Best Flat Screen Tv: LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me start by saying that I am not a videophile, but when it comes to purchasing a television I can be very picky. I went through the whole LCD vs. Plasma dilemma 3 years ago when I bought my Samsung 5084 (one of the best non-Pioneer plasmas at the time). That said, I was ready to supplement that unit this year with a 'smaller' LCD for the bedroom (didn't want to sweat IR, horizontal line bleed, etc). Needless to say, LCD options in the 'budget' range lack features that alleviate some of their drawbacks, forcing you to suffer through motion blur, clouding, and terrible black levels if you choose a set for ~$800).

Enter the 42" plasmas. For the sake of comparison, I decided to investigate the plasma alternative once again. This essentially brought me to the Samsung C450 due to my positive experience with the 5084 and glowing reviews for the C450. Unfortunately, users reported an audible buzzing noise from the Samsung (a noise I know full well from the 5084 and did not want to deal with on a bedroom set).

Enter the PJ350. I only became aware of this set after seeing it next to the Samsung at the store. From a design perspective, it tops the Samsung with an ultra thin bezel, very thin chassis, and no 'touch of red'. Furthermore, I heard no buzzing from the LG floor model, while the Samsung sounded like someone was digging honey out of a beehive. Since it is a brand new model I had no reviews to rely on, but I took the plunge.

Picture quality from this unit is superb for any sub-$1k TV, much less one at this price point. This 720p set rivals my 1080p plasma in most respects, most notably black levels. I have only had it for a few days now, but setting the TV on 'cinema' mode at 70 contrast and 50 brightness is really impressive (I recommend switching those two numbers for several weeks to break in the unit). If you place your head behind the unit, you can hear the typical plasma 'buzz', but this is completely inaudible at any reasonable viewing distance. While this goes without saying, all the benefits of plasma are apparent with this TV: cinematic quality motion (none of that chincy 120hz movement), 24p bluray playback, consistent backlighting, etc. I have noticed a tiny amount of false contouring, but less than my Samsung - hardly an annoyance. OTA video quality is, of course, superb. The reviewer who stated that colors are not as vivid clearly didn't recognize that picture settings are independently adjustable for each input. This TV does offer a settings wizard to help set the picture based on your unit and environment, but I prefer manual adjustment to suit my personal tastes.

If you're worried about not having 1080p, don't be. At this size, you will not detect a difference anywhere outside 4' from the unit. The screen is quite reflective, but if glare is your primary concern then you surely can settle for the inferior picture quality of a cheap LCD. While I have limited experience with my LG, I can honestly say that I am very pleased thus far.

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Product Description:
If you think plasma means a bulky frame or power inefficiency, take a second look at the 42-inch LG 42PJ350 720p Plasma HDTV, which features a TruSlim Frame that helps trim away distraction without compromising screen size. Other features include 600Hz Sub Field Driving for elimination of motion blur, a mega contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, three HDMI ports, and the capability to play MP3 audio files and JPEG photo slideshows from a USB drive.

Key Features

3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.
600Hz Sub Field Driving
Tired of streaky action or unclear plays during the game? See sports, fast action and video games like never before. The 600Hz refresh ratevirtually eliminates motion blur.
AV Mode
Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for "Cinema", Sports" or "Games" to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience.
Picture Wizard
Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It's not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way.
Dual XD Engines for Superior video
This Plasma HDTV combines two of LG's exclusive XD Engines to maximize picture quality for any type of video content. By combining XD Engine processors, panel performance is optimized ensuring higher color accuracy and more realistic images.. Intelligent Sensor
Don't strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience. 24P Real Cinema
Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG's Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you'll love Real Cinema. ISFccc Calibration Ready
LG's ISFccc Ready HDTVs contain the detailed standards necessary for professional calibration of brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness, color levels and much more to meet local lighting conditions for both day and nighttime viewing. Settings are added to preset modes for easy access from your LG remote. Clear Voice II
Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells.
Infinite Sound
What's a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment. Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you'll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you're watching--a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you'll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games. USB 2.0
Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files. HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color
Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow's technology today. SimpLink
Having a hard time keeping track of your remotes? With SimpLink, all your LG devices can be controlled with just one remote. Smart Energy Saving
With LG's Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.

Key Specifications

Screen size:

Resolution:

Dynamic contrast ratio:

Brightness:

600Hz Sub Field Driving:

Built-in tuner:

Audio output:

Speaker system:

Dolby Digital decoder:

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Input labeling:

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Connections

HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP):

Component:

Composite A/V:

RF:

PC input (15-pin, D-Sub):

PC audio input:

Digital audio output:

USB:

RS-232c input:

Dimensions

LG 2010 HDTV Comparison

Series: LD350 LD450 LD520 LD550 LD650 LE5300 LE5400 LE8500 LX6500 PJ350 PK550 PK750 Models: 22-inch
26-inch
32-inch32-inch
37-inch
42-inch
47-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch32-inch
42-inch
46-inch
52-inch47-inch
55-inch22-inch
26-inch
32-inch
37-inch32-inch
42-inch
47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch47-inch
55-inch42-inch
50-inch50-inch
60-inch50-inch
60-inch Panel type LCD LCD LCD LCD LCD LED LCD LED LCD LED LCD 3D LED Plasma Plasma Plasma LED Local Dimming -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 3D Ready -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Resolution 720p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 1080p 720p 1080p 1080p Contrast ratio 50k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 100k:1
dynamic 150k:1
dynamic 200k:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 4mil:1
dynamic 9mil:1
dynamic 8mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic 3mil:1
dynamic Refresh rate 60Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 60Hz 120Hz 120Hz 240Hz 600Hz 600Hz 600Hz Response time 5ms 4ms 2.4 2.4 2 2.4ms 2.6ms 1ms 2ms -- -- -- Netcast Entertainment -- -- -- -- -- -- HDMI input 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 Component input
(Y, PB, PR) 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 Composite input 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 PC input USB port 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 2 1 1 2 MP3 and JPEG
playback -- DivX video
playback -- -- -- -- -- Ethernet -- -- -- -- -- -- Wireless 1080p Ready -- -- -- -- -- -- Energy Star -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Series: LD350 LCD LD450 LCD LD520 LCD LD550 LCD LD650 LCD LE5300 LED LE5400 LED LE8500 LED LX6500
3D LED PJ350 Plasma PK550 Plasma PK750 Plasma

Learn More

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.
If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get.

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LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review