Home > Consumer Reviews > LG 42PQ30 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Before I bought this TV, I was worried that the relatively low resolution of 1024x768 pixels would detract from the viewing experience, but I was pleasantly surprised. At a distance of 1.5 meters or more, you just see a great image and don't notice any pixelation at all. The picture is really awesome, with amazing brightness (when you switch off the energy saving mode) and contrast. It's also great for action movies with absolutely no blur at all and excellent visibility from all viewing angles.

Connected up to my Apple TV it works great. When I connect it in 720p, I really don't notice much difference between Apple's standard definition downloads in widescreen format and their more expensive HD downloads, so I'll stick to SD downloads for now. For the price, you really can't go wrong, and this LG plasma TV makes a great partner for the Apple TV - see Apple TV with 160GB Hard Drive - MB189LL/A.

I have had this TV for about three months now and the picture quality is outstanding. In fact, the only imperfection I notice is a slight haloing effect when really bright elements are adjacent to really dark ones (I usually only see this during film credits with bright text on a black background but it's nothing major). This haloing effect seems due to the two-layer deign (a clear plastic layer set in front of the main plasma screen). I think this is the main trade-off at this price level. Otherwise, the picture is gorgeous. The picture is so good that, unfortunately, it reveals all the flaws in over-compressed "hi-def" source material. I have DISH HD and I notice a lot of artifacts and black crush (over-compression of dark parts of an image). I can't wait until the satellite, cable companies, and studios stop over-compressing their signals so I can enjoy a real hi-def picture. And when they do, this little LG will easily be up to the task. Be warned, it is essential that you adjust the brightness, contrast, and especially the gamma to get a great picture. Out of the box I was unimpressed but after several hours of tweaking I finally honed-in on a near-perfect combination of settings for my satellite and DVD/bluray. The brightness, clarity and naturalness of the picture sometimes gives me the sense that I'm looking out a window instead of at a television. This tv is much like my expensive Sony Trinitron CRT except with a wide screen, perfect geometry and much higher resolution. Also, the up-conversion it does for standard definition is the best I've ever seen. I wasn't sure I wanted a plasma because I couldn't find one that wasn't an unbelievable power hog but this little beauty is rated at a scant 180 watts which is less than my smaller 37" LCD! At this price level, I would have to give this TV 6 stars (on a 5-star scale).

I bought this TV about three months ago after strongly considering both Panasonic and Samsung, both of which were priced roughly $100 more. I was a little concerned that I'd get what I paid for and get a lesser quality TV. But I am thrilled with the picture quality, the amazing contrast, and the excellent brightness. Whether watching DVD movies, playing the playstation, or just watching a game, there is not much out there for $600 that is better than this. I am very satisfied and strongly recommend this TV for anyone considering a 42" plasma.

I also still think the picture quality in general are sharper when it comes to plasmas compared to LCD's. Certainly deeper blacks and crisper images.

Thank you LG!

@ 720p people make a big deal about 1080p being superior when in fact, the difference is minute depending on your viewing distance. The LG 42PQ30 is an absolute steal in terms of value, picture quality, and size. I use my LG Netflix ready Blu-Ray player on this TV and the colors and image quality are spectacular - deep blacks, fluid motions, vibrant visuals, and great sound give this HDTV the best value for your money. Moreover, it is easy to set up and has lots of features. I got this HDTV for $575 and added the LG BD390 BD player with it and the total didn't even add up to $1000. So far, I am very satisfied with this purchase.

This TV has a great picture. When watching in HD, the picture is simply stunning. This is only a 720P set, yet I can she minute details on the faces of people. Excellent in a darker room. The one thing that this TV lacks is some kind of glare reducer. If one can put the set in a place avoiding sunlight, it would be absolutely perfect