Big Picture Big Sound

Until now, the flat panel format war between plasma and LCD has been limited to the 40-inch+ size range. Panasonic was the last plasma manufacturer to abandon the 37-inch TV size, doing so just last year, filling in that size of the product line with an LCD model. But now upstart flat panel maker VIZIO is planning to give the LCD boys (including themselves) a run for their money with the only 32-inch plasma on the North American market: the new VP322HDTV10A (or VP322 for short). It's on sale at WalMart for a tasty $437 (note: price updated as of 11/27/08).

We first reported on the VP322 in January after seeing one at Vizio's suite at CES. And, as predicted, WalMart is the retailer of choice and the price comes in just below Vizio's own 32-inch LCD offerings. The set's native 720p resolution (1024x720 pixels) should offer plenty of detail for a screen of this size and the VP322's other specs are pretty impressive: 30,000:1 rated contrast, integrated ATSC, NTSC and QAM tuners (for HDTV reception via digital cable and over the air), 3 HDMI inputs, PC input (VGA), component, composite and S-video inputs and an estimated life of 60,000 hours until half brightness. It even includes fairly advanced features such as a program guide and lip sync adjustment.

Update: Check out our full VP322 review.

LCD sets typically win out in overall brightness making them a good choice for very bright areas, but plasma televisions tend to have better black level reproduction, better moving image support and better picture uniformity making them a better choice for watching movies and sports. The battle for the bedroom (television, that is) just got a whole lot more interesting.

Where to Buy:

• Order the Vizio VP322 32-inch Plasma HDTV at Walmart.com (currently in stock - $437)

VIZIO VP322 32-inch Plasma HDTV Specifications:

• HDTV and SDTV formats supported: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 480p, 480i
• Contrast ratio: 30,000:1
• Brightness: 1,000 cd/m2 (typical)
• Digital HDTV (cable/OTA) & standard TV combination tuner (ATSC/NTSC/QAM)
• Computer monitor (RGB) up to 1366 X 768 WXGA
• Wall mounting capable
• Typical lamp life of 60,000 hours (equivalent to 27 years)
• 1x RF, 1x RGB, 3x HDMI, 1x Component, 1x Composite, 1x, S-Video Inputs
• 2x Built-In 10-watt Speakers
• Size: 32 inches (viewable: 31.96 inches diagonal)
• Panel Type: 16:9 widescreen PDP
• Panel Specifications: Anti-Static and hard coated surface
• Pixel/Dot Pitch: 0.690mm (H) x 0.555mm (V)
• Viewable Angle: 178° (horizontal and vertical)
• Tuner: Integrated NTSC/ATSC/QAM HDTV Tuner
• Native Panel Resolution: 1024 x 720 (720p)
• Supported PC Resolutions: 1366 x 768, 1024 x 768, 800 x 600
• Response Time:
• Colors: 16.7 million
• Inputs:
  • RF (F Connector for internal tuner): 1
  • HDMI with HDCP: 3
  • Analog Stereo Audio for HDMI Inputs: 1
  • Component YPbPr plus Stereo Audio: 1
  • Composite Video: 1
  • S-Video plus Stereo Audio: 1
  • Computer RGB plus Stereo Audio: 1
  • Service Port: 1
• Outputs:
  • Analog Audio out (RCA): 1
  • 5.1 SPDIF Digital Optical Audio

Additional Information:

• V-Chip
• 3D Comb Filter
• 3:2 or 2:2 Reverse Pull-down
• ATSC with 8VSB & QAM demodulation
• ATSC with MPEG-2 decoding
• NTSC Video decoding via RF: Yes, thru Antenna, Cable, or Satellite
• NTSC Video decoding via Video: Yes, thru CVBS, S-Video, or Component
• Progressive Scan Video: Yes, thru Component YPbPr, VGA or HDMI
• HDTV: Yes, thru HDMI or Component YPbPr
• Computer: 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1366x768 via RGB and HDMI
• Sound enhancement: Yes
• Color Temperature: 6500K (standard), 5400K and 9300K
• Color Fine Tuning: Independent Red, Green and Blue
• Audio: Built-in 10W x 2
• Panel (PDP) Life: 60000 hours
• Power: IEC Connector for direct power line connection
• Voltage Range100 ~ 240 Vac at 50/60 Hz
• Power Consumption: 250W average
• Removable Base
• Weight
  • Gross (in packaging):48.5 lbs
  • Net: 39.7 lbs
  • Without Stand: 39.1 lbs
• Dimensions
  • Net: 32.5" W x 22.6" H x 8.0" D
  • Without Stand: 32.5" W x 21.1" H x 3.5" D