Home > Reviews > Samsung HPT4254 42-Inch Plasma HDTV

Samsung HPT4254 42-Inch Plasma HDTV

List price: $1,299.99
Amazon price: $1,312.13
Prices subject to change.

Used price: $499.00

Buy Now at Amazon

Product Details

Binding: Electronics
Brand: Samsung
Color: Black
EAN: 0036725242517
Label: Samsung
Dimension: 0.21 x 3.7 x 0.3 inches
Manufacturer: Samsung
Model: HPT4254
Publisher: Samsung
Studio: Samsung
Warranty: 12 months parts and labor

Features and Descriptions

1024 x 768 resolution
15,000:1 Contrast Ratio
16 bit color
Filter Bright 2 Anti Glare Technology
3 HDMI, 2 component, 1 PC input

Offering a rich feature set and exceptional quality for its price, Samsung HPT4254 42-inch 720p plasma TV uses the company's latest DNIe enhancement circuitry to deliver outstanding brightness, contrast, and image clarity. Use it for home theater and use it for your PC--it's perfect for both. In addition to a standard-broadcast NTSC tuner, it also features an integrated ATSC tuner that can capture over-the-air digital broadcasts from local network affiliates (the set will still require a set-top tuner for receiving non-terrestrial HD broadcasts from channels like HBO or Discovery). Other noteworthy features include a 60,000 hour panel life, Samsung's unique auto pixel-shifting technology to prevent burn-in, a gaming mode, cinema progressive film mode, and 3 HDMI connections. This model is also compatible with an Auto wall-mount Samsung will release this year that is controllable in 3-dimensions via the HTDV's own remote control.

Ratings & Comments(Average: 4.5

)

- Great picture and great value - what you expect from Samsung
This is brand new from Samsung. Two features enticed me to choose this over LCD:
* 15,000:1 contrast ratio---this is as high as you'll currently get in a set that goes for around $1500
* Anti-glare technology

I've seen friends' plasmas for years. They all had serious glare issues, greater than what were present in a tube tv. The family room in my new house has 20' high ceilings and south-facing 20' high windows. But I see no glare even with the blinds open!

I'm thrilled with the picture. HD looks stellar. DVDs look incredible on my up-converting player.

The sound isn't exceptional, though it's better than on my 4 year-old tube tv. I have surround sound, so that issue is overcome. The sound is good, though. My advice would be to not let that sway you from buying this. Many brick and mortar retailers have deals for getting a surround-sound system with a new flat-panel tv.

Television choices are hard these days. Rear projection DLT offers great price, but you've got to replace the bulbs and the viewing angle is limited. LCDs just might win out in the future, but I still notice slow response (latency) when watching action films or sports. I think plasma still produces the best picture.

Samsung's HPT4254 looks to me to be the best value in plasma televisions.

- This TV is AWESOME. Think twice before you buy an LCD.
We had two LCDs out of the box and hooked up at home. It's a long story, but we ended up taking both of them back for different issues, one of which turned out to be a bad cable. CC was so great to take them back and we hadn't considered a plasma because of the glare issue. Well, I started reading about this Samsung plasma and how that had implemented some sort of anti glare system. We went back and I realized how much more vivid the colors are on this TV than an LCD. Plus, I thought the picture on this new model was quite a bit better than any other plasma models on the floor. We got it home and running and after having the other two LCDs to compare with, this thing ROCKS!!!!! Even in our bright room, the glare is not a problem for us. There is definitely more glare than an LCD, but it is so much better. There is this blurry thing that happens with motion on an LCD. And, I had read about it, but people were saying it's not so much of an issue anymore with recent models. I don't buy that after experiencing both kinds of TVs, the plasma is so much more clear with fast motion, and there is so much more depth to the colors. I'm extremely happy.

The only issue I have is with the sound. It's terrible. The sound was much better on the LCDs I had here at home. I have external speakers, so the sound quality is not important to me, but if you care even a little bit about the sound quality, I would consider buying even some low-end bookshelf speakers. Anything will sound better than the speakers built in to this thing. The speakers on my 5 year old 27" tube TV were better. I still gave it 5 stars, even with this sound issue because if you're in the market for this type of TV, you'll likely have some sort of surround setup and the speakers won't matter. Buy this TV for the picture and the price.

Go see for yourself.... the depth of color and clarity are unmatched in my opinion.

- Great Set for the Money
I had been eying this TV for a few months and finally bought it last week.

