I Got a "coupon book" a while back and noticed it is advertising a 42' vizio plasma with built in HD, for a very reasonable price. Anyone have info on this set?? Im hoping that it will compare with the 50 inch.

COSTA MESA, CA and CES LAS VEGAS, NV January 5, 2006 - V, Inc., the multiple award-winning VIZIO consumer electronics maker, announced their first quarter 2006 high definition plasma plans.

"Our VIZIO P50HDM was recently ranked in CNET's 2005 Top Ten Holiday Tech Gifts, just behind the Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Apple's new iPod and broke sales records at retail for HD plasmas. We've designed the VIZIO P42HDTV to build on the successful platform of the P50HDM with the latest generation technology and outstanding value," stated Jeff Schindler, V, Inc. Vice President Marketing and Business Operations.

VIZIO Plasmas
The VIZIO P42HDTV is a completely new 42" high definition plasma design. At only 4" deep, it takes on the attractive gloss-black styling of the VIZIO P50HDM plasma along with silver built-in speakers, intuitive user interface and Easy-to-setup Guide.

The 1024 x 768 native resolution, widescreen plasma features a latest-generation glass with Single Scan Technology for a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, high 1,200 cd/m2 brightness and 30 bit 231 billion colors. An advanced video processor produces reduced solarization and false contouring along with sharpness improvement, non-linear chroma enhancement, closed color suppression, non-linear scaling, adaptive contrast and color controls.

The P42HDTV is fully featured with dual tuners including ATSC off air, clear QAM digital cable and NTSC tuners, universal remote control, PIP/POP, 3:2 pulldown, 3D-comb filter, motion-adaptive deinterlacer, component, HDMI and VGA-type PC (up to 1280 x 1024) inputs along with multiple video settings.

The VIZIO P42HDTV will be available at national retail stores and online in March at an every day price of only $1,799.99 along with a one-year onsite service warranty.

Entire press release with photo is here (http://vinc.com/site/news/Vizio_42HDTV_Announced.html)

Built in tuners, great price, specs that meet my needs, Costco return policy.

I think this is the one that finally makes me take the jump.

Built in tuners, great price, specs that meet my needs, Costco return policy.

I think this is the one that finally makes me take the jump.

Agreed! My only concern is...what will the line be like at my local Costco on March 20th? :eek:

hmmm... I had the P42HDe model.... I sold it on Ebay (5) days after I got it. Picture quality was miserable and it wasnt a defective unit either.... This one looks like one helluva deal though.... only concern I have is how it will handle dark scenes & blacks in DVDs. If it's anything like the P42Hde model, I'd stay away from it....

But if this baby can live up to the Maxent 42X3 or better, then THIS is the budget Plasma to get. Case closed.

hmmm... I had the P42HDe model.... I sold it on Ebay (5) days after I got it. Picture quality was miserable and it wasnt a defective unit either.... This one looks like one helluva deal though.... only concern I have is how it will handle dark scenes & blacks in DVDs. If it's anything like the P42Hde model, I'd stay away from it....

But if this baby can live up to the Maxent 42X3 or better, then THIS is the budget Plasma to get. Case closed.

According to VIZIO's press release, the P42HDTV is based on the P50HDM (as opposed to being based on the P42HDe model), so that's a very good sign.

Of course, we'll just have to wait and check it out in person!

hmmm... I had the P42HDe model.... I sold it on Ebay (5) days after I got it. Picture quality was miserable and it wasnt a defective unit either.... This one looks like one helluva deal though.... only concern I have is how it will handle dark scenes & blacks in DVDs. If it's anything like the P42Hde model, I'd stay away from it....

But if this baby can live up to the Maxent 42X3 or better, then THIS is the budget Plasma to get. Case closed.

Any reason you chose to eBay it rather than return it?

I agree - on paper, this looks like an amazing deal. I'm trying to be cautiously optomistic. Don't want to get too excited before I actually see it, or before the lines start forming at Costco...

wonder is costco would have it in stock before March 20. Then i could just get it and get a refund later since they value coupons within 30 days of purchase

Holy cow. Thanks for the press release, richardmayo. This TV is absolutely what I've been waiting for. I wish I could fast forward to March 20. Molybdenum, do you really think they would honor the coupon if you purchase the TV earlier than March 20? That would be awesome. I know Costco's return policy is liberal, but I thought their policy on coupons was more strict.

Holy cow. Thanks for the press release, richardmayo. This TV is absolutely what I've been waiting for. I wish I could fast forward to March 20. Molybdenum, do you really think they would honor the coupon if you purchase the TV earlier than March 20? That would be awesome. I know Costco's return policy is liberal, but I thought their policy on coupons was more strict.

I bought the 50" Vizio 2 weeks before the coupon date and it was no problem getting the discounted amount...I just took my receipt and coupon in...and I know you guys don't want to get too excited but the 50" has excellent PQ and I don't see why the new 42" would be any different...

I don't like the speakers: the color and the fact they are on the bottom. Otherwise, sounds promising.

I'm debating between this and the 50" RCA Scenium DLP that is at the same price point and in the same coupon book. The RCA DLP deal is about 1 month sooner. I posted a topic (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=626277) to try to get some opinion on which might be the better buy. It is going to be a really tough choice for me I think.

I'm also thinking of just sticking with my 4805 and just saving the money to buy new bulbs since it would get quite a bit more wear and tear. Right now it seems like the most appealing option.

Gibson LP - Can you please update your original message title to include the model number "P42HDTV".

I think it will help with searching, and will limit the duplicate posts.

Thank you.

Gibson LP - Can you please update your original message title to include the model number "P42HDTV".

Only Moderators are able to do that. Ask one of them. :)

I think it will help with searching, and will limit the duplicate posts.

Thank you.

Yup. :rolleyes:

.
Check Out the all-new BruZZi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ (http://www.glaucobruzzi.com/plasma-faq/index.php?)
The FAQ plus links to Plasma Stands, Wallmounts, Speakers, Frames, Bezels & More.
Also links to Audio/Video Faqs, Comparisons, Reviews, Shootouts, Tweaks & Many More.

I think this is the PDP that is finally going to make me take the plunge!!!! The price and specs are amazing. Thanks for all the info guys.

march 20th seems really long. i was gonna buy the 220A phillips at costco when i saw this coupon. Wonder if this TV is worth the wait

Any reason you chose to eBay it rather than return it?
Well, it was a gift and the place it was purchased from didnt allow returns... it was a refurbed unit. :rolleyes:

But after doing tons of research over a 2-3 day period I realized that the issues I was having were global, more of a limitation of that model and not a defective unit.

Soon after, I sold it. There are people who can settle for the miserable picture quality of a Plasma because its... well.... a "plasma"...

But the 50" model is definently a step up... aside from the "sparklies" on black screens... and I agree that the fact that this new 42" model is based on the 50" makes this unit sound very promising. And that price is VERY attractive.... :eek:

does any one know whether this new model has a cable card slot or not?

does any one know whether this new model has a cable card slot or not?

Unfortunately, the press release doesn't mention a cable card slot...I'm hoping it has one, and it just wasn't listed in the blurb.

On a related note, I emailed Vizio last week asking about this model, and they replied "it has not been posted on our website yet, we will have the final specifications on that by the end of this month."

good news. I emailed vizio for the exact date that the vizio will hit costco's shelves and this is the reply i got:

Good afternoon,

The unit will hit Costco the week of 03/13/06.

Best regards,

Bertha Villasenor

That mean that i dont have to wait till march 20th to get it. But still 2 months to go

Sweet! Thanks for letting us know, molybdenum.

does any one know whether this new model has a cable card slot or not?

The P42HDTV will not have a cable card slot per the response I got from V inc below. Hope it will work as well with Comcast as it does on Cox. I guess I won't have to get a new wall mount either as it is supposedly the same as the P50. I can't wait to see it in March. :D

"It does not have a cable card. You should be able to get some of the
digital channels from the cable company without their box using the clear
QAM/ATSC input(I received about 40 digital channels at my house without
using my Cox cable box and others we tested received about 60 to 80
channels).

Yes, it does use the same wall mount as the P50."

pilot,
can you explain how is it possible to recieve digital cable without a box? Do you mean like over the air signals? then i probably wont get any because i had rabbit ears and the signal around my area is fairly poor.

pilot,
can you explain how is it possible to recieve digital cable without a box? Do you mean like over the air signals? then i probably wont get any because i had rabbit ears and the signal around my area is fairly poor.

molybdenum, it can receive OTA/ATSC with the rabbit ears or unencrypted QAM signals from your cable provider with the built-in HDTV/QAM tuner on this PDP. Since I already get all local HD OTA channels just fine, I won't need to use my Accurian ATSC receiver if I get this Vizio so one less external box for me. However, If I wanted the encrypted QAM/OnDemand/etc, I would still need a cable set top box as there is no cable card slot.

...I emailed Vizio last week asking about this model, and they replied "it has not been posted on our website yet, we will have the final specifications on that by the end of this month."

I emailed Vizio again, this time asking for a specific date as to when the manual will be available on their website. The response I got was, "I spoke to the engineer and they will have the finalized copy by mid February."

Wow thanks. But thats still a month to go though...

looks like the manual for the p42hdtv is online now over at vinc.

that was a really quick month!!

looks like the manual for the p42hdtv is online now over at vinc.

that was a really quick month!!

Holy cow! You're right, it's up there now! I'll have to check it out tomorrow... Thanks for letting us know!

I have slowly been building my budget HT system in preperation for a new display (just got my HK AVR235, Polk R15's in the rear, R30's in the front, CSM center, & Dayton 12 Sub).

I just can't decide between the 42" Vizio or the 42" Sceptre LCD (although we don't have a price on the LCD yet as far as I know).

I see in the manual that it will retain size modes and volume for each input but does anyone know if it also saves the other settings per input (contrast/brightness/etc.)? Also it looks like there is no real direct input selection from the remote. My current cheapie plasma makes you toggle through all the inputs to get the one you need and even with a Harmony remote it is agonizingly slow. It would be awesome if there were discete codes for the Vizios. The 50" Vizio has a setting for variable audio out but it looks like that was left off the 42" too; a feature I really like as I have a dedicted amp and bulit in speakers just for regular TV watching. I guess I am looking for "Sony" features on a budget plasma!

looks like the manual for the p42hdtv is online now over at vinc.

that was a really quick month!!

Linkified (http://vinc.com/site/products/product_p42hdtv.html)

I too am interested in the March 20th deal at Costco. I hope this 42" Vizio fares better than the 50" Vizio. Compared to the Panasonic and Pioneer, the Vizio P50HDM looked like garbage in the CR/black leve/shadow detail space. If the 42" is closer to the 10,000:1 CR spec than the 50", I'll get one.

Steve

I too am interested in the March 20th deal at Costco. I hope this 42" Vizio fares better than the 50" Vizio. Compared to the Panasonic and Pioneer, the Vizio P50HDM looked like garbage in the CR/black leve/shadow detail space. If the 42" is closer to the 10,000:1 CR spec than the 50", I'll get one.

SteveMost have rated the black level of the VIZIO P50 HDM comparable to the Panasonics and better than Pioneer. You must be referring to a badly adjusted floor sample.

Doing an apples to apples comparison of the Vizio and the Pioneer at costco, with these two plasmas standing right next to each other, the difference is very obvious. I even was able to get the remote for the Vizio to play around with picture settings. Not having my AVIA disk was obviously a downfall, but no matter what I did with picture settings, I could not get the black level down, even with brightness set all the way down.

I'm coming form the front projection realm of which contrast ratios and shadow detail is of the utmost importance. It wasn't until I saw a properly calibrated 9" CRT front projection system did I truly understand what contrast ratio really was and how important it is to the picture. It is the reason I won't buy an LCD TV, nor any other plasma than a Panasonic or Pioneer.

Jim
Most have rated? Who CNET? You and I both know the difference.

BTW, I have optimism for the P42HDTV from Vizio. I need another 42" plasma and am waiting to see the Vizio P42HDTV before I get the Panasonic 42" 8UK EDTV. I'll take a resolution hit for contrast ratio in a heartbeat.

