Samsung HP-S4253 42-Inch Plasma HDTV
Appearance is good, but picture can't compare
The new HP-S4253 apears better than last model S4252. The sleek black finish surrounding the display did please me, and would definitely match my black tv stand. When I went to the store, I was amazed by the way Samsung, Toshiba 42HP66, and Panasonic TH-42PX60U present life-like colors. All three popular models render pictures similarly. Toshiba even has the best price.    But when I did a side-by-side compare between Samsung and Panasonic, things turned out differently. They both maintain the fidelity very well. But Panasonic's picture is much cleaner whether it's still or transitioning. Samsung on the other hand can't suppress noise (flickering lines & dots) from coming out in the corner or some off-center area. We have done the comparison in four stores, my friend and I both agree. That feels like a film being played too many times starts to get slight wear (of course, not that significant), as opposed to Pana which is virtually noise-free.    Although Samsung's finish seems to make the display bigger (not sure it's also scratch-proof), but hey.. you paid for a 42\\" tv, why pretend? :P If you are looking for the best quality and picture, go for a Panasonic!