Out of the box it needs adjustment (but any TV would) to make it look the best it can be. When you do dial in the settings, the picture is gorgeous. It comes with a few burn-in reduction features that work very well. I have so far only had a tiny bit if image retention (not burn in) do to user error and it was remedied within 30 seconds of using the TV's "wipe" feature. I have watched a number of 2.35:1 DVD's and there is absolutely no problem with the black bars, so I would say don't use any sort of zoom and compromise the movie's framing!

HD looks stellar on this set, and it's obviously what it is made for. SD looks OK, better then most flat panels but not great my any means. My DVD player is not up-converting but it produces a very nice picture when hooked up through component cables. The Nintendo Wii looks pretty bad (component cables too). There is a lot of "stair-stepping" around edges, but the game play still far outweighs this drawback. Computer input is phenomenal as well. There is no ghosting anywhere and no "clay face" happening either.

The sound is pretty bad and I am in a small room. For any serious watching, get an external sound system. The TV is heavy too, but has a nice swivel stand that allows 30-ish degrees of rotation both ways. The TV's exterior looks stellar as well.

Great buy!

Product Highlights

TV Player Classic

Software for viewing online internet TV channels on the TV or computer display in 'Window' or 'Full screen' mode.

Pioneer PDP-5010FD 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

SesamTV Media Center
An all-in-one multimedia software designed to be viewed on a TV set. learn more

WinX Photo To TV
A software which helps you manage all your photos easily, it also capable of exporting them into VCD/SVCD/DVD format for TV viewing. learn more

Plasma TV Resources

Underbed Plasma TV Lift

This plasma lift hides a plasma television under a bed along with all other equipments and speakers for full home theater display and surround sound experience. watch video...

The Appeal Of A Panasonic Plasma TV

Of course, such quality does come with a price and some of the more elaborate and high grade Panasonic plasma TV sets can run several thousand dollars. Needless to say, not many people have that kind of cash on hand. (That is a pretty big bill fold to carry around in one's wallet!) So, there is, of course, the credit option. read more...

Innovative Custom Plasma TV Lift Design

A very creative custom plasma lift designed and installed to serve 5 rooms in a house. watch video...

LIFT-TECH Plasma TV Lift

Various Plasma TV lift and mounting products from LIFT-TECH. watch video...

Samsung HPR 5072 50-Inch Plasma TV Review

Samsung's HPR-5072 HD Plasma Flat Panel TV packs high performance into a slim case that's less than 4 inch deep. It's design conceived to present the audience with HD television experience. watch video...

Featured Articles

| Newly Added Articles

Shopping For Plasma TV Wall Cabinets

Of all the accessories you can purchase for your plasma television, one of the very best are the plasma TV wall cabinets that you can buy. These are basically entertainment units that you can use to hold your television in as well as your DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes, and other related items. Plasma TV wall cabinets are designed to artfully conceal your plasma television, and there are a variety of options to choose from in terms of size, style, color and features. read more...

When You Need Plasma TV Repair

There are a few different problems that are common to experience with a plasma television, one of the most common being burn-in. this happens whenever any static image stays on the screen for a very long time and thus becomes burnt into the screen, and then is visible at least somewhat even when the image changes. This can be a very irritating when you are trying to watch television because you will be seeing a ghost pattern while you watch other programs. read more...

Plasma TV Wall Mounts - Giving A Tidy Look and Free of Cables

If you are not into the ideas of having your newly purchased plasma television be set-up either on a stand or be kept in a cabinet, then mounting it on a wall is your best option. It gives more space and a luxurious environment having a wide flat screen television simply attached to your wall. It might look simple to do the mounting part but it may be challenging if you don't know how to follow simple instructions. read more...

How Long Could Plasma TV Last?

In every purchase of pretty expensive appliances such as plasma televisions, we always choose what is best for our taste and lifestyle. In choosing the best, it means that every detail or feature our plasma television gives us is worth every penny we have spent in buying it. But taking reality into consideration, we should not forget about the possibilities of unforeseen circumstances. Let us take the lifespan of plasma televisions into a discussion for a long time, it has been a hot issue to every plasma fanatics and competing industries. Earlier models of plasma televisions that were produced during the years of 1999 and 2000 have... read more...

Home Theater Design

TV Installation Guide

Samsung PN59D8000 59-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Plasma HDTV (Black)

Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Pioneer PDP-5080HD 50-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Samsung PN43D490 43-Inch 720p 600Hz 3D Plasma HDTV (Black)

Panasonic VIERA TC-P55VT30 55-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black