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 Sometimes it pays to get a slightly older model. Much like the way a car immediately depreciates as soon as you leave the car lot, slightly older technology can quickly and dramatically drop in price. So, what does this model lack compared to the newer high-def televisions?
Fortunately, this HDTV Does have the all important ATSC tuner as
well as the NTSC tuner for analog signals. A QAM (Quadrature Amplitude
Modulation) tuner is missing, but this only eliminates the need for a
cable box for cable subscribers. The PC input - which has become
standard on newer models - is not available, but it does have all the
inputs necessary for use with a PC, game consoles, and other A/V
components. 3 HDMI connections is optimal, but the 2 HDMI connections
on this model should satisfy most consumer's needs.
Video.
Video includes 1024 x 768-pixel resolution, 16:9 widescreen aspect
ratio, a high 10000:1 aspect ratio, and a 175-degree viewing angle.
More features.
- Picture-in-picture (PIP) enables convenient simultaneous viewing of TV programs and video or PC sources.
- Parental Control (V-Chip) helps parents monitor what their children watch on TV by establishing rating limits.
- Auto volume leveler keeps audio volume consistent during channel changing.
- Multi-lingual on-screen displays in English, Spanish or French.
- Side A/V input
Audio.
SRS TruSurround XT technology through hidden speakers on the side.
Other connections.
- Composite (RCA audio/video): 2 inputs (1 on the side)
- S-Video: 2 inputs (1 on the side)
- Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs
- HDMI: 2 inputs
- PC: 1 D-Sub15 input
- RF: 2 inputs
- Digital audio: 1 coaxial and 1 optical
Be sure to check the latest user opinions and prices at Amazon.com Ratings and reviews.
There are hundreds of comments from people who purchased the TV when it
was new and recent purchasers. Reviewers at Amazon.com give an overall
rating of 41/2 out of 5 stars, and ratings remain high to this day.
Picture quality is excellent, although the surround sound leaves a
little bit to be desired. If you're looking for big surround sound, an
additional theater system may be necessary.
Samsung claims the anti-glare panel reduces problems with burn in,
but owners warn to read and head the precautions in the guide. Steps
should be taken to prevent burn-in in the first 200 hours of use.
Here's a comment about this at Yahoo shopping:
Very nice picture, Decent value among Plasmas. Make sure
to set your cable box to 16;9 screen. I didn't and I'm regretting it.
The black bars on the left and right side are slightly burnt into the
screen. Luckily, Samsung was extremely responsive to the issue. The TV
was still under warranty so they sent a guy out that showed me how to
run screen protection, he showed me how to set my cable box to 16;9, he
calibrated my surround sound(which was a panasonic), and showed me how
to switch my movies to DTS in order to get the best out of my surround
sound system. The TV's very nice, the service was excellent, but
screen-burn will be a problem forever with plasmas, just be cautious
not to leave the same image on the screen for too long.
Overall, the HP-S4253 42" Plasma HDTV has to be one of the best values for those looking for a high quality HDTV at the cheapest price.
An older review of the Samsung 42-Inch HP-S4253 HD Plasma TV from Sci-Tech Today.
Verdict: Samsung's Gen-5 HD Plasma TV offers the latest
video technology at a competitive price. Beyond image quality, features
like split-screen and picture-in-picture make the HP-S4253 easy to
recommend.
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