Having just returned from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, I've had the opportunity to check out virtually every LCD and plasma panel on the market today. When I then say that Hitachi's Director's Series plasma is easily near the top of my list when it comes to sleek design, I hope you understand I have a considerable frame of reference. Measuring 42 inches diagonal, the 42HDX61 is a sight to behold, both when the power is on and also when off.

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Featuring the most unique tabletop stand I've ever seen, this plasma display warrants serious attention if you're looking for a stylish centerpiece for your home entertainment system.

To mention but a few reasons the 42HDX61 is worthy of your attention, this plasma has more connection flexibility than just about any model I've seen. Offering things like a CableCARD™ slot, a built-in HDTV tuner, not one but two HDMI inputs, and a USB port for connection to a digital camera, the 42HDX61 has all of your bases covered.

Unique Features
Most people like the idea of a plasma (or LCD flat panel) display because they think it will look sharp in their living room. And that's true. However, unless your space is pre-wired, or you plan on hiring a professional installer, you're going to need quite a few cables going to the plasma. A typical home theater includes a cable or satellite box, a DVD player and maybe a DVR or (gasp!) VCR. A mess of wires running into the back of your plasma quickly chips away at its posh factor. The latest crop of A/V receivers have gotten much better at switching and upconverting your various inputs, but they're still not perfect - especially if you want to leverage DVI or HDMI. In addition, due to limited real estate on the panel itself, many plasmas are limited in the number of inputs they can offer. The 42HDX61 solves both of these problems by using an external Audio Video Control Center (AVCC).

About the size of a DVD player, the AVCC gathers up all of the connections you wish to display and feeds the plasma panel with a single interface cable. As aforementioned, the AVCC incorporates a CableCARD™ slot, two HDMI ports as well as multiple component and traditional analog inputs. The supplied interface cable is only nine feet long, but a longer version is available for purchase through Hitachi. In addition to simplifying your wire traffic, the AVCC allows you to purchase shorter cables for connection to your other hardware. Shorter means less expensive, which is good, but shorter cable runs are also beneficial for ensuring the best possible picture quality.

If you're not going to wall-mount your plasma, the 42HDX61 features the slickest tabletop stand I've seen to date. You'll be the envy of all your friends with Hitachi's motorized swivel base -- standard on the 42-inch model and optional on the 55-inch. A simple tap of the remote's left or right cursor buttons swivels the plasma 30 degrees to the left or right. Though not something you'd need all the time, I could easily see it being handy when dealing with fluctuating room lights and/or sun glare. Since my 16-month old son Danny loves remote controls, I was happy to see that you can lock control of the swivel within the unit's menu system.

Read more about the Hitachi 42HDX61 Plasma on Page 2.