Akai 42" HD-Ready Plasma Display TV @ Micro Center $1199 AR

[nobrainerdeals]

k, i just got the email, and the email has no link. nor can i find it on their website, so i'm hoping it's something they haven't put up yet.

don't know the specifics cuz the emails not clear, but it mentions a $100 MIR and a final price of $1199.99

no link as of now.

 

[GEEBOSS]

taken from Email---
Your local Micro Center is Open Monday, February 20, 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Look for our ad insert in your 02/19 newspaper for
additional savings and incredible 2-day only offers



Akai 42" HD-Ready Plasma Display
» Widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
» 1024x1024 native resolution for optimized
HD performance
» 3000:1 contrast ratio
$1199.99
Reg. $1899.99 / Price after immediate savings, (2) $100 Micro Center mail-in rebates / 058768

 

[GTFan]

I'm holding out for LCD price drops this year due to overcapacity, but this looks like a great deal on a plasma.

Is it true that plasmas still have better picture but draw a lot more power/create more heat than LCD's?

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: GTFan
I'm holding out for LCD price drops this year due to overcapacity, but this looks like a great deal on a plasma.

Is it true that plasmas still have better picture but draw a lot more power/create more heat than LCD's?

Holding quality constant (ie. comparing good plasma with good lcd, or low-end plasma with low-end lcd), this is relatively true.

Plasmas have better picture quality, but draw more electricity (on average, about 30% given equivalent sizes and source material).

There are some things LCDs do better (ie. brightness in fullscreen given equivalent brightness specs), but the vast majority of qualities you look for in a video display are superior in plasmas.

 

[ctcsoft]

not hot. i can get the akai 42" plasma for $988 here AR.

akai is not that great imo.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Originally posted by: GEEBOSS
taken from Email---
Your local Micro Center is Open Monday, February 20, 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Look for our ad insert in your 02/19 newspaper for
additional savings and incredible 2-day only offers



Akai 42" HD-Ready Plasma Display
» Widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
» 1024x1024 native resolution for optimized
HD performance
» 3000:1 contrast ratio
$1199.99
Reg. $1899.99 / Price after immediate savings, (2) $100 Micro Center mail-in rebates / 058768

Is the 1024x1024 resolution a typo? B/c that ain't 16:9 ratio.

 

[BlackPear1]

Originally posted by: ctcsoft
not hot. i can get the akai 42" plasma for $988 here AR.

akai is not that great imo.

Where is "here"? And what's wrong w/Akai (especially at this price)? When you submit a negative post without any details, you could be mistaken for a threadcrapper.

 

[osan0001]

Wow, nice price on an HD plasma. My Hitachi plasma is 1024*1024. Just the pixels are rectangular to give a 16:9 ratio. It is great for gaming (BF2, CS:S, etc...), but for stuff with a lot of text, the rectangular pixels are not great.

 

[BlackPear1]

According to this thread at AVSForum, the Akai uses a Fujitsu/Hitachi panel. How do do you like your Hitachi?

 

[Schfifty Five]

Originally posted by: ctcsoft
not hot. i can get the akai 42" plasma for $988 here AR.

akai is not that great imo.

Ban, we don't need asswipes like him.

 

[agent2099]

Originally posted by: Schfifty Five

Originally posted by: ctcsoft
not hot. i can get the akai 42" plasma for $988 here AR.

akai is not that great imo.

Ban, we don't need asswipes like him.

Originally posted by: BlackPear1

Originally posted by: ctcsoft
not hot. i can get the akai 42" plasma for $988 here AR.

akai is not that great imo.

Where is "here"? And what's wrong w/Akai (especially at this price)? When you submit a negative post without any details, you could be mistaken for a threadcrapper.

Here Here. Don't come in and crap the thread without information to back it up.

 

[osan0001]

I've really enjoyed it for 2+ years I have owned it. I don't think you could go wrong, especially if it is Fujitsu/Hitachi and for that price.

 

[MOCKBA1]

I saw the panel at CC for about $1.5K and it looked great for plasma. So, MC price seems to be fair. I regret that I bought LCD recently.

 

[Apex]

Originally posted by: Schfifty Five

Originally posted by: GEEBOSS
taken from Email---
Your local Micro Center is Open Monday, February 20, 9 a.m.- 9 p.m.

