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Strengths: Lightweight, passive cooling, good looks, excellent HD picture, attractive and easy-to-use menu system, price, better than average with SD signals, loud speakers, two year warranty
Weaknesses: Can't delete inputs you don't use, one HDMI input
Summary: I picked up this HDTV on sale at Circuit City right before the Superbowl for only $1249. I am extremely happy with my purchase. I've been shopping around for many months and consider myself very knowledgeable about the technology. At the present time, I don't think you can find a better 42" plasma for the money. Unfortunately, it looks like this model is being discontinued. If you can find one, I'd definitely recommend it.
Out of the box experience was pleasant. It was packed well and was happy to find how light it was. My dad and I could easily lift it. One could probably lift it alone, if you were willing to take that risk. I checked online and it is considerably lighter than most 42" models. Setup was very easy. Just had to move the base into place and lock it. I connected the HDMI cable from my satellite receiver and was watching HD programming.
I have Dish Network HD and the picture is wonderful. This TV has what they call the XD Engine to make standard definition signals look better, and it does a much better job with SD signals compared to other HDTV's I've seen. I think this is a major advantage because so many channels are not yet broadcasting in HD.
Right now, the TV is sitting on my glass entertainment stand. It looks great. The black and silver look is pleasing and the frame doesn't stick out as far as other models I was looking at. I am very impressed with the built-in speakers. Obviously, they won't replace a surround system, but they get really loud. Another added bonus is that the TV doesn't have a cooling fan. It uses passive cooling, so you never have to worry about hearing a fan buzzing during quiet scenes. Finally, the menu system is very nice looking and easy to use.
One disadvantage is that you can't delete inputs that you aren't using (although you can label them). This isn't a big deal to me since all it means is that you have to push the button two more times to switch to DVD, for example. Also, this model is listed everywhere on the internet as having one HDMI input. Mine has two. I'm not sure why there is a discrepancy. They may have done a revision to this model and added a second one.
I've read many posts on the internet from people concerned about the LG brand. Yes, LG is the Lucky Goldstar from the eighties, but they've turned into a high-end manufacturer of many high tech products. LG owns the Zenith brand and technology. In fact, I read that nearly every HDTV on the market licenses LG technology in their tuners. If you need more reason to buy an LG, their TVs come with a two year warranty compared to one year on most other brands.
All in all, I am very happy with this TV and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high quality, name-brand plasma for a great price. I have had no regrets so far.
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