Which is best; a 42"1080P HD plasma TV from Hitachi at $4,399 (only when configured with a separate HD set top box) or a 1080p 60" Sony Bravia LCD TV with the HD tuner built in for just $600 more.
This is the type of question hundreds of consumers are facing as they shop for a flat screen TV during the coming months. The only problem is that everything is about to change as vendors launch a swag of new models into the market place.
During the last six months we will see a host of new flat screen TVs launched including 100Hz 1080p models. Currently, most LCD and plasma models run at 50Hz, however with the launch of new 100Hz models consumers will benefit from a significant improvement in screen quality due to the elimination of motion blur.
Running at 100Hz an LCD TV will look very similar to a plasma TV and as a result many vendors are scrambling to launch their version of a 100Hz TV. A classic example is Hitachi which launched its 42PD8900TA 8900 Series 42" plasma 1080p TV in an effort to grab shares prior to the launch of 100Hz plasma TVs from the likes of Pioneer, Panasonic and Samsung next month.
At $4,399 this model is expensive and only provides consumers with the benefits of High Definition (HD) television (when combined with a suitable HDTV set top box). A great deal of flat screen TV models are now being shipped with the 1080p HD tuner built in thus eliminating the need for a separate HD set to box which in some cases can set back up to $699 or more. This makes the Sony 60" HD LCD TV look cheap in comparison.
There is an added benefit with this plasma in that it does incorporate a power swivel stand, allowing you to reposition the TV using your remote control and twin analogue tuners, so you can watch two stations at once in a variety of split/multi-screen views. However these tuners do not deliver a HD signal.
story: David Richards