Do you guys think this display will causa lines at Costco? People getting their hours before they open to be sure to get one?

One thing is for sure: the price at costco is definitely appealing. I almost dropped the AMEX on the counter to take it home, until I realized I couldn't tweak to get better blacks.

But hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But remember, Panasonic is the number one PDP manufacturer in the world for a reason, and you can't even come close to the price of Vizio with a Panasonic.

We'll see how the P42HDTV looks like. If it can come closer to it's CR spec of 10,000:1 than the P50 HDM, I'm there.

BTW, this isn't a bash fest. The price is right on the 50". But you do get what you pay for.

Steve

Doing an apples to apples comparison of the Vizio and the Pioneer at costco, with these two plasmas standing right next to each other, the difference is very obvious. I even was able to get the remote for the Vizio to play around with picture settings. Not having my AVIA disk was obviously a downfall, but no matter what I did with picture settings, I could not get the black level down, even with brightness set all the way down.

I'm coming form the front projection realm of which contrast ratios and shadow detail is of the utmost importance. It wasn't until I saw a properly calibrated 9" CRT front projection system did I truly understand what contrast ratio really was and how important it is to the picture. It is the reason I won't buy an LCD TV, nor any other plasma than a Panasonic or Pioneer.

Jim
Most have rated? Who CNET? You and I both know the difference.

BTW, I have optimism for the P42HDTV from Vizio. I need another 42" plasma and am waiting to see the Vizio P42HDTV before I get the Panasonic 42" 8UK EDTV. I'll take a resolution hit for contrast ratio in a heartbeat.
I was under the imrpession that the latest Vizio 50" used the latest LG glasses, which was measured by Hometheatermag.com (albeit in an LG model) to have the same black level as the Panasonics (0.027ft-l to be exact).

I was under the imrpession that the latest Vizio 50" used the latest LG glasses, which was measured by Hometheatermag.com (albeit in an LG model) to have the same black level as the Panasonics (0.027ft-l to be exact).

You are correct...and from what I understand, the new 42" is based off of the 50" (except for the tuner of course) so stephenfrancis will probably be disappointed...although the reason it is based on the 50" is that it has done so well and gotten rave reviews by most (including its black levels)...stephenfrancis is definitely in the minority...but to each his own...and yes - I own a P50HDM :D

You are correct...and from what I understand, the new 42" is based off of the 50" (except for the tuner of course) so stephenfrancis will probably be disappointed...although the reason it is based on the 50" is that it has done so well and gotten rave reviews by most (including its black levels)...stephenfrancis is definitely in the minority...but to each his own...and yes - I own a P50HDM :D
Good news because I'm very much interested in the new 42", especially since it has the built-in QAM tuner. This one would be for the girlfriend's house, and I don't think I can talk her into paying for digital cable.

Hi everyone. As you can see, my 1st post.

I've been eyeing the various plasmas at Costco over the past several months, and my wife has OK'd taking the big plunge.

I've decided on that 42" Vizio also, but when I talked to the staff at my local store about which Vizio model would be on sale in March, I was told that it was the P42HD, not the P42HDTV. (In fact, the customer rep scanned the back of the coupon just to make sure, and I saw "P42HD" displayed on the terminal screen.

Realizing that "P42HD" could be just a model abbreviation, has anyone got a definitive statement that the P42HDTV is actually the model going on sale on 3/20? (And yes, I saw Vizio's statement that the HDTV goes on sale coincidentally on 3/20; just seeking assurance that that model will be the coupon model.)

Thanks
JohnM

the p42hd doesn't have any tuners;
the unit on the piece of paper that costco checked specifies a tuner.

looks likely to be a p42hdtv

Gentlemen, please limit Costco discussion to the Costco master thread. This thread is for discussion of the Vizio 42 inch plasma only.

Those who know.....know what I'm talking about. I'll leave it at that.

At one point in time, I thought my Sanyo Z2 had good black levels and shadow detail. I gave the LT26HVX a chance. Returned it the next day, and people rave about the CR on that TV.

Still holding out hope for the P42HDTV, but if the performance is similar to the P50 like some have said, I'll take the ED Panny 8UK for the same price to go in the bedroom.

When is SED coming out??????????????????????

Steve

Gentlemen, please limit Costco discussion to the Costco master thread. This thread is for discussion of the Vizio 42 inch plasma only.

chill dude, vizio has multiple 42" plasma's.
only the one due to be released on the 20th of march has a tuner.

none of the previous versions have this feature.

...Realizing that "P42HD" could be just a model abbreviation, has anyone got a definitive statement that the P42HDTV is actually the model going on sale on 3/20?...

Yes, this was confirmed in an email response I received from Vizio (I had emailed them for more information about the model as soon as I got the coupon in the mail, before their press release). It is definitely the P42HDTV.

Thanks for the responses. Now all I have to do is wait two months. Patience, patience.

I am a Costco member and have not seen this coupon yet....what is the offer for the Vizio plasma....sounds like everyone is waiting with anticipation for this HDTV. I understand the price is gr8...what does the coupon say and where did you get it? Mail or in-store?

I am a Costco member and have not seen this coupon yet....what is the offer for the Vizio plasma....sounds like everyone is waiting with anticipation for this HDTV. I understand the price is gr8...what does the coupon say and where did you get it? Mail or in-store?

Did anyone see this model @ CES??

I am a Costco member and have not seen this coupon yet....what is the offer for the Vizio plasma....sounds like everyone is waiting with anticipation for this HDTV. I understand the price is gr8...what does the coupon say and where did you get it? Mail or in-store?

Did anyone see this model @ CES??

I'm pretty sure you can go to their website to get a number to call and they'll mail you one, or just go to the membership desk in your local store.

You can also watch for one on eBay, if you aren't able to get one from Costco. (Yes, people are actually selling and buying these on eBay.)

You can also watch for one on eBay, if you aren't able to get one from Costco. (Yes, people are actually selling and buying these on eBay.)


the model in question won't be released for sale til late march.
got to be the older non-tuner models currently traded on ebay.

the model in question won't be released for sale til late march.
got to be the older non-tuner models currently traded on ebay.

I believe he's talking about the piece of paper that gives you the discount (c****n)

Ha! That's funny. The title of my previous post was, "Where to get coupon?", but I can understand how the content of my post could have been misread. :)

Yes, I was talking about getting the coupon itself on eBay.

just call up customer service and ask for one.
it's free

hold off on the c0upon talk guys, lest our thread be locked/deleted...

Moderator

Almost every post on this page is against the rules. Please take all BB, Costco, etc., talk to the master thread, and no more coupon talk of any kind, anywhere on the board.


Thanks all

OK, let's get back to discussing the model itself. Vizio's website states:

"Like the award winning VIZIO P50 HDM, the P42 HDTV provides, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 231 billion colors as well as an improved 1,200 cd/m2 brightness panel. "

So does this mean the P42HDTV will use the same glass as the P50HDM but have a newer/different panel? Am I understanding this right?

This will be my first plasma. I'm so pumped to get this set. I'll be moving up from a 27 Trinitron circa 1998. The Sony still has a great pic, but watching DVDs in letter box yields quite the small pic, it will be relegated to bedroom duty. The viewing distance will be appox 8 to 8.5' so I think the 42" will be perfect.

What can we expect in terms of burn-in resistance in this set? How long should I wait before playing PS2? I know that I should watch everything in stretch/fill/just/zoom for the first 100 hours, and to be honest, I think we'll end up keeping in one of those modes for most of it's life.

I'll be using cable split from the wall to the QAM tuner and to Tivo Series 2 -> HK AVR-> S video input. DVD via component from some cheapo combo DVD player (waiting for PS3 and BR), PS2 via S-Video through HK receiver.

Does this sound like the best possible setup for what I'm planning on attaching? I will upgrade to an HD-DVR STB from my cable provider once we buy a house (before the end of the summer 06).


Sorry about rambling, but like I said early, I'm so pumped for this display.

OK, let's get back to discussing the model itself. Vizio's website states:

"Like the award winning VIZIO P50 HDM, the P42 HDTV provides, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 231 billion colors as well as an improved 1,200 cd/m2 brightness panel. "

So does this mean the P42HDTV will use the same glass as the P50HDM but have a newer/different panel? Am I understanding this right?It will have the new 42" version of 50" panel.

Thanks for the info, Jim.

How big of a box can we expect this to be in? I'm wondering if it will fit in the back of my Cherokee or perhaps in the back of my fiancee's Ford Escape.

If it wont fit in either of those I'll have to borrow my dad's F150 and expose it to the elements (if it's dry out of course).

How big of a box can we expect this to be in? I'm wondering if it will fit in the back of my Cherokee or perhaps in the back of my fiancee's Ford Escape.

If it wont fit in either of those I'll have to borrow my dad's F150 and expose it to the elements (if it's dry out of course).

As soon as I see the box in person, I'll measure it and post the dimensions.

As soon as I see the box in person, I'll measure it and post the dimensions.


Thanks AVSman. Out of curiosity, do you work at "the store"?

-Dave

Thanks AVSman. Out of curiosity, do you work at "the store"?

-Dave

Nope, I don't work there, but I live close by, and we shop there every week or so.

I'll be stopping by a lot more frequently as we get closer to the magic day... :D

amazing price for this set!

Absolutely. I'm so eager to see it in person!

So I've read through most of the P50 thread and it sounds like Vizio fixed the fan and buzzing issues in the later builds.

Would it be wrong to assume that the 42"s wont have theses issues? What about the HDMI handshake with some DVD players and cable STBs?

I finally went to the store to take a look at the P50 in person and I have to say that my fiancee and I were both impressed and stil looking fwd to 3/20!

i would imagine the electronics for the hdmi inputs would basically be the same as the p50...so i owuld expect the same handshake issues....i would think about getting this unit for the bedroom if it had a cable card....but im not going to give time warner another 10 bucks a month for another HD box, and i refuse to watch their 5 unencrypted HD channels only.

Hi All
I'd really want to get this plasma for my bedroom but what if Costco sold down on 03/20.....then can we get a raincheck ? (that way I can get it later with the sale price)
I think it's best to be there by the time they open the door ................. can't wait
Enjoy 2nd half of SuperBowl.
DLe6

theres nothing to enjoy in this joke of a game....seattle is a joke...

Someone in the forum for the Vizio 50" plasma stated that that unit does have pixel orbiting and white wash features to deal with potential burn-in issues.

Looking at Vizio's manual for that unit on their website, it doesn't mention it at all.
Can anyone confirm that it does have it... or more important to me... and more relevant to this thread... will the 42" unit have it?

I want to buy this 42" plasma when it comes out next month, but those features would sure help ease my concerns about buying a plasma.

Any news on this subject?

The manual states that it has an "image cleaner" under the "special features" menu.

Image Cleaner – Activates a full white screen to clear image ghosts. If a stationary image is left too long

Hi All
I'd really want to get this plasma for my bedroom but what if Costco sold down on 03/20.....then can we get a raincheck ? (that way I can get it later with the sale price)
I think it's best to be there by the time they open the door ................. can't wait
Enjoy 2nd half of SuperBowl.
DLe6

I actually called several Costcos in the Santa Clara valley and Fremont and they all told me the same thing; it won't be available until the week of the sale. It's not even on their order schedule as of yet. However, I forgot to ask about a raincheck.

One thing I noticed about Vizio's boxes is that they are relatively small. However, they state to never ever ever lay a plasma on its front or back, something to take into consideration when transporting it. So for instance, I won't be able to get it home in my Accord.

I'm sure there's a thread somewheres around here that states why plasmas must be kept upright.

I can't wait until this set hits the market. I'm curious to see how it compares to the Akai 42" that just went to a similar store. Geez these thread restrictions are hard to dance around!!

I actually called several Costcos in the Santa Clara valley and Fremont and they all told me the same thing; it won't be available until the week of the sale. It's not even on their order schedule as of yet. However, I forgot to ask about a raincheck.

