HDTVoice.com - High-Definition Television Talk - Akai PDP4290 42" 16:9 Plasma Monitor $2199

09-17-2003, 03:38 PM	#1
terpswin HDTVoice Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 5	Akai PDP4290 42" 16:9 Plasma Monitor $2199 Refurb/Recert at tigerdirect.com Has anyone ever seen or even heard of this model? Nice price has me interested.

09-18-2003, 10:51 PM	#2
sc40094 HDTVoice Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Canoga Park, CA Posts: 6	yeah I've seen this TV at costco on sale for around $2,399 (brand new), but the picture doesn't look that great compare to other plasma models. I don't think it can display 720P. __________________ I live for Big screen TV and beautiful Jet ski and my family of course!!

09-19-2003, 02:29 PM	#3
EvanRude Reged User Tier 2 Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 60	OK got on of these Akia's It only does 480p. But I could not spend any more than 3K. I really liked it until last night when it made a vary loud noise and when poop. Going to Costco now.

09-26-2003, 12:50 PM	#4
EvanRude Reged User Tier 2 Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 60	Costco was great. To bad the Akai did not make it. The new model at costco is slightly better. It has DVI in, a non-digital tuner and both component inputs can now handle 1080i/720p/480p/480i. The last model had one set at 1080i/720p/480p and a second at 480i/480p. The new one comes with speakers but no wall mount as the last one did. The TV says it performs best with 720p input. But it is only a 480p TV, not HD. The 1080i down convert looks great for a non HD tv. It also has a scaler for 480i to 480p. I tryed this function and did not like the conversion except with the built in tuner. It on longer has a zoom function for every mode something I really liked. Sorry if this TV does not fit into HDTVvoice.

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01-10-2004, 04:07 PM	#5
Brian@BBY i <3 Aich Dee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oceanside Posts: 165	I think the AKAI plasma is a great buy. My buddy picked one up at costco after his 2 year old crt \Vega took a dump and he returned it to costco and they gave him $2100 so he spent the differance buying the akai plasma. it comes with speakers, and a built in dual tuner. it's a pretty good buy but has no audio out if your planning on running the tuner and then hook it up to a stereo you'll need a line converter for hooking an amp up to a stock car stereo. I have compared his AKAI which is very similar to my Samsung SPN4235. both natively 480p. the on screen menus are almost the same. the samsung comes with a better remote and has a signifigantly better picture probably attributed mostley to the faroudja picture processing, better glass on the screen (the akai almost looks like a matte finish) Samsung looks more glossy. and the Akai's Lacking DNie feature the Samsung has. also the blacks seem better on the samsung. but for $1000.00 less then the samsung and the akai's included speakers it's definately a bargain. __________________ like.no.other Last edited by Brian@BBY : 01-10-2004 at 04:19 PM.

01-12-2004, 04:00 PM	#6
EvanRude Reged User Tier 2 Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 60	On the Akia 4294 ( Costco ) I saw the Dnie feature in the service menu. I don't know what Dnie is. The models of Akia at costco I've seen are the 4290 and 4294. My 4290 died, I would not get that one. When I returned it they only had the 4294, same price. I like the 4294 much beter. Everything seems better. Except the remote does not switch inputs directly and I tried the 4290 remote with the 4294, no worky. It is only 480p but for the current price it's nice.

01-22-2004, 02:06 PM	#7
skeeter HDTVoice Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 16	Akai Plasma The FCC ID number shows that the Akai plasma is manufactured by Samsung and is a rebadged SPN4235. The Samsung unit sells for around $4000. It also utilizes DNIe.

