The KRP-500M is an interesting beast. To sum it up quickly:
- it's a monitor - meaning that it does not have a TV tuner built in. If you want to watch TV, you HAVE to have an outboard tuner such as a cable box or satellite DVR, etc.
- it's essentially the same as the "Elite Signature" PRO-101FD monitor.
- it's very thin: 2.5" thick compared to the 3.75" thick PDP-5020FD
- it has only 2 HDMI inputs instead of 4
- it has no USB port and its ethernet connection is only for network control - it won't access any media via the network
- it has all of the user and picture controls of the "Elite" Kuro plasmas. This is a big plus over the PDP-5020FD, IMO, as those controls allow you to really dial in the colour and gamma, etc.
- it does not come with a table-top stand or speakers.
- it's a fantastic deal at its street price, but you have to be willing to accept its "quirks" of no stand, no speakers, only 2 HDMI, etc.
All of that said, the PDP-5020FD is no slouch and $1500 is a pretty good deal when you consider its current street price. That said, the KRP-500M is selling for only about $500 more.
To put it plainly, the KRP-500M is capable of a slightly better and more accurate picture than the PDP-5020FD. But it has a couple of drawbacks, strictly in terms of how you might want to set it up or connect sources. If you just want to mount a display on a wall and have it do nothing but show superb images, then the KRP-500M is your man! But if you want to put it on a table or a shelf, you'll have to track down a table-top mount for it or else just go for the PDP-5020FD.
