Motorcycle Intercoms - How to Choose the Best Motorcycle Intercom For You

Without a motorcycle intercom, motorcycle riding is a solitary experience. When you're riding alone it's a good way to clear your head or get your thoughts together. But if you've got a passenger, or you're riding with another biker, inevitably you'll want to talk to them. Motorcycle intercom systems that mount in your helmet let you do that.

The problem is that there are so many to choose from in such a wide price range. It's hard to decide which one to choose. And given that motorcycle intercoms have to work in an extremely difficult environment, choosing the right one can make the difference between enjoying your new purchase or hating it. This motorcycle intercom review will hopefully make your decision easier.

Let's start with a broad overview of the types of motorcycle intercoms available.

Acoustic Motorcycle Intercom

The most basic form of motorcycle intercom is the acoustic intercom. By acoustic I mean that it doesn't use electronics at all. It just uses hollow tubes that your voice travels through. They're like the old ships where the captain yells down a tube to the engine room to tell them to "give it more steam."

These systems have rubber-tipped tubes that insert in your ear the same way an earplug would. There is also a mouthpiece tube for you to talk into and all the tubes connect into a junction box.

One of the positives is that there are no batteries or electronics to mess with. That makes them very dependable. However, there is no amplification which means there is no way to adjust the volume or filter out wind noise. So at higher speeds, it will be more difficult to hear. Another problem is that some people find the "earplugs" uncomfortable in their ears for long periods.

Obviously these acoustic intercoms only work for rider-to-passenger and not bike-to-bike.

Wired Motorcycle Intercom

The next step up is wired intercoms. These systems have wires that run from the rider and passenger into a central control box that houses the electronics and battery.

Just like the acoustic intercom, with a wired system you don't have to worry about any external interference like you do with wireless technologies, unless you add a radio handheld communicator for bike-to-bike talking to your system. Some wired units let you plug in an FRS/GMRS radio, which is described in the wireless technology section below. The radio requires voice activation for it to work.

One of the issues some people have is that the wiring can be a little bit of a pain. Every time you and a passenger get on and off the bike you have to remember to unplug the units. Depending on how you have it set up, this could be two or three plugs.

Wireless Intercom Technology

There are four types of radio technologies used in the U.S. for motorcycle intercoms. They are GMRS, FRS, FM, and Bluetooth. There are also wired intercoms that enable you to plug into a handheld Citizens Band (CB) radio that has voice activation.

Frequency Modulation (FM) radio is similar to the FM radio you listen to, but for motorcycle intercoms a narrower frequency is used. Like FM radio, these systems can produce clear sound, as long as the distance between them isn't too great. FM radio works best when there are no obstructions such as hills between the transmitter and receiver. If long range is the most important feature, then GMRS intercoms will provide better performance.

The Family Radio Service (FRS) and the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) are the modern equivalents to the old walkie talkies you may have had when you were a kid. FRS radios typically have a maximum range of two miles with few obstructions in between, while GRMS radios communicate up to several miles. Like FM, these are public frequencies so other people can hear your conversations and vice versa. In some heavily populated areas these FRS/GRMS radios are heavily used, while out on the open road you should have fairly private conversations.

One nice thing with the FRS and GMRS radios is that you can go to your local discount store and purchase a cheap handheld radio that will communicate with these units. If someone were following you in a car, or they had a wired motorcycle intercom system that lets them plug in an FRS/GMRS handheld radio, they can communicate with you. The downside of this was just mentioned in that there are millions of these radios out there so in heavily populated areas you'll pick up lots of other transmissions. Also GMRS radios require an FCC license for legal use.

Bluetooth is the latest technology to hit motorcycle intercoms. Not only can these systems communicate totally wirelessly from rider to passenger, they can be used to communicate from bike to bike. Although with these systems the range is not in miles, it is in hundreds of feet. Since you are likely riding close to your buddies, this is not usually a problem. Although, range can be as much as 800 to 1600 feet.

The Bluetooth range limitation actually works as an advantage since it limits the amount of outside interference you'll get. Also, since you must program two units to work together, you won't pick up conversations from other people with Bluetooth devices...and they won't be able to hear you. You won't have to worry about your conversations listened to by anyone else.

If you want Bluetooth wireless communication there is one thing to watch for. Some units that say they are Bluetooth use FRS or GMRS to communicate bike-to-bike and the Bluetooth is just used to communicate with a Bluetooth enabled cell phone or other device.

