The eighth-generation plasma line from Pioneer is true to the name KURO, which means black in Japanese. Not only is the 42-inch PDP-4280HD framed in a shiny black bezel, which makes for one of the most attractive sets we've seen this year, but its picture produces some of the deepest black levels of any plasma or rear-projection set on the market. Detail in darker scenes is made possible with a new cell structure and a redesigned crystal emissive layer.

A number of picture-enhancing technologies further improve your viewing experience regardless of the time of day. A light sensor allows the PDP-4280HD to adjust the brightness to make images more viewable in bright environments where glare can be an issue. An optimum video mode makes automated picture adjustments in varying light conditions, and it also fine-tunes the picture depending on the content being watched. The PDP-4280HD can also adjust for daytime and nighttime viewing.

As with other KURO models, Pioneer proves that having the highest resolution isn't necessarily the key to a great picture. With a native resolution of 1,024x768, the PDP-4280HD adjusts all incoming signals to fit the pixels, including standard-definition content. Optimization of both SD and HD programming is accomplished in part by the ASIC video processing and scaling. The PDP-4280HD has four PIP options and the standard 3:2 pulldown correction, and it also includes Pioneer's advanced PureCinema 3:3 pulldown correction to achieve accurate playback of film.

The PDP-4280HD's video processing has three settings for color temperature, three settings for 3-D digital noise reduction and four settings for field noise reduction. Additionally, it has functions to block noise reduction, mosquito noise reduction, and tuner noise reduction.

Pioneer packs an impressive number of video and audio inputs into the PDP-4280HD. These include four HDMI 1.3 inputs, three composite video inputs, two component video inputs, an S-video input, a PC input and a USB port for viewing digital images and other content. There are also a number of audio outputs, such as optical digital audio, monitor audio and subwoofer pre-amp.

While you'll want to use that subwoofer output or connect through a home theater receiver to a multichannel speaker system, the PDP-4280HD does sport a pair of 17-watt stereo speakers with a digital amplifier and TruBass bass enhancement. Pioneer also includes a headphone jack, which is a welcome but increasingly rare feature on large televisions.

Aside from the relatively high price, our only complaint is that this plasma set doesn't have true 1,080p display. However, the Pioneer KURO PDP-4280HD does more with its lesser pixel count than many much higher-resolution plasma HDTVs could ever hope to achieve.


Pros: Rich black levels live up to the KURO moniker (Japanese for black), multiple picture-enhancing technologies
Cons: Not true 1,080p display, pricey for a 768p set

Warranty
1 year, limited