LG 42PG20 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned several HDTV's both Plasma and LCD. I wanted to stick with a plasma on this purchase because of the superior contrast ratio versus a typical LCD. I went to my local electronics store intent on buying an entry level Samsung A450. Despite my plan, I soon realized I could not pull the lever on the Samsung. Its picture suffered from severe jagged edges and presented an inferior image quality compared to the TV's surrounding it on the showroom floor. No manner of adjustments could resolve the problem, therefore I moved on to the similarly priced Panasonic and LG. I immediately noticed that the Panasonic had issues with background noise. This was despite the fact that the noise reduction feature was already turned on. The CNET editor review mentions this problem with the Panasonic plasma. Meanwhile I was impressed with the LG's smooth, clear, and lifelike picture. No background noise, and a deep rich color reproduction equal to that of the Panasonic. I decided to do some more research on LG reliablity and performance before making my final decision. As you would expect, it is easy to locate horror stories for any television brand, as of course people with a bad experience are more likely to post their sob story all over the web. The bottom line for myself was that a Consumer Review said that LG has a similar reliability record compared to other major brands, with only 2% or fewer models suffering from defects within their first year. That was sufficient evidence for myself while also taking in to account the 1 year parts & labor warranty (plus 2 years for the panel) provided by LG. I waited for a blowout sale, and then purchased the 42PG20. The first one arrived with a broken screen. Of course Plasma screens are glass unlike LCD's so they are more easily damaged in shipment. I refused shipment and soon thereafter received a replacement which arrived undamaged. Out of the box the LG is one slick & sweet looking plasma. Unlike some people, I prefer the high gloss piano black screen border. Its sleek and more upscale in appearance. I have HDTV running via an HDMI 1.3 cable. The picture is even better than it was in the store. Despite a low 1024x768 resolution, the HD reproduction is detailed and crisp. I was expecting to sacrifice a bit in this area, and am simply ecstatic that the difference between this TV and my previous 1080p is simply insignificant. As you would expect with a plasma, the colors are deep and rich. Unlike many LCD's, sports broadcasts suffer no ghosting or pixelation. SD broadcasts look great as well, with certain channels looking better after switching to cinema mode or one of the other customized picture settings. I have the LG TV ORBITER feature set to the ON position. A nice feature available to prevent image retention or burn in which can be an issue with plasma televisions. So far, this has not been an issue. I will mention a couple of minor negatives. This LG does suffer from severe glare if operated in a brightly lit room. As is the case with many plasmas, the glass screen reflects the bright windows in my living room. Thus, it will do better in a dark room or positioned with windows behind rather than in front of the TV. Also, this plasma runs HOT. It actually raises the temperature in my living room if run for a few hours. If I put my hand over the set, I can feel the heat rising from it. From what I've read, this is common with plasma TV's in general. Overall, I am VERY happy with the LG 42PG20. A great Plasma television, providing a fantastic HD picture while outperforming many of the other brands in this price range.UPDATE - Its been a couple of years, so I recently purchased the Samsung B450 Plasma and find it to be even better than this LG. See my review for details.


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42" PDP HDTV, 1024 x 768 Resolution, 20,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 1,500:1 cd/m2 Brightness, ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM - 1 Tuner, SRS TruSurroundXT, 3 HDMI input. USB 2.0.

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