June 2006
First Look: Hitachi 42HDS69
The first 1080i plasma TV
The Hitachi 42HDS69 has a slim silver border around the panel and silver-colored speakers on the side. It costs $2,500.
Hitachi has broken new ground with its 42HDS69 plasma TV, which delivers the most detailed plasma images to date. It lists
for $2,500 and is the first 1080i plasma TV to hit the market, with native resolution of 1024x1080. TVs described as 1080p
sets offer even higher resolution--1920x1080--but there aren't any 1080p plasmas out there yet, though they're expected soon.
Here's how the 42HDS69 performed in preliminary testing for picture quality and other attributes:
PROS
Fine image detail. The Hitachi's picture quality looked fairly impressive. The screen has 1080 pixels from top to bottom, rather than the usual 768, so it displayed more detailed images than the typical plasma set, which has 1024x768 resolution. But it has the same number of pixels from side to side as most other HD-capable plasma sets, so the overall improvement isn't dramatic. You could make out fine threads on clothing and detect blemishes the makeup artist missed, but it's not strikingly better than other good plasma TVs.
More ways to connect. This is the first TV we've seen with three HDMI inputs and three component-video inputs. (Most of the digital TVs we tested have only one HDMI connection, but we've recently seen a few with two.) Also unusual: one HDMI input is on one side of the set and a component-video input is on the other, so you don't have to maneuver around back to tinker with connections. (Side or front inputs are more typically composite-video or S-video.) The combination of HDMI and component-video inputs gives you six HD-capable connections for a DVD player, audio receiver, PlayStation, and so on. You could also hook up a cable box or satellite receiver, of course, if you don't use the set's CableCard slot.
A handy brightness feature. By pressing a button on the remote or using the built-in timer, you can toggle between brighter daytime settings and lower nighttime settings, saving you the trouble of going through the menu to make adjustments for different viewing conditions.
CONS
Minor picture flaws. While the picture quality would probably look impressive in casual viewing, our engineers detected a few issues during close examination. We found the colors a bit off, with a slight greenish cast. As much as we tinkered with the controls, we couldn't get everything exactly the way we wanted it. When flesh tones looked best, the grass looked a little blue. It wasn't glaring, but it did fall short of the best plasma models we've seen. We also noticed slight jaggedness on the diagonal lines. And in close-up viewing, the pixel structure is visible, on par with that of most other plasmas.
Slight flicker. Unlike most other plasma TVs, the Hitachi does not display 1080i HD programming, which is interlaced, as progressive content. As a result, you might see a subtle flickering effect on the edges of highly detailed images. You might not notice it watching TV programming from a normal viewing distance, but it might be noticeable in very close viewing or if you use the display as a computer monitor running at 1080i.
Usability quibbles. The remote control's layout is fine, but the lettering on the buttons is hard to read because it's gray on gray. The remote isn't backlighted, so in a dim room you could have trouble making out the labels. The on-screen menu is fairly typical, but the response time when clicking from one menu screen to another was annoyingly sluggish.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Judging by our initial tests, the 42HDS69 appears to be among the better plasma TVs available, though it's not the best we've seen. While its higher vertical resolution enables it to display slightly more detailed images than other plasma TVs, pixel count alone doesn't determine picture quality. The 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PX60U looked better in our recent preliminary tests, with more accurate colors--and it, too, costs about $2,500. Still, the Hitachi is an impressive set, and it's worth considering if you can get it at a good price. We'll have full test results in coming weeks. For other good choices in plasma TVs, check out our plasma TV Ratings (available to subscribers).
Here's how the 42HDS69 performed in preliminary testing for picture quality and other attributes:
PROS
Fine image detail. The Hitachi's picture quality looked fairly impressive. The screen has 1080 pixels from top to bottom, rather than the usual 768, so it displayed more detailed images than the typical plasma set, which has 1024x768 resolution. But it has the same number of pixels from side to side as most other HD-capable plasma sets, so the overall improvement isn't dramatic. You could make out fine threads on clothing and detect blemishes the makeup artist missed, but it's not strikingly better than other good plasma TVs.
More ways to connect. This is the first TV we've seen with three HDMI inputs and three component-video inputs. (Most of the digital TVs we tested have only one HDMI connection, but we've recently seen a few with two.) Also unusual: one HDMI input is on one side of the set and a component-video input is on the other, so you don't have to maneuver around back to tinker with connections. (Side or front inputs are more typically composite-video or S-video.) The combination of HDMI and component-video inputs gives you six HD-capable connections for a DVD player, audio receiver, PlayStation, and so on. You could also hook up a cable box or satellite receiver, of course, if you don't use the set's CableCard slot.
A handy brightness feature. By pressing a button on the remote or using the built-in timer, you can toggle between brighter daytime settings and lower nighttime settings, saving you the trouble of going through the menu to make adjustments for different viewing conditions.
CONS
Minor picture flaws. While the picture quality would probably look impressive in casual viewing, our engineers detected a few issues during close examination. We found the colors a bit off, with a slight greenish cast. As much as we tinkered with the controls, we couldn't get everything exactly the way we wanted it. When flesh tones looked best, the grass looked a little blue. It wasn't glaring, but it did fall short of the best plasma models we've seen. We also noticed slight jaggedness on the diagonal lines. And in close-up viewing, the pixel structure is visible, on par with that of most other plasmas.
Slight flicker. Unlike most other plasma TVs, the Hitachi does not display 1080i HD programming, which is interlaced, as progressive content. As a result, you might see a subtle flickering effect on the edges of highly detailed images. You might not notice it watching TV programming from a normal viewing distance, but it might be noticeable in very close viewing or if you use the display as a computer monitor running at 1080i.
Usability quibbles. The remote control's layout is fine, but the lettering on the buttons is hard to read because it's gray on gray. The remote isn't backlighted, so in a dim room you could have trouble making out the labels. The on-screen menu is fairly typical, but the response time when clicking from one menu screen to another was annoyingly sluggish.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Judging by our initial tests, the 42HDS69 appears to be among the better plasma TVs available, though it's not the best we've seen. While its higher vertical resolution enables it to display slightly more detailed images than other plasma TVs, pixel count alone doesn't determine picture quality. The 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PX60U looked better in our recent preliminary tests, with more accurate colors--and it, too, costs about $2,500. Still, the Hitachi is an impressive set, and it's worth considering if you can get it at a good price. We'll have full test results in coming weeks. For other good choices in plasma TVs, check out our plasma TV Ratings (available to subscribers).
