42in plasma TV Approx price: 1,200

On test

Also Consider >>
SAMSUNG PS42Q7HDX Justies its slightly higher cost with a truly sumptuous design and quality all-round performance. Reviewed: Issue 311 PANASONIC 42PX60 This costs many hundreds of pounds more, but delivers a truly killer picture performance. Reviewed: Issue 306
42in widescreen TV HD Ready 1,024 x 1,080 pixels PC compatible 4,000:1 claimed contrast

Hitachi 42PD8600

Test Data
TEST Colour: Frequency response: Colour temperature: Contrast ratio: Luminance: Power consumption: READING Good Excellent 11,000K 205:1 18fL
<1W (stby) 275W (use) For a full explanation of test data, please see page 98

Details

FEATURES
Screen size & shape: Tuner: Sound system: Resolution (pixels): 42in 16:9 Analogue only Nicam stereo 1,024 x 1,080
HD Ready: Yes Quoted contrast ratio: 4,000:1 Quoted brightness: 1,400cd/m2 Dimensions (inc stand): 1,046(w) x 785(h) x 300(d)mm Weight (with stand): 36kg

SOCKETS

HDMI input; 3 Scarts (2 RGB); S-video in; component video input; composite video input; stereo audio input; stereo audio output; PC jack

CONTACT

www.hitachidigitalmedia.com
42in plasma TV boasting 1,080 lines of resolution for just 1,200? Thatll do nicely. Assuming, of course, that said TV hasnt suffered too many compromises to achieve that price tag. At least it doesnt look overly compromised. The grey speaker section under the screen is perhaps a bit drab, but the gloss black of the rest of the fascia is classy enough. Connectivity gets the job done, too. Theres only one HDMI where wed prefer two, but it is at least supported by the component input demanded by the HD Ready specication a trio of Scarts, a D-Sub PC jack, and all the usual S-video and composite video backups. If weve not yet mentioned any digital tuner-related connections such as a digital audio output or CI slot, its because the TV doesnt have a digital tuner. Notch up one in the budget compromise column. Closer scrutiny of that claimed 1,080-line resolution also reveals a hitch. For rather than actually squeezing 1,080 lines of real, hard pixels into its 42in screen, the 42PD8600 actually uses a technology called Alternate Lighting of Surfaces (ALIS) to turn 540 lines of pixels into 1,080 by sharing an electrode between two pixel lines and lling the usually blank areas between them with extra phosphors.
The resulting 1,024 x 1,080-pixel resolution is a far cry from that delivered by true 1080i panels, and will need considerable amounts of upscaling to adapt 1,920 x 1,080 HD sources to t it.

performance

In many ways, though, the 42PD8600 performs better than anticipated. Especially striking are the phenomenally sharp pictures that deliver the full impact of HD with as much precision and clarity as a topspec LCD TV something plasma traditionally struggles to achieve. Even SD sources look extra sharp. Black levels too, while not immaculate, comfortably outperform most other atscreen big boys at this price point. And the 42PD8600s colours are also a notch above the rivals, combining plenty of vibrancy with a surprisingly consistent tone. These strengths alone add up to moments of picture brilliance that wouldnt disgrace tellies costing twice as much. Inevitably, though, there are some buts to consider. For instance, as people move across the screen, their faces can be affected by quite noticeable zzing noise. Next, colour blends sometimes appear as ugly stripes rather than smooth transitions, and contoured or diagonal edges look rather jagged.
Finally, dark scenes struggle with green/grey dot crawl, and the net result of these noise issues can become quite distracting, causing HD scenes to tip over into harshness. Audio is hit and miss. Bass sounds slightly subdued during action scenes, even with the Dynamic bass function called in. However, voices are clear and reasonably authentic. Overall Hitachis 42PD8600 is dened by its low price, because even its average performance is arguably better than youd expect for so little money John Archer

Ratings

WHATS GOOD
Price; sharpness; colours; black levels

WHATS BAD

Picture can look harsh; various video noise issues
Picture Sound Features Ease of use Value

VERDICT

Provided you dont have unrealistic expectations, this Hitachi represents very decent value
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ON TEST / 42IN PLASMA TV

Verdict Approx price 950

LG 42PC1DV

LG plays the name game with its new ultra-affordable plasma TV
BGood black levels, decent features ENot HD Ready, only one HDMI, average pictures
LGS 42IN PLASMA screen wears its main attraction on its sleeve for its 950 launch price makes it a new member of the extremely small sub-1,000 42in plasma club and quite possibly one of the bargains of the year. But is there a catch? Theres nothing suspicious in the sets looks. Its better built than many of its more expensive rivals, and while its aesthetics arent anything to write home about, theyre hardly cheap and nasty. 42PC1DVs connections as we spot only one HDMI making connection to SkyHD and an HD DVD/Blu-ray deck difcult. At least elsewhere the connectivity is good, including as it does component video jacks, three Scarts, a PC input, a digital audio output and a common interface slot. A digital tuner, meanwhile, is another very welcome inclusion you might not expect to nd on such an affordable TV. Heading deeper into the 42PC1DVs specications, we turn up LGs proprietary XD Engine image processing. This works on no less than six separate aspects of the

