42 Plasma TV
Top 6 Recommended 42 Inch Plasma TVs
Following are our top 5 recommended plasma TVs based upon quality, price and value (in no particular order). Editors choice designations may be given as well from one or more of these three criteria.
Panasonic TH-42PZ85U check prices 
42" Plasma TV 1080p
This latest Panasonic plasma is the brightest plasma TV we have ever reviewed. The resultant color rendition is more saturated than previous Panasonic models tested. Blue tones from a Blu Ray really pop (more like an LCD than a plasma picture). Excessive brightness of this plasma makes HD programming really stand out but hurts the realism of the picture images - especially non-computer animated film content. The extra brightness of the TH-42PZ85U will be a benefit to rooms with high ambient light conditions, but a drawback for the darker home theater room. A few if the features for this model are:
42" Class (41.6" Diagonal) Widescreen VIERA Plasma 1080p HDTV with Increased Native Contrast Ratio, PC Input, New Anti-Reflective Filter, Deep Color Technology, Game Mode, Built-In SD Card Slot/GalleryPlayer® Ready to View, 3 HDMI Inputs and VIERA Link® HDAVI Control
Panasonic TH-42PX80U check prices
42" Plasma Television 720p
Always priced right at around $1K Panasonic's entry level plasma products have solid upconversion, great black levels, and ample input selection. And dont let the 720p resolution hold you back, you will be hard pressed to see a difference in picture quality even with HD signals.
- 1024 x 768 Resolution
- 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks
- 4096 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction
- Viera LinK™ HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control
- GalleryPlayer® allows you to enjoy the world's finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV
Samsung PN42A450 check prices 
42" Plasma TV 720p
At sub $1K prices this plasma is a great buy if price is your primary consideration. Yes it is 720p resolution but that should not hold you back and especially not on a 42" plasma. The plasma is a little dark (even with the highest contrast settings) so don't purchase it for a brighter room environment with lots of ambient light. This new Samsung line has anti glare features which we found largely noneffective.
LG 42PG25 check prices
42" Plasma TV
LG has come a long way and now is really producing nice plasma TVs. The plasma has a high quality dialogue enhancement feature through its Clear Voice Technology. This unit contains one of LGs premier video processing engine as well in the XD Engine ®. And lastly, there are enhancements to fast motion production features.
- Screen Size Class 42-Inch (Diagonal)
- Native Display Resolution 1024 x 768
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio 20,000:1
- Brightness 1,500 cd/m2
- Life Span (Typical) 100,000 hr
- Built-in Tuner (ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM)
- HDMI™/HDCP Input (3 v1.3, Deep Color)
- Cabinet Color Glossy Piano Black
- Limited Warranty 1 Year Parts & Labor/ 2 Years Panel
LG 42PG20 check prices
42" Plasma Television 720P
This plasma is a solid performer at the entry level. It has a stylish design and nice feature set for a plasma which costs around $1K. It will be great for wall mounting at only 3.4" in depth. It has an estimated lifespan of 100,000 hours to half life (or half brightness however you want to look at it). And enhanced contrast ratio to tweak the brightness when necessary. It even has discrete color temp settings. A few other features:
- Dual XD Engine(TM)
- XD Engine(TM)
- Image Sticking Minimization (# of Modes) White Wash / Orbiter / Inversion
- 1080P Source Input HDMI 60p/30p/24p; Component 60p/30p/24p; RGB 60p
- AV Mode (Picture & Sound)
- Digital Comb Filter (3D)
Panasonic TH-42PZ800U check prices 
42" Plasma TV 1080p
This highest end Panasonic plasma TV is loaded with all of Panasonic's upgrades. It boasts an amazing 30,000:1 native contrast ratio. However we tested it with ANSI checkerboard pattern testing to be 558:1 post calibration. This is still one of the highest contrast ratios we've ever tested. So rest assured the black levels are deep dark shadow detailing is excellent as it has been in the past with Panasonic plasmas. This unit is significantly brighter than previous models which will help with high brightness rooms. Some other features:
- New anti-reflective filter; lead-free "Tough Under Force" panel is resistant to impacts and scratches
- Built-in SD card slot with Photo Viewer/Gallery Player software
- x.v. Color and Deep Color (HDMI 1.3 features)
- 24p native reproduction
- Game Mode auto-adjusts image quality suitable to games and includes anti-image retention
- Viera Link is now compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems
- At least 3 HDMI inputs on all models (4 on PZ800)
- THX Certification
