Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/19/comet_sells_panasonic_freeview_hd_tv/
First Freeview HD TV goes on sale
Pre-order a Panasonic, says Comet
Posted in Media, 19th February 2010 15:27 GMT
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Eager to get watching Freeview HD? Retailer Comet has begun taking orders for Panasonic's TX-P42G20B 42in plasma TV with a built-in DVB-T2 [1] tuner.
Comet wants a whopping £1100 [2] for the telly. That price buys you a 1080p set with 600Hz motion interpolation technology, cinema-style 24f/s playback and a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
The set also sports Panasonic's VieraCast [3] internet access system, and DLNA [4] client access to play back JPEG, AAC, MP3, MPEG 2, AVCHD and DivX HD files. It has an SD card slot and you can hook up a hard drive to its USB port and record incoming programmes, Panasonic said.
Comet's website only lists the TX-P42G20B, but Panasonic [5] has 46in and 50in versions of the G20-series plasma telly in the pipeline. Two G20-series LCDs are coming too: the TX-L32G20B and TX-L37G20B, both of which do 200Hz interpolation and offer a 100,000:1 contrast ratio. Otherwise, they match the specs of the plasma panels.
Panasonic is also preparing three cheaper plasmas: the S20 series, which comprises 50in, 46in and 42in models, all of which have the functionality of the G20 plasmas, but lesser, 100,000:1 contrast ratio displays. Two equivalent LCDs are on the way: the TX-L32S20B and TX-L37S20B.
Comet says the TX-P42G20B will ship in March. ®