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Strengths: Picture quality, oustanding features, great build quality, 2 year in-home warranty, great price relative to other top of the line sets
Weaknesses: Some tuning features are beyond normal users ability to properly utilize, but in the hands of a qualified HDTV tech are wonderful controls for extracting phenomenal quality pictures from this set
Summary: After numerous (6-7) years of contemplating purchase of an HDTV, which I reviewed and researched the gamut from CRT rear projection through MEMS or semi-conductor "micro device" type sets, i.e., D-ILA, DLP, I finally made the leap and it had much to do with the new remarkably low prices for flat panel displays. I originally was most serious about going the DLP route based on positive early experience with these. Since DLP introduction, the newer generations of the DLP chips, which have advanced up to and including (1080p) along with superior light engines, i.e., larger, faster light wheels, and most recently LED illumination with no quartz lights or light wheels required, the technology appeared to get better and better. However, many of these advances were never brought into the size sets I was interested in 42"-46". I was only interested in this size due to limitations of my intended viewing area and the wish not to have the set overtake the entire living space. Over this period of time, I also became more acutely aware of the limitations of off angle viewing on all projection based systems. I found I really could not live with horizontal picture drop off, along with the normal vertical (side to side) drop off from the center (sweet spot). I also found that no projection technology could produce those super clear and crisp on-screen text that plasma and LCD direct view could. This then led me to the plasma vs. LCD decision in the size range I was interested in. Without going into a long drawn-out explanation as how I decided on plasma vs. LCD, suffice it to say that in my book and based on what I was hoping to get out of this set, it became clear that for movies in a darkened room along with fast action motion from sporting events and the far higher contrast capabilities of plasma over LCD along with off sweet spot picture quality drop off also still very present in LCD sets, I zeroed in on plasma. From this point forward I quickly found out which plasma sets on the market were a notch or more above all others. This narrowed the field to 3 finalists. Fujitsu, Hitachi, and Pioneer. Ruled out first was the Fujitsu, due to being way over priced. Though clearly wonderful sets. This left the top of the line 42" Directors Series against the comparable 42" Pioneer Elite. In the final analysis, this Pioneer is still way over priced, and no better at producing detail rich black level compared to this Hitachi, and at a lower native resolution 720p compared to the new Hitachi 1080i native resolution. Both sets create remarkable images. However, it's my impression from comparisons and through my truth tabling, that the Hitachi 42HDX99 set was the clear winner. Don't confuse this set with the Bestbuy and CC Hitachi plasmas. Though nice sets, the S69 and S79 versions, are not really in the same league. Please note that CNET chose not to do a full review on the HDX99. I believe this was done because they know it's now better than the latest 42" Pioneer Elite, Pioneers top of the line model. If you pay attention to such things, you’ll note that CNET is heavily pro-Pioneer for plasma sets. Shame on them for this disservice and in my opinion outright deceit in holding back on real comparison between these sets. Even if they did, I'm sure that they still would have placed the now outclassed Pioneer Elite set at the top. Old habits and or relationships can be very hard to break. Trust me on this, you will certainly do worse and likely at a higher expense if you purchase any other high end 42" plasma set at the time of this writing.
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