Toshiba has set the standard for color television performance-whether you're creating the ultimate home theatre experience or simply looking for a TV for the kids' bedroom, Toshiba has a television to meet your every need. For everything from impressive projection televisions to compact portables, you can count on Toshiba to dazzle you with the utmost in picture quality, audio enhancements, and convenient, easy-to-use features.CrystalScan HDSC upconverts all video signals (including 480i/p) to 1080i HD. This results in a significant reduction in jagged-line artifacts which produces a smoother, more natural image. Selectable 540p, for users who want to display a progressive scan image from a progressive scan source, is available via the on-screen menu.3D Y/C (4MB, 10 Bit) Digital Comb Filter with Vertical Contour Correction provides more accurate processing of RF and composite video signals for a sharper, cleaner picture. This advanced Comb Filter significantly reduces detail noise, seen as shimmering or flicker, in complex or intricately detailed scenes.CableClear DNR+ Digital Noise Reduction circuitry optimizes poor NTSC signals from antenna or cable, this new video noise reduction system eliminates video noise (snow) for a clean crisp image.HD Window Multi-Scan 2-tuner POP now accepts 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i signals and can even display 2; different resolution signals at the same time. The split-screen function allows you to adjust the size of the POP; boxes as well as displaying 16: 9 and 4: 3 images on the screen at the same time. The new 7 MultiWindow system; allows you to view the main picture while viewing your favorites or doing a channel scan in the 7 smaller boxes.
With its 16:9 widescreen, portrait-thin chassis, full high-definition resolution, and picture improvements for sub-HD sources such as VCRs, cable boxes, and non-progressive-scan DVD players, Toshiba's 42HP83 42-inch plasma television is primed for both movie and sports fans.
With a plasma screen you get vivid colors like you've never seen before, extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor's slim size--the 42HP83 is a mere 4.9 inches deep, perfect for desk or wall mounting (a table stand is included). Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed in close proximity to lighting or sound systems. The set's amazing specs include an LCD-shaming 1,000:1 contrast ratio, 340 cd/m2 brightness, and 1,024 x 768 resolution.
Heading up the great features is CrystalScan HDSC, which coverts all signals--including 480p--to full 1080i resolution. Frame, line, and pixel doubling are all used to create progressive, full-frame images from standard interlaced signals (such as composite-video signals from DVD players, VCRs, and camcorders). The process reduces jagged-line artifacts for a smoother, more natural image. Selectable 540p, for those who want to display a progressive-scan image from a progressive-scan source, is available via the handy onscreen menu.
HD Dynamic Contrast continually analyzes picture information and enhances those parts of the picture with the most detail information which results in a sharper, deeper, more film-like images. The 42HP83's 3D Y/C (4 MB, 10-bit) digital comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).
A pair of ColorStream HD component-video inputs provide the ultimate picture quality from high-resolution component-video signals, like those from DTV set-top boxes, progressive-scan DVD players, or satellite receivers. Other connections include a direct-digital DVI input with high-bandwidth digital content protection (HDCP), three each composite- and S-video inputs, and a composite-video output (with both fixed- and variable-level audio outs) for use with a VCR or surround receiver.
HD Window multiscan 2-tuner POP (picture-on-picture) accepts 480i, 480p, 720p, and 1080i signals and can even display two different-resolution signals simultaneously. The split-screen function lets you adjust the size of the POP boxes and will even let you view both 16:9 and 4:3 images at the same time. The set's seven MultiWindow system makes it possible to see the main picture while viewing your favorites or doing a channel scan in seven smaller boxes.
When hooked up to the IR output, the supplied TheaterLink IR dongle lets you operate up to six video components by simply pointing the remote at the TV screen, even if the components are hidden away in cabinets or out of view.
Cinema Mode (3:2 pulldown) circuitry identifies original film-based content from DVDs, then reassembles the frame sequence to more accurately reproduce the original 24-frame-per-second material. Four TheaterWide picture modes enable full-screen viewing of varying widescreen movie formats, while color temperature control provides three selectable temperature settings for achieving an optimum white balance.
What's in the Box
TV, table stand, remote control, remote batteries, IR dongle (for use with set's TheaterLink IR capability), user's manual, and registration/warranty information.
