A mere decade ago, an HDTV demanded an armoire-sized cabinet. Capturing programs for later viewing required a VCR. Now, with large flat-panel TVs of the LCD and plasma genera offered by dozens of makers, and digital video recorders (DVRs) built into so many satellite receivers and cable boxes, the space-time conundrum no longer vexes us—we can have our high-definition cake and eat it anytime we choose.

It seems logical that sooner or later a flat-panel TV would incorporate a DVR within its sleek confines. After all, the heart of any DVR is the hard disk itself, which today is usually barely larger than a deck of playing cards, and the few accompanying integrated circuit chips.
LG offers two HDTV plasma sets with built-in DVRs in two sizes: 50 and 60 inches. Our 60-inch review sample is sleek and stylish, finished in gloss black acrylic with a thin chassis, an alphanumeric display at the bottom, and two integrated side speakers (which cannot be removed).

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The 60PY2DR comes packaged with a stylish swiveling stand and can also be wall-mounted. Although its speakers are not detachable, they are slim enough so that they will not detract much from the look if you add outboard speakers. (Click image to enlarge)

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At 160 gigabytes, the DVR’s hard drive isn’t as generous as the 250 GB drives typically fitted to the DVRs built into satellite receivers and cable boxes, but it still provides an ample 13 hours of HDTV recording capability. Standard-definition programs occupy a fraction of the disk space that high-definition requires, and for each hour of HD capacity the LG’s DVR can provide over 60 hours of SD recording time at the lowest of the three SD picture quality choices. Roughly 20 percent of the drive is hard-partitioned for other purposes, including live recording buffer time (yes, just like a TiVo box, the 60PY2DR lets you pause live TV) along with two 10 GB folders for MP3 music files and JPEG photo files.

As is our custom, we first measure the set’s video performance with color analysis equipment, and find that even when set to the Warm color temperature, the LG (like so many others) still presents a cool white tone that throws off the hue reproduction somewhat. LG provides an Expert mode (password protected) that allows your installer to access the set’s red, green, and blue drive and bias controls to bring the color temperature down to the correct 6,500-degree-Kelvin range. However, the settings only affect the expert mode—not all the picture modes, as is usually the case—and also locks in the color, hue, contrast, and brightness settings, preventing fine tuning for variances in picture quality from source to source. Once adjusted, the color temperature tracks fairly well over most of the range, but goes decidedly blue in the very dark grays.Further measurements show a luminance “bump” near the top of the gray scale, a form of equalization that artificially pumps up the white level in brighter scenes, but at the noticeable expense of “crushing” bright white detail. While such variances typically escape notice with most program material, it is still a departure from the high-fidelity video ideal. We also note with dismay the inclusion of vertical edge enhancement that cannot be defeated; it contributes to ringing on sharp edges.

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The remote’s XStudio Pro button provides instant access to programs and files stored on the set’s hard drive. XStudio Pro also allows transfer of music and digital photos from the memory card slots onto the drive. (Click image to enlarge)

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Nonetheless, the LG presents a wonderful high-def picture, reproducing vivid detail with both film-based and video-originated HDTV sources. Of course, most people spend most of their time watching standard-definition sources for now, so we run the set through its paces with DVDs. The internal scaler does a good job of minimizing the effects of jagged edges, and scores well with a particularly difficult suite of tests. One aspect of the set’s performance is troubling, however: Despite the inclusion of a Cinema 3:2 mode on/off setting in the menu, it fails to detect and correct 3:2 pulldown on film-based test clips from the analog inputs, no matter if Cinema 3:2 is selected or not. (LG says this feature does work on other samples it has tested.) We also note significant banding and color shift artifacts on moderately and dimly lit scenes.

This is surprising, as we recently reviewed an LG LCD flat-panel set which sailed through the 3:2 pulldown tests and showed no evidence of the artifacts we note with the plasma. Incidentally, the LCD set emerged from LG’s information technology division, not the consumer electronics group.

The LG’s DVR function is especially easy to use, aided by a vividly detailed on-screen program guide. We also enjoy the ability to switch between high and low picture settings; this feature strikes a nice balance between a bright picture for daytime viewing, and a lower contrast picture when the room lighting is low. The audio, while no match for a good surround-sound system, is sufficiently uncolored to allow good dialog intelligibility and reasonable high-frequency detail, and the TruSurround function adds a pleasant surround-sound simulation.While we have reservations about certain aspects of the 60PY2DR’s picture quality with standard-definition sources, it nonetheless provides a splendid high-def picture, and the integration of the DVR and digital cable tuning makes the 60PY2DR a smart choice where ease of use and system restraints preclude the use of external set-top boxes.

 

DESCRIPTION
60-inch diagonal plasma HDTV with internal 160 GB DVR, NTSC, and ATSC TV tuners, and CableCard capability

DISPLAY CAPABILITIES
Standard (4:3) and widescreen (16:9) display with Horizon Zoom to gently expand a 4:3 source with minimal optical distortion. Accepts 480i, 480p, 540p, 720p, and 1080i signals, as well as XGA computer video

RESOLUTION
1366 x 768 pixels

CONNECTIONS
Two IEEE-1394 FireWire connections, two HDMI digital video inputs, DB-15 input for computer video, two component video inputs, two S-video inputs, two composite video inputs, composite video output, two optical digital audio inputs, digital/analog RF cable input, ATSC/NTSC antenna input, 3.5mm jack for wired remote control input, two stereo audio inputs, mono audio input (for PC audio), analog stereo audio output, optical digital audio output, DB-9 input for RS-232 control, 3.5mm jack for IR output; side-mounted slots accepts nine memory card formats for digital photo display.

DIMENSIONS
40.2 x 65.6 x 4.5 inches (hwd)

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $14,999
CONTACT: 800.243.0000, www.lgusa.com