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NEC Plasma Screen Monitor Review
Model: NEC 42MP2 Plasma TV
By Robert Wiley
Copyright © 2001 PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com All Rights Reserved.
Color: Charcoal Black
Warranty: 1 Year Parts and Labor
INTRODUCTION
The ultimate test of all plasma TV's is how well they show when they are actually tested for video quality. Forget the native pixel resolution , the built in progressive scan converter/scalar, the sometimes unrealistic contrast ratio listed by the manufacturer. These specifications are provided by the manufacturer who want to sell their product. Comparing TV's of any kind side by side with the same input signal playing the same material at the same moment is the way to truly understand how the signal information is received, converted and shown to the naked eye. With plasma display monitors the differences are sometimes much more pronounced than with other types of televisions.
Input sources for the review: High Definition signal from RCA DTC-100 high definition decoder. DVD played on Toshiba SD6200 Progressive scan DVD player tested with Component and S-video cables.
NEC is a respected name in the business world for monitors and printers. The NEC 42 MP2 is not sold directly in stores to consumers (it can be found on the Internet) but it is sold in stores under names like Runco and Marantz. The model MP2 is a follow up to the MP1 and before that the NEC 4210W. That's right, this is the third generation already for NEC and it's a dandy. The differences between this unit and the earlier models are mainly in the contrast ratios and brightness and black levels. The images are also sharper than previous models. I really like the look of the sporty, solid bezel chassis of the unit. There is a wide horizontal frequency range for showing high definition signals from computer sources. It can be used as a presentation monitor and has the largest variety of inputs of any of the plasma TV's tested. Basically it has any input you could want, even RCA type jack component video input. Unlike most manufacturers of plasma monitors which use Fujitsu glass screens, NEC uses its own high contrast glass.
Additional ImagesTHE PICTURE - 93
- Picture of the back of the NEC 42MP2
- Picture of the input jacks of the NEC 42MP2
- Front angle of the NEC 42MP2 vs Panasonic TH-42PWD3
- Side angle of the NEC 42MP2 vs Panasonic TH-42PWD3
This is an absolutely great plasma display and one of my favorites. It has superb contrast and brightness levels which only the Panasonic TH-42PWD3 clearly beat, and that only with high definition input. With an s-video or composite video input this plasma beats all comers in the plasma market. It actually looks as good with a 480I signal as with a 480p signal - maybe better. That is good and bad news. The good news is that you get a great picture no matter what input signal you are using with the unit. The bad news is that you don't really gain anything with higher end HD signals. I thought the unit was superior to the Pioneer 502MX, Sony 42B1U, and Panasonic when using the lower signals with s-video, component, or composite. When using HDTV signals or progressive scan 480p the Panasonic was the best unit without a doubt and I liked the NEC 42PM2 second best under this scenario. The reason for the excellent images displayed with low end signals is apparently NEC's built in proprietary progressive scanning video converter.
The plasma exhibits excellent color fidelity after playing with it for a few minutes (all plasma monitors look better after warming up). I found it necessary to tone down the greens and increase the reds and blues on the onscreen display. After doing this once or twice it took only a few seconds to perform the color sharpening. Images were sharp and clear and the unit gave me a larger picture using the zoom feature than did the Sony or Panasonic. It must be noted also that the scaling was unsurpassed when zooming and the unit displayed little contouring problem. It was much sharper than the Sony when using this feature which is preferable to me when watching a true 16:9 format DVD or HD program.
There is really no need to purchase a progressive scan DVD player to accompany this plasma display. It adds nothing and to me even takes away just a bit of image quality. The built in converter scalar does the progressive scanning just fine. Save some $$ on that component. Since this is the case you can also save on those pricey component video cables and just use a good S-video lead instead.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS - 93
The onscreen graphic user interface on the 42MP2 is fairly easy to use. It takes a few minutes to get past a few obscurities on the display such as color adjustment. The remote controller is one of the best I've tested with a plasma display. It's a large nice ergonomic device to use. The unit supports input signals from HD, DVD, DTV of 480P, 480I, 720P, and 1080I. As I mentioned earlier in the review this unit has the largest input selection of any plasma TV. The input jacks run out the left and right side of the back of the unit which can be a bit awkward when wall mounting the unit. This monitor, like all of the newer plasma models tested, is virtually silent and I could not hear it at all at 6 feet away even with the sound off.
The NEC 42MP2 has four or five aspect ratio settings for 4:3, 16:9, and Zoom of each. Any additional setting scales the picture to fit the entire screen when watching a 4:3 format picture. It supports up almost all PC input signals including SXGA, Wide XGA, Macintosh- 1024X768. It has a neat digital zoom feature which allows you to select one portion of the screen for emphasis and magnify it up to 3 times.
This plasma display has great looks. It looks like a monitor that would cost as much or more than it does. The edges are thin, the unit tapering back to make the 3.5" monitor appear slimmer than it already is. It is also the most solidly constructed unit of its depth that I have tested. I weighs in at 70 lbs. and only comes in charcoal.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- 3.5" depth, 16:9 Widescreen with solid bezel construction
- Built in 7 watt amplifiers
- Cleanest s-video and composite video picture signals resulting from…
- Built in progressive scanning converter
- Special Digital Zoom feature for highlighting one section of plasma
- Excellent contrast and black levels (second only to Panasonic)
VALUE RATING - 93
At recent price of $6600.00 this is one of the best deals in the Plasma TV/Monitor market.
OVERALL RATING - 93
Copyright © 2001 PlasmaTVBuyingGuide.com All Rights Reserved.
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