Bluetooth intercoms also usually have some other features you won't find on other types of intercoms such as:

• Integrate with Bluetooth enabled cell phones and automatically answer calls totally hands free.


• Enjoy your favorite stereo music from your A2DP enabled cell phone or MP3 player


• Listen to the audio navigation message from your Bluetooth enabled GPS.

Some Bluetooth intercoms only have one ear speaker while others have two.

Motorcycle Helmet Intercom Features

Here are features to look for as you are shopping for an intercom to use with your motorcycle helmet:

• If you may be riding in the rain, get a system that says it's waterproof and not just water resistant. Some riders will put a water resistant system in a plastic baggie and that works for them.


• You can get systems that have a headset speaker for one ear or both ears. Installation and moving the intercom to another helmet is easier for systems with only one ear, but some people want to hear sound in both ears.


• Most systems have voice activation of some kind to keep the headset quiet when no talking is occurring. This voice activation often has the ability to be disabled and a push-to-talk switch used instead.


• Many intercoms have noise reduction capabilities with digital signal processing to help reduce the noise they pick up from the microphone. The faster you drive, or the windier it is, the more important this feature is.


• If you want music, look for a system that has a built-in FM stereo radio tuner or an auxiliary stereo input for a Walkman, MP3, iPod, or satellite radio unit. You can also use this input to receive driving directions from a voice prompted GPS unit.


• Some systems mount on your helmet, while others have capability to mount on your belt clip or bike. If the system is big and bulky, you may want the ability to mount it on your bike.


• You can integrate some intercoms with cell phones so you can talk while you ride. They require special cables or you can get motorcycle intercoms that have Bluetooth capability so they connect to your Bluetooth-enabled phone wirelessly.

Once you find the right motorcycle intercom for you, it will really make your ride with other people much more enjoyable. You'll wonder how you got along without it. You typically get what you pay for when you buy motorcycle intercoms, but even a bad motorcycle intercom is better than none at all.

David Onslow is a motorcycle enthusiast and the marketing director at IntercomsOnline.com, which offers motorcycle intercom systems. For more information, visit their website at http://www.IntercomsOnline.com

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Canon IXUS 990 IS Digital Cameras - Stylish Compact Camera

Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for the home and office environments.

The Canon IXUS 990 IS, a deluxe compact camera is equipped with a 12.1-megapixel CCD sensor. As the premium model in Canon's IXUS range, it comes with some extraordinary features, including a 5x optical zoom lens, high-definition video recording, an enlarged LCD display with an ultra-stylish design. It's one of the best looking cameras on the market, with a shiny finish, sleek curves and a compact body. The metallic body turns to silver and gold, based on how the light falls on it. In short, IXUS 990 IS is an eye-catching and elegant camera.

For navigation, the camera has a traditional control wheel configuration that supports this purpose. Images are sharp, well detailed and accurately colored after use. The addition of anti-shake and a powerful inbuilt flash offers users to capture great night photos with this camera. It also performs well in high-contrast situations. In terms of IXUS 990 IS's imaging performance, it satisfies the consumers by producing stunning photos.

The ability to shoot high-definition movies is one of the main highlight to fame. It records video in the QuickTime MOV format at a high resolution The Canon IXUS 990 IS comes with blink detection, which alerts the subjects for closing the eyes at the critical moment. Other Features offered by the Canon IXUS 990 IS include advanced face detection, an anti-shake system with inbuilt motion detection, Smart Auto mode, manual exposure, continuous shooting and 19 scene modes. This looks to be enough to satisfy casual users. With its advanced chipset and three EXR modes, the Canon IXUS 990 IS offers more versatility.

Author: Madeline Oscar
About the Author: Madeline, the content writer at present, started her career in a Telecomm domain as a network support engineer at the age of 22. She is excellent in delivering her targets with a professional touch.
Email: madeline.oscar@gmail.com
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A review of my LG 42 LCD TV

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LG 42in LCD 1080p HDTV

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IPod Mini Cheap

The iPod mini was a smaller version of Apple Computer's iPod portable audio player. It was announced on January 6, 2004, and released on February 20 of that same year. The device interoperated with both Macintosh and Windows PCs, with limited third-party support for Linux and other Unix workalikes. A second generation version was announced on February 23, 2005. The iPod mini line was discontinued on September 7, 2005, after being replaced by the iPod nano.

