CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/23/2005
- Released on: 03/01/2005
Editor's note: We have changed the rating in this review to reflect recent changes in our rating scale. Click here to find out more.
The design of the PDP-4350HD is simplistic yet elegant. A high-gloss black finish surrounds the screen, and the supplied swivel stand is silver. Other than the Pioneer logo, and the green power light on the left side of the screen, there is nothing much else to see on the front of the panel.Pioneer includes a pair of matching black speakers with the 4350HD that can be mounted vertically on the sides of the panel or left detached. The unit also comes with an outboard A/V controller, which is finished in silver with a mirrored faceplate. The controller houses all of the 4350HD's connectivity, and connects to the panel itself via a single 10-foot umbilical.
The remote is very well designed and laid out. It is long and slender, and--lo and behold--completely backlit for use in darkened home theaters. There are direct access keys for all inputs, which makes switching sources a snap. The internal menu system is also simple and intuitive to navigate.
As we mentioned at the outset, the PDP-4350HD's native resolution of 1,024x768, while higher than that of similarly sized EDTV plasmas (more info), does not qualify for true HD status. Naturally, the set can display high-def and just about anything else you throw at it, including computer sources up to 1,280x768; it just converts the incoming signal to match its native resolution.Despite its place in Pioneer's lineup as the least-expensive consumer 2005 plasma, the PDP-4350HD has a fully loaded feature package. It includes both types of digital tuner: a digital cable ready tuner that works with the CableCard slot, and an ATSC terrestrial tuner for off-air HDTV reception. For your convenience, dual-tuner PIP (picture-in-picture) with split-screen is on tap along with independent input memories. Several different preset picture modes are also available, and selectable color temperatures include Low, Mid, and High, with Low being the closest to the broadcast standard of D6500.
The 4350HD has a number of other picture-enhancing features worth mentioning. It is one of the few plasmas with a 72-hertz refresh rate or 3:3 pull-down, which is designed to eliminate the jerky motion (film jutter) normally preserved in the 2:3 pull-down process. Other advanced picture adjustments include video noise reduction, CTI (a mode said to provide clearer color contours) and DRE (an autocontrast circuit). For more on the effects of these settings, see the Performance page.
At first glance, connectivity appeared to be awesome, but we quickly realized that there are really only four A/V input slots available (in addition to dedicated slots for PC [VGA], antenna, and FireWire). In other words, regardless of the number of physical jacks, you can select from only four different inputs (AV1 to AV4) in the menu system. This should be enough for most folks, especially those who use an A/V receiver for switching, but will limit some systems.
The input labeled AV1 offers a choice of HDMI, component, S-Video, or composite video. AV2 offers S-Video or composite video. AV3 offers HDMI or component video. AV4 covers the front-panel input, which, to our pleasant surprise, offers a choice of component, S-Video, or composite video. Also out front is a VGA-style analog RBG input with a minijack audio input for computers. Around back again, we counted two FireWire ports, an optical digital audio output, a monitor A/V output with composite and S-Video, a CableCard slot, and a VCR controller port. This last item works with the included IR blaster to command a VCR or DVD recorder to make timed recordings.
Overall, we were happy with the PDP-4350HD's performance, although its image quality isn't up to that of Panasonic's latest models, such as the TH-42PHD7UY. An inability to produce deep blacks, along with the presence of visible low-level noise, are the Pioneer's biggest weaknesses. Continue readingMost helpful user reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 12 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 12 user reviews
-
21 out of 22 people found this helpful
-
12 out of 13 people found this helpful
-
9 out of 9 people found this helpful
- See all 12 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