I'm going to my local Costco the weekend before the 20th just in case a few manage to find there way for sale early!

Could someone clarify rez for plasma TV's? I was under the impression that a true HD rez is 1280 x 720. If the Vizio 42" HDTV states 1024 x 768 rez, is that going to give true HD? Does't it need to be 1280? Some one explain please.

As I am looking at possible getting this TV too. But not sure of the the over rez.

Could someone clarify rez for plasma TV's? I was under the impression that a true HD rez is 1280 x 720. If the Vizio 42" HDTV states 1024 x 768 rez, is that going to give true HD? Does't it need to be 1280? Some one explain please.

As I am looking at possible getting this TV too. But not sure of the the over rez.

For 42" or 43" plasmas, the pixels aren't actually square; they're rectangles. So, you're correct; technically it's not true HD (at least not horizontally). But since these plasmas can display more than 720 lines progressively, most people consider them to be HD plasmas.

anyone know if this set will accept discrete input selections and discrete power on/off?

anyone know if this set will accept discrete input selections and discrete power on/off?
well, I got my answer directly from Vizio:

Sorry, there are no discrete codes for the Vizio products.



Thank you,

Kenneth Friedland
Technical Support

I wonder why they would do that?

Here is what I found from the Vizio P42HDTV manual regarding direct input select:
(These buttons are located near the bottom part of the remote, the same buttons also work for DVD/VCR player controls):


"TV/Previous Chapter – Repeated pressing of this button switches between
DTV and TV programming. Note: this button has been pre-programmed
for the VIZIO P42HDTV. This button also functions as a DVD Previous
Chapter when the DVD player is activated with the remote control.

AV/Reverse – Repeated pressing of this button with switch between AV1,
AV2 and AV3 inputs. Additionally, this button rewinds the CD, DVD or
VCR when the component is activated with the remote control.

COMPONENT/Forward – Repeated pressing of this button with switch
between Component 1 and Component 2 inputs. Additionally, this button
forwards the CD, DVD or VCR when the component is activated with the
remote control.

HDMI/ Next Chapter – This button will select the HDMI input. Additionally,
this button functions as a DVD Next Chapter when the component is
activated with the remote control."

The manual states that it has an "image cleaner" under the "special features" menu.

Well, here is the complete text from the manual:

Image Cleaner – Activates a full white screen to clear image ghosts. If a stationary image is left too long on the screen it will be permanently burnt-in and this function will not remove it. Press any key to return to normal operation.

exactly how much did the coupon take off of this tv? :)

trying to decide to get the 50" or wait for the 42", buying the right TV is way way harder than finding a needle in a haystack

Here is what I found from the Vizio P42HDTV manual regarding direct input select
thanks, it seems that Vizio is taking the same approach with dedicating a few buttons to toggle through subsets of the inputs as they did on the P50HDM. I already own the 50" model but unfortunately will need to downgrade to this one when it comes out. I was hoping to find a mount that will let me pull the tv down over the fireplace mantle but no such mount exists. At least the 42" will just fit into the built-in hutch to the right of the fireplace.

It's going to be tough to step down to a 42".

exactly how much...

Unfortunately, pricing talk is not allowed in this forum.

... buying the right TV is way way harder than finding a needle in a haystack

You got that right!

So in preparation for my upcoming purchase of a television, I'd like to keep this discussion going. What other things have people liked or disliked about this TV's big brother, the 50" plasma with the similar form factor?

I know that the HDe version of this TV that is currently out gets relatively medicore reviews. But a related question is, besides form factor, what differentiates the

P42 HDe
http://www.vinc.com/site/products/product_p42hde.html

from the one being discussed in this thread, the

P42 HDTV
http://www.vinc.com/site/products/product_p42hdtv.html


I rather like the form factor of the P42 HDTV better - seems slicker than a grey box and bezel. Can anyome speculate on picture quality or other fun and exciting things?


me

man this is agonizing, i want a plasma now (been waiting 4 months), and waiting ANOTHER month for this vizio is MURDER

im tempted to shell out another $1000 for the maxent 50"!!! :(

edit: WOW this has built in hd tuners?

oh man now i have to wait, curse you AVS forum for bringing the knowledge of this TV into my eyes.. :(

Hang in there, gotchaforce! Just 24 days left... :)

Hang in there, gotchaforce! Just 24 days left... :)

only thing im worried about is the slew of problems that seem to come with the first generation of vizio, i hope they fixed it but you never know with vizio.... you get what you pay for after all. however ATSC AND QAM tuners are just wayyyyy too hard to pass up eh?

only thing im worried about is the slew of problems that seem to come with the first generation of vizio...

Yeah, I'm a little concerned about that, too. But it sounds like Vizio was good about honoring the warranty with the P50, plus there's the built-in protection you get from buying from you-know-where. ;)

I see there is a "service" port available on the display. I know it's much to ask of a "cheaper" plasma but it shure would be nice to get a RS232 port for control and/or firmware updates.

The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?

What do you guys think about the fact that this has just one HDMI input ?

The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?

What do you guys think about the fact that this has just one HDMI input ?

Doesn't bother me, but I don't plan on connecting an ungodly number of sources to this thing.

The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?

What do you guys think about the fact that this has just one HDMI input ?

good question. most of us, including myself, were under the assumption that this tv is just a 42" version of the P50 HDM except with the addition of ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuning.

good question. most of us, including myself, were under the assumption that this tv is just a 42" version of the P50 HDM except with the addition of ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuning.

Kind of now wondering too.

I just emailed Vizio on this.

I am planning on getting a new DVD player as well. ( To go with this TV ).
Any recommendations?

Thanks

Kind of now wondering too.

I just emailed Vizio on this.

I am planning on getting a new DVD player as well. ( To go with this TV ).
Any recommendations?

Thanks

Per user manual downloadable from vizio website only one HDMI input.

I'm in the market for a cheap 42" HD plasma to complement my Infocus X1 projector. I'm not content with the picture on the 42" Akai.

I'm particularly interested in the de-interlacer/scaler.


The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?


This worries me. I'm spoiled by the excellent Faroudja in my Infocus X1. Keeping an eye on this thread for more info as it becomes available.

The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?


This also worries me. The description in the press release suggested to me that the deinterlacer was, in fact, superior to the P50. But after re-reading it, I think I was overly (and incorrectly) optimistic. There appears to be no mention of Faroudja, which is potentially a huge strike against a TV for which I have been waiting with great anticipation. I bought the P50 for my mother, and the main reason I think its PQ is so good is the simple fact that it has the Faroudja deinterlacer.

does her PQ look good on 720p? if so, the Faroudja deinterlacer is not being used...as it only is a DEINTERLACER. the P50 uses a Genesis scaler chip, which is the company that owns Faroudja now, but is not the best one out there.

dtrell,

how is your p50 working out? i read every page of the vizio p50 threads and thank you for being such a gracious contributor.

does her PQ look good on 720p? if so, the Faroudja deinterlacer is not being used...as it only is a DEINTERLACER. the P50 uses a Genesis scaler chip, which is the company that owns Faroudja now, but is not the best one out there.

i should have been more specific... i am speaking primarily of PQ with SD content. i will be using my TV largely for SD and DVD, and to a lesser extent for HD material. i think the PQ on the P50 is excellent in particular with SD content, which i believe is thanks to the Faroudja DCDi. i am not sure if the same deinterlacing is used for DVD content, since it is already displayed at 480P. any further insight into the importance and utility of the Faroudja DCDi is appreciated, particularly in regards to its potential absence from the P42 HDTV.

Is the price of this plasma likely to increase after the initial "special offering" period by you know where?

I've got some madmoney saved up for a set, and this one has really caught my eye, but I'm buying a house soon and it'd be nice if I could wait another month or so before picking a set up. Just don't want to wait if it's going to cost me $$$.

Is the price of this plasma likely to increase after the initial "special offering" period by you know where?


Yes. it normally will go back to the current retail price.

It's likely to be offered for less than retail some time down the road, but that's usually after a few months and still may not be as good a deal as now.

I have been wating for this set for some time now and cant wait!!!! The only problem for me is that i am a heavy gamer and im worried about image retention.
Hopefully after break in everything will be ok. I have been looking at other Tvs in this price range and nothing is even close. I hope it will compete with the P50

Getting closer...

can't wait.. took the 20th off and am buying it tax free in NH. :D

The 42" has "Motion adaptive deinterlace" where as 50" has "DCDi by Faroudja Motion adaptive deinterlace". Does anyone here know if the 42" is going to have the same electronics as 50"?

What do you guys think about the fact that this has just one HDMI input ?

I emailed V about this, here is the response :


"No the P42 does not have THIS De interlacing

The de interlacing technology is only for programs that are interlaced at 480

anything broadcasted above that is already de interlaced "

Thank you,

Marshall

Technical

" THIS" refers to the Faroujda I had asked about.

PM, if you would like for me to forward the full context of the email to you...

"No the P42 does not have THIS De interlacing

The de interlacing technology is only for programs that are interlaced at 480

anything broadcasted above that is already de interlaced "


" THIS" refers to the Faroujda I had asked about.



doh. i am officially concerned about SD picture quality. but maybe hopefully whatever this different deinterlacer is will be good enough?

Can someone pm me, the special price offerings. I am new to getting a plasma and have driven to Sams and Costco like 20x in the past week. I have a headached from all this research lol.

I emailed V about this, here is the response :


"No the P42 does not have THIS De interlacing

The de interlacing technology is only for programs that are interlaced at 480

anything broadcasted above that is already de interlaced "

Thank you,

Marshall

Technical

" THIS" refers to the Faroujda I had asked about.

PM, if you would like for me to forward the full context of the email to you...


Funny, that exactly the same (as well as complete) response they sent me as well

I emailed V about this, here is the response :


"No the P42 does not have THIS De interlacing

The de interlacing technology is only for programs that are interlaced at 480

anything broadcasted above that is already de interlaced "

Thank you,

Marshall

Technical

" THIS" refers to the Faroujda I had asked about.

PM, if you would like for me to forward the full context of the email to you...

I would think that if the P42 had to de-interlace when it upconverts a 480i signal to 720p, it would also have to de-interlace when it downconverts a 1080i signal to 720p. Or am I missing something????

can't wait.. took the 20th off and am buying it tax free in NH. :D


I'm with you brotha...i'll see you in Nashua!

I would think that if the P42 had to de-interlace when it upconverts a 480i signal to 720p, it would also have to de-interlace when it downconverts a 1080i signal to 720p. Or am I missing something????

That sounds right to me (that the P42 would have to deinterlace a 1080i signal, then convert to 720p). But at least with most HD sources you can set the output signal (1080i/720p). So, if I'm understanding this correctly, if you aren't inputing 480i or 1080i signals, the absence of the Faroudja doesn't matter. Unless of course, it's a bad sign that the Faroudja is missing...makes me wonder what other good features of the P50HDM may have been left out?

I'm with you brotha...i'll see in Nashua!

nice! bright and early? i'll be the guy trying to fit it into a green 4-door golf. :D

I contact Visio customer sales and found out the size of the box. It is 36 inches tall, 49 inches long and 4 inches thick. I was also told it is 105 pounds.

I may decide to join you in Nashua, it is little further away than Waltham but it would be nice to save the sales tax. Anyone tell me the hours of hte Nashua store.
Rick
Westborough, MA

kudos on getting the box size!! thank you! now i can know for sure if this is going home in the box or not.

nashua store (we can't actually list store's name.. against forum rules) hours per website are:

Regular Hours:
M-F 11:00am - 8:30pm
Sat. 9:30am - 6:00pm
Sun. 10:00am - 6:00pm


Exclusive Business Member Hours:
M-F 10:00am - 11:00am

Does anyone have a feel about the # of units the stores will have on hand at the introduction?

I do realize I could get a raincheck but my day is planned out. Remove the big heavy bulky 36 inch, drive to Waltham or Nashua, hopefully purchase this set. Come home, set up connect to Bose system and wait for the cable guy to show up with the HD DVR.

