The Panasonic TH-42PD60U is a basic 42-inch plasma EDTV that is ideal for watching widescreen DVD movies, but it is rather spartan in terms of features. The silver cabinet has stereo speakers and control buttons built into the area below the screen, and it comes with a pedestal stand that can be removed for mounting the monitor on the wall (additional brackets are required). This model doesn't have any front-panel inputs for the quick connection of a camcorder or other accessory.

This plasma TV has a native resolution of 852X480, so all content is shown at the enhanced-definition level of 480p, as opposed to true 720p or 1,080i high-definition content. With its integrated ATSC/QAM tuner, the TH-42PD60U can receive HD signals, although they are down-converted to the lower resolution for display. Nevertheless, the picture is crisp, with a contrast ratio of up to 10,000:1. A 3-D Y/C digital comb filter eliminates hanging dots and rainbow effects, and the picture is enhanced with video noise reduction and motion pattern noise reduction.

The front-firing speakers produce a total of 20 watts of output, and the TH-42PD60U has automatic volume leveling and simulated surround sound. Convenience features include a favorite channel memory and an adjustable sleep timer. There are no PIP or split-screen viewing options.

The rear panel is home to all of the TH-42PD60U's inputs and outputs. These include one RF input, two composite video inputs, two S-video inputs, two component video inputs, one HDMI digital-to-digital input, one optical digital audio output and one composite video output. The remote control is a universal model with an intuitive and uncrowded layout, and it can manage three associated components. As plasma EDTVs go, the Panasonic TH-42PD60U is an appealing compromise between price and performance, but its lack of features may turn off some shoppers.

Pros: Moderate price, sharp picture
Cons: ED rather than HD display, no PC connectivity or CableCARD slot, no PIP features

Warranty
1 year parts and labor, 2 years glass