Look for our ad insert in your 02/19 newspaper for
additional savings and incredible 2-day only offers



Akai 42" HD-Ready Plasma Display
» Widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
» 1024x1024 native resolution for optimized
HD performance
» 3000:1 contrast ratio
$1199.99
Reg. $1899.99 / Price after immediate savings, (2) $100 Micro Center mail-in rebates / 058768

Is the 1024x1024 resolution a typo? B/c that ain't 16:9 ratio.

Not a typo.

There are 2 reasons:

1. Pixels are non-square. They're rectangular.

2. It uses Hitachi's ALiS technology. It's almost a type of interlacing (though not exactly).

It's physically 16:9.

 

[videopho]

I picked up the last Akai 42" unit at the local MC where I live (it had 10 total and were gone in 3 hrs) on Monday the 20th.
Took it home, unpacked the box, set it up using an RCA HDTV tuner (via DVI), a Sony Progressive DVD player (via component). The Akai only comes with hdmi so I had to buy an DVD-HDMI adapter for one end of my DVI cable. Waited until past 7pm for all hdtv programs to go on the air. Off I went turning on power the Akai, selected proper hdmi input source, tuned to NBC Olympic. Well the pictures look definitely in 1080i, tuned to Fox same here, 720p, so did CBS @ 1080i. Spent ~10 minutes or so between changing channels back & forth to make sure the Akai can properly tuning in all dtv tv stations as should. After spending another 10-15 minutes to adjust pictures/colors/ and alike. Here is my initial assesments. While the pictures look sharp in all channels displayed, color (especially hue) is a bit over saturated.
The brightness is what this set (I guess in all Plasma sets) really shines as compared to my 3yrs old Sony RPTV at my family room. All in all the Akai definitely outperforms my RPTV Sony, granted this is not a fair compariosn since the Sony is CRT form factor and an old dog (2nd gen HDTV).
On the DVD performance, I used the Star War Return of the Sith for checking out the Akai. Selected Component Input 1 (there are two inputs of these, nice!). The picture look OK, again the colors seems oversaturated in most ways which tells me I need to use my DVD (I forgot the name?) picture/color calibration disc for better proper color displays.
It's however still way too early so I give it another week or two for the set totally breaks in for another review. If it all tunrs out good in the next two to three weeks, this set will unseat my 6yrs old dependable 27" crt Sony Trinitron as my bedroom unit set.
For $1199.99 ($200 AR), for a Plasma and for its screen display size 42".
It is a absoulte steal, imo! Until then...That's All Folks!

avsforum user reviews/comments

Akai PDP4273M spec

 

[Apex]

Someone I know picked one up, I believe his was the PDP4225M1 (from the picture).

Specs

I have no idea what the functional differences are though.

 

[nobrainerdeals]

I think Akais a good brand, not top notch, but good especially with regard to the price. I bought a Samsung 42" Plasma for $3500 a while back, less than a year later, I bought the same exact plasma branded Akai at Costco. They're identical except for the color of the frame. Both Plasmas are working excellently.

 

[videopho]

Nobrainerdeals:
It's a somewhat a comfort knowing someone is liking it. I bit the bullet last night buying this set from MC and my wife hasn't stopped chewing me up for buying NOT a Sony brand tv set.

 

[CocoGdog]

Is there a MicroCenter in Southern California?

 

[osiris3mc]

Originally posted by: CocoGdog
Is there a MicroCenter in Southern California?

Just check out their website, has a store locater.

 

[Jaxidian]

Originally posted by: videopho
Nobrainerdeals:
It's a somewhat a comfort knowing someone is liking it. I bit the bullet last night buying this set from MC and my wife hasn't stopped chewing me up for buying NOT a Sony brand tv set.

That's when you go find a $4500 Sony plasma and show her the difference in price.

 

[kosstamogen]

the professor always tells us that women are cheap before anything else, no offense to your wife

 

[Mermaidman]

How does the Akai plasma compare to the 44" Panasonic LCD in this thread? Or is it even relevant being that they are so different?

Need to know because deal ends today!

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
How does the Akai plasma compare to the 44" Panasonic LCD in this thread? Or is it even relevant being that they are so different?

Need to know because deal ends today!

Apple and Orange. No comparison. What deal ends today?

 

[Mermaidman]

Originally posted by: videopho

Originally posted by: Mermaidman
How does the Akai plasma compare to the 44" Panasonic LCD in this thread? Or is it even relevant being that they are so different?

Need to know because deal ends today!

Apple and Orange. No comparison. What deal ends today?

It's a regional deal. HHGregg has the 44" Panasonic for $1297 today only, but it sounds like that's only a mildly hot price.