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Maxent MX-42HPT51 42" Plasma TV (Widescreen, 1024x768, HDTV)

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At a Glance
Diagonal screen size of 42 to 45 inches
1024 by 768 resolution
Plasma display

We haven't had our hands on this product, but we know which features matter. Here's how the Maxent MX-42HPT51 42" Plasma TV (Widescreen, 1024x768, HDTV) measures up:

Good Fit For a Midsize Living Room

HDTVs with a diagonal screen size between 42 and 45 inches are LCDs or plasmas, usually with a resolution of either 1366 by 768 or 1920 by 1080 (1080p). The optimum viewing distance for an HDTV screen like this one is generally considered to be about 6.5 to 7.5 feet. That makes a television of this size appropriate for a range of living areas, such as a den, a large bedroom, a midsize living room, or a game room.

Popular Resolution For Moderately Priced TVs

All modern HDTVs are fixed-pixel displays. The number of pixels a display has determines its maximum resolution and thus the fineness of detail it can reproduce. Resolution is normally expressed as pixel width versus pixel height. This television's resolution is 1024 by 768, meaning it has 1024 pixel columns by 768 pixel rows. This resolution is popular for relatively small, moderately priced LCD sets, and, depending on screen size and viewing distance, it may be just as good as a television with higher resolution. A key characteristic of all fixed-pixel displays is that incoming signals not at the set's native resolution must be scaled to match that resolution. The quality of this mathematical upconversion or downconversion can significantly affect the picture, especially for ordinary standard-definition TV signals. Inferior scaling may soften the picture, exaggerate noise, or cause some edges to appear slightly jagged.

Plasma Display Technology

A plasma television, like this one, is built around an array of tiny glass cells filled with an inert gas. The panels are relatively thin and weigh more than similarly sized LCDs but much less than old-fashioned picture-tube sets. Plasma sets are capable of outstanding picture quality, with higher contrast than LCDs, and viewable from far off to the side without loss of brightness or color accuracy. Because plasma TVs can achieve a higher contrast than LCD TVs, they remain a good choice for a room that receives a lot of natural or ambient light. They tend to cost more than similar-size LCDs, however, and the technology is rarely found at screen sizes smaller than 42 inches. Although plasmas can be subject to burn-in--where a static image displayed for hours at a time becomes a permanent afterimage--this is now much less of a problem.

Supports Modern HD Inputs

HDTV sets now routinely have at least one HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) input, and usually two, three, or four. An HDMI connection carries digital video and, in many cases, audio from HD cable and satellite receivers, Blu-ray Disc players, and some DVD players and game consoles to the TV over a single cable. Because of their convenience and quality, HDMI connections, when they are available, are generally preferable to other types. Normally an HDTV set will also have two, or possibly three, component-video inputs as well. You can also expect your TV to have component video as well as one or two standard three-wire A/V inputs (composite video plus stereo audio), and one or two RF inputs for direct antenna or cable-TV input.

Don't Buy Based on Contrast Ratio

Contrast ratio is the ratio of a display’s light output at maximum brightness to its output at minimum brightness, or peak white to pitch black. The most significant limiting factor is usually the black level rather than the white, because true black is hard to achieve and white intensity can’t be taken too high without becoming uncomfortable. Unfortunately, published specifications are unreliable: Manufacturers use at least four "standard" ways to measure contrast ratio, each of which yields different numbers; and the numbers produced by any one method varies depending on the test conditions and display settings. Manufacturers don't describe their methodology or test conditions in their specs, so don’t even think about comparing the contrast ratio of displays from competing manufacturers. Comparisons within a particular brand's line may have some validity, but even then, be careful of reading too much into them.

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