Akai Plasma PDP 4290 at Costco (1 Viewer)

[RogerHA]

Costco is advertising an Akai 42" plasma monitor for $3k. Akai's U.S. site appears to be inop. Costco number is 622616.

Am unable to find this model number on this site, on Google or anywhere else. I will call US distributor this coming week to learn what they will tell me.

This is truly a "monitor" in that there is no tuner, remote control or much of anything else except an RS 232 which I presume is for control interface. Res is 852 x480 so it would have to downconvert a 1080i signal. It should be great for DVDs which we enjoy. Even with horrible glaring overhead lighting in the Costco warehouse, pix appeared excellent.

No one at Costco knew anything about the monitor. In all fairness to them, I much prefer that to having a glib sales person with all of the "answers," but no correct "facts." Oh well, thank goodness for small favors.

Anyone know anything about this monitor? Perhaps there is an equivalent model number better known to the world.

Thanks in advance for any help afforded.

 

[Jael]

I was just checking out the very same thing. The model is "PDP4290 42" Plasma EDTV Monitor." The site seems to be up : http://www.akaiusa.com/products/pdp4290.htm

 

[RogerHA]

Thanks for the info and reply. I've checked same URL over the span of several days, but get the HTTP error 404 for anything at www.akaiusa.com. The link you provided yielded the same error this morning. I also tried the Japanese site. That site was "on the air," but yielded no info specific to the PDP 4290. Couldn't even find a reference to that model or any model numbers that even began with PDP . . .
If I can get the pile on my desk worked down a bit today or tomorrow, I'll call the usa distributor. They are local to me and should know the story on this model. I'll post what I find.
Thanks again.

 

[Jan Strnad]

I had no trouble with the site. Here's some info:

42" 16:9 WideScreen Plasma Monitor
160 Degree Extra Wide Viewing Angle
Picture In Picture
Progressive Scan Picture Quality
Digital Comb Filter
High Contrast/High Brightness Panel
Component Video, RCA, And "S" Video Inputs
Computer Input (VGA/WXGA)
Wall Mountable, 70.5 Pounds Total Weight
14 Watt Stereo Amplifier (Speakers Sold Separately)



Audio: 7 Watts per channel amp.

Video: Display type 852 x 480 pixel count - H/V resolution

Audio/Video Inputs :
1 - RCA Composite Video
1 - S-Video
3 - RCA Component Video - (480i/p,576i/p,720p,1080i)
1 - RGB 15Pin
1 - RS232C Mini-Jack
**Audio In with each jack

Video Terminal:
Component video 1 1 Set (Y, Pb, Pr)480i/480p
Component video 2 1 Set (Y, Pb, Pr)480i/480p
RGB 1 (D-Sub 15p)
S-Video in 1

Net Dimensions: 40 15/16"(W) x 25"(H) x 3 1/2"(D)

Jan

 

[RogerHA]

Thanks for the info. Just a few moments ago, I could get the pages too.

Have you seen the display in the store? Any impressions or thoughts?

One thought I've had is that, as nice as this might be, it is nothing that probably could not be duplicated or improved upon for $2250 in 6-9 months.

I will try to get a copy of the ops manual. Hopefully in .pdf, in case anyone else is interested. Long ago, my mother taught me that, if you're contemplating spending several thousand on something, find out a little about it first.

Thanks again.

 

[RogerHA]

Here's what I've learned today. The Akai brand name was purchased by someone (that company currently selling under the Akai brand name) in 2001. The particular product we are discussing, the PDP 4290 plasma monitor, is made for Akai by Samsung. No one seems to be trying to hide that fact.

When I called the Akai distributor for tech info on the product, they referred me to a very similar 800 number that was answered by Samsung Customer Service. However, no one at the Samsung customer service facility could identify the PDP model number although they did know that they were supplying some current product to Akai. A call back to Akai was rewwarded with the explanation that the model was put on display at Costco before Akai had anticipated and Akai did not have sufficient support info and neither did Sammsung. In fact, while the product is currently on display, the promo and lower promo price does not take effect until Jan 20-26. They suggested a call back in a few days when they expected to have all of the support info in hand. Evidently I was not the first to call about the 4290.

I will call back in a few days and post my findings here.

 

[BruZZi]

The Akai PDP-4290 is a rebadged Samsung SPL-4225.

 

[StephanB]

Samsung brightness is not so good i think only 480, they also sell the sampo which has 580, i got 2 sampos since one year and i am very happy no problems good picture, and sampo uses the hitachi plasma screen, there are only 5 companies which produce plasma screen themself, good luck

 

[Jed M]

The Akai from Costco does in fact come with a remote control. Replace the name Samsung with Akai and it looks identical to this:
http://www.pcstats.com/articleimages...25_remote3.jpg