Attractive and practical as plasma TVs can be, there are times when they simply do not fit the bill. Why, you ask, would anyone with the slightest sense of style choose another technology over plasma? There is, as you are likely aware, the size issue—at present, plasma TVs span at most 61 inches, which is insufficient for a decent-sized home theater. And if you own a home in Aspen, you probably know by now that plasma TVs cannot be used at high altitudes. But you may not know that plasma TVs are not as bright as most ordinary rear-projection and direct-view TV sets. Most plasma sets are bright enough for a typical room, but mount one in a sunlit great room, and you will find yourself struggling to recognize even the most familiar faces on the TV’s washed-out screen.

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Like the earliest plasma TVs, the 42HDT20 relies on a separate box for video connections. (Click image to enlarge)

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To differentiate itself from the dozens upon dozens of other companies already offering plasma TVs, Hitachi decided to enter the category with a bang—or, to be somewhat more accurate, a flash. The new 42HDT20 high-definition plasma TV uses what Hitachi calls AliS, a new plasma design. Put simply, the basic concept is a lot like what Sony’s Trinitron TVs were as compared with normal TVs of 30 years ago. The individual pixels are thin bars instead of squares, which permits greater light output.

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As we will discuss momentarily, the 42HDT20 is, indeed, exceptionally bright for a plasma TV. There is more here for the potential owner to consider, though, than mere brightness. First is the external electronics box required for the set to operate. These boxes were common with early plasma TVs, but as time passed, the engineering wizards managed to package the workings of the box into the display itself, making it easier to hang the TV on the wall. The 42HDT20 returns to the traditions of old. Its electronics box, which is roughly the size of a large VCR, connects to the TV through two proprietary cables, six-foot cables. (An optional 32-foot cable improves installation flexibility.)

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The 42HDT20s interface box has front-panel inputs to make connecting a camcorder or video game easier. (Click image to enlarge)

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The separate electronics box offers a few modest advantages in exchange for the burden of having to accommodate another component in your system. The box contains two analog TV tuners, allowing for side-by-side pictures from separate channels. Another benefit is the inclusion of a DVI input, the new digital input now starting to be used for satellite tuners, cable boxes and more digital devices in the coming years. In certain situations, the box could simplify wiring because your sources connect to it, not to the TV, but using an A/V receiver or surround-sound processor to do your video switching accomplishes the same thing.

Hitachi also justifies the box because it houses the company’s VirtualHD circuitry. Virtual HD is essentially a video scaler/processor, designed to improve the picture of ordinary, non-high-definition source material, such as cable TV, DVD and most satellite TV. However, I find that Virtual HD does not work significantly better than the scalers built into most plasma TVs of this size.

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The TVs slim chassis makes it relatively easy to mount on a wall. (Click image to enlarge)

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Instead of a silver bezel framing the picture, a glossy black border gives it a distinctive appearance. Setup takes a minimum of time, although be advised that this TV requires two AC outlets—one for the display, a second for the external box. Once the antenna leads are connected, this display works much like a normal TV, which is to its credit. The display comes with a pair of matched speakers that attach to the outer edges of the screen and connect to the rear of the unit, giving the unit all the functionality of a regular TV. The included multifunction remote, which is partially backlit, functions similarly to those included with most premium TVs; it works well, but does not stand out.

After setting up the TV, I can see clearly that AliS works. This display is brighter than any plasma TV I have reviewed. While calibrating the display in a dark room, I accidentally switched to one of the other picture setting memories, and could feel the back of my retinas catch fire at the brightness of the display.

A caution here, though. This display is as prone to burn-in of onscreen images as any other plasma TV is. An unusually bright image that stays on the screen for a long time—a web page, for example—could damage the TV in short order, especially if the contrast is set high. I also can see a lag while switching from a DVD menu to a totally black screen; for example, when playing the DVD I use to calibrate TVs, I can see the word “Avia” clearly on the black screen for a few minutes before it fades.

In calibrating the display, I am able to get it to produce a reasonably consistent grayscale, meaning that the color of gray never drifts too far toward red or blue, so the display can deliver accurate color. This display exhibits the usual strengths of plasma TVs, including uniform brightness across the screen and consistent picture geometry (squares remain square, straight lines stay straight). Brightness excepted, it also suffers the usual plasma-TV weaknesses: grayish blacks, and occasional artifacts when motion on screen gets complex and fast. When I play the bridge explosion scene from Star Trek: Insurrection, onscreen images take on a blocky look as the TV fights to keep up with too many rapidly changing pixels.

Still, I think all but the fussiest video critic, would see the value in this display. Without question, it is bright, it is sharp and has an impressive picture with high-definition programs. The brightness makes it an excellent choice for a living room or study, where the TV may compete with strong room lighting. If your installation plans can accept the extra box, the 42HDT20 is definitely worth checking out.
DESCRIPTION
HDTV-ready, 42-inch plasma TV with outboard tuner/video processor.

DISPLAY CAPABILITIES
Native 16:9 screen displays multiple aspect ratios, including anamorphic, expanded 4:3 letterbox (two zoom modes available), and conventional 4:3. Accepts 720-line progressive and 1,080-line interlaced HDTV, 480-line progressive and interlaced video, and RGB computer video.

CONNECTIONS
2 wideband component video inputs, 15-pin RGB video input, DVI (Digital Video Interface) input with HDCP capability, 3 S-video inputs, 4 composite video inputs. Stereo audio inputs accompany all video inputs, plus there is an analog stereo audio output.

DIMENSIONS/RESOLUTION
DIMENSIONS: display, 25.1 x 40.6 x 3.6 inches; controller box, 4.8 x 17 x 11.1 inches (h/w/d/)
RESOLUTION: 1,024 x 1,024 pixels.

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $7,999
CONTACT: 800-HITACHI
www.hitachi.com/tv