Toshiba 42HP83P 42" TheaterWide HD-Ready Plasma Flat-Panel TV

[Archived in 41-Inches and Over, HDTV Plasma TVs, Plasma TVs, Products, Toshiba]

Manufacturer: Toshiba
Price at amazon.com: New from $649.00

List price $7,499.99



Product Features:

• 42-inch widescreen high-definition plasma monitor; 52 x 27.5 x 4.9 inches (W x H x D)
• ColorStream HD component-video inputs provide ultimate picture quality from DTV receivers and progressive-scan DVD players
• CrystalScan HDSC converts all inputs signals (including 480i/p) to 1080i video resolution
• 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 340 cd/m2 brightness, and 1,024 x 768 pixel resolution
• 10 watts per channel audio power x 2

Product Description:

With its 16:9 widescreen, portrait-thin chassis, full high-definition resolution, and picture improvements for sub-HD sources such as VCRs, cable boxes, and non-progressive-scan DVD players, Toshiba's 42HP83 42-inch plasma television is primed for both movie and sports fans. With a plasma screen you get vivid colors like you've never seen before, extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor's slim size--the 42HP83 is a mere 4.9 inches deep, perfect for desk or wall mounting (a table stand is included). Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed in close proximity to lighting or sound systems. The set's amazing specs include an LCD-shaming 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 340 cd/m2 brightness, and 1,024 x 768 resolution. Heading up the great features is CrystalScan HDSC, which coverts all signals--including 480p--to full 1080i resolution. Frame, line, and pixel doubling are all used to create progressive, full-frame images from standard interlaced signals (such as composite-video signals from DVD players, VCRs, and camcorders). The process reduces jagged-line artifacts for a smoother, more natural image. Selectable 540p, for those who want to display a progressive-scan image from a progressive-scan source, is available via the handy onscreen menu. HD Dynamic Contrast continually analyzes picture information and enhances those parts of the picture with the most detail information which results in a sharper, deeper, more film-like images. The 42HP83's 3D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt). A pair of ColorStream HD component-video inputs provide the ultimate picture quality from high-resolution component-video signals, like those from DTV set-top boxes, progressive-scan DVD players, or satellite receivers. Other connections include a direct-digital DVI input with high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP), three each composite- and S-video inputs, and a composite-video output (with both fixed- and variable-level audio outs) for use with a VCR or surround receiver. HD Window multiscan 2-tuner POP (picture-on-picture) accepts 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i signals and can even display two different-resolution signals simultaneously. The split-screen function lets you adjust the size of the POP boxes and will even let you view both 16:9 and 4:3 images at the same time. The set's seven MultiWindow system makes it possible to see the main picture while viewing your favorites or doing a channel scan in seven smaller boxes. When hooked up to the IR output, the supplied TheaterLink IR dongle lets you operate up to six video components by simply pointing the remote at the TV screen, even if the components are hidden away in cabinets or out of view. Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown) circuitry identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce the original 24-frame-per-second material. Four TheaterWide picture modes enable full-screen viewing of varying widescreen movie formats, while color temperature control provides three selectable temperature settings for achieving an optimum white balance. What's in the Box TV, table stand, remote control, remote batteries, IR dongle (for use with set's TheaterLink IR capability), user's manual, and registration/warranty information.
From the Manufacturer Lift yourself to a new viewing dimension with Toshiba plasma and LCD flat panel technology, perfect for someone with a small space but big wishes. Toshiba plasma displays are less than 4 inches deep and easily mount on a wall in any room in the house. In addition, the displays' revolutionary advances in design ensure a bright, razor sharp image. Toshiba LCD TVs offer high-quality images anywhere a consumer cares to watch them. Liquid crystal display flat-panel technology is ultra thin and mounts... read more

Description from Manufacturer:With its 16:9 widescreen, portrait-thin chassis, full high-definition resolution, and picture improvements for sub-HD sources such as VCRs, cable boxes, and non-progressive-scan DVD players, Toshiba's 42HP83 42-inch plasma television is primed for both movie and sports fans.

With a plasma screen you get vivid colors like you've never seen before, extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor's slim size--the 42HP83 is a mere 4.9 inches deep, perfect for desk or wall mounting (a table stand is included). Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed in close proximity to lighting or sound systems. The set's amazing specs include an LCD-shaming 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 340 cd/m2 brightness, and 1,024 x 768 resolution.

