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AliS panels thus claim to produce brighter images than normal for the same running power – or the same brightness levels as a normal plasma while using only half as much power. Plus of course, to bring us back to the resolution point that forced this technical diversion in the first place, the AliS design allows Hitachi to describe the resolution as 1024x1024. All clear now? Er, oh.

Anyway, where were we… Ah, yes, specifications. The 1,024 x 1,024 resolution is joined by a solid claimed contrast ratio of 3000:1 and above-average claimed brightness of 1400cd/m2. So far, so good.

Other features on this Hitachi are understandably limited, given its price. Aside from the fact that the screen is HD Ready, really the only things worth running by you are an optional 3D Comb Filter; dynamic bass and ‘spatialising’ audio effects; video noise reduction; and a film mode that adjusts the set’s progressive scanning to make motion during movie (as opposed to TV) viewing look smoother.

You’ll note that there’s no digital tuner; a disappointing but hardly surprising omission on a £1,200 42in plasma TV.

It’s fair to say that the picture quality from the vast majority of other sub-£1500 42in plasma TVs released to date has been average at best – and damn poor at worst. But this Hitachi is having none of this, instead serving up pictures that are never worse than decent and are at times very good.

The very good moments are all without exception seen during high definition viewing. With a solid HD source the picture looks impressively clean, richly coloured, replete with contrast and black level, solid, three-dimensional and fluid. In fact, the only minor complaint we could raise would be that more expensive screens can look slightly sharper and deliver more of high definition’s lovely fine details.
The merely decent pictures occur exclusively with standard definition pictures – or to be more specific, low quality standard definition pictures such as a grainy analogue broadcast or a low-bit rate (and so blocky) Sky Digital broadcast.

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