This would be a real bummer, if I am unable to purchase one of these bargain units.
Rick
Westborough, MA

i have no idea what the stock or crowds are going to be like at these stores. you're safest bet is to be at one of the stores first thing that monday morning. i can't imagine a ton of people taking the morning off to get one of these sets.. except for AVS'ers or other HT enthusiasts. i really doubt it will be an issue. also to be safe, bring a list of store locations and numbers with you to call in case you aren't so lucky at your first store.

i'd go to waltham too, as that's where i work, but not having to pay sales tax is worth the drive.

I have had my eye on the Vizio L37 and have been rather impressed with the PQ. However, all the talk of the new VIZIO P42 intrigues me. I have read that there is going to be a deal when this unit comes out. Can anyone speculate on the price? I think I read a post somewhere that the price is going to be the same as[EDIT]. Is this true?

BTW, I have read a number of articles that predict 40"+ LCD prices and PDP will drop 25% this year.

I contact Visio customer sales and found out the size of the box. It is 36 inches tall, 49 inches long and 4 inches thick.

4 inches thick, wow that must be one thin PDP!

For the love of God why do companies have to put silver speakers on Plasmas?????????

For the love of God why do companies have to put silver speakers on Plasmas?????????
Gold would probably be too far out of the budget. :cool:

i could care less what color they are.. i just want to be able to take them off!

4 inches thick, wow that must be one thin PDP!
How can the box be 4" thick when the display alone is 4.3" thick. I don't think it will have major DIY assembly like furniture.

How can the box be 4" thick when the display alone is 4.3" thick.

It can't, that's why I originally posted with a "Big Grin." I suspect the original poster left off a one and meant 14" instead of 4".

Unfortunately I just went out and measured the Pilot and doesn't look like it will fit. Even if it makes it thru the hatch at 35-3/4", it would have to stick out the open back due seats that don't fold completely flat. So I'm afraid its either borrow a friends minivan or rent a pick-up for me.

How soon do you think cost of P50HDM will be coming down following the release of the P42HDTV? I know Vizio probably wouldn't want to do anything to diminsih initial demand for the 42", but you have to figure a price drop (MSRP that is) won't be too far out, right? I'm guessing summer---any thoughts?

the p50 will be gone before they reduce the price any further.

How soon do you think cost of P50HDM will be coming down following the release of the P42HDTV? I know Vizio probably wouldn't want to do anything to diminsih initial demand for the 42", but you have to figure a price drop (MSRP that is) won't be too far out, right? I'm guessing summer---any thoughts?


Was in 'that' warehouse yeterday and noticed the price of the 50 is down already - you should go check it out......

Gold would probably be too far out of the budget. :cool:
LOL! :D

Can somebody tell me if this TV will take a cable card? I talked to comcast cable, and they told me I can get a cable card for free w/o monthly fee. However, if I have to take a HD tuner, there is a $5/mo leasing fee...

I didn't have chance to read thru the whole forum yet. Why can't we transport the plasma tv laying down? Start to wonder if I can take this baby home with my CRV...

Thanks guys!

Can somebody tell me if this TV will take a cable card? I talked to comcast cable, and they told me I can get a cable card for free w/o monthly fee. However, if I have to take a HD tuner, there is a $5/mo leasing fee...

I didn't have chance to read thru the whole forum yet. Why can't we transport the plasma tv laying down? Start to wonder if I can take this baby home with my CRV...

Thanks guys!

Nope - no CableCard.

Looking to buy my first plasma and I am getting rid of my 12 year old 27 inch Zenith. I am thinking of getting the 42 in Vizio but was curious if anyone knew who makes the components and glass for Vizio?

Also any thoughts on going from 27 inch tube tv at 10-14 feet to a 42 inch plasma. I've seen all the charts etc that say 42 inch is too small. But since it is signifacantly larger than my 27 in TV I think I will be happy. Right?

I have been reading a lot about the P50 and soon to be released P42. I am almost convinced from what I have read that I will take the plunge on the 20th. My question is everyone convinced that all of the problems that have plagued the early versions of the P50 (fan, power supply issues, etc) have been resolved in this new unit? Maybe Jim Noyd can comment.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Sorry about the error in the dimensions. This was the info I received from the sales rep at Viso. I neglected to look at the specs. It probably is 14 inches.

Also, it looks like it will fit in a CRV based on my measurements. Barely with an inch to spare getting in the hatch.
Rick
Westborough, MA

I read on some website that Viso was using LG glass but I can't comfirm this information.
Rick Shrier
Westborough, MA

the p50 will be gone before they reduce the price any further.
yep...was in a ****** today and it appears that i have been proven wrong...not the first time! lol

For the love of God why do companies have to put silver speakers on Plasmas?????????

I'm in your camp on this issue Sparco. They outfit it with at trim, inauspcious bezel, and then go and slap bright silver speakers on the bottom!? IMO, it not only cheapens the look of the unit, it also provides a distraction from the screen itself. I've been so impressed by the styling of JVC's D-ILA black cabinets. They look great when they're off, and then disappear into the background while in use. I'm really concerned that the clash in colors will be something I can't overcome with this set. I guess I won't know for sure until I lay eyes on it.

Also, it looks like it will fit in a CRV based on my measurements. Barely with an inch to spare getting in the hatch.

It's ironic it will fit in a CRV but not a Pilot. I guess bigger isn't always better, at least when it comes to vehicles. :)

Was in 'that' warehouse yeterday and noticed the price of the 50 is down already - you should go check it out......

[moved my response to this to Costco thread]

I'm unfamiliar with Costco's stocking practices. I don't see one Vizio monitor listed on their website. Do the individual warehouses typically stock a lot of products not found on their website? We've got a Costco 50 miles up the road, but I've never even been in there. Looking at how they've cut all their XBox 360 prices by $5 over everyone else, I have to wonder if they don't have equally aggressive pricing across the board. I'm starting to get the idea that a $50 membership fee might not be such a bad idea.

AVS has very strict rules on where you can discuss Costco, BB, etc. In the interest of keeping this thread above reproach, you should post your question to the Costco Master Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=651373).

AVS has very strict rules on where you can discuss Costco, BB, etc. In the interest of keeping this thread above reproach, you should post your question to the Costco Master Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=651373).

Oops, NOTED... I'll scratch my entry and take it to the proper place. Thanks!

[moved to Costco thread]

...there are a number of so called Warehouse Clubs, and I did not mention any by name.

Have to conclude you're getting a wee bit paranoic......

imho of course

...there are a number of so called Warehouse Clubs, and I did not mention any by name.

Have to conclude you're getting a wee bit paranoic......

imho of course

OnlookerDelay posted his own question in response to your post. I suggested he move his question to the master thread, which he did. This had nothing to do with your post.

Please read all of the posts before taking shots at people.

...there are a number of so called Warehouse Clubs, and I did not mention any by name.

Have to conclude you're getting a wee bit paranoic......

imho of course

Angusogg, I wasn't descriptive enough in my post of which you obviously took exception. I moved my response to your post to the Costco thread. Your post was completely germane to the topic at hand in this thread. I've gone back and clarified my action a bit further now in the offending post. Sorry for casting aspersions on you due to my inadequately framed edit of my own post.

molybdenum, it can receive OTA/ATSC with the rabbit ears or unencrypted QAM signals from your cable provider with the built-in HDTV/QAM tuner on this PDP. Since I already get all local HD OTA channels just fine, I won't need to use my Accurian ATSC receiver if I get this Vizio so one less external box for me. However, If I wanted the encrypted QAM/OnDemand/etc, I would still need a cable set top box as there is no cable card slot.

I contacted timewarner about needing one of their special HD receivers in order to watch basic HD programming IF I already had a built in tuner and the guy told me I still needed it. Is this true? I'm assuming unencrypted QAM would be the basic channels, NBC, ABC, etc... but not the sports/hbo programming.

Could someone answer this quetion for me...

I have been reading a lot about the P50 and soon to be released P42. I am almost convinced from what I have read that I will take the plunge on the 20th. My question is everyone convinced that all of the problems that have plagued the early versions of the P50 (fan, power supply issues, etc) have been resolved in this new unit? Maybe Jim Noyd can comment.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

I contacted timewarner about needing one of their special HD receivers in order to watch basic HD programming IF I already had a built in tuner and the guy told me I still needed it. Is this true? I'm assuming unencrypted QAM would be the basic channels, NBC, ABC, etc... but not the sports/hbo programming.

I'm a TWC subscriber and I recently purchased a Philips 37" LCD which has the QAM tuner. I couldn't receive the basic HD channels (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, TNT) until I had TWC come out and install a cable card. The encrypted channels remain non-viewable.

I must say that viewing the HD channels has been incredible. :)

Good luck!

Here's the best information I can find on the Vizio P42HDTV on the web. It comes from vizioce.com's website (I'm guessing that's Vizio Consumer Electronics?):

Vizio P42HDTV information page (http://www.vizioce.com/site/products/product_p42hdtv.html)

There's also a news item about this set on the homepage that pretty much removes any doubt about this set being available anywhere prior to March 20th. Someone take a look at this set and tell me it's not as ugly as it looks in these thumbnail images! I still haven't ruled this set out, but it's going to take some doing for me to get past the cheap, clashy styling of this cabinet :confused: I said in another thread that their simple, trim, black cabinet used for their most recent 42" EDTV looks far more pleasing to the eye.

WOW, so a nice piano black finish with silver accented speakers is ugly and trashy??? I must be out of the loop. Have you seen the P50 in person??? I think it is one of the more handsome sets, and the 42 is just a shrunken down version as far as looks go.

WOW, so a nice piano black finish with silver accented speakers is ugly and trashy??? I must be out of the loop. Have you seen the P50 in person??? I think it is one of the more handsome sets, and the 42 is just a shrunken down version as far as looks go.

To me it is... I just don't like the clash of silver and black. One thing that I've noticed about the dominant silver "Dumbo" ears on the Sony SXRD rear projections is that I can't help but be distracted by the bright silver speaker panels on either side of the set. I haven't seen the Vizio P42HDTV in person yet, naturally, so I can't say for sure that I will find the silver speaker panels at the base a distraction. However, I know that I've never grown to like the silver cabinet of my Toshiba 32A35, in three years of ownership. The set's got a great picture on it, but it's butt ugly, especially when it's off. My JVC AV-32320 has an all black case, and doesn't call attention to itself when off.

I realize that this is all a matter of personal preference. You obviously find the styling pleasing, so Vizio is making a hit with some potential customers. You gave me some of what I asked for... an argument as to why I should accept the cabinet, and for that I thank you. I'd really like to see one of these in person. I may pay a visit to the Costco near me and see if they have one of the 50" (P40HDM) sets on the floor.

That might be a good idea, to see the P50 in person. I think the set looks very nice next to the other plasmas. IMHO the silver acts as a little accent to the black rather than a distraction. From my experience it is hard to tell what a TV will look like from a pic so seeing it might just change you mind, dont give up on this set yet, it might be a killer deal ;)

Someone take a look at this set and tell me it's not as ugly as it looks in these thumbnail images!

To each his own. I guess you wouldn't like the look of the Panasonic 42PX50U either. :(

Should I get a HDMI cable for this baby if I get the HD digital cable from Comcast? Where do you guys recommend me to get the cable? If the forum doens't allow the posting of the store/website name, can you guys PM me?

Thanks so much! I am planning to haul this baby back with my CRV!!!

First thing on list:

Paint that frickin silver speaker grill black..

First thing on list:

Paint that frickin silver speaker grill black..

Whatever makes you happy dude...I have the 50" and I don't even notice it anymore...realize if you paint it you can't return it (maybe they wouldn't notice)...

so does anyone know exactly what deinterlacer it will include if not the Faroudja? I too am concerned, especially since I will be stepping down from my P50.

so does anyone know exactly what deinterlacer it will include if not the Faroudja? I too am concerned, especially since I will be stepping down from my P50.

Why are you stepping down?

