Question on Home Entertainment:

I was just about to buy the Hitachi P50X01A until I read an article in cnet.com.au that the Hitachi's supposedly full HD plasma is actually not 1080p but 1080i. Is this model similar to the one reviewed here in CNET Asia? Is there any confirmation of this feature from Hitachi Singapore? The local brochure says the screen resolution is 1920x1080 and states that it is 1080p. Any other recommendations for a 50-inch plasma TV within the same price range? Thanks.

Submitted by CNET Asia reader, via email

Answer:

The Hitachi P50X01A is indeed using a 1080i plasma panel. It has the 1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution of full-HD but renders pictures in an interlace manner. So it delivers only half the resolution (odd or even lines) at any instance. That said, this has little impact in terms of details perceived by our eyes, though screen flickering can be an issue for some.

Another potential concern is the average blacks, but affordability has been the selling point for the P50X01A. If you demand better picture quality, be prepared to pay a thousand dollar more for the Panasonic Viera PY700.