Thin is in and it looks to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Although bulkier tube televisions and big-box RPTVs can still generate some of the best pictures available, LCD and plasma flat panel displays continue to dominate the television market. Whether it's above the fireplace in your friend's living room or above the bar at your local watering hole, flat panels are everywhere you look.
Additional Resources
• Read more plasma HDTV reviews by HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Explore Blu-ray player options in our Blu-ray Player Review section.
Although some recent advances have improved black levels and shadow detail on LCD TVs, plasma continues to be the popular favorite. The 42-inch 42HP84 HDTV monitor from Toshiba, a company long associated with quality displays, is sure to turn a few heads and is certainly worthy of your attention.
Plasma displays have some inherent strengths and weaknesses, and it's critical that you be aware of these before you start shopping. Getting the bad news out of the way first, remember that most plasmas do not handle low-grade, standard definition content very well. This means that analog cable signals and VHS recordings tend to look rather poor. This issue can be minimized by pairing your display with a quality scaler/line doubler, such as DVDO's iScan HD (see review on page 76).
Also remember that plasmas are subject to image "burn-in", whereby an image or line can become permanently engrained in the display due to prolonged viewing of a stationary image. A good example of this is the stock ticker running along the bottom of CNBC, or the "pillarbox" bars that flank 4:3 content on your 16:9 screen. Whenever possible, fill your entire screen with the picture/zoom mode that is least offensive to you. In case you don't believe in burn-in, I should point out that Toshiba has placed a large, bold-text box on NINE different pages of the 42HP84 owner's manual warning owners about this plasma phenomenon. The box is also kind enough to remind you that "This type of damage is NOT covered by your warranty." Consider yourself warned.
The good news is that plasma displays are capable of tremendous picture quality, especially with HDTV and DVD sources. Also, plasmas tend to be capable of very high brightness and they perform exceptionally well in rooms with high amounts of ambient light. Anyone with a CRT-based RPTV will tell you that one uncovered window or glass door can completely wash out your picture during daylight hours. This is not the case with plasma. Finally, as with LCD panels, plasmas are extremely easy to mount on the wall and they instantly add a splash of style to any room. Toshiba's 42HP84 is no exception.
Unique Features
Proving that it's ready to be connected to the latest and greatest source devices, Toshiba's 42HP84 features a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input. HDMI provides a 100% digital signal path for both video and multi-channel digital audio over a single cable. Many new DVD players and set-top boxes feature HDMI (or DVI, which is identical to HDMI but for video only). If you can take advantage of this connection, HDMI will give you the best possible picture on the 42HP84.
To risk sounding greedy for a moment, I'd really like to see two HDMI inputs on future Toshiba plasmas, and on all quality displays for that matter. Most new DVD players and set-top boxes now feature HDMI output and most households have both devices. In my case, my Onkyo DV-SP1000 reference DVD player has a 1080i-capable HDMI output. But, my VOOM satellite receiver also has a digital output (DVI) which I'd like to use to watch my HDTV (with a DVI/HDMI adapter.) So which do I choose? In the end, I gave the HDMI input to my VOOM box since that's outputting native HDTV. I relegated the DVD to component video, but it'd be nice if I didn't have to make that compromise. With analog connections becoming a thing of the past, I'd be happy to forfeit both of the 42HP84's rear-panel composite/S-Video inputs in exchange for a second HDMI input.
For viewers who like to multi-task, the 42HP84 has a unique Picture-out-Picture (POP) feature which allows you to watch two windows side by side in the display. This handy feature extends to the set's various inputs, so you can watch a DVD in your POP window while surfing your cable channels in the main window. Several buttons on the remote handle this feature, including one which lets you swap the window content, and another to toggle which window's audio is output.
Speaking of audio, the built-in speakers on the 42HP84 are definitely unique. Many plasma displays forego speakers entirely, expecting the consumer to use a 5.1 speaker system. That's fine, and that will certainly sound better than any set's built-in speakers. But some installations (such as a bedroom) require nothing more than a decent set of built-ins. The column speakers on the 42HP84 are beautifully integrated into the panel's design, and while they do make the unit considerably wider, they're an artful and useful addition.