That might be a good idea, to see the P50 in person. I think the set looks very nice next to the other plasmas. IMHO the silver acts as a little accent to the black rather than a distraction. From my experience it is hard to tell what a TV will look like from a pic so seeing it might just change you mind, dont give up on this set yet, it might be a killer deal ;)

I'm going down to Costco tomorrow morning to check whatever they've got first hand. I read in another thread that at least some Costco stores already have the P42HDTV in stock... might get lucky and see what I'm really interested in.

To each his own. I guess you wouldn't like the look of the Panasonic 42PX50U either. :(

I like the overall styling of it better than the Vizio; definitely more elegant. The silver area isn't as tall as the Vizio, so that makes it less conspicuous... unless you mounted it with the silver table top base I've seen in two of the photos. Again, we're talking matters of pure personal aesthetic preferences. I'm not saying that those who prefer the black and silver are wrong, I'm just saying it's not appealing to my tastes.

I see a TV cabinet/case as being a support structure for a screen. I want that support structure to disappear from my mind while viewing the screen, and be as inconspicuous as possible when the set is off. Silver simply calls attention to itself, IMO.

First thing on list:

Paint that frickin silver speaker grill black..

I'm the type who would do it after the warranty had expired ;)

Angusogg, I wasn't descriptive enough in my post of which you obviously took exception. I moved my response to your post to the Costco thread. Your post was completely germane to the topic at hand in this thread. I've gone back and clarified my action a bit further now in the offending post. Sorry for casting aspersions on you due to my inadequately framed edit of my own post.


OnlookerDelay - no apologies required - my fault, I wrongly assumed that my message had been bounced by the people with big sticks who patrol hereabouts.

Before I get poked in the eye with one, let me get back on topic - I've been lurking on this thread for a while and also on the one for the Westinghouse 42, because one or the other seemed to be the answer for me. Given the price difference you can imagine which one the lady with the purse would go for - but I'd not jump for either till I see them working in the store. Pictures are ok but I think you have to see it for yourself.

The wait has been so long that I a couple of weeks ago couldn't resist the special offer on a Viewsonic 32". It has a great picture and cost a fraction of the others, so the pressure's off for the meantime, maybe............

and finally.........there's been some discussion above about shiny bezels and silver speakers etc, both poor design features imho. Now if only this model from D:sign were available here - now that is cool.

D-sign.jpg

If the picture hasn't uploaded you can read about it here :http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-11291-Full+HD+and+HDMI+from+byD%3Asign.html

and finally.........there's been some discussion above about shiny bezels and silver speakers etc, both poor design features imho. Now if only this model from D:sign were available here - now that is cool.

D-sign.jpg

If the picture hasn't uploaded you can read about it here :http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-11291-Full+HD+and+HDMI+from+byD%3Asign.html

That is tight! 1080p to boot!

OnlookerDelay - no apologies required - my fault, I wrongly assumed that my message had been bounced by the people with big sticks who patrol hereabouts.

Cool... I understand - the thread police can be brutal at times :o


D-sign.jpg

If the picture hasn't uploaded you can read about it here :http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-11291-Full+HD+and+HDMI+from+byD%3Asign.html

Nice looking rig there! That's an incredibly low price for a 42" LCD as well - equates to $2,188 MSRP. Thanks for the link!

VIZIO March Madness Press Release Posted
ww.vizioce.com/site/news/VIZIO_MARCH_MEDNESS_PRICING_ANNOUNCED.html

Just read the official news release... thanks for the link Jim. Are the reports of the P42HDTV being available already at some Costco's correct? It would really help me make an informed decision prior to the March Madness sale if I could scope it out in person prior to the frenzied buying atmosphere that will no doubt be present on March 20th.

Thought I'd throw this out for comment... the Vizio P42HDTV is a finalist on my shopping list, but I'm concerned that it might be a little small for the room in which I'm putting it. The average viewing distance will be about 10-11 feet. I'm currently using a 32" Toshiba SDTV, so naturally, this is an improvement over that (although only 1 1/4" in physical height, but it will be more like 8" in height when you factor in the black bars that reduce that 32" during 16:9 media viewing).

Am I going to regret not having a 50-52" set once I get it home? Even with the reduced cost of the Vizio P50HDM ($$$ at Costco), it's still out of my budget ($1,900). There are 52" options on my plate, in the rear projection realm, but they all entail high bulb failure risks.

Why are you stepping down?
sadly I couldn't find a mount that would let me pull the plasma over my mantel which juts out from the wall about six inches. the mantel is about 48" off the ground already, and I think I'd be pretty unhappy with the plasma mounted that high with a viewing distance of about 13 feet. my only other choice is a built-in cabinet to the right of the fireplace that will only accomodate the 42" set.

I know that 42" is going to seem pretty small at that distance, especially after having the 50" for a few months. I really am bummed, but there's no other placement that would work other than over the fireplace.

thanks jim. hehe.. anyone notice they splled it march medness in the url? :)

anyways, with that kind of pricing i won't feel so bad if i can't get a p42 on the 20th. it'll be a good excuse to buy the p50. :D

thanks jim. hehe.. anyone notice they splled it march medness in the url? :)

Must be the same person who writes customer support e-mails for Costco:

Thank you for emailing costco.com

"Hello

I have made an attment to cancell your order, if this order shipps
before we can cancell this will come to you

If that happens you can eather accept the order and take it to your
local store for a full refund or
refuse delivery, if you choose to refuse delivery, you have to contact
us to let us know, that you have refused delivey.
That way we know to refund your money. This process takes anywhere from
2-3 weeks.

Thank you for shopping at costco.com"

This is taking outsourcing to a new level :eek:

Thought I'd throw this out for comment... the Vizio P42HDTV is a finalist on my shopping list, but I'm concerned that it might be a little small for the room in which I'm putting it. The average viewing distance will be about 10-11 feet. I'm currently using a 32" Toshiba SDTV, so naturally, this is an improvement over that (although only 1 1/4" in physical height, but it will be more like 8" in height when you factor in the black bars that reduce that 32" during 16:9 media viewing).

Am I going to regret not having a 50-52" set once I get it home? Even with the reduced cost of the Vizio P50HDM ($$$ at Costco), it's still out of my budget ($1,900). There are 52" options on my plate, in the rear projection realm, but they all entail high bulb failure risks.



11 feet for a 42" is plenty big, sheesh your watching a tiny 32" 4:3 crt from that distance, i sit 14' away from my 42" and it looks GREAT!!

11 feet for a 42" is plenty big, sheesh your watching a tiny 32" 4:3 crt from that distance, i sit 14' away from my 42" and it looks GREAT!!

Thanks Bud-man... that's just the kind of information I need to help me make a decision. I'm still planning on driving up to Charlotte in the morning to check the scene out at Costco. Hopefully, they'll have a P42HDTV on display, and if not that - a P50HDM.

I'm also still holding out for information on the the 2006 720p JVC D-ILA series, which is *supposedly* due out this month. I've got my eye on the HD-52G787, but I'm a bit weary of the high rate of bulb failures in rear projection sets, particularly the D-ILA's of the last two years. I was also hoping to get some word on Akai's 46" LED rear projection set. It's supposed to be released this month also.

If I'm impressed by the P42HDTV, I may hot have the luxury of being able to compare the other sets I've mentioned. I've only got 1 week to make a buy on the Vizio, and still cash in on the March Madness special price.

I just called my local warehouse and apparently they have 8 instock but not on display. That really doesn't seem like alot considering all the rave this set is having. I guess i'm gonna get up early and wait in line.

i really dont think anyone is going to have to wait in line for this set....and i still dont like that it doesnt have a cablecard slot...what good is a clear QAM tuner when most cable companies encrypt the better HD channels???

Hmm.. Price drop on the 50" Vizio at Costco is tempting. But I'm not sure if the price difference is worth the size and multiple HDMI input differences.

Choices, choices.

Hmm.. Price drop on the 50" Vizio at Costco is tempting. But I'm not sure if the price difference is worth the size and multiple HDMI input differences.

Choices, choices.

I know what you mean gvb... even after the price drop, you're still paying a $100/inch.... ouch! I couldn't justify that much, [EDIT] :eek:

so does anyone know exactly what deinterlacer it will include if not the Faroudja? I too am concerned, especially since I will be stepping down from my P50.
According to Vizio tech support, it'll use the "MTK deinterlacer." Anybody ever hear of it? :confused:

By the way, the box dimension is 55” x 17.25” x 39.5” according to tech support.

And they confirmed that it'll use the LG glass, like the P50. :)

And they confirmed that it'll use the LG glass, like the P50. :)

I'm going to skin my ignorance here a bit... what is the advantage or disadvantage of LG glass?

If I'm asking a rudimentary question like this, you know I'm not going to know why one would need an MTK deinterlacer :o ..... LOL! I'll go do some cypherin' on it though :)

By the way, the box dimension is 55” x 17.25” x 39.5” according to tech support.

Lets be clear, is the box size you quote for the P42HDTV? It seems more suitable for the P50.

According to "MY" reply from Vizio tech support, the P42HDTV box size will be:

47”x15”x36”

However one other member was told by customer sales that the dimensions will be: 49"x14"(maybe)x36". So take your pick ;)

In addition for those who might be interested, they also report the wall mount hole spacing will be 600mm x 200mm, screw size M6 with a thread pitch of 1.25mm.

In addition for those who might be interested, they also report the wall mount hole spacing will be 600mm x 200mm, screw size M6 with a thread pitch of 1.25mm.

i'd be surprised if M6 bolts were used since the all their previous plasmas
used M8 bolts. could be why the V flush and tilt mounts don't currently
list the p42hdtv in the compatbility list.

i'll guess we'll soon find out. :)

LOL...now I know I've stumbled into an unsurpassed zone of geekdom - one has to wonder if there's ever been a point in history where the pitch of the screws for a wall mounting bracket has been mentioned in the discussion of plasma TV technology! But hey... I'm one too - I'm making notes as I read it!?

if you dig around the p50 thread, we discuss the spacers required for the M8 screws needed
for the peerless plasma wall mounts. the previous V inc 42 inch plasmas use different spacers
for the top and bottom M8 bolts. unfortunately, these spacers aren't included in the pile of hardware
included by peerless, so you have to contact peerless for the additional parts.

geeky enough??

Lets be clear, is the box size you quote for the P42HDTV? It seems more suitable for the P50.

According to "MY" reply from Vizio tech support, the P42HDTV box size will be:

47”x15”x36”

However one other member was told by customer sales that the dimensions will be: 49"x14"(maybe)x36". So take your pick ;)

I agree that 55" in length does seem rather long for a 43" wide set, but I've never bought a plasma before so I don't know how much extra padding these things come with. The 55" number came from a tech support e-mail, not from any official document. So take it with a grain of salt. Either way, I'll find a way to get it home - I'm more curious about the MTK deinterlacer. I found the MTK website, and couldn't find a deinterlacer among its products. Must be something new.....

if you dig around the p50 thread, we discuss the spacers required for the M8 screws needed
for the peerless plasma wall mounts. the previous V inc 42 inch plasmas use different spacers
for the top and bottom M8 bolts. unfortunately, these spacers aren't included in the pile of hardware
included by peerless, so you have to contact peerless for the additional parts.

geeky enough??

Now we're getting there! I know this sounds a bit silly to bystanders, but when you're put in the predicaments like you describe above, you're stuck until you get the proper spacer.... been there with other equipment.

BTW, I'm prepping to head out in a bit to the Costco in Charlotte, to scout the Vizio scene there. I hope I'll at least get to see the P50HDM.

I sit about 8-9 feet away, and the 42" is the right size for me. From 14-20 feet, the 42" is still plenty big enough, although the 50" wouldn't look out of place. Unfortunately, the 50" was just too big when sitting 8-9 feet away.

Okay, just got back from checking out the Vizio P50HDM at Costco, in preparation for a potential purchase of the P42HDTV during the March Madness promotion.