The device retained the popular touch-sensitive scroll wheel of the third generation iPod; however, instead of the four touch buttons located above the wheel, the buttons were once again made mechanical beneath the wheel itself (hence, the new wheel was known as a "click wheel"). To access one of the four buttons, a user physically pushed the edge of the wheel inward over one of the four labels. Like its predecessors, the wheel was developed for Apple by Synaptics. The click wheel is now also used in the fourth and fifth generation iPods as well as in the iPod nano; although in the case of the nano + 5G iPods, the clickwheel is now developed in-house, as opposed to Synaptics.

Above the wheel was a monochrome display which showed menus or information about the currently selected track. Newer generation iPods have since moved to colour displays.

Details
The two generations of the iPod mini were externally almost identical, with the differences lying in their storage and battery capacities. Both versions were 3.6 by 2.0 by 0.5 inches (91 by 51 by 13 mm) and weighed 3.6 ounces (102 grams). Its case was composed of anodized aluminum. First generation iPod minis were available in five colors: silver, gold, pink, blue, and green. The gold model was dropped from the second generation range due to unpopularity. Also in the second generation updates, the green, blue, and pink colors were all made much brighter. The silver model remained unchanged. While the button labels were gray on the first generation iPod, the second generation iPod sported button labels that matched the color of the case.

The iPod mini used ultra-thin Compact Flash Microdrive hard drives made by Hitachi. First generation models were available in a 4GB size, while second generation models were available in both 4GB and 6GB versions (capable of storing roughly 1,000 and 1,500 songs, respectively) and eventually had the drive size laser etched on the case to help distinguish between the two. Apple laser etched 2 lines of 32 characters each on the top of the reverse side of the iPod mini for free as a promotion in the first generation and continued through the second generation, which had originally cost additional money.

The battery life of the first generation of iPod mini was about 8 hours (similar to the 3G iPod that was available when the mini was released), which led to some criticism of the battery's short duration. This problem was addressed in the second generation models which had a claimed battery life of about 18 hours. However, the 2nd generation iPod minis no longer came with a FireWire cable or an AC power adapter, which were left out to reduce the selling prices of the new iPod minis. iPod mini batteries tend to run down to 80% capacity after 400 full charge cycles.

A proprietary dock connector was provided on the bottom of the device for a connection to a computer (Hi-Speed USB or FireWire). The unit's battery was charged during connection. Along the top it had a hold switch, a headphone jack, and a remote port for accessories.

The second generation iPod mini had deeper colors and the capacity of the model engraved on the back.Like the iPod, the iPod mini supported MP3, AAC/M4A, WAV, AIFF, and Apple Lossless audio formats. It also retained the iPod's seamless integration with iTunes and the iTunes Music Store, allowing for true auto-sync between the software application and the iPod mini.

Original pricing for the iPod mini was US$249 for the first generation (4GB model). The release of the second generation lowered the starting price to $199 and kept the 4GB model. An increased-capacity 6GB model sold for $249.

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Getting Ready For the 2010 World Soccer - LCD Enclosure Global Explained

The 2010 Fifa World Cup is just around the corner and everyone from bar, restaurant and motel owners are counting down the hours, want to know why?

Well in the past eighteen months these businesses have struggled, with less customers drinking in pubs as well as people eating out all down to people alike having to pull in their belts to get through the recession. On top of this hotels had many rooms un-occupied during this period with occupancy being the number one factor to profits hotels have also been hit hard.

Many foreword thinking managers and managers have realized that if they offer an outdoor viewing area for the world famous soccer tournament this will get customers back to the on site pubs, restaurants and motels, but there is an issue with the cost and availability of outdoor TVs these are TVs that are weatherproof and work straight from the box, the issue is they cost in excess of $5,000 for a 42" unit, the next challenge is supply as many of the wholesalers have depleted stock with their replenishment stock arriving after the sporting event.

Now these desperate companies are deciding to install outside LCD enclosures, these are specially designed steel boxes that offer a controlled screen. These units come with anti reflective coating as standard on the case window ensuring sun light does not spoil the soccer matches, they also offer cooling as the TV does give off some heat and this heat needs dissipating.

These steel cases also offer vandal protection, just in case the results are not the desired ones and offers some protection to the display even if an angry fan throws a full beverage glass at the TV.

Dave owns the leading manufacturer of outdoor digital signage protective cases, as well as a range of digital menu boards that are used throughout the world through a network of integrators.

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LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Review

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Feature

• 600Hz Sub Field Driving
• High Definition Resolution
• 3M:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• TruSlim Frame
• Picture Wizard II

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Overviews

Get beautiful HD and the superior plasma contrast you're looking for with the PJ350. If you think plasma means a bulky frame or power inefficiency, take a second look with the PJ350. It has a TruSlim Frame that makes for a sleek design and its Intelligent Sensor technology and Smart Energy Savings makes sure it's using only the energy it needs.