1 Great while it worked
Luckily I bought this unit from Sears as a 'floor' model. Reason I'm lucky is that Sears 'burned in' the unit for me for several months, and when I bought it they gave me a good price and the 1 yr warranty as a new unit would get. It broke within 10 months after purchase and Sears is going to replace it with a comparable unit. Anyway, here's what I saw up until it broke and how it broke:
1) Picture: FANTASTIC! Just like the other reviews, the picture of the 42HP83 is unsurpassed! Vivid, accurate colors, Outstanding contrast, and very important as the room this unit is in has 8 windows, very bright. When running DVI from my DISH HD receiver the picture is unbelievable, and the component input isn't bad either (it takes a great deal of scrutiny to see the difference, but it's there)
2) Sound: Sorry I can't get into this much as I disabled the amp/speakers that are built into the unit in lieu of my HK surround system.
3) Controls: Once you get the hang of 'em, menus are good but you'll have to practice how to use the buttons
4) Inputs: More than you'll probably need, but then again, I was using my AV receiver to handle much of the switching, except for the DVI input.
5) Maintenance (general): We live in a very dusty area so the back picks up a bunch of 'dust bunnies' that you need to clean off periodically
Now to the demise of the unit:
About 9 months into my ownership of the 42HP83, the screen came up normally in the morning, only to start pixelating after a few minutes. Almost like the pixles were overwriting each other, causing ultimately a black screen with a string of pixels across the center. Originally it stayed like this for about 5 minutes and then the picture reappeared with some pixelation, and ultimately stabilized a few minutes later. Within almost a month, that wait time was up to 25 minutes. Sears service came out 4 times and was unable to fix the problem. NOTE: as people have pointed out here, service folks in general are NOT knowledgable when it comes to these units and after replacing three circuit boards with no effect, apparently they've given up and are going to replace the unit with a comparable one.
One interesting piece of info: Had I purchased this unit NEW it would have failed about 6 months after warranty expired!!!
2 Best Purchase I've Made...
Before my purchase I spent a lot of time looking at various option with TVs. I work for a major home electronics dealer and I had some special access to testing information and narrowed it down to this model a Sony variations and a Samsung model.
This TV won, hands down.
The picture is beautiful, especially in DVD or HD, likewise the sound quality is excellent, slight distortion, but with proper calibration it's easily solved.
Several reviews have mentioned the sound being "off" and "not syncing correctly" I experienced this slightly in the short film "Star" by BWM Films, otherwise I have had no problems the picture and sound match perfectly.
The level of detail and sharpness are by far the best I experienced in Plasma. The color quality and brightness levels are amazing, even if turned down below 25%. The blacks are very black and the whites are brilliant white.
The sharpness is equal if not better then many XBR models. I am very pleased and will continue purchasing Toshiba's for years.
Make sure you properly calibrate the model (either professionally or with an Avia disc...) and make sure you let the TV warm up to room temperature before you turn it on. Likewise read you manual, a lot of mistake and abuse can come about with improper knowledge of how to run a machine like this.
This Toshiba is like a European sports car, you treat it right and it'll treat you right.
3 PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS PLASMA
I have bought this TV in June. It has not worked for 15 days properly. Picture comes up for 30 min and it goes off and the screen is just with white lines all over, and the TV gets so hot we shut down for few min (when it works). It works once a day. Picture quality is not good. Repair guys took 2 months to figure out what the problem is. After 4-8 new parts in it, it worked for 20 days again back to the same problem. Customer Service of Toshiba "New Technology and New Problems". No HELP AT ALL FROM THEM. Do not take my word. I am putting the Phone Number of the Repair center: 770-451-5057 and my case #: 281270. PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS TV.
4 Started off beautifully, but after 1 month....
Bought this TV at BestBuy. We loved the features, picture quality and the overall design of the TV. Everything was great until about day #29 when the screen was all white when we turned it on. After several tries we got it to work. After 3 days of phone tag we fiunally get to talk to our sales person, manager of the department, and he tells us we are 2 days over the 30 days and he won't do anything for us. Long story short we point out that it was 30 days from the day it was delivered and they agreed to take care of it. After another week we finally get a repair man out and he says we need a new circuit board. So now 4 days later, we can barely get the tv on now and no word on when we are going to get the part. By the way it is discontinued. Buy another TV! I wish we would have bought the Panasonic and will if we end up having to replace this one. Also, it is BS that you have to buy a warranty, but I will buy one to just to protect my $5000 investment.
5 Just what I wanted
It took a long time for me to decide which TV to get- plasma or otherwise. I knew I wanted HD, so I looked at DLP (Digital Light Processing), Rear Projection, Tubes, LCD, and Plasma. LCD sets had too much motion artifacting, DLP's had too much of a screen door effect, tubes were too big and bulky, and Rear-Projection had too little of a viewing angle. The final decisions came down to DLP (with the newer chip, the Samsung HL-P5085W was a stand out) and Plasma.