My first impression was that the set design and construction looks better in person than it does in the images I've seen on the net. I didn't get the impression that it was "cheap" just looking at it. As found, the image on the screen was miserable looking. I found the control buttons on the side of the bezel (really liked the quality feel of them, btw) and sussed out the adjustment procedure fairly quickly.

The reason the image quality was so bad was that the saturation, hue, brightness, and contrast, were all maxed to the right!? After 5 minutes of tweaking and fussing, I had achieved what I thought was the optimum settings I could attain with what I know about the set and its root level options. I was satisfied with the results, although there was still a soft fuzziness that I couldn't quite get rid of.

I then compared it to the 50" Panasonic plasma they had around the corner from it (can't remember the model #). The Panny was definitely producing a sharper image, but not $1,000 better, IMO. I also compared it to a 42" Pioneer plasma, and again, give the nod to the Pioneer, but it's 10" smaller and they wanted $200 more for it.

I know we can't quote specific prices here, but the $200 price cut was already in effect for the P50HDM. They had 4 of them on the floor in boxes beneath the display model, but there were no signs of boxes for the P42HDTV. I wanted to ask a clerk, but I never saw one until he caught me off guard looking at a Surround sound system next to the TV section. He came by to thank me for getting such a good picture back on the Vizio! I thought that was pretty cool of him to notice that and go out of his way to tell me that in another dept. I was so shocked by it that I forgot to ask him if they had stock on the 42" sets! :o

Anyway, many of my fears about the quality of the build of the Vizio have been allayed by this viewing today. I thought the PQ looked better than the Sony, RCA, and Samsung LCD, and DLP rear projections which were nearby for comparison, but it's clearly a step down from the Panny and the Pioneer plasmas. Even at that, I am more than satisfied with the PQ I'd be getting for the price. I just can't justify the price difference between it and the other two brands for what I'd call a 10 to 15% advantage in PQ. I'm also not what most of you would consider to be a true videophile, so I'm easy to please.

Oh, one thing that did bother me a bit... they were showing some previews from what looked like the "Today" show, and I saw some horrific artifacting on the characters faces as they were moving about. I went in and found a motion filter in the Advanced menu, and tweaked it to midscale, but I really didn't know what I was doing. There's also a digital filter there, with which I was unfamiliar, so I left it alone. I never saw any further artifacting during motion, including some on ice hockey footage, so it may have been the quality of that Today preview feed. I have a hunch that I'm going to have issues with the SD quality on any of the HDTV sets though. That's something I need to explore.

I sit about 8-9 feet away, and the 42" is the right size for me. From 14-20 feet, the 42" is still plenty big enough, although the 50" wouldn't look out of place. Unfortunately, the 50" was just too big when sitting 8-9 feet away.

Thanks for the feedback z.mash. As I was viewing the 50" Vizio at Costco today, I was thinking about the proximity of our high back chair and love seat, which flank our sofa and face inward. They're going to be 6 to 8 feet from the set. The closest viewer on the love seat would almost be overwhelmed by the 50" screen size.

I backed up on the 42" Pioneer which I was using as a comparison, to a distance of 11' (the furthest a viewer would be from our screen in most normal viewing. The screen lost a little of its intimacy, but it's still far better than the 32" 4:3 we're using now. The more I hear from you guys, the more I think I could embrace the 42" screen with little or no remorse. 42" seems ideal for 8-9 feet though.

I'm waiting for this 42 set to buy too.... got one question to ask you folks though: I'm in NJ and planning to drive down to Delaware's store to save some bucks for tax. Anyone knows if C***co report this transaction anyway to the IRS? I just don't want to waste my time for this if IRS bills me at the end of the year for this Tax anyway.

Thanks,
Govee

I'm waiting for this 42 set to buy too.... got one question to ask you folks though: I'm in NJ and planning to drive down to Delaware's store to save some bucks for tax. Anyone knows if C***co report this transaction anyway to the IRS? I just don't want to waste my time for this if IRS bills me at the end of the year for this Tax anyway.

Thanks,
Govee

It's sales tax, not income tax, so the feds don't have a say in it. The only risk you run is if NJ finds out and they have some sort of use tax (i.e., you buy it in one state and use it in another). If (and that's a big "if") Costco actually reported something to someone who cares, I have no clue whether NJ would tax you.

It would be really great if we could get the correct size of the box. After all this wait, I would hate to find that I can't fit in the CR-V.

I have read somewhere that you are suppose to ship standing up and it is not good for the glass to lay on the side.

Please advise.
Rick
Westborough, MA

I transported the Philips plasma on its side last week. I drove as slowly and as carefully as possible, and the unit seems fine. I assume the risk is that it's easier to break the glass if it's on its side, but that's just a guess.

It would be really great if we could get the correct size of the box. After all this wait, I would hate to find that I can't fit in the CR-V.

I have read somewhere that you are suppose to ship standing up and it is not good for the glass to lay on the side.

Please advise.
Rick
Westborough, MA

I would have measured the box if they'd had one on the floor. I stepped off the box for the 50" Vizio, and it was ~54" long.

I just got off the phone with technical support and received the following info:

box size: 47x15x36. I was told he just measured it.

Fan Noise: No fan in the 42

Power Supply Buzz: should not be a problem, different power supply than P50.

They have one set up in demo room and the tech support commented that this is a great set.


Also, should not be a problem if unit is placed on its side for the ride from store to home.
Rick
Westborough, MA

I just contacted the store that I plan on purchasing the Visio 42 and I was told they have 44 on order for the promotion and rainchecks will be available if they are sold out during the promotion week.
Rick
Westborough, MA

Now if only this model from D:sign were available here - now that is cool.

D-sign.jpg

If the picture hasn't uploaded you can read about it here


This is off-topic, but I just saw one exactly like that on a certain wholesale club's website.. It's called an Eyefi PX4200 though..

Today preview feed. I have a hunch that I'm going to have issues with the SD quality on any of the HDTV sets though. That's something I need to explore.


Nice write up.

Yes the SD issue is what worries me as well. Especially with the "possible " absence of the Faro Chip Set. I know the V50 has it. One could only imagine what the larger V50 would look like with out it.

Stiil, I can not wait for th 20th!

I just got off the phone with technical support and received the following info:

box size: 47x15x36. I was told he just measured it.

My Ford Windstar should handle that with no problem, provided I take out the two rear seats.

Fan Noise: No fan in the 42

That's interesting... I wouldn't have thought that, although I did see that the 42" has ~320 watt power consumption, versus 500+ for the 50" set.

Power Supply Buzz: should not be a problem, different power supply than P50.

I couldn't hear a buzz of any sort from the one I previewed today. Of course the drone of all the other noise in the warehouse probably drowned it out.

They have one set up in demo room and the tech support commented that this is a great set.

He better say that if he wants to keep working for Vizio CE! :)


Also, should not be a problem if unit is placed on its side for the ride from store to home.

Noted... if I opt to buy it, shouldn't have any trouble getting it home then. Thanks for probing into these matters Rick!

I just contacted the store that I plan on purchasing the Visio 42 and I was told they have 44 on order for the promotion and rainchecks will be available if they are sold out during the promotion week.
Rick
Westborough, MA

That's reassuring to hear. 44 is about twice what I expected, or at least that would apply to my location. I can't anticipate what the demand for these will be in Charlotte. I'll be off work on the 20th, so I should be able to muster at the door when they open that Monday. Just nice to know the raincheck option is there, just in case.

I just got off the phone with technical support and received the following info:

box size: 47x15x36. I was told he just measured it.

Fan Noise: No fan in the 42

Power Supply Buzz: should not be a problem, different power supply than P50.

They have one set up in demo room and the tech support commented that this is a great set.


Also, should not be a problem if unit is placed on its side for the ride from store to home.
Rick
Westborough, MA

Thanks

I decided to call on another issue

The absence of the Faroudja.

QUOTE

Tech-Well, I had a chance to view BOTH the 42 and the 50 side by side. They looked the same. I really did not see any difference.

Me-Why did V not include the Far on the 42? I know that the 50 looks very good. Is this a cost issue ?Did V just want to try something new?

Tech-It came down to a licensing issue. Cost, it's they wanted another 7-10% per unit?

Me-okay, hopefully for not paying the additional 10%, this 42 will hopefully look good with out the Far. Kind of sarcastic. Thanks for your time.

END QUOTE

Okay, so hopefully, this 42 will look good. I personally would not have a problem if V past the 10% over to me just to have the Faroudja?

Do others agree?

In conclusion, just HOPING this issue will be forgone once we get the set AND we will enjoy or new tv's.......yah right..lol

Thanks

I decided to call on another issue

The absence of the Faroudja.

QUOTE

Tech-Well, I had a chance to view BOTH the 42 and the 50 side by side. They looked the same. I really did not see any difference.

Me-Why did V not include the Far on the 42? I know that the 50 looks very good. Is this a cost issue ?Did V just want to try something new?

Tech-It came down to a licensing issue. Cost, it's they wanted another 7-10% per unit?

Me-okay, hopefully for not paying the additional 10%, this 42 will hopefully look good with out the Far. Kind of sarcastic. Thanks for your time.

END QUOTE

Okay, so hopefully, this 42 will look good. I personally would not have a problem if V past the 10% over to me just to have the Faroudja?

Do others agree?

In conclusion, just HOPING this issue will be forgone once we get the set AND we will enjoy or new tv's.......yah right..lol

My lack of experience with this doesn't qualify me to answer your question with any certainty, but you've given me pause to think. I found this article on Faroudja's Directional Correlation Deinterlacing - AV Outlet's DCDi article (http://www.av-outlet.com/en-us/dept_335.html). There's a comparison screen image of with and without DCDi on that page. It speaks volumes for the technology.

I probably needed to have my enthusiasm for the P42HDTV hosed down a bit with this sobering bit of information. I'll be interested now to see how this affects the performance of the 42" set. I'm planning on playing some XBox 360 games on mine, which will no doubt show the rough edges attributable to the lack of capable deinterlacing.

I'm planning on playing some XBox 360 games on mine, which will no doubt show the rough edges attributable to the lack of capable deinterlacing.
I thought all xbox 360 games would have a minimum resolution of 720p, and therefore wouldn't need any deinterlacing.

Based on your measurement, can you haul it back using CR-V?

Thanks!

I just got off the phone with technical support and received the following info:

box size: 47x15x36. I was told he just measured it.

Fan Noise: No fan in the 42

Power Supply Buzz: should not be a problem, different power supply than P50.

They have one set up in demo room and the tech support commented that this is a great set.


Also, should not be a problem if unit is placed on its side for the ride from store to home.
Rick
Westborough, MA

I thought all xbox 360 games would have a minimum resolution of 720p, and therefore wouldn't need any deinterlacing.

True... I've only had my 360 for two weeks. I've still got first generation XBox technology on the brain. Well, there's probably 1/3 of my HDTV's service life unaffected by the lack of DCDi.

I still know that I'll be watching more than my share of SD material though. Just about all of the regional college football and basketball games I watch are in SD, and those are probably not going to be very satisfying on this set... at least that's my gut feeling. I hope to be proven wrong.

There seems to be little information on the web about the company MediaTek (MTK). Here's all I could find:

Apparently they are a Taiwanese fabless chipset supplier meaning they do the design work and sub out the manufacturing. They originally developed ICs for PC optical disc drives (CD-ROM and DVD-ROM) in the late 1990's. By 2001 they began to ship a single-chip implementation of a DVD player. Now in addition the company is developing application processors for mobile phones, and digital TV ICs.

MediaTek's has a patent-pending, progressive scan algorithm: MDDi(TM) (Media Direct De-Interlacing) technology. The MDDi(TM) technology utilizes an intelligent link between MPEG decoder and embedded progressive scan processor to reproduce accurate pictures from DVD movie discs.

Not sure if that last part applies only to their DVD player products or has some application in the P42HDTV. In any case, lets hope they are fast learners. ;)

There seems to be little information on the web about the company MediaTek (MTK). Here's all I could find:

Apparently they are a Taiwanese fabless chipset supplier meaning they do the design work and sub out the manufacturing. They originally developed ICs for PC optical disc drives (CD-ROM and DVD-ROM) in the late 1990's. By 2001 they began to ship a single-chip implementation of a DVD player. Now in addition the company is developing application processors for mobile phones, and digital TV ICs.

