I've had a 2001 Hitachi Ultra Scan (model 53FDX01BA) 53" HD television that has worked great up until it blew it's converter circuitry a few days ago. Went to the shop and we decided to have it repaired for a few hundred bucks rather than spending a couple of thousand for a new unit.

Hitachi came back home and then had to go back to the shop.

In the mean time, we've been given a loaner, a 2001 Mitsubishi (model WS-55859 ) 55" Big Screen HD TV.

Other than the screen size, both televisions seem, as far as I can tell, very similar. They're both older rear projection televisions. But being rather naive about electronics, I'm not sure of the real differences between the two, if any.

The shop is offering to trade to us the loaner Mitsubishi for the Hitachi. No additional charge beyond what we paid to fix the Hitachi.

What I can't determine is whether or not it would be a good deal.

Is the Mitsubishi a better TV than the Hitachi? Vice Versa? Or is it a case of "Six of one, half dozen of another" ?

Any TV experts out there?