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Samsung can be considered one of the most aggressive plasma
players in the game, both in terms of pricing and the sheer number of screens
it produces. But even by Samsung's heady standards the 42P2SB is an
extraordinary unit. A 42in screen, with speakers, speaker stands, tuner box and
screen desktop stand for as little as £3,000? Did Samsung have to twist
the arm of its quality control department in order to get this one out
there?
Description
It's not an immediately stylish or striking-looking screen,
and, as such, lacks the initial impact of some other screens in this test. But
the silvery frame is glossy and slender enough to grow on you over time. I
liked the cute little speaker stands, too. And while the external AV box is a
little chunky compared to the screen, it is no more so than most of its rivals.
Connections
The Samsung's media box carries a very healthy roster of
sockets, distinguished in particular by phono audio line-outs, indicative of a
Pro-Logic decoder; three Scarts of which two can handle RGB; a 15-pin PC input;
a DVI input; and two sets of AV component video jacks. An excellent array.
Operation
The onscreen menus are functional, containing a few
ambiguous icons, but fairly well structured overall. However, the remote
control is a nightmare to use, thanks to a joystick-style menu navigator that's
unbearably fiddly, inaccurate and uncomfortable.
Distinguishing features
This is the only plasma in this group test to offer an easy
route to true surround sound, thanks to Pro-Logic decoding and all the
line-outs and setup facilities necessary. There's a Virtual Dolby mode if you
don't want surround sound speakers, plus a twin-tuner picture-in-picture
system. We didn't find any obvious screenburn counter measures, though.
Picture
Picture quality is refined but not exactly dramatic. Samsung
has taken a refreshingly naturalistic approach to image reproduction. However,
it's not very contrasty. These days we're getting accustomed to panels that are
capable of displaying true black, but the 42P2SB adds a greyish sheen over
everything that makes deep blacks impossible. Resolution is also limited by the
'widescreen VGA' resolution of the panel.
With protracted viewing, though, its great strengths start
to shine through. First, there's practically no banding or haloing around
bright spots or over dark, shaded backgrounds. Panning cameras are handled
well, too, with little in the way of side effects. And finally the picture is
impressively devoid of noise, be it grain, grey pixelisation or crawling dots,
even, happily, with tuner footage. A real grower.
Sound
As well as looking good on their neat little stands, this
Samsung's speakers are impressively potent. They produce an exceptional amount
of bass and depth for such skinny items, have the capacity and attack to expand
during explosive movie moments, and manage to make dialogue rich and clear.
They're not quite as astute with trebly detail, but we were still very
impressed overall.
Conclusion
The PS-42P2SB is a bit of a strange brew. Its pictures are
an odd mix of the cutting edge and conventional. But with a price tag of just
£3,000, we reckon you might find yourself able to live with the
weaknesses that bit easier! |
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LAB RESULTS
Colour: Practically no bleed; good, hard edges
excellent
Geometry: Perfect
Frequency response: Some detail visible at 5.8MHz
very good |
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FEATURES
Tuner/AV box: Yes/yes
Audio output: 2 x 10W
Scarts: Three (two RGB)
Standard component video inputs: Yes
Soundstage widener: Yes
Picture-in-picture: Yes
Resolution: 852 x 480
Anti-screenburn measures: Orbiter
Dimensions: 1,039(w) x 635(h) x 89(d)mm
Weight: 32kg |
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020 8391 0168