MediaTek's has a patent-pending, progressive scan algorithm: MDDi(TM) (Media Direct De-Interlacing) technology. The MDDi(TM) technology utilizes an intelligent link between MPEG decoder and embedded progressive scan processor to reproduce accurate pictures from DVD movie discs.

Not sure if that last part applies only to their DVD player products or has some application in the P42HDTV. In any case, lets hope they are fast learners. ;)

Is this going to be doing the job the Faroudja DCDi does in the P50HDM? I've downloaded the P42HDTV's manual, and the only mention it makes of deinterlacing is Motion Adaptive Deinterlace.

Is this going to be doing the job the Faroudja DCDi does in the P50HDM? I've downloaded the P42HDTV's manual, and the only mention it makes of deinterlacing is Motion Adaptive Deinterlace.

All that has been reported in previous posts is that MTK will be supplying the deinterlacer. So yes it replaces the Faroudja, but I have no details on how good or bad it may be. That lack of knowledge should change after the 20th as the first buyers start to report their experiences. :cool:

I just contacted the store that I plan on purchasing the Visio 42 and I was told they have 44 on order for the promotion and rainchecks will be available if they are sold out during the promotion week.

did you happen to get the item #?

All that has been reported in previous posts is that MTK will be supplying the deinterlacer. So yes it replaces the Faroudja, but I have no details on how good or bad it may be. That lack of knowledge should change after the 20th as the first buyers start to report their experiences. :cool:

Okay, I'm a lot clearer about this now... thanks! Given the fact that we know that MTK is supplying the deinterlacer, you have to wonder why the Vizio tech that tmdlkwd spoke with on the the phone (ref. post #197 back up this page) didn't offer this is a response to tmdlkwd's question about the absence of the Faroudja? He merely said they weren't using the Faroudja deinterlacer because of the 7-10% licensing cost it would entail.

So, from this one *could* infer that the MTK deinterlacer is costing Vizio less money, but because it is cheaper, it *may* not be up to the quality of Faroudja's?

I sure would like to read a review of the P40HDTV, prior to March 20th. It's starting to look like Vizio is enforcing a March 20th street date on these though.

This is off-topic, but I just saw one exactly like that on a certain wholesale club's website.. It's called an Eyefi PX4200 though..


Man, you have got eagle eyes........... and a bit of Googling shows that both these unknown brand names seem to be from the same stable. Question is what kind of picture they deliver.......
Still if going down that kind of path, might be better to stick with Vizio or Westinghouse whose products are more of a known quantity, at the moment anyway.

Thanks

Man, you have got eagle eyes........... and a bit of Googling shows that both these unknown brand names seem to be from the same stable. Question is what kind of picture they deliver.......
Still if going down that kind of path, might be better to stick with Vizio or Westinghouse whose products are more of a known quantity, at the moment anyway.

Thanks

The set he refers to (at least the one I think he's referring to) looks like the Vizio 42HDe to me. I'm I offbase?

The set he refers to (at least the one I think he's referring to) looks like the Vizio 42HDe to me. I'm I offbase?

I think they're talking about the D:sign LCD, not the Vizio.

I think they're talking about the D:sign LCD, not the Vizio.

That's what I thought until I followed bccomstock's "hint" to a certain "club's" website, and looked at what they're calling the Eyefi PX4200. It's a plasma display by that site's description, and it looks very much like Vizio's 42HDe. The stand is clearly different though.

That's what I thought until I followed bccomstock's "hint" to a certain "club's" website, and looked at what they're calling the Eyefi PX4200. It's a plasma display by that site's description, and it looks very much like Vizio's 42HDe. The stand is clearly different though.

I was mostly mentioning that set b/c it looked exactly like the D:Sign LCD.. I must've forgotten when I initially posted it that the D:Sign was actually an LCD and not a plasma..

That's what I thought until I followed bccomstock's "hint" to a certain "club's" website, and looked at what they're calling the Eyefi PX4200. It's a plasma display by that site's description, and it looks very much like Vizio's 42HDe. The stand is clearly different though.

Oh - they have a 32" LCD that looks just like the D:sign. I didn't look at the model number, though. My bad!

I'm a real newbie when it comes to this kinda stuff, but i had a question. The native rez on this tv is 1024 x 768, yet on the VGA input apparently you can put up to 1280 x 1024. I'm assuming it's going to upscale the image in that case, and if so, what kinda degredation can i expect if i hooked it up to my pc at that rez? If i reduced the picture on my laptop to 1024 x 768 is it going to look a lot better? Thanks.

Thanks guys for clearing up the confusion about the "D:Sign" HDTV... I wanted to make sure I hadn't totally lost it! :eek:

I also want to redress something I speculated on the last page, where I said:

"I sure would like to read a review of the P40HDTV, prior to March 20th. It's starting to look like Vizio is enforcing a March 20th street date on these though."

After reading the early pages of this thread again, I saw where AVS Forum subscriber "molybdenum" got a reply from a rep at Visio to this effect:

"The unit will hit Costco the week of 03/13/06.

Best regards,

Bertha Villasenor"


So, if Costco is on the ball, and this date still stands, we might at least have the luxury of being able to preview a demo unit a week prior to having to make a compulsive purchase! ;) I'll be calling my Costco on Monday to see if they're going to have one up.

Based on your measurement, can you haul it back using CR-V?

Thanks!

I've hauled a 42" plasma still in-box using my CR-V. Should not be a problem, unless your's is the older model 2000 or earlier then I can't say.

Great info guys, enjoy tracking this thread. Newbie to HDTVs.. have a question about using an HTPC with this display..

page 18 of P42HDTV manual:

"Note: The HDMI input is for HD Video and will only support 640x480 @ 60Hz from a PC. USE the RGB PC input for a greater selection of PC formats."

Does this concern anybody who is planning on using an HTPC with this display?..

I also couldn't find any info in the manual re: accepted resolutions of the RGB input.. but there is a note in the manual (PG 29) that states 1024x768 should be used for 'best picture quality'.. so if I am inputting a 4:3 ratio signal and that gets displayed on a 16:9 ratio screen, wouldn't that stretch the picture significantly?

Should I look elsewhere (higher resolution display) if I plan on using a HTPC?

Thanks --Mark

The pixels on every 42-43" plasma(that I know of) are rectangular. So their actual output resolution is 1024x768(or thereabouts), which is displayed as a 16:9 image.

The pixels on every 42-43" plasma(that I know of) are rectangular. So their actual output resolution is 1024x768(or thereabouts), which is displayed as a 16:9 image.

Thanks for that information RPS13. I'm wondering if you or anyone else would know the answer to this - what would the display do with a 720p input (such as the XBox 360)? Does it leave a 24 pixel wide strip blacked out at the top and bottom, or does the display stretch the 720p to 768?

i just picked upthe vizio p42hdtv i guess it came in yesterdat to costco in tacoma and i discreetly asked if i can come back march 20th and get a refund for the coupon difference and i he said yes. I am an idiot when it comes to this stuff and am doing a remodel downstairs so it isnt hooked up yet so i have no review. i just wanted to let you all know it was in stock

i just picked upthe vizio p42hdtv i guess it came in yesterdat to costco in tacoma and i discreetly asked if i can come back march 20th and get a refund for the coupon difference and i he said yes. I am an idiot when it comes to this stuff and am doing a remodel downstairs so it isnt hooked up yet so i have no review. i just wanted to let you all know it was in stock

Wow.

Perhaps you can post a picture out of the box would be nice:) ?

What type of stock at that location did you notice ?

I saw at leat three more but i also was not looking to hard i'm sure they had more than were right behind the tvs, as far as pics it wont be coming out of the box for a week or two, i'm remodeling. ilet me ask you guys a question i have comcast digital cable with the dct 3412-I dvr hdtv capable box when i'm ready to set this up what do i have to do to get hdtv broadcasts. Do i just need to get a cable to go from the digital cable box to the tv and thats it? I guess i should say right now i have just a regular tv this is all confusing to me

You know... maybe it's just me... but I have a 46" Hitachi RPTV and the Vizio 42" looks really small. I knew that it would be smaller but i didn't think that much. I am actually considering the 50 inch.

You know... maybe it's just me... but I have a 46" Hitachi RPTV and the Vizio 42" looks really small. I knew that it would be smaller but i didn't think that much. I am actually considering the 50 inch.

I took notice of the difference in screen area between the Vizio P50HDM and the other 42" plasmas in the store. You're right, the 8" increase in diagonal size makes a bigger overall impact than it sounds. I just can't justify the extra cost of the 50 over the 42; it just seems to be out of scale. I can get a 52" JVC D-ILA rear projection delivered, for far less than what I would have to pay for the Vizio P50HDM, even with the special price now offered at a "large national warehouse chain". If the 50" model's price were scaled down by the same proportion as the 42" job, I might be game...

Ya i know what you mean about the price difference. But if you compare the price of the 50" vizio to other major brands... it makes it more appealing to me. I just don't want to purchase the 42" because of the coupon and end up with buyers remorse.

I think i am going from my gut instinct and will end up purchasing the 50 inch. Just waiting till I move to my new home in a couple months.

EDIT: You mention the JVC D-ILA. That is the first time i have heard of it. What do you know about it and please send me a PM with pricing info on where you can get it.

Ya i know what you mean about the price difference. But if you compare the price of the 50" vizio to other major brands... it makes it more appealing to me.

Certainly there isn't a 50" plasma display that even sniffs the price being offered on the P50HDM at this national warehouse store. My budget puts about a $1,900 limit on what I can spend... I just had to draw a line and be realistic about what was within my reach.

I just don't want to purchase the 42" because of the coupon and end up with buyers remorse.

I have this same cloud (screen size) hanging over me. I'm trying to make a sensible decision, but one that will also help me avoid buyer's remorse.

EDIT: You mention the JVC D-ILA. That is the first time i have heard of it. What do you know about it and please send me a PM with pricing info on where you can get it.

The JVC D-ILA is JVC's version of LCoS technology. These are rear projection sets, but I find them a cut above all other rear projection sets in PQ, other than the Sony SXRD's (Sony's twist on LCoS). I'd say the Sony's are 10% better in PQ, but the 50" Sony SXRD would cost me about $1,000 more than a 52" JVC HD-52786.

The reservation I have about JVC's D-ILA (direct image light amplifier) is that they have a checkered history of bulb failures. The bulbs are supposed to yield 6,000 hours of life, yet many are having them fail in 1/10th to 1/8th of that time. There are other more scattered reports of HDMI board failures, and light engine failures. I just don't have a high degree of confidence in them, at least not the 2005, 720p models. Every time I go into Best Buy and look at the demo model, I'm amazed at how much better it looks, IMO, to all the non-SXRD rear projections in the store.

The 2006 JVC D-ILA 720p models are due out this month. They're MSRP's are $1,000 less than the comparable models from last year, even though the new models will feature an optical iris (for better black levels). I don't know that this would translate into a price that meets my budget, but I'm tempted to wait. JVC has supposedly come up with a new bulb/ballast design which will be a marked improvement on the 2004-2005 models. I'll wait for the jury to come back with a verdict on that one. I just don't know that I have the patience to wait this out much longer, especially since no retailer, B&M or online has any information on when they're expecting the new JVC models. We're a 1/3rd of the way into March, one would think we'd know something by now.

I'll send you a PM with the price and source on the JVC HD-52G786. BTW, ususally prices go down as manufacturers try to clear the way for new models... I've been tracking the HD-52G786 (786 is the black cabinet version) for months. It has actually gone up about 7 or 8%, across the board, while the 886 version (886 meaning silver and that's the only difference) had held at the lower prices. I'd say the demand is that much higher for black in this series. I've seen them both and the black cabinet looks soooooo much better, at least for my tastes.

