HDTV Lounge

You could very nearly buy two identically sized bargain plasmas for the price of one LG 42PC1DA plasma HDTV. Its price of $3000 (as of 6/6/06) is nearly twice that of some 42-inchers we’ve seen in the PC World Test Center. But plasma enthusiasts would do well at least test-drive the LG. Hands-down, it had the best-looking screen of any plasma we’ve tested recently, according to our test jury. For the average popcorn-munching TV watcher, it may not be worth the steep price–but if you demand a top-notch picture, you’ll want to check this one out personally.

The LG 42PC1DA is a luxury TV in every respect. From its sleek, glossy black case to the smooth curves of its base, this HDTV commands attention even when it’s turned off. But power it up and you’ll find your eyes dazzled by the display itself. The LG outpaced every other TV we tested, in almost every category. The set received its highest marks for color quality, particularly showing off the vibrant reds and greens in a scene from theSeabiscuitDVD that we use for testing. Brightness and contrast were also exceptional: The set is rated as being 25 percent brighter than most other TVs right out of the box, Read more

LG’s 32LXR2 sleek design featuring a heavily glossed black frame, invisibly integrated speakers and attractive neon lighting isn’t embarrassed in the company of more expensive screens.

The screen is high-definition compatible with both commonly used 720p and 1080i formats used by Sky’s HDTV services or upscaling DVD players. And images are supported by LG’s XD Engine picture processing together with an impressive range of advanced picture and sound adjustments - including colour tone correction, an ambient light sensor and surround sound effects.
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LG Electronics has announced its 50PC1DR HDTV plasma TV, which boasts a built-in 160 GB DVR that allows users to pause, rewind, and replay live TV. It also provides continuous automatic recording in one-hour intervals.

The black and silver finished plasma features LG’s XD Engine technology that includes six distinct processes that help to improve brightness, contrast, and detail, thus minimizing bleeding of colours. It delivers 10,000:1 contrast; and has a double HDMI connection.

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LG’s 50PC3D is a midpriced example of the breed offering an attractive mix of features, if nothing spectacular. We were a bit underwhelmed by its image quality and disappointed by the single HDMI input–we expect two from sets such as this nowadays–but we appreciated the LG’s simple design and its ability to resize its image six ways.

When we turned to HDTV, the LG’s image, as expected, looked better, although it had many of the same issues we saw on DVD. During one of the many Red Sox vs. Yankees games on ESPN, the grass looked a bit softer than it should. Again, we could improve detail somewhat at the expense of making edges–especially visible in the borders of the visiting Sox’s gray uniforms–unnaturally sharp-looking. Colors were nicely saturated, although the grass looked slightly more yellow than it should have. We also saw too much mosquito noise, so called because it resembles a swarm of tiny mosquitoes, in the blue backstop behind home plate and other flat areas.

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LG’s 42PX5D is an attractive, affordable, large-screen plasma with a future-proof specification that includes high-definition compatibility, integrated digital TV and various memory-card applications. Its functionality could be less fussy and its image quality is occasionally compromised, but you’ll struggle to find a better price-to-performance ratio.

* LG’s Exclusive XDâ„¢ Engine - Six distinct processes contribute to picture improvement. LG’s XD Engine takes the low resolution of analog signals to near HD levels by improving brightness, contrast, detail and enhancing color as well as reducing signal noise. This total solution results in cinema like high resolution images.

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