Heading up the great features is CrystalScan HDSC, which coverts all signals--including 480p--to full 1080i resolution. Frame, line, and pixel doubling are all used to create progressive, full-frame images from standard interlaced signals (such as composite-video signals from DVD players, VCRs, and camcorders). The process reduces jagged-line artifacts for a smoother, more natural image. Selectable 540p, for those who want to display a progressive-scan image from a progressive-scan source, is available via the handy onscreen menu.

HD Dynamic Contrast continually analyzes picture information and enhances those parts of the picture with the most detail information which results in a sharper, deeper, more film-like images. The 42HP83's 3D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).

A pair of ColorStream HD component-video inputs provide the ultimate picture quality from high-resolution component-video signals, like those from DTV set-top boxes, progressive-scan DVD players, or satellite receivers. Other connections include a direct-digital DVI input with high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP), three each composite- and S-video inputs, and a composite-video output (with both fixed- and variable-level audio outs) for use with a VCR or surround receiver.

HD Window multiscan 2-tuner POP (picture-on-picture) accepts 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i signals and can even display two different-resolution signals simultaneously. The split-screen function lets you adjust the size of the POP boxes and will even let you view both 16:9 and 4:3 images at the same time. The set's seven MultiWindow system makes it possible to see the main picture while viewing your favorites or doing a channel scan in seven smaller boxes.

When hooked up to the IR output, the supplied TheaterLink IR dongle lets you operate up to six video components by simply pointing the remote at the TV screen, even if the components are hidden away in cabinets or out of view.

Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown) circuitry identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce the original 24-frame-per-second material. Four TheaterWide picture modes enable full-screen viewing of varying widescreen movie formats, while color temperature control provides three selectable temperature settings for achieving an optimum white balance.

What's in the Box
TV, table stand, remote control, remote batteries, IR dongle (for use with set's TheaterLink IR capability), user's manual, and registration/warranty information.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Defective Product and Customer Support Stinks Rating:
First the good:
-the picture quality is good, the colors are rich.

Now the bad:
-the speakers produce distortion
-you cannot save settings associated with different inputs. This means every time you switch from one type of feed to another (watching a movie on DVD to watching regular TV via the satellite), you have to change the relevant settings. This gets to be time consuming and tiresome.

Now the unacceptable:
From the day I purchased this TV I have had sound synching problems. Sometimes the sound is off by as much as a second. My experience with Toshiba Customer support is very similar to the experience other reviewers have had: Toshiba tech support arranged for a local shop to examine the TV. They reported the problem to Toshiba and nothing has happened. I have had the TV almost two months now. Worse is, every time I call Toshiba to check the status, they cannot tell me anything, not even when they expect to repair or replace the TV.

My hoped for outcome from this will be that I will be able to return the TV and I will then purchase another brand, probably the highly rated Panasonic TH-42PA20U

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Comment: Defective product--don't even think about buying! Rating:
We loved this TV for one month. Then a bright red line appeared from the top of the screen to the middle. Toshiba tech support arranged for a local shop to examine the tv. The repairmen determined that the line was from a failed circuit board. They said this "happens all the time" on Toshiba plasmas, something I never noticed in doing my due diligence on this product before I bought it. So here is a warning for anyone thinking about buying this or any other Toshiba plasma. Try another brand! By the way, since Amazon refuses to accept returns on any large tv, if you buy a lemon (like I did), you could lose thousands of dollars. You should not even consider ordering a large tv from Amazon. JUNE 11 UPDATE: after waiting 2 weeks for a service call and another 6 weeks for Toshiba to get the parts to the repair shop, the repair crew was unable to fix the problem. Toshiba now says it will send me a new set, but they can't say when this will happen. JUNE 16 UPDATE: Although Toshiba promised on June 11 to promptly replace my defective tv, today it said it had no idea when this might happen. Meanwhile, we have an unwatchable tv. For $5000, I expected customer service to be considerably better than this! Don't make the same mistake, buy any plasma tv other than a Toshiba. JULY 7 UPDATE: Finally, we have a new plasma tv and are rid of the old one. We should be glad, but we're terrified about having to deal with Toshiba's terrible customer service if the new one is defective, too.

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Comment: Just got one Rating:
I have looked at all the HDTV Plasma in 42". This is the best model out there. The picture looks crystal clear, the colors look natural, and the image is very bright. J&R has this model next to the more expensive Sony Wega Plasma. If you have seen those two TV's side-by-side, you wouldn't pay $1000 more for the Sony Wega model.

Posted at November 11, 2003 01:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)