Plasma televisions have a tendency to offer the best value among the larger flat-panel displays, and the Vizio VP42 is a bargain price for a 42-inch plasma TV that delivers a well-contrasted picture and pretty accurate color representation. Other than a couple of debates about its delivery of standard-definition video and about some advanced picture controls, the VP42 turned in a solid widescreen viewing experience without sacrificing important video-connection options or ease of use.
As the VP42 HDTV weighs nearly 90 pounds, Vizio appropriately recommends that at least two people unpack and place it onto its new perch. Including its factory-attached base stand, the VP42 measures 44.3 by 29.8 by 11.4 inches. The setup is very simple considering the task, and really it couldn’t have been easier. A plastic pouch is taped to the display’s protective shipping wrapper and contained a handy fold-out poster that listed the included accessories such as the power cord, remote, and A/V cable.
The packet also details the color-coded connection options on the rear of the TV. The back of the poster outlines the initial setup process. Vizio also includes information about professional installation-service options for owners who wish to let someone else risk breaking the machine in the process of setting it up.
The Vizio VP42 has a sleek modern appearance. A glossy black bezel and fixed bottom-mounted stereo speakers (2 x 10 watts) are concealed behind a silver colored mesh grille. The VP42’s speakers were capable of producing high decibel sound that didn’t exhibit any signs of clipping at high levels, An acrylic accent centered on the grille is engraved to let people know the VP42 is a plasma HDTV, not an LCD, and on-display controls were within easy reach along the lower right edge of the TV.
The downward-facing A/V inputs on the rear of the display include two HDMI ports, two sets of component video inputs, a VGA input for PC use, and a single RF input that can be used for cable or antenna reception. These may be used with any of the A/V connections with a variety of standard and premium cables. The Vizio VP42’s native resolution is 1,024-by-768 pixels. The maximum HD input resolution with this TV is 1080i. Vizio recommends that PCs connected via VGA use the relatively common 1,360-by-768 widescreen resolution.
The remote has a slender shape and the VP42’s remote control is tapered in the middle and rubberized on the back for easy grip. The remote’s small buttons offer decent tactile feedback, but they do lack a backlight or a glow-in-the-dark function. An extensive list of codes provided in the manual lets the remote control additional A/V components such as a VCR, cable box, or DVD player.
The VP42 has basic menu options that include independent picture adjustments for each video input, but the lack of information in the manual regarding the TV’s advanced picture adjustments are somewhat disappointing. On-screen resolution and signal information are depicted using a poorly contrasted scheme of yellow text on a light-gray background that makes it unnecessarily difficult to read.
This TV has quality noise reduction, preservation of detail, and decent film-based video performance. The Vizio VP42 HDTV is a solid value for a quality high-definition plasma TV. Although similarly sized LCD panels can offer up to twice the native resolution, plasma displays such as the VP42 generally perform better when displaying video containing fast motion. The VP42 also delivered excellent image contrast and color and it did so at wider viewing angles than all but the most expensive LCD HDTVs can manage. If you are looking for a good bargain with plenty of quality, the Vizio VP42 HDTV is a great option for the flat panel quality you are looking for at an excellent price.
