Akai PDP-4294 42 in. EDTV-Ready Plasma TV

Pros: price, picture quality, brightness, detachable speakers reduce width
Cons: slow tuner, remote control is difficult to use

When my 32" Proscan tube TV died, I figured I had two options. Either spend $$$ and get a solid set that would be my final TV purchase for a long time, or buy something relatively inexpensive that would give me another few years to let the current ...

Pros: Solid construction, attractive design, very good picture quality with DVDs, intuitive on-screen menus, excellent speakers
Cons: Gray edge stripes in 4:3 mode. Poor picture quality from standard definition cable/satellite sources

Though I'm usually reluctant to stray from well known TV brands, I took a chance on this plasma display and was generally pleased, though I returned it for poor performance with standard definition (non-HD) broadcasts. Costco featured this model in a ...

Pros: Great Price, Rock Solid, Reliable and well built. Great sound from built in speakers.
Cons: Only EDTV. Suffers from color banding in shadows and other similarly complex tones.

I purchased this TV from Costco about a year and a half ago. We currently use it in our bedroom to watch evening news, Cops, Simpsons, and other junk off our Tivo. The thing to remember about this TV is that it is only EDTV and thus shouldn't ...

Pros: Great picture with HD content.
Cons: Included speakers seem a little weak.

I bought my 42" Akai plasma at Costco. It is my first plasma. After reading the reviews here, I was concerned that I might be disappointed in the quality of non-HD content. Maybe it is because I am used to lessor TV's but I think the overall picture quality is great. The HD content is stunning! The rest is still very good in my book. I haven't hooked up a sub-woofer yet, but I think the sound from the included speakers is not very great.

Pros: Good sound quality. Looks good hanging on the wall
Cons: Absolutely terrible picture quality when watching broadcast TV in either satellite or cable mode.

I bought this Akai with the house I bought as it was already hanging on the wall and looked great. I should have looked at it when it was turned on the satellite TV channels instead of the DVD. While using it to watch a TV channel, it makes you feel as though there was rain on the screen. It has that same type of feeling you get from a window with heavy rain running down it. Wavy,not fully in focus.

If all you are going to do is use it for watching DVDs you will be pleased but if you want to watch any broadcast TV channel from either a satellite or cable you will be very disappointed.

I will be putting this one up for sale and go with a rear projection HDTV. I have looked at those on the TV mode and they are great. I don't think I would ever buy another Akai brand again because of this experience. It was my fault though for not checking it out better.

Pros: You can watch TV shows on it.
Cons: It is the most aggravating piece of equipment in my home.

Picture quality sucks. Remote is delayed like a bed foreign kung fu movie, and now the DVD is STUCK in the unit and I have only had it for 5 months!!!!!!!!! Your kids also can't play DVD games because of the crappiness of the remote and there is no code to program this TV to a universal remote. So dissapointed I just threw $1000 down the crapper.

Pros: best bang for your buck out there
Cons: slow processor finding signal and PIP

i recently bought the Akia PDP4294 and could not be happier! It's hooked up to dtv and the picture is great. I bought it from Costco as well the same day i returned a Daytec 42 inch plasma that didn't compare and cost 200 bucks more!Why anyone wouldn't buy a plasma from Costco baffles me because there return policy is second to none thus eliminating extended warranties that sometimes cost 500 bucks (Best Buy)