The rivals

/ Hitachi 42PD8600
A marginally better performer though theres no digital tuner. Reviewed: Issue 315

/ Samsung PS42Q7HDX

Discounted to only slightly more, its picture performance is much better and its gorgeous to look at, too. Reviewed: Issue 311

Features

However, the rst cracks start to appear with an examination of the
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Want info on more 42in plasma screens? See the Buyers Guide on p118
TVs picture to improve its overall appearance, as well as providing a few user adjustments in the onscreen menus. These include individual adjustments for the tones of skin, blues and greens; MPEG noise reduction for smoothing out the shimmering and blockiness that are common in digital broadcasts and a more standard noise reduction routine. Other features of note include picture-in-picture tools, and a phenomenally high claimed contrast ratio of 10,000:1. Theres certainly nothing cheap about that. However, perhaps inevitably, the 42PC1DV does have one nasty surprise up its sleeve: a native resolution of just 852 x 480 pixels.

Picture

Although the 42PC1DV is arguably one of the best sub-1k 42in screens around, with a few genuinely appealing elements to its pictures, its budget nature is clearly apparent in one key aw: video noise. Theres a general graininess to the picture whether watching standard or high-denition thats seldom less than distracting and at times can really become pretty ugly. It doesnt help, either, that pictures with any MPEG blocking or shimmering noise from the digital tuner or from an attached Sky receiver seem to have these artefacts exaggerated, even if you employ MPEG noise reduction. In terms of the 42PC1DVs strengths, its black levels are far and away the most accomplished weve seen at this price point, as dark scenes remain free of the greyness and shallowness usually seen on budget sets. Colours are also phenomenally rich, and this is achieved without serious tonal issues, as even skin tones tend to look totally natural. Theres even a decent degree of sharpness to the picture, especially during HD viewing, despite the TV not having an HD resolution. Finally, motion is handed well, with minimal loss of resolution and very little sign of plasmas traditional motion dithering problems. Ultimately, though, theres just no getting around the fact that the single aspect you most remember about the 42PC1DVs pictures is its video noise.

Fact le

/ 42in plasma TV / 852 x 480 pixels / XD Engine image processing / 10,000:1 claimed contrast ratio / Digital tuner
/ Time in Lab: 3 days Serial No: 608MAGPIA799 1,129mm 333.6mm

748.5(mm

Theres a general graininess to the picture whether standard or high denition///
Which means that, although its capable of displaying (downscaled) hi-def material, it cant call itself HD Ready. Ouch. Of course, this is a budget set and, as such, is not really aimed at the sort of person to whom topspec pictures are of paramount importance. But this doesnt satisfy another concern we have about the 42PC1DV: the similarity of its name to LGs considerably better specied 42PC1D. The version of the set without the V at the end is HD Ready, and also throws in LGs Direct Colour Filter technology for reducing secondary imaging during off-axis viewing. These are two really signicant differences that LG surely ought to have dened more clearly than simply the addition of a single letter to the name of the inferior model. We shudder to think how many people might have bought a 42PC1DV thinking theyd got themselves a great price on the 42PC1D.
Playback Test Colour temperature Contrast ratio Luminance Colour Frequency response

Rating 9,500K 970:1 24fL

Lab notes: This screen measures OK in our labs, but our tests dont take account of video noise.

Spec check

Screen size and shape: 42in, 16:9 Tuner: Digital and analogue Sound system: Nicam stereo Resolution (pixels): 852 x 480 HD Ready: No Quoted contrast ratio: 10,000:1 with dynamic backlight Quoted brightness: 1,500cd/m Processing: XD Engine Screen dimensions: 1,129(w) x 748.5(h) x 333.6(d)mm Weight: 27.7kg / Other features: PC capable, Fleshtone, greentone and bluetone adjust, MPEG and XD noise reduction, Digital tuner, Black level adjust, picture in picture features / Sockets: HDMI input; component video input; PC input; 3 Scarts; DTV output; S-video input; composite video input; stereo audio inputs; optical audio output, RF input and output; serial port, remote control in/out / Contact: 0870 6075544, www.lge.co.uk

Sound

The built-in speakers have the raw power and frequency response to produce a really quite rich and dynamic soundstage that wouldnt be out of place on a TV costing twice as much.

Value

Tough call this because, on the one hand you get 42in of adequate pictures for an absolute song, while on the other, you only have to shell out a couple of hundred pounds more to get a TV that outperforms this one and boasts a true HD Ready resolution. In the nal analysis, its up to you to decide if youre willing to compromise on quality for the sake of the seductive price tag Z

Ease of use

Theres nothing signicant to complain about when it comes to using this model. LGs onscreen menus are clean, attractive and generally well organised, and although a little plasticky and overcrowded, the remote control does at least put all the buttons you need most in pretty handy positions.
If a grand is absolutely as high as you can afford to go, the 42PC1DV is well worth a look, but for only a little more cash you can do considerably better
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