LG 42PC5R (42-inch plasma)

By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
Jul 9, 2007

Ambient reflections have always been a pain for plasma TV owners. This is especially so for those with limited ambient lighting control and day-time viewing habits. While many different solutions have come and go, none really comes close to eliminating the picture-detrimental glare. The latest to join the foray is LG's promising Clear Filter technology. This trades the customary glass overlay for a film equivalent, bringing about new advantages and capabilities.

Upside: What really differentiates this LG plasma from the rest of the pack is it unique screen overlay. Rather than relying on glass panels which are infamous for their reflective property, the company has instead opted for a film-based equivalent. Dubbed Clear Filter, it not only minimizes picture-detrimental glare, but also enables a petite form factor. This allows the 42-incher to achieve an ultra-sleek 84mm thickness and back-friendly 26.7kg bulk, setting a new record for its class.

If you are chasing fancy numbers for bragging rights, the panel's 15,000:1 dynamic contrast and 1,500cd/m2 brightness are second to none. These figures are some of the highest in the market, on par with the latest Samsungs and well ahead of comparable Japanese offerings in the same category. On to something more tangible, its onboard multifunction remote capability is compatible with up to 83 brands of VCRs and DVDs--a nice touch for added convenience.

Like the seven-generation Pioneers, the highly sought-after videophile-centric 24Hz 1080p input is supported via dual HDMI. Assuming an accurate implementation, this has the potential to deliver judder-free visuals, all thanks to its native movie frame rate. Picture quality aside, there is Simplink or LG-only HDMI-CEC. Though incompatible with other brands, this allows users to power up or shut down all LG-compliant A/V boxes at the touch of a remote button.

Downside: More HD-compatible than ready, this LG has a native 1,024 x 768-pixel resolution which falls short of the minimum 1,280 x 720 requirement. To put it squarely, some details are theoretically lost onscreen during the process of picture reproduction. Having said that, this is almost negligible for most HD material, mainly showing up as jaggies in fine text and high-resolution graphics. This is more like a splinter for purists compared to the fixed pedestal stand which neither swivels nor tilts. It's a potential bottleneck if you are facing some installation constraints.

Outlook: The LG 42PCSR stacks up well against the competition with its mainstream S$3,599 pricing and promising specifications. But beyond the usually inflated figures, we believe what really matters is whether the fundamental issues are addressed. And in this respect, this plasma TV seems to be one of the models with the highest potential in terms of screen reflection.

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