Panasonic TX-L37DT30 37in 3D LED backlit TV
Panny's first LCD 3D telly
Review The introduction of 3D-ready LCD TVs marks a major policy shift for Panasonic. The brand has been a vociferous advocate of plasma tech for 3D, yet now it’s hawking a pair of LED backlit 3D screens, a 32in model and the 37incher featured here. The justification, the company will tell you, is to provide a smaller Active Shutter solution for gamers. But Panasonic’s aspirations are far broader than that. It wants a slice of the rapidly expanding LED pie.
Panasonