TechRadar Verdict
If it's high def you want, you've come to the right place. But it's expensive
Pros
- +
Great HD picture performance
Decent features
Cons
- -
Average standard-def performance
Pricey
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Fujitsu is a serious producer of home cinema screens and that's what this 42in plasma is, down to its £2,700 price.
The omission of both a Scart and tuner of either analogue or digital variety are an indication of the snob appeal of this screen - the company is assuming that you are as serious about your home cinema as they are and you will therefore already have your digital sources taken care of elsewhere in your living room/ palacial reception quarters and wouldn't be so declassé as to buy your products 'all-in-one'.
What you do get is two HDMI inputs as well as component video and a PC and S-video input plus external outputs for the optional speakers.
It looks good on paper with a high-def 1024 x 768 resolution and claimed contrast rating of 3000:1 and brightness of 1000cd/m2. Its AVM II picture processing is four times more powerful than previously and it works pixel-by-pixel to better image scaling and deinterlacing.
HD viewing was an instant revelation and looked as good as anything we'd seen from the company.
Black levels during the twilight scenes of Kingdom of Heaven when Liam Leeson trains his new found son to be an expert swordsmen in three easy lessons revealed a range of shades of grey that gave depth to the gloom while the action here and elsewhere was plotted accurately across the screen without any difficulties following the movement of flashing swords and skidding feet. Colours were vibrant and impressively natural too.
Sadly, the performance of many HD models is fine-tuned for this higher pixel plain leaving SD a little neglected. Thus, we found the, (otherwise missing), grain here, as well as exaggerated-looking MPEG effects. Using the screen's Fine mode helped here, though to the detriment of colours, which became muted.
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Tech.co.uk was the former name of TechRadar.com. Its staff were at the forefront of the digital publishing revolution, and spearheaded the move to bring consumer technology journalism to its natural home – online. Many of the current TechRadar staff started life a Tech.co.uk staff writer, covering everything from the emerging smartphone market to the evolving market of personal computers. Think of it as the building blocks of the TechRadar you love today.