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Specifications

If you think plasma means a bulky frame or power inefficiency, take a second look at the 42-inch LG 42PJ350 720p Plasma HDTV, which features a TruSlim Frame that helps trim away distraction without compromising screen size. Other features include 600Hz Sub Field Driving for elimination of motion blur, a mega contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1, stereo speakers with 20 watts of power and Dolby Digital decoding, three HDMI ports, and the capability to play MP3 audio files and JPEG photo slideshows from a USB drive.

Key Features

3,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio No more worrying about dark scenes or dull colors. The dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 delivers more stunning colors and deeper blacks than you can imagine.	600Hz Sub Field Driving Tired of streaky action or unclear plays during the game? See sports, fast action and video games like never before. The 600Hz refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur.
AV Mode Sports, movies and video games are best enjoyed with customized settings. With AV Mode, you can easily select from one of three picture modes for "Cinema", Sports" or "Games" to enjoy an optimized picture and sound experience.	Picture Wizard Get easy self-calibration with on-screen reference points for key picture quality elements such as black level, color, tint, sharpness and backlight levels. Take the guesswork out of picture adjustments with this simple-to-use feature. It's not actually magic, but it will sure seem that way.
Dual XD Engines for Superior video This Plasma HDTV combines two of LG's exclusive XD Engines to maximize picture quality for any type of video content. By combining XD Engine processors, panel performance is optimized ensuring higher color accuracy and more realistic images..	Intelligent Sensor Don't strain your eyes. Let your TV do the adjustments for you. Intelligent Sensor automatically optimizes the picture to the lighting and color conditions in the room for a more enjoyable viewing experience.
24P Real Cinema Stay in for the theater. Enjoy a true cinema-like experience in your own home with movies the way they are meant to be seen. LG's Real Cinema technology precisely displays 24p source frames on your screen, the same as on a movie screen. If you love movies, you'll love Real Cinema.	ISFccc Calibration Ready LG's ISFccc Ready HDTVs contain the detailed standards necessary for professional calibration of brightness, contrast, tint, sharpness, color levels and much more to meet local lighting conditions for both day and nighttime viewing. Settings are added to preset modes for easy access from your LG remote.
Clear Voice II Get audio the way it was meant to be heard. Clear Voice II enhances and amplifies the frequency range of the human voice to help keep dialogue audible when background noise swells. Infinite Sound What's a great picture without great sounds to match? Infinite Sound delivers an amazing listening experience with deep, rich bass to make the most of your entertainment.	Dolby Digital Dolby Digital lets you experience compelling 5.1-channel surround sound. And you can trust that you'll get the same great Dolby Digital audio quality no matter what you're watching--a DVD or Blu-Ray Disc, TV programming or downloaded content. Best of all, you can be confident that you'll hear the audio exactly as it was intended, because Dolby Digital is also used to create the soundtracks for movies and games.
USB 2.0 Now reliving that fantastic family vacation can happen in the comfort of your living room. Easily connect your external USB devices to enjoy JPEG photos or listen to MP3 files.	HDMI V.1.3 with Deep Color Make installation of any enabled device a snap. Get 10.2Gbps of bandwidth for deeper colors and more to take advantage of the best Full HD experience. HDMI V.1.3 connectivity lets you prepare yourself for tomorrow's technology today.
SimpLink Having a hard time keeping track of your remotes? With SimpLink, all your LG devices can be controlled with just one remote.	Smart Energy Saving With LG's Smart Energy Saving Features, you can conserve money and energy.

Key Specifications

Screen size: 42-inch class (41.6 inches diagonal) Resolution: 1024 x 768 (720p HD) Dynamic contrast ratio: 3,000,000:1 Brightness: 1500 cd/m2 (candela per square meter) 600Hz Sub Field Driving: Yes Built-in tuner: ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM Audio output: 20 watts (10W x 2) Speaker system: 2-way, 4 speakers Dolby Digital decoder: Yes Surround system: Infinite Sound Input labeling: Yes Swivel stand: ±20 degrees VESA compliance: 400mm x 400mm Warranty: 1 year parts and labor; 2 years on the panel Connections HDMI (version 1.3, HDCP): 2 rear, 1 side Component: 2 rear Composite A/V: 1 rear, 1 side RF: 1 rear PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1 rear PC audio input: 1 rear Digital audio output: 1 optical, rear USB: 1 side RS-232c input: 1 rear

Dimensions TV without stand: 38.9 x 24.3 x 2.2 inches (WxHxD); 44.1 pounds TV with stand: 38.9 x 27.1 x 10.2 inches (WxHxD); 47.6 pounds What size TV should you get?