I originally was under the impression that Plasma TV's could not display true High-Def, and I suppose that if High-Def were calculated at 1080i or 1080p, that might be true. Nonetheless, the picture quality on the Toshiba 42HP83P is amazing. I am pretty aware of some of the tricks that stores use to make their displays look good (i.e., turning the contrast all the way up, etc.) so I shopped aware. I looked at high-end Plasmas, and low end plasmas, but in the end, the Toshiba blew most of even the more expensive displays away. In addition, it does an excellent job of stretching the 4:3 analog picture to 16:9, without making the people look odd.
I went out shopping for a few things: clarity of the picture, reasonably enough inputs, good conversion, DVI inputs, Picture on Picture that could combine both analog and digital signals, as well as direct video input (no pressing of the same button on the remote to pick the video source that you want to use). Additionally, I have Time Warner Cable, and most of my friends (ok, all of them) that have a HDTV, have to switch to Component/DVI input to watch HD, and then back to S-Video/RCA/Coax, to watch a non-HD channel in a stretched-screen mode. Not so with the Toshiba. It literally gives me everything that I wanted in a TV, and unless you are considering spending $9,000 or more on a TV (and even if you are), it's one stellar performer.
There have to be drawbacks, right? Of course. Plasma display's suffer burn-in, a trait that does not make an appearance with LCD's. Consequently, I am very careful as to what is one the TV. This plasma puts out a lot of heat- so if you are upgrading to plasma from a CRT tube and expect the same electricity bills, you're in for a small shock; the bill won't kill you, but you'll start to see the need for turning the thing off, even if you're just leaving the house for a while. In an ideal world, the Toshiba would have two DVI inputs, but I can deal. I could also get a DVI switchbox, but I haven't seen the need yet.
All in all, this TV WILL shine for you, and comes highly recommended from a person with very discerning taste.
6 Awesome Picture and Sound
We recently purchased this TV and Wow. DVDs and Dish Network HDTV look amazing. The picture is crisp and lifelike. It is easy to use and hook up. I wish that it had an HDMI interface rather than a DVI-D so that I could save the addition of audio cables, but for the price, you can't beat it.
7 Defective Product and Customer Support Stinks
First the good:
-the picture quality is good, the colors are rich.
Now the bad:
-the speakers produce distortion
-you cannot save settings associated with different inputs. This means every time you switch from one type of feed to another (watching a movie on DVD to watching regular TV via the satellite), you have to change the relevant settings. This gets to be time consuming and tiresome.
Now the unacceptable:
From the day I purchased this TV I have had sound synching problems. Sometimes the sound is off by as much as a second. My experience with Toshiba Customer support is very similar to the experience other reviewers have had: Toshiba tech support arranged for a local shop to examine the TV. They reported the problem to Toshiba and nothing has happened. I have had the TV almost two months now. Worse is, every time I call Toshiba to check the status, they cannot tell me anything, not even when they expect to repair or replace the TV.
My hoped for outcome from this will be that I will be able to return the TV and I will then purchase another brand, probably the highly rated Panasonic TH-42PA20U
8 Defective product--don't even think about buying!
We loved this TV for one month. Then a bright red line appeared from the top of the screen to the middle. Toshiba tech support arranged for a local shop to examine the tv. The repairmen determined that the line was from a failed circuit board. They said this "happens all the time" on Toshiba plasmas, something I never noticed in doing my due diligence on this product before I bought it. So here is a warning for anyone thinking about buying this or any other Toshiba plasma. Try another brand! By the way, since Amazon refuses to accept returns on any large tv, if you buy a lemon (like I did), you could lose thousands of dollars. You should not even consider ordering a large tv from Amazon. JUNE 11 UPDATE: after waiting 2 weeks for a service call and another 6 weeks for Toshiba to get the parts to the repair shop, the repair crew was unable to fix the problem. Toshiba now says it will send me a new set, but they can't say when this will happen. JUNE 16 UPDATE: Although Toshiba promised on June 11 to promptly replace my defective tv, today it said it had no idea when this might happen. Meanwhile, we have an unwatchable tv. For $5000, I expected customer service to be considerably better than this! Don't make the same mistake, buy any plasma tv other than a Toshiba. JULY 7 UPDATE: Finally, we have a new plasma tv and are rid of the old one. We should be glad, but we're terrified about having to deal with Toshiba's terrible customer service if the new one is defective, too.
9 Just got one
I have looked at all the HDTV Plasma in 42". This is the best model out there. The picture looks crystal clear, the colors look natural, and the image is very bright. J&R has this model next to the more expensive Sony Wega Plasma. If you have seen those two TV's side-by-side, you wouldn't pay $1000 more for the Sony Wega model.
