If VIZIO's brand new
XVT Series is a bit rich for your blood, how's about a pair of plasmas for under eight bones? Yep, the 32-inch VP322 and 42-inch VP422 -- which were
announced at CES at $689 and $999, respectively -- are now available in Wal-Mart locations across America, and they're selling for even less than that. Right now, those longing to hop in the HDTV game without breaking the bank can secure the VP322 for just $599, while the VP422 will set you back just $799. Both sets possess a 30,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 720p panel, 3 HDMI sockets (along with component / VGA) and a built-in ATSC digital tuner with ClearQAM support. Not too shabby for the price, wouldn't you agree? [Warning: PDF read link]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Alex @ Jun 25th 2008 12:40PM
i thought a lot of the manufacturers were finally releasing 1080p small sets, not yet I guess.
AMFS @ Jun 25th 2008 1:04PM
The 32" plasma is actually $547 at walmart. I bought one about a week ago and i've been nothing but pleased with the quality of it.
Mitch @ Jun 25th 2008 2:07PM
whoa! when was the last time you saw a 32" plasma?
I didn't know they made that size... usually 32" LCD i'm not too excited about but 32" plasma would be much better right? Welllll it's still a vizio
JPW @ Jun 25th 2008 2:41PM
I'm more or less happy with the performance/price ratio here, especially since it's just sub-720P in pixel count. The fit, finish and even packaging are all outstanding for this level of set--truly state of the art and even the manual was authored only a few months ago. It's a very fresh product and to my knowledge, the first 32-inch plasma in the USA.
That said, it does seem to have a memory effect on the display, namely with pillarboxing and logo/"bug" artifacts. It's not permanent burn-in but can be troubling under certain conditions. Supposedly there is an hour-long erasing routine available through the menu. Usually it's invisible with a varied image but if you're watching a 16x9 black screen, you may see ghostlike vestiges.
Also, the built-in stereo speakers are very, very low-fi. I was hoping for better range but there IS an optical output. Who knows which 5.1 powered speaker setup is the most compact/modest with an optical input? Is it the Logitech 5500?
I'm all ears. . . .
JPW @ Jun 25th 2008 2:51PM
Also, the specs (on the 32, again) are impressive, even for 1024 x 720:
Dot pitch: 0.690m (H) x 0.555mm (V)
Brightness: 1000 cd/m²
Contrast: 30,000:1
Viewing angle: >178° (H & V)
Power consumption: 250W (max) . . . but mine runs between 150 and 200, and under 1 in standby.
Techman @ Jun 25th 2008 4:04PM
I purchased and return the 32" model due to some serious quality issues with component and composite/S-video inputs. At any resolution lines appear in the image. This HDTV would have been just right for me so I tried three units and all had the same issues. I tested with several input devices and cables to make sure the problem was not mine. On the third HDTV I decide to call Vizio to see what was going wrong. They instructed me to send a picture of the lines to their people for inspection. They declaired I need a in-home repair call. I just brought the thing home and this POS needs repair! I took it back to Walmart with a quickness. Save up and buy a good brand. The Internet is filled with Vizio horror stories of lasting two years or less,don't let them make you a victim of their poor quality.
Alex @ Jun 25th 2008 6:00PM
bah, for the price of my 42" Vizio (that I bought 2.5 years ago) that has an excellent picture and features, I can buy a new one every 3 years 3 times compared to a much higher priced set with similar features and quality.
JPW @ Jun 25th 2008 6:26PM
For what it's worth, 1080i HDV signals fed to the component inputs look just fine on mine. Let me restate that: they look incredible (considering the price of the plasma).