LG 2010 HDTV Comparison

Series:	LD350	LD450	LD520	LD550	LD650	LE5300	LE5400	LE8500	LX6500	PJ350	PK550	PK750
Models:	22-inch 26-inch 32-inch	32-inch 37-inch 42-inch 47-inch	32-inch 42-inch 47-inch 55-inch	32-inch 42-inch 46-inch 52-inch	47-inch 55-inch	22-inch 26-inch 32-inch 37-inch	32-inch 42-inch 47-inch 55-inch	47-inch 55-inch	47-inch 55-inch	42-inch 50-inch	50-inch 60-inch	50-inch 60-inch
Panel type	LCD	LCD	LCD	LCD	LCD	LED LCD	LED LCD	LED LCD	3D LED	Plasma	Plasma	Plasma
LED Local Dimming	--	--	--	--	--	--	--			--	--	--
3D Ready	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--		--	--	--
Resolution	720p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	1080p	720p	1080p	1080p
Contrast ratio	50k:1 dynamic	100k:1 dynamic	100k:1 dynamic	150k:1 dynamic	200k:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	4mil:1 dynamic	9mil:1 dynamic	8mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic	3mil:1 dynamic
Refresh rate	60Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz	240Hz	60Hz	120Hz	120Hz	240Hz	600Hz	600Hz	600Hz
Response time	5ms	4ms	2.4	2.4	2	2.4ms	2.6ms	1ms	2ms	--	--	--
Netcast Entertainment	--	--	--			--				--	--
HDMI input	2	2	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	4
Component input (Y, PB, PR)	1	1	1	2	2	2	3	3	3	2	2	2
Composite input	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
PC input
USB port	1	1	1	2	2	1	2	2	2	1	1	2
MP3 and JPEG playback	--
DivX video playback	--	--	--							--	--
Ethernet	--	--	--			--				--	--
Wireless 1080p Ready	--	--	--			--				--	--
Energy Star	--	--	--	--	--					--	--	--
Series:	LD350 LCD	LD450 LCD	LD520 LCD	LD550 LCD	LD650 LCD	LE5300 LED	LE5400 LED	LE8500 LED	LX6500 3D LED	PJ350 Plasma	PK550 Plasma	PK750 Plasma

Learn More

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Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience. If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get. Minimum size = Viewing distance/3 Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5

LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV Customer Review

Well, after suffering long enough with my fiance's 30" Philips tube set long enough, I took the plunge and purchased the 42pj350. Let me preface this entire review by giving a little background here. I have worked for both Ultimate Electronics and American TV for a total of 4 years in the past and spend literally hundreds of hours looking at pictures on TV screens, adjusting them, using AVIA discs, etc... so I have a relatively solid base for judging picture quality here. I've loved Pioneer Elite projection sets and plasmas and sold many projection Mitsubishi sets on the basis of quality of the picture.

So...I set the set home and unbox it. Seven screws later, It's on the swiveling stand (yes, swivel stand on a 0 TV) and has taken the place of the bain of my television existence - the 30" tube. The only source I immediately have to try the set on is the composite Dish Network standard def feed, which really bummed me out. But, color me surprised when the channels, for the most part, look quite good from our 9' seating distance. Honestly, the little LG processes standard definition quite ok. After some quick picture adjustments (which I will talk about later), I start to surf around to find stuff to watch. NFL network has a game on - perfect for checking motion processing of a crappy 480i feed. Flawless. It looked damn good. I put the set in cinema zoom 1 (my fiance has had her old set in the same type of stretch/zoom ratio on her other set for years on standard def) and the picture quality is again more than passable for the signal. The deep blacks (compared to LCD sets I have owned) really allow the other colors on screen to pop nicely, even with contrast and color turned down. So far, standard def is a win.