01-23-2004, 01:30 AM	#8
Brian@BBY i <3 Aich Dee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oceanside Posts: 165	it is not a rebadged spn4235. they aren't even the same color. (spn4235=charcoal) and the akai is silver. and the one my buddy has does not have the dnie feature. maybe we are talking about different models. my freinds contrast ratio and brightness is also lower than my 4235, the remote is different also. he just got his last month at costco and paid 2999 so im sure he has the most up to date model. his component switching and menues all look identical to my spn4235 but the other than that, it's different. __________________ like.no.other

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05-21-2004, 01:26 PM

mobius97

HDTVoice Member

Join Date: Nov 2003

Posts: 14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian@BBY

it is not a rebadged spn4235. they aren't even the same color. (spn4235=charcoal) and the akai is silver. and the one my buddy has does not have the dnie feature. maybe we are talking about different models. my freinds contrast ratio and brightness is also lower than my 4235, the remote is different also. he just got his last month at costco and paid 2999 so im sure he has the most up to date model. his component switching and menues all look identical to my spn4235 but the other than that, it's different.

Akia, samsung......same o thing. I too bought an AKia but before I did I did a little looking into who they were. I may be wrong but I do believe Akia from what I read is an OEM manufacturer for Samasung, hence the lesser price tag. I have the 42 rp HDTV which is IDENTICAL to the Samsung model. There are 3diferences tho the name one the remote (which is the standard samsung remote) and the badge on the TV is diferent, also I must say the samsung twin came with DVI input while the Akia didnt other than these 3 things the sets are IDENTICAL.. Do some research and you will find out the same info when looking up financial information on the 2 companies. They are under a joint venture with Videocon and a few other companies...the sets are produced in the same factory even. Just an FYI.

Last edited by mobius97 : 05-21-2004 at 01:36 PM.

07-05-2004, 02:41 AM	#10
Brian@BBY i <3 Aich Dee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oceanside Posts: 165	not saying they aren't the same outfit. just saying the models he's reffering to aren't exactley the same __________________ like.no.other

08-02-2004, 07:29 PM	#11
Mike71 Reged User Tier 2 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Georgia Posts: 103	Actually, it is the Akia 4294, not the 4290 that is the same as the SPN4235.

09-24-2004, 06:57 PM	#12
MB2foru at aol HDTVoice Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3	Akai 4294 The Akai IS the Samsung 4235. Samsung sells Akai the right to build the units using there design. Common amung all idustries is this practice to sell rights to do such. Thats why they look different but inside they are the same and being that the FCC number is the samsung 4235 tells you that it is definatley the samsung design inside.

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09-24-2004, 07:07 PM	#13
MB2foru at aol HDTVoice Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3	Oh and actually also both the 4290 and 4294 are the same basic design as the samsung 4235 the only difference is the 4294 has a dual RF tuner added to the front end. FCC certifies both models as being Samsung in design.

09-24-2004, 09:41 PM	#14
Brian@BBY i <3 Aich Dee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Oceanside Posts: 165	well, on the outside they are deffintely different, have different remotes, and my friends akai doesn't have the DNie feature and it falls a tad short on the PQ because of that. __________________ like.no.other

09-26-2004, 12:38 PM	#15
Mike71 Reged User Tier 2 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Georgia Posts: 103	The 4294 is $1999 at Costco now.

09-28-2004, 11:15 PM	#16
MB2foru at aol HDTVoice Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3	Akai 4294 The 4294 has a DVI input and the 4290 does not. The 4294 with DVI input has a very sharp pic on HDTV channels. Akai is a brand name of Samsung so it is the Samsung 4235 or the FCC would not let them tag it on the FCC license as being the 4235. The 4294 with DVI in used has a better pic than a Panny unit costing 3 times it that I have. The 4294 has the cool dual RF tuner input also that allows the PIP and one of the PIP is 50/50 split screen of 2 channels at once and makes looking at 2 NFL games at once very cool. The Stereo speakers that mount to ech side, stand and peeless wall mount all came with my 4294 for $1800 from kitty direct. Can't beat the deal but make sure the one you get has the DVI dual tuner as that is what makes the plasma a good one. AVSforum has all the service menu tweaks you can do to optimize the unit also.

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