LG 42PC5D

Summary: Summary: Mush to my surprise, the LG 42PC5D has proven to be an outstanding entry-level plasma TV. Side-by-side comparisons in a number stores revealed that the LG's images were more crisp, with deep rich black levels, than was found on other makes/models costing hundreds of dollars more. It is the best overall value for the first time Plasma HDTV buyer.

Picture: I remain impresses by the sharp images delivered by the LG. The 15000:1 contrast ratio is superior to most of the competition. When coupled to a standard signal from DirectTV, the images were reasonably well defined, though on certain channels, human faces appeared as though they were in a "claymation" movie. The preset color temperatures did not provide as much variation as I would have hoped, but all hover near the right color range, so this is not a significant detriment. When I hooked up my Samsung upconverting DVD player, I was blown away by the sharp images and vibrant colors. Very impressive.

Sound: This is clearly the weak link. The sound is not particularly crisp. Highs and lows are lost to the mid-range. The preset sound options, such as theatre, stadium, music, etc., fail to provide significantly noticeable changes in tone. If you are an audiophile, you will certainly want to hook up a home theatre sound system.

Remote: The remote is also somewhat disappointing. The code set for programming the remote to work with other devices is quite limited. Codes were not provided for two of the three devices I wanted to program in, and these were not arcane makes/models, either. The other issue with the remote is that whenever you press the "input" button, it cycles to the next available input (e.g. HDMI) rather than starting with the current input, and allowing you to then select the one you wish to use.

Bottom line: The LG 42PC5D is truly a best-value plasma HDTV, despite not being a recognized leader in the industry, and I would recommend it to anyone.