Hitachi 42 PD 8600 Reviews: 42" Screen Plasma HD Ready TV

2 Real Customer Reviews - In Summary

“Looks good, does everything we wanted and great value.” Jane, Barnsley View all 2 real customer reviews

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Real customer reviews

2 verified purchasers have reviewed this product.
100% of people recommend it.

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All purchasers (2)

Design	9.5
Ease of use	8.5
Image quality	8.5
Sound quality	8.5
Value for money (at time of purchase)	10.0
Overall rating	8.0

*not all purchasers provided a score or review

Jane, Barnsley

Score 9.0/10

+ Looks good, does everything we wanted and great value.

- Reviewer left no comment

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purchased 04 Dec 2006

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Expert reviews for Hitachi 42 PD 8600

TechRadar expert review

Forget high-definition, what you really need is full high-definition - or so everyone seems to think. We're yet to be entirely convinced about the validity of this obsession with buying 1920 x 1080 screens over the more common 1366 x 768 or 1280 x 720 pixel models (there's very little you can watch to truly appreciate it anyway). Hitachi probably doesn't mind the fad at all, though, since it means its new 42PD8600 has a good chance of selling by the boatload on account of its claims to offer 1080-line pictures for just ¬£1,200. Before you all rush out to buy one, though, we need to…

This Hitachi 42 PD 8600 review continued on TechRadar

reviewed 02 Mar 2007

Product Features

Screen Size in Inches	42
Screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner.
Type of Screen	Plasma
Most small flatscreen TVs have LCD screens. Some larger TVs have plasma screens. Some very new TVs have LED screens. Traditional TVs are called Standard or CRT.
HD TV	HD Ready
‘HD Ready’ is a Europe-wide standard designed to made HD technology less confusing. HD Ready TVs must have • Minimum vertical resolution of 750 pixels (in widescreen format) • Ability to display 720p and 1080i formats • An HDMI or Digital Video Interface (DVI interface) Full HD is a higher standard. Full HD TVs have screen resolutions of 1080p and can output at least 24 frames per second. Full HD is becoming common, but you won’t see Full HD on normal TV channels for a long time, so it remains optional for many people.
Number of Scart Interfaces	3
Scart sockets are places where you can connect other devices to your TV. If you already have a DVD player, a VCR and a Playstation you might want to make sure your new TV has enough Scart interfaces so you don’t have to keep crawling round the back of the TV.
Contrast Ratio (X:1)	4000
This figure is designed to tell you how much difference there is between dark and light colours on the TV. It is quoted as a ratio, between the brightest white and the darkest black. 500:1 means the brightest white is 500 times more bright than the darkest black. Plasma screens have historically boasted better contrast ratios than LCD screens.
Screen Resolution (pixels)	1080i
The number of pixels the screen has. The more you have, the more detail the screen can display, given a high quality source. A breakdown of resolutions can be found on Wikipedia here
Screen Format	16:9
This is a ratio of the horizontal to the vertical size of the screen. 16:9 is standard widescreen format for TVs, replacing the older 4:3 format.
Brightness in Candela per square metre	1400
Brighter TVs, such as LCDs, tend to provide a better experience in lighter rooms, whereas TVs with a lower brightness, such as many plasma TVs, are often better suited to darker rooms.
USB Port	No
Socket for connecting devices such as a computers and other components
Electronic Program Guide (EPG)	No
TVs with this feature have an on-screen guide to all the programmes that are currently showing or coming up, so you can find your way around all the extra digital channels easily.
Energy Savings Trust Feature	No
A Yes means this this product has been rated as being energy-efficient by the Energy Savings Trust. Good for the environment and good for your electricity bill!
Freeview	No
Freeview is free digital terrestrial TV. Many newer TVs have Freeview built in. For other TVs you will need a separate Freeview set-top box.