Panasonic HDTV Reviews Part 1

One of the key players in the digital revolution now taking place, Panasonic certainly is a leader in the HDTV industry, fostered by its “Ideas for Life” catchphrase. For years now, Panasonic HDTVs products have featured cutting-edge technology, useful features and beautiful designs that have made these coveted by consumers. Panasonic makes LCD and plasma sets and sells these as flat panel HDTVs.

The top-selling Viera line of LCD and plasma TVs is at the heart of Panasonic’s onslaught on the HDTV market. The Viera plasmas, ranging from 42″ to 65″ in screen sizes, are well-known for their superb black levels, impressive color accuracy with their Digital Cinema color Technology, anti-reflective filter, wide array of connectivity, and the exclusive Viera Link (which gives full control of all connected compatible Panasonic products) and Viera Cast features. Recent releases of the Viera plasmas are mostly full 1080p HD resolution TVs, but there are still older 720p versions available which are in the HD-ready category.

Similar to its plasma siblings, the Viera LCDs- from 26″ to 37″ sizes – are also top notch in terms of popularity and features. Equipped with Motion Adaptive 3D Y/C Digital Comb Filter and 3D Color Management, Panasonic LCDs have some of the deepest blacks and most vivid colors in the industry. Full connectivity options, including v1.3 compliant HDMI ports, high-quality sound output, and add-ons like the Viera Link and Viera Cast, make the Panasonic LCDs really exciting and worth drooling over. The 2008 releases of LCDs are mostly full 1080p HD resolution, but older models in the market are 720p HD-ready versions capable of scaling to 1080p resolutions.

Panasonic HDTV Reviews Part2

Panasonic TC-P55GT30

Sitting just a notch below the company’s flagship line, the Panasonic TC-P55GT30 is a high performing HDTV that befits its hefty price tag. It is not for everyone, of course, as the solid black levels, very good 3D handling, and plush styling are better suited for moneyed videophiles with the cash to spend for really exceptional plasmas.

Design

The first Panasonic HDTV to sport a much slimmer profile, the revamped styling of the TC-P55GT30 brings a fresh look and trendy elegance to Panasonic plasmas. Highlighted by a narrow bezel with rounded corners and silver edging, low-rise swivel stalk on a glossy rectangular base, and a matte black finish, the HDTV certainly projects a clean and minimalist look.

The remote control that comes with the Panasonic TC-P55GT30 is the same as the 2010 clicker, with the keys clearly differentiated, logically organized, and mostly with helpful backlighting. The menu system is similarly a handover from last year, and while it works well with the remote, some options are misplaced while others require scrolling through several pages to get to the desired setting. The dedicated Netflix key is also absent, but a more notable flaw in the clicker is the unchanged Viera Cast button that opens up Viera Connect.

Picture/Screen Clarity

As expected from a Panasonic, the TC-P55GT30 brings deep and stable black level that nearly equals the blackness of last year’s Panasonic top-of-the-line models, although a tad brighter than this year’s flagship harvest. The solid blacks result in accurate skin tones and vegetation that appear punchy and realistic, quite discernible shadow details, and good screen uniformity, even if there are subtle brightness shifts noted occasionally. The modified antireflective screen also does a good job of eliminating reflections under bright light condition,

THX-certification differentiates the GT30 series from its step-down sibling, the ST30, with both 2D and 3D modes capable of bringing THX-quality images. The TC-P55GT30 has motion and dejudder in most settings except THX, and the video processor resolved 1080p/24 sources quite well even with only 60Hz. refresh rates. The plasma also handled 3D materials correctly, consistently delivering eye-popping images with minimal crosstalk and artefacts.

Features

The TC-P55GT30 is also among the first Panasonic HDTVs with the Internet suite Viera Connect that offers an expanded entertainment selection, including the standard streaming providers such as Netflix, YouTube and Pandora; social networks Twitter and Facebook; games and apps; and optional Skype connectivity. Quite unique to the Viera Connect system are the Shoutcast Internet radio service and the ability to work with the Withings WiFi Body Scale that records and graphs one’s weight.

The connection choices for the TC-P55GT30 include four HDMI slots, component and composite video inputs, VGA-style PC input, SD card slot, Ethernet port and three USB ports – just perfect as the HDTV comes with a free WiFi dongle for wireless connectivity. Sadly, the 3D-ready plasma does not come with 3D eyewear, so consumers must shell out big bucks to enjoy immersive viewing experiences.

The cliché ‘you get what you pay for’ is certainly true for the Panasonic TC-P55GT30. Solid performance in both 2D and 3D modes along with superb picture quality are enough reasons to splurge a bit on this HDTV. That it comes in a classy and attractive design is just a bonus.