Next night, it's time for some blu-ray lovin'. I drag my HTPC out from the bedroom and plug the HDMI in...presto...we've got an actually very readable desktop in front of us. I didn't even set the resolution to the native of the panel, I left it at the native for my 32" LCD in the bedroom and it was amazingly clear. The blu ray du jour of the evening is the biggest movie ever - the recently released Avatar. I get a warning about needing to update my player, which sucks because I don't have a network drop in the living room, but I decide to press on and take a chance. Holy hell..the 3 minutes of the movie that played looked fantastic. Compared to the 32" Olevia we have been watching movies on in the bedroom, this is a different world. Rich colors, sharp detail, noise free playback (no crawling dots like I have experienced on fairly recent Panasonic and Samsung plasmas) that looked amazing at our seating distance. After she is in bed, I break out the Xbox 360. Forza 3, Grid, and Left 4 Dead all look better than they ever have in this house. The kids have a 32" Vizio 1080p set in their room that we normally play on, but again, the deep black of plasma technology just pops the other colors off the screen. I felt like I needed to wipe the red from one of the Ferraris off of the screen because it just looked that wet. So far, so good with hi-def signals.

We spent much of Sunday (today) with cheezy sci-fi moves on SyFy network playing. My first foray into daytime viewing. I can't really complain. Yes, it is a giant piece of glass and does reflect things. News flash...tube tvs that we have been watching for 50 years are glass, too. We have a window to the left of the television and it wasn't a distraction at all. On a black screen, yes, you can see reflections. I can't see them as a distraction to most normal viewers. Our viewing is predominately night-time, but I will not limit daytime viewing because of a little reflection between commercials. It certainly is less distraction than the double reflections of my parents' 50" Panasonic with it's supposed AR coating. Reflections on that set turn into prismatic star shapes that apparently reflect off of 2 pieces of glass on the front of the set. After dinner, I drag the antenna out of the bedroom and rig it up for the misses to watch Desperate Housewives. Over the air HD looks stunning. It's truly amazing what 720p looks like on a 720p set. Yes, the native broadcast signal on ABC is 720p and it looks very, very good. I see no reason to spend twice the money at this screen size for 1080p and it's a damn shame that retailers are selling the 'you just HAVE to have 1080p' bill of goods to so many consumers when they would be blown away by the little LG that could. I'm a tough customer and have the box in the other room in case this set was going to perform like a 0 42" tv. It absolutely did not.

As far as picture adjustments go, it didn't take long to see what looked good, but I will AVIA this thing this week. I used Cinema as the starting point for out-of-the-box adjustments. Contrast is around 75, Brightness 50, sharpness turned way down at 30. I also set the color temp slightly cool - it looks good there with the Color Gamut set to Wide. Speaking of color..if you set the gamut to wide - turn the color itself down to compensate. I've got the dynamic contrast on low right now and it seems to work well. Normally, I would shut every picture feature off and go from there, but with the black level setting at dark, the low setting is in no way heavy handed in crushing shadow detail from what I can see so far. I turned the edge enhancement off, the dynamic color off (stange enough, this feature actually reduced saturation when turned on???) and the gamma is set at medium right now. True, there are much more detailed settings in the ISF modes, but I've got nothing but time to mess with them and the picture so far is quite good. Colors come off as damn accurate and that plasma black sets them off.

Inputs on the set are plentiful with no less than 5 HD inputs (3 HDMI, 2 component), an RGB 15 pin PC input, and composite for legacy devices. The set does lack S-video inputs or analog audio output - 2 things that can be forgiven for an entry level set like this one. Plasma buzz? Nope. Just a slight high-pitch noise that is less noticeable than what the CRT it replaced emitted. Image retention? Have not seen this happen yet. My parents also have a 50" Samsung (2008 model) and the IR is just unforgivable. 20 seconds in the DirecTV menu shouldn't leave an image up for 3 minutes after. I have been looking for it and didn't even see any after my unsuspecting fiance paused the DVR for something like 20 minutes before I woke up the other morning. The remote control and menus are both well laid out and intuitive. The remote is light years ahead of what Panasonic is sending out with their televisions. I swear they are off the same assembly line as their tube tv remotes from 10 years ago, which sucked big time, too.

Honestly, I'm a critical guy with this kind of stuff and expected much less from this panel. I used to run movie theaters in my younger years and have the consumer electronics background to boot. That is a perfect storm of criticism for almost any television that I watch. For a 0 street product (hell, even Sears is pushing this thing for about that price at brick and mortar) I can wholeheartedly recommend it at this screen size. Black levels are quite good, colors bright and accurate, and no screen door effect to speak of outside of 3 feet.

For those seeking a bargain in entry level plasma land - look no further.

Cheap LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV

Products By : LG

Model : 42PJ350

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LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV List Price : $649.99 amazon.com's Prices Offer : Too low to display

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