The HP PL4260N Plasma HDTV has a resolution of 1024×768 with an excellent contrast (as expected of a Plasma TV) of “up to 10000” to quote HP. Brightness is also very satisfactory at 1200 nits. It is an attractive looking unit with a metallic black design. You can detach the stand if you want to wall mount it.

The PL4260N has a larger 50 inch sibling, the HP PL5060N. The only significant differences in the HP PL5060N are the larger screen size, higher resolution (1366 x 768) and a slightly lower brightness of 1,000 nits.

The HP PL4260N has and integrated Digital HDTV/Analog tuner (ATSC/NTSC/Clear-QAM) allowing viewing of high definition video from cable or off-air sources.

Video Processing

The video processing engine offers dynamic contrast adjustment which adjusts picture quality on a scene-by-scene basis. There is also a 3D color enrichment system to produce true-to-life flesh tones and vivid colors. HP has also included Sharpness Enhancement algorithms and Motion Adaptive Deinterlacing which detects and compensates for motion in pictures, reducing any contouring and visual noise without affecting picture detail.

Sound System

The HP PL4260N Plasma Television comes with two detachable 8 Watt, three-way bass-reflex speaker with WOW patented sound technology by SRS Labs. WOW improves the dynamic audio performance of twin speakers by expanding the size of the audio image and improving the perception of low frequency sound (more deep rumbles for action flicks). To quote SRS Labs, “WOW accomplishes this by providing a panoramic three-dimensional audio image that extends the sound field in both the horizontal and vertical planes, and lowers the perceived bass response well beyond the low frequency limitations of the drivers.”

By connecting the Dolby Digital 5.1 equipped PL4260 digital audio output port to your stereo, you can achieve a full surround sound system.

What Others are Saying

CNet User Reviews give 8.2/10 (excellent) for the HP PL4260N. Business Week were very impressed with the picture quality (especially for the low price) but, less impressed with the sound quality. This is surprising, as the PL4260 and its larger sibling model the PL5060N both have SRS WOW audio.

Warranty

HP rate the PL4260 panel as having a very long 60,000 hours ( over 16 years with 10 hours viewing a day). The whole set has a 12 month warranty from HP.

Connectors

The PL4260 has an excellent range of connectors (see specification below) providing wide compatibility with other audio visual consumer electronics products. Of note are a HDMI port for digital video and audio carried by a single cable. Given the background of the HP company it is not surprising that the television comes with a PC input port.

Specification

Further Reading

Review the capabilities of the new HDMI 1.3 (High-Definition Multimedia Interface Version 1.3).

Read about the new Slim HD-ILA rear projection televisions from JVC which have reduced depth to complete better with flat-screen TV sets (plasma + LCD).