have to lug it to them somehow to pay in person for the estimate, come back when it's ready to pay the final cost, then lug it home again.

In my laziness it's actually occurred to me to just move on and replace the 88FD with Pioneer's new 4K player, the UDP-LX500. I went to the Value Electronics website to be sure they still carry Pioneer Elite (they do) and the price listed is about what others are listing. But my relationship with the store could net me a bit of an additional discount. Unfortunately(!), in checking out the LX500, I noted, to my excitement, disappointment and great concern, the new Sony A9G OLEDs are due out next month, with the 55" version first, and at a price within reach under normal circumstances. Temptations are high right now, and I'm trying to settle down. Being on AA isn't going to help that, but I want to vent.:D

I can tell I'm going to start mental machinations over how to approach this. Meantime, I still have my BDP-09FD; an AA member was interested in it but doesn't PM, so no way to deal with that. Maybe the first move is to pray, then disconnect the 88FD, put my 09FD back in and play plenty of BDs and DVDs to remind me of what I have (a "cold shower" approach), even as my brain wants to work out a scenario where I can swing both new player and new TV despite having tight finances and a still very good TV that hasn't given me any trouble. Again, I'm not sure I care about 4K that much, it's the larger screen for me. But I'd take the 4K!

Charles.......Looking forward to your review on the new 55" Sony A9G 4K widescreen and Pioneer Elite UDP-LX500 4K Blu-ray player. . :D

Dan from your first post, we love that you have self control issues as we all do as well :D

Perfect illustration of "Being on AA isn't going to help that." :yes::D

I am leaning toward fixing the 88FD rather than going for the UDP-LX500 for now. The realization has hit that the LX500 is probably a "gateway drug;" to have a true 4K player (as opposed to the 88 which upscales to 4K) will increase the urge for a 4K TV to complete the set, as it were.

Being self-aware has its benefits :yes:, but only if you heed what that self-awareness tells you :scratch2:.

4K PQ is just stunning and well worth the investment.

Fortunately, funds don't encourage the move at this point :no:. An air conditioner replacement is imminent and that decreases the chances of a new TV even further.

I found the November 2008 issue of Home Theater, which featured my Pioneer Elite PRO-111FD plasma on the cover with the tagline, "World's Best HDTV?" and read it all over again. It was good to be reminded of how amazing this TV was (and is still, frankly) and it tended to reinforce the notion that replacing it isn't a necessity. But, there was this one bummer: the video processing was rated as only so-so. So even in the silver lining of the overall review, there is a dark cloud that hangs over the situation. :sigh:

4K update. Well, I added a fourth Sony 4K TV in my office, a 43 inch model that serves two purposes. The primary purpose is to be the monitor for my recently upgraded 4K network video recorder security system, and the second purpose is network connectivity for streaming Netflix, Hulu, and Prime in my office and watching 4K Blu-rays movies on the Oppo UDP-203.

This monitor really shines with the eight 4k security cameras. Day or night I get a tremendous picture from all cameras, and when I click a camera to go full screen on the Sony 4K monitor it's like looking out the window. Excellent picture quality. The 4K cameras allow zooming without loss of detail like my old 720p system did.

Nowhere else to put another 4K TV, so I think I am done.

Dan,

Which 4k security cameras did you use?

Terry.......The eight channel network video recorder with 2TB hard drive is by Lorex. The 4K cameras are Lorex 8 megapixel, model LNB8111B. I purchased the six camera system from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Lorex-Network...s%2C165&sr=8-5 . I purchased two additional cameras and a 8TB surveillance rated hard drive to replace the 2TB hard drive. The bigger hard drive allows 20 days of eight channel recording in 4K versus 5 days of backup from the 2TB drive. All camersa are power over Ethernet (PoE). The Lorex software is mature and intuitive. I can view live video, playback video, and receive notifications on my phone that are triggered by motion. I have had the 4K security system up and running now for two months with zero issues. I am pleased with the system.