The GTW-P42M102 does give you all of the parameters you need to correct the gray scale, and my review sample calibrated quite well. After calibration, it measured 7,000 K at 20 IRE. From 30 IRE, the panel tracked within about 100 K of D6500 K right up to and including 100 IRE, which measured a near-perfect 6,525 K with a peak light output of 26 ft-L. This is excellent gray-scale performance for a plasma TV.

When I set the black level on a low average picture level (APL) PLUGE pattern, the GTW-P42M102 had a raised black level on a high-APL PLUGE pattern, which indicates that the black level floats a little bit. This panel's black-level performance is its weakest point in terms of picture quality. While all plasmas suffer from poor black-level performance to a degree, the Gateway is worse than most plasmas, producing very washed-out blacks that are really a dark gray. Consequently, detail at or near black is nearly indiscernible. False-contouring artifacting—also known as solarization—was also clearly visible in dark scenes. In all fairness to Gateway, this is another problem that's associated with plasma technology in general, and the GTW-P42M102 is no worse than most of its competition in this regard.

The panel's color decoder is quite good. I found no evidence of red push; and, after I set the color and tint with SMPTE color bars and a blue filter, I didn't have to desaturate the color at all. When I checked the green with a green filter, I saw what I can only call a green push. This was clearly visible on the Monsters, Inc. DVD. In chapter 4, Mike (the little green monster with one eyeball) looked limey or almost neon when compared with my reference, the Runco DTV-991 projector. This is a common problem with fixed-pixel displays like plasmas and DLP projectors; it's a result of the primary color of green used (see the measurements box).

To check the GTW-P42M102's scaler for 3:2 pulldown, I played the opening scene of Star Trek: Insurrection. I was pleased to see that Gateway has indeed included this important feature, which eliminates motion artifacts. The GTW-P42M102 pristinely reproduced this scene's bridge railing, canoes, and rooftops.

After calibration, bright scenes on both DVD and HDTV material looked quite good. Chapters 4 and 5 of Monsters, Inc. had excellent color saturation, and the picture had snap and lots of detail. Chapter 4 of Hollow Man also looked quite good, with natural-looking skintone rendition and deeply saturated color. Dark material was much more problematic. In chapter 2 of Hollow Man, which starts with a very low-lit bedroom scene, the GTW-P42M102's poor black-level performance obscured much of the detail.

I performed separate calibrations for black level, color, and tint for 1080i with my HDTV signal generator, and then I sat back and watched a wide variety of material off of my Dish Network HD feed. Again, bright scenes from the Dish Network demo channel and movies from HBO and Showtime looked really good, with great detail and excellent color saturation. Conversely, as I watched Romancing the Stone on HBOHD, the picture still looked somewhat washed-out in dark scenes, and false-contouring artifacts were clearly visible.

Again, black level is plasma's weakest point in terms of picture performance. Still, the Gateway suffers in this area more than most of the plasma panels I've tested in recent months. This problem is usually due in part to the video-processing bit rate. Systems that use 10-bit video processing, like Runco's plasma panels, have a somewhat better black level than 8-bit designs. I suspect that the Gateway uses 8-bit video processing, and this may be the reason that its black level is as bad as it is. However, like so many picture-enhancing improvements in the high-end home theater arena, higher-bit-rate processing costs money, and Gateway is obviously aiming at a very aggressive price point for the lower end of the plasma market.

Gateway's entrance into the home theater market with the GTW-P42M102 42-inch plasma is only the beginning. According to the company, more models will be coming in the future. Currently, Gateway sells this plasma alone for $2,999; with a Bose 3-2-1 home entertainment system ($999 value) and basic delivery for $3,999; and with the Bose Lifestyle 35 home entertainment system ($2,999 value) and basic delivery for $5,999. At $2,999, the Gateway GTW-P42M102 is roughly half the price of the cheapest of the 42-inch panels currently on the market, which makes it the best value in its category, bar none.

Highlights

• The best value in the 42-inch plasma category
• Good video processing with 3:2 pulldown
• Good color decoding
• Poor black-level performance when compared with other 42-inch plasmas on the market