Looks like Maxent is going to sell a 42" with LG panel the week after vizio march madness for similar price range.. any thoughts ? It looks very much like vizio. It is a "HDTV monitor" and hence no tuners , fewer colors and less contrast ratio.

Looks like Maxent is going to sell a 42" with LG panel the week after vizio march madness for similar price range.. any thoughts ? It looks very much like vizio. It is a "HDTV monitor" and hence no tuners , fewer colors and less contrast ratio.

Have you got a model number or link (that doesn't give price information ;) ) for that one? I'd like to check it out.

Have you got a model number or link (that doesn't give price information ;) ) for that one? I'd like to check it out.
Model: MX-42HPM20

Go to the costco website.

Great info guys, enjoy tracking this thread. Newbie to HDTVs.. have a question about using an HTPC with this display..

page 18 of P42HDTV manual:

"Note: The HDMI input is for HD Video and will only support 640x480 @ 60Hz from a PC. USE the RGB PC input for a greater selection of PC formats."

Does this concern anybody who is planning on using an HTPC with this display?..

I also couldn't find any info in the manual re: accepted resolutions of the RGB input.. but there is a note in the manual (PG 29) that states 1024x768 should be used for 'best picture quality'.. so if I am inputting a 4:3 ratio signal and that gets displayed on a 16:9 ratio screen, wouldn't that stretch the picture significantly?

Should I look elsewhere (higher resolution display) if I plan on using a HTPC?

Thanks --Mark

This really sux, so we can't use DVI out from the PC for this plasma.. :(

Model: MX-42HPM20

Go to the costco website.


Not a bad looking monitor. I actually prefer the styling to the Vizio, even though it's still black on silver. At least it's flat black with an unbuffed silver, instead of shiny silver. I'm just saying it's more to my liking, not that either of them are right or wrong.

I see it as sort of an alternative, but I think the lack of a tuner would restrict my options. I'll be connecting my HD display, be it a monitor or a TV, to digital cable, via a STB from my cable provider. They're still haggling with the local NBC affiliate over a surcharge for Hi-def. I'd have to receive NBC by antenna, and there may be other situations where could be the case.

Furthermore, on paper, the Vizio has what looks to be better specs. I'm not sure I'd be able to discern the difference though. I'd have to see it in real life.

This really sux, so we can't use DVI out from the PC for this plasma.. :(Output 1280x720 at 60 Hz from your PC to the HDMI input. It will love it.

Curious to know what everyone thinks of this eyefi PX4200 plasma (from that other wholesale club) - the specs seem pretty strong with the Faroujda and Genesis video processing - all the specs appear to be superior to the vizio and maxent 42" plasmas. Am I missing something? The only thing that is unclear is whether this set has a tuner or not. Look at the specs and see what you think about it. If I were buying strictly on specs I might go for this one...

Screen Size:
42" plasma high definition television
Resolution/Contrast Ratio/Aspect Ratio:
Resolution: 1,024 x 768 (WXGA) 1,080p
Contrast ratio: 10,000:1
Aspect ratio: 16.9 widescreen
Brightness:
1,500 (nit) cd/m2
Viewing angle:160°
Inputs/Outputs:
1 HDMI
2 composite video
1 S-video
1 VGA D-SUB
2 component (y,pb/cb,pr/cr)
3 audio/video out
1 stereo headphone
1 RS232
Sound Specs/Special Features/Remote Included:
Audio amp: 10 x 2-Watts, SRS
Detachable speaker system
3D comb filter
Supports CCD and V-chip
Sleep timer
3:2, 2:2 pull down
Pixel pitch: 0.192mm x 0.693mm
Response time: < 1 ms
Pedestal base
Wall mount: VESA standard
Video chipset: Genesis Malibu GM 1501
Input processor: Faroujda FL12310
Regulatory: FCC-B, UL 1950, Canadian ICES 003-B, EPA, CSA, C22.2 no. 950
Full function remote control
Power:
Power supply: AC 100-240v, 50/60hz
Power consumption: Maximum 320-Watts
Standby cons: < 2-Watt
Dimensions and Weight:
Dimensions: 49.7" x 11.3" x 28.9"
Weight: 86 lbs

Output 1280x720 at 60 Hz from your PC to the HDMI input. It will love it.

Jim,

Glad to hear it. The following quote from the P42 HDTV user manual gave me some doubts..

"Note: The HDMI input is for HD Video and will only support 640x480 @ 60Hz from a PC. USE the RGB PC input for a greater selection of PC formats."

Any idea why they would put that in the manual? Thanks --Mark

I don't know if anyone will be able answer this yet, but is there any sense that this TV will be compatible with standard wall mounts?

I don't know if anyone will be able answer this yet, but is there any sense that this TV will be compatible with standard wall mounts?

I read earlier in this thread that it's compatible with the P50HDM wall mount, for what that's worth.

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but Sound and Vision Mag did a review of the Plasma.
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1333

Now give it their S&V approved rating. :-)

I don't know if anyone will be able answer this yet, but is there any sense that this TV will be compatible with standard wall mounts?


Just to answer my own question, Vinc tech support says that the TV should be compatible with standard wall mounts. I just need it to work ith the Sanus VMPL.

Jim,

Glad to hear it. The following quote from the P42 HDTV user manual gave me some doubts..

"Note: The HDMI input is for HD Video and will only support 640x480 @ 60Hz from a PC. USE the RGB PC input for a greater selection of PC formats."

Any idea why they would put that in the manual? Thanks --Mark

I talked to tech support, here is the response

"The HDMI input was design to be used with display devices (cable/satellite box or DVD player) with resolutions of 480p, 720p and 1080i and will operate at 640 x 480 only when connected to a PC as stated in the User’s Guide. There are no firmware upgrades that will fix this"

I think the guy who said it will work with 1280*720 doesnt know what he is talking about, or please explain?

UPDATE:

Tech support at Vizio now admits 1280*720 should work on the DVI in on the plasma.
"It should work as long as the video card is formatting the signal properly, again we do not recommend using the HDMI connecter when connecting to a PC."

Note though, that this is not pixel to pixel mapping, so it is probably not the clearest picture. Using VGA port in, at 1024*768 is probably a better choice i would guess?

/Chris

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but Sound and Vision Mag did a review of the Plasma.
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1333

Now give it their S&V approved rating. :-)

I had not seen that review... first review of the P42HDTV I've seen period. Sounds like an overall positive review. The reviewer did a good job of scaling his expectations to the cost of this set. I didn't read anything there that would discourage me from buying the set. In fact, I would be able to buy it with a little more confidence, having read it. I did notice that they had a professional calibration done in the lab test. Should it be necessary to hire a technician to come out an calibrate every set? Just wondering why factory settings seem to fall so short of these guys standards?

Just came back from my lunchtime trip to the Costco by work and they had the P42 on display with two new TVs in the box on the shelf below it. When I got there, the set was off and I had to climb up the shelf to turn it on because no one was around to help me!

First impression with the TV off was it is nice looking, even with the silver speakers that some people did not like. The black bezel around the screen is glossy, but not distracting.

When I powered on the TV, the colors were a little, and I do mean a little washed out compared to the Philips Plasma on one side and the Pioneer 4214 on the other. Picture is very sharp and I will bet with some tweaking, the colors will definitely pop. Black level was excellent, at least on par or a bit better than the Pioneer and no contest with the Philips. The Philips black was dark grey at best.

One thing to note is I immediately noticed this screen was much taller compared to the other 42" Plasmas in the store. Looked closer to a 4:3 than a 16:9, but still widescreen.

I have no doubt in my mind that I will buy this set on the 20th if it is still there. My only problem is getting it in my house by myself because it's heavier and more cumbersome than I thought it would be. No handles on the back either!

Take a ride to your local store, they may have one set up too.

SoundAndVisionMag.com

VIZIO P42HDTV 42-inch Plasma HDTV
by Al Griffin

What We Think: A tasty-looking set that offers surprisingly good performance at an astonishing price.

Some fascinating technology goes on behind the screen of a plasma HDTV, and it seems to improve with each new generation of sets. But for most people, the key question is: When can I afford to buy one? If you're asking Vizio, the answer is: right now.

Click here for the rest of the article-
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1333

EDIT>>

mod note: no more posting of prices for any sales at costco

Thanks for the report Stavman! You would think that if they'd gone to the trouble to set up a display model, they would have at least turned it on!? I don't know how much warm-up or burn-in time the set would require to reach optimum color levels.

As to your comments about the apparent screen height, do you think it had to do with the wider screen frame this one uses, compared to most plasmas? I've also notice that some screens have a dead area around them, almost like a buffer. Did you see any of that? The actual display screen height on a 42" 16:9 display should be 20.6". I can't imagine that would vary that much.

Anyway, really appreciate the report... good stuff! I'll call my local 'national warehouse chain' affiliate ;) Monday and see if they have one on display.

Does this TV require a set top box or is it possible to just connect it directly to the cable connection, therby saving on the rental of a set top box.

You're welcome Onlooker. I was quite surprised to see it there to begin with. Not sure why it was off, but for once the "Warehouse store" HD signal looked nice and clean once I turned the unit on. As I stared, with my mouth probably open, some people started making comments like "that TV looks like the nicest one. "

As for your question about the panel height, I'm strictly talking about the panel glass itself. It was definitely taller, by I would guess close to two inches compared to the Philips 42 and Pioneer 42 inch plasmas. I personally like it, some widescreens, especially LCDs are too skinny for me.

The border void I would say is no more than a quarter inch or so, and the black bezel itself is around an inch and a quarter.

Overall, I was really pleased with set and I was looking for every defect and flaw that is described in detail on this website, but really couldn't find any other than the need for some good color tweaking. There was no remote or store help to be found or I would have bumped up the color a bit myself.

I really think for the price when it goes on sale is going to be extremely hard to beat.

I think the next closest plasma to compete with this is the new Maxent that was just listed on the warehouse website. And I will also bet that the Maxent and the Vizio share the same panel.

Good luck hunting for this TV

I think the next closest plasma to compete with this is the new Maxent that was just listed on the warehouse website. And I will also bet that the Maxent and the Vizio share the same panel.

The previous generation Vizio used LG glass, and the previous generation Maxent used Panasonic glass. Did one of them change? From the stats, it looks like Vizio's still LG. Don't know yet about the new Maxent.

The previous generation Vizio used LG glass, and the previous generation Maxent used Panasonic glass. Did one of them change? From the stats, it looks like Vizio's still LG. Don't know yet about the new Maxent.
The new Maxent sold at C*stco says the glass is made by LG.

The new Maxent sold at C*stco says the glass is made by LG.

Thanks for the quick update. Although both are quality panels, I prefer the Panasonic glass in my Maxent MX-50X3 to the LG glass in the Vizio P50. Just my personal preference.

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but Sound and Vision Mag did a review of the Plasma.
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1333

Now give it their S&V approved rating. :-)

Thanks !

Yes, DVD's and HDTV looked good per review

However, I am still wondering about SD?

I did send an email over to S&V to see if they had a chance to view some SD on this set.

SoundAndVisionMag.com

VIZIO P42HDTV 42-inch Plasma HDTV
by Al Griffin

What We Think: A tasty-looking set that offers surprisingly good performance at an astonishing price.

Some fascinating technology goes on behind the screen of a plasma HDTV, and it seems to improve with each new generation of sets. But for most people, the key question is: When can I afford to buy one? If you're asking Vizio, the answer is: right now.

Click here for the rest of the article-
http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=1333

EDIT>>

mod note: no more posting of prices for any sales at costco


Folks:

I have been nothing but patient with this thread and have allowed it to go as far as I possibly can. I had to go back and delete all kinds of price talk several pages(as well as multiple threads) back due to links and discussion of the march madness sale. I'm asking as kindly as I can for all the price and sale talk to end. I've let you guys do all the costco talking you've wanted. If you continue to take advantage, this thread will end up getting closed.

Thanks all

Please make no mistake, the March Madness sale refers to Vizio's MSRP! However, MSRP will be raised once the sale is over. These are manufacturer prices, not store prices.