Pioneer 42" Plasma TV Review (PDP-42A3HD)

[Audioholics]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/PioneerPDP42A3HDplasmaTVreview.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 97px" alt=[pioneer42plasma] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/pioneer42plasma_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>After our visit to the Consumer Electronics Show this year I was anxious to get my hands on a Pioneer Plasma. Their displays really did outshine a lot of what we saw at the 2006 CES and I wanted to see how their budget oriented plasmas stacked up against the competition. The Pioneer PDP-42A3HD is a reduced feature set sixth-generation HD 42" plasma display panel with a 1024x768 pixel resolution. It is also marketed in some retail locations as the PDP-4214HD. This plasma display comes in at a lower retail price point due to some reduced features that enabled Pioneer to provide a more budget-conscious product.

[Read the Review]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; [Special Pricing from Visual Apex]</P>

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Nice review.

Having the Olevia LCD, can you comment on the black levels of it versus this Pioneer unit?

It's somewhat disappointing that screen burn in is still an issue at this stage of the game.

 

[thoward4444]

Burn-in problem

It seems too bad that a current gen plasma has these burn in problems. Great review, but I think that the burn in problem should have lowered the score a bit more. I have a Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK, which is in the same price range (after you get the HDMI card for it) as the Pioneer and I have had absoloutly no problem with burn in. Even after leaving Media Center on the screen for hours at a time it looks great (I did break the screen in by being very careful with it for the first 50 hours - not sure if that helps). Anyway, it great to see more reviews of display technology. Thanks for another review!

T

 

[Audioholics]

I had a hard time scoring it to be honest... I really liked the color and detail and the deinterlacing was exceptional - things I value highly. The black levels and temporary burn-in really did it in, however. Pioneer's higher-end PureVision plasmas are a COMPLETELY different panel according to an engineer I spoke with at Pioneer.

 

[RSDOUG]

Pdp 4212

Good review Clint – I recently purchased the PDP4214 version of this unit.
My budget for a TV was around $2000/$2500. I got this unit for $2000 at Costco.
As you say, in your review, there are good and bad points to this set. The burn in issue does not seem as bad now that I have had the set for a couple of months. My main issue is with the weird effect in some of the dark scenes, I think this may be the posturization or banding you refer to. What I am wondering, is there a better set out there in my price range ?? I am reluctant to return the unit and buy something else that falls short, either in the same or other areas.
I hear that the entry level Panasonics are supposed to be good TV’s – but to be honest I think the new Panasonics look ugly, particularly when compared to the Pioneer. But if the Panasonic blows the Pioneer away then this may be a worthwhile sacrifice to make.
Also, do you think the use of an upscaling DVD player, with an HDMI cable, would help. Or would I not find it much different from a progressive scan DVD with component cables.
I know that compromises are going to have to be made when talking about entry level units, when compared to the higher priced sets. However, $2000/$2500 is still a lot of money to drop on a TV, so I am just trying to get the best value for money as possible.

R.D.

 

[sergeh07]

upconversion

Thanks for review Clint.
Could you please elaborate on " Its ability to function as a high definition display, with progressive scan and upconversion..". Neither I've heard or read about upconversion for this tv nor it's quite clear from your review what is meant here.
I own one and just trying to figure out what I'm missing .
Thanks.