An extra bonus is the presence of WOW• Surround and Virtual Dolby Surround for creating enhanced 3D sound with only two speakers. During my evaluation period, I detected some cabinet resonance during a bass-heavy Sheryl Crow song playing over a scene from Jersey Girl. This was only detectable when the WOW• TruBass setting was engaged (the default setting). Toshiba was unable to duplicate this problem at their facility so it may have only been an isolated issue specific to my review sample.
Read more about the Toshiba 42HP84 on Page 2.
Installation/Setup/Ease of Use
Although the 42HP84 was yearning to hang above my fireplace, I reviewed
it using the included tabletop stand. The stand is an extremely
well-made, heavy-duty support and makes for a great alternative if wall
mounting is not an option. Connection to my VOOM satellite receiver was
made with a BetterCables HDMI cable and an Ultralink HDMI/DVI adapter.
I connected my Onkyo DVD player with Monster THX component video cables
and I also connected a run-of-the-mill coaxial cable to check out basic
cable. On-screen menus were intuitive and the unit's backlit remote
gave me little to complain about. OK, maybe one complaint. I wish
Toshiba would change their Mode selection button; I shouldn't have to
tap a button five times to switch from controlling my DVD player to
controlling my VCR. Nitpicks aside, the 42HP84 was a snap to get up and
running.
Final Take
Perhaps I did it to prolong my anticipation of getting to the good
stuff, but whatever the reason, I started my video evaluation by
looking at basic, analog cable. I didn't expect much in the way of
picture quality, and that's about what I got. There's no getting around
the fact that plasma does not do well with low-resolution, standard
definition content. Old reruns of Seinfeld looked grainy and pixilated
and often times unwatchable if I sat too close. Newer stuff such as a
recent episode of Joey fared slightly better, but the same problems
persisted. One issue that did arise during this test that is not a
result of poor source material is a barely perceptible flicker in the
light gray pillarbox bars on either side of the 4:3 image. This problem
was news to Toshiba and they were unable to duplicate it on their end.
It was hard to pick up sometimes, more pronounced other times. It
seemed to coincide with a lot of movement near the borders of the 4:3
image. In the grand scheme of things, it was very minor and I don't
recommend using the 4:3 mode anyway, if you can help it.
Moving on to DVD and HDTV, it was as if a different television
spontaneously appeared. While watching DVD episodes of The West Wing's
third season, I marveled at the lush images the 42HP84 was able to
conjure. The red, white and blue flags adorning the White House looked
perfectly natural and colors on the whole looked accurate. After some
picture setting adjustments, blacks were relatively black and grayscale
tracked well. Switching over to my VOOM box connected via HDMI, I was
overwhelmed that this was the same display I was watching cable on only
hours ago. At a distance of 2x the width of the display, my VOOM HD
programming looked better than I thought it could. Using the receiver's
1080i setting, I immediately lost myself in the pictures and found
myself otherwise detained on a kayaking tour of China.
The 42HP84, like many other plasmas, is not made for yesterday. It
was not designed with cable and VHS in mind. The 42HP84 is a television
of tomorrow, built to shine when DVD or HDTV is giving the orders. If
you're looking for a high quality plasma panel capable of truly
stunning images, give this Toshiba a look and I promise you'll like
what you see.
Toshiba 42HP84 Plasma
42" 720p HDTV Monitor
1024 x 768 panel resolution
(1) HDMI input
(2) HD component video inputs
(2) S-Video inputs
(3) A/V composite inputs
Built-in speakers w/SRS ® WOW
Virtual Dolby Surround
50 5/32"W x 30 5/32"H x 12 19/32"D
Weight: 113 lbs.
MSRP: $5,499
Additional Resources
• Read more plasma HDTV reviews by HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Explore Blu-ray player options in our Blu-ray Player Review section.
