Review of the Hitachi 42PD8700 42
When pulling together a selection of affordable plasmas, the Hitachi 42” 42PD8700 Plasma TV was one of our first choices. We like its simplicity in both design and technical specifications. Design |
| Hitachi have left any shining to be done down to the baubles on the Christmas tree, by providing the 42PD8700 with a modestly matt appearance. The simplistic design entails two simple colours, silver and black, black being the main frame, and silver being the very outer edge. They’ve kept it reasonably slimline, giving you freedom to wall mount this plasma. The visible screen measures at 106cm and the entire TV weighs in at a light 36kg. |
| Setup/Connectivity |
| Simplicity is key again when it comes to connectivity. With only 1 HDMI input, 1 component video socket and 2 scarts, the 42PD8700 is lacking in terms of futuristic connectivity. However, on the plus side it does have a 15-pin PC input, providing you with the option of using the screen as a monitor for your computer. Other connections include a composite video, video-line-out (via scart), audio-in, audio-line-out and a headphone port. The Hitachi 42PD8700 was easy to set up and get going, and can easily boast the plug and play status. Once the 42PD8700 is powered up, you are faced with an option of auto-tuning; on choosing this option you should expect a 3 to 4 minute wait, before watching digital or analogue channels of your choice. |
| Features |
| One of the first features to mention is Hitachi’s latest addition to their plasma technology – the Alis 1080 plasma panel. Alis, standing for alternative lighting of surfaces, give non-progressive pictures an outstanding performance. With a 1024x1080-pixels high screen resolution, a 4000:1 contrast ratio, and 16:9 aspect ratio, the 42PD8700 is HD-Ready, and its picture performance is almost guaranteed to be great. With integrated analogue and digital tuners, you will have access to over 100 channels, including Freeview. Other features you will come across when flicking through the extensive and easy-to-use menu system, are the 7-day electronic programme guide, programme reminder and Picture-in-Picture too. To please your other senses, the Hitachi 42PD8700’s pair of 10-watt speakers are reinforced by the SRS 3D sound system with dynamic bass. |
| Performance |
| Using a HDMI cable, we connected up the Pioneer DVR-440HXS DVD Recorder/player, and tested its performance with Pride and Prejudice DVD. Our first impressions were good, motion was handled expertly, only showing the slightest amount of smear, and black levels were great. In a scene where the father is standing in his study against the dark wooden furniture, the difference in the two dark areas was visibly clear to see. Watching SD was disappointing however, it just didn’t provide enough colour to make scenes as realistic as we’d expect. The colours lay far too flat and detail was minimal too. HD, on the other hand, was a pleasure to watch. The colours seemed brighter and detail was sharper, lacking any fuzziness around the edges. A perfect test for a TV’s audio offerings is a scene in Pride and Prejudice where swans fly noisily over a lake, and the Hitachi 42PD8700 pulled it off very well indeed. If audio is handled well, the swans sound like they are behind you, and in this case, they did. |
| Overall Opinion |
| As simplistic as it is, we like the Hitachi 42PD8700. We do prefer to have a few picture processors, but on this occasion we are prepared to go without. We would have liked to see one more HDMI though, to keep the 42PD8700 contemporary, however, the PC-input almost makes up for it. We saw the Hitachi 42PD8700 struggle in a few areas of picture performance, but for £1000 we didn’t expect perfection. We would recommend the Hitachi 42PD8700 to anyone looking for an attractive, well behaved plasma TV. |
| By Lisa Malyon |
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Pros + Alis 1080 panel + HD-Ready + Integrated analogue and digital tuners + PIP + 4000:1 contrast ratio + 16:9 aspect ratio + 15-pin PC input |
Cons - Only 1 HDMI |
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Picture Quality 8/10
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Sound Quality 8/10
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Connectivity 6/10
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Future Compatibility 5/10
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Ease Of Use 7/10
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Overall Rating 
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By Lisa Malyon
20/10/2006 at 11:47:59am
20/10/2006 at 11:47:59am
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