The Sylvania 6842PF is a budget-price plasma TV that is ideal for use with a progressive scan DVD player. At 42 inches, it looks great on a table or on the wall. The slim silver monitor (less than 5 inches deep) has a black frame around the screen, and the silver base can be removed for wall-mounting.

The 6842PF delivers enhanced-definition (not high-definition) performance from its wide-format screen. Colors appear rich and bright on the 16-million-color display, but the picture performance and resolution are not up to the level of many higher-end competitors. Even if you add an HD tuner, the display will not be in true high-definition (720p, 1,080i or 1,080p resolution). Instead, the HD signal will display at the EDTV level of 480p. This is fine for progressive scan DVD movies (which display at 480p), but it means you will miss out on at least 240 horizontal lines of resolution compared to HDTV. On the plus side, automatic 3:2 pulldown is employed to smooth out movie action, so you won't experience the uneven motion that can result from the film-to-video conversion process.

The internal stereo system is rated at 5 watts of audio output per channel, which is rather weak for a screen of this size, and the speakers are actually located on the sides of the cabinet rather than in front. Thus, be careful to leave ample space around the 6842PF if you must locate it in a cabinet or next to a wall. Convenience features cover the basics, including an automatic sleep timer and parental V-chip controls.

The 6842PF's side panel offers several input options, with a component video input, an S-video input and a composite video input for connecting a video game system, camcorder or another occasional component. The rear of the monitor has additional jacks, with another composite video input, a second S-video input and a component video input that can be used with analog or digital sources. The included silver remote control has very few buttons, so it's easy to manage but lacking in many of the options common to competing plasma remotes.

Please note that the $1,499.99 MSRP is an approximate retail price. While it lacks the performance and features of many of its competitors, the Sylvania 6842PF's affordable price makes it a smart value for budget-conscious shoppers.

Warranty
90 days labor, 1 year parts, 2 years plasma panel