42 Inch LCD HD TV Review

If you are shopping for a 42 inch LCD TV you would previously have been spoilt for choice. This screen size had been one of the most popular for quite some time. It was typically the most affordable large screen TV before the big step up you had to pay to own a 52 and 60 inch television.
However there are no longer any current Samsung 42 inch LCD TV or Sony 42 Inch LCD TV models on the market. Both manufacturers have revised their range of televisions so that now 40 inch and 46 inch are your nearest choice of screen sizes. Other manufacturers such as Toshiba and Philips have also opted to go down this route. Below are a couple of 42 inch television reviews for models from the other ‘big name’ manufacturers who have opted to keep this screen size in their range of televisions.
LG 42 inch LCD TV – model 42LD550
There are two options of LG 42” LCD TV models. This is the more expensive of the two, the difference between this and the cheaper 42LG520 is that it has a slightly better contrast ratio and has wireless and internet connectivity.
This model is a Full HD 1080p television with a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The LCD panel has a response time of 2.4ms which is good, and it also uses LG’s TruMotion 120 Hz technology. Simply put this produces smooth and crisp images, which will be especially more noticeable when viewing fast moving scenes. It also has a dynamic contrast ratio of 200,000:1, which is high for an LCD television. This means that the display produces bright images and more clearly shows fine details, the improvement will be more apparent when displaying scenes with extreme dark and light areas.
What you are paying the extra money for with this TV compared to the cheaper 520 model is the wireless and internet connectivity. Through the use of an optional wireless kit (sold separately) this TV can be connected wirelessly so that it can be situated anywhere you like and not be restrained from having to position it within reach of your satellite receiver or aerial. It also reduces the mess that results from wires and cables trailing from the rear of the television.
Along with the wireless connectivity or through the use of it’s LAN connection this TV can be connected to the internet. Using LG’s NetCast Entertainment system this opens a whole lot of extra possibilities for ‘on-demand’ entertainment and information services. This includes movies, TV, music, sport, news and weather streams.
With a RRP of $1150 this seems like great value when compared to the equivalent LG LED TV model which has a RRP of $600 more. But astonishingly if you shop around on the internet this LG 42 inch LCD TV can be bought for only $800. For this specification of television that is a tiny price.

Panasonic 42 Inch LCD TV – model TC-L42U25
This is the newest 42” LCD TV model from Panasonic and it has a RRP price that is nearly $400 cheaper than the LG. The difference between this model and the LG is that it doesn’t have wireless and internet capabilities and the contrast level is considerably lower at 20,000:1 so it will not produce as bright images.
It does however use Panasonics 120 Hz Motion Picture Pro meaning it is great for watching fast action like movies, sports and video games. It also has he ability to read and display digital images and video from SDRAM using Viera Image viewer.
All-in-all this is a solid spec television, and what you get when buying a Panasonic TV is quality and reliability. If the internet features of the LG aren’t of interest of you, then with a RRP of $760 this is a considerable saving. And once again if you search the web this television can be purchased for less than $675.
Depending on your requirements which ever option you choose, both the above options are great value. Since the introduction of LED TV, LCD televisions have become tremendously good value. Before LED TVs you couldn’t of bought a 42 inch LCD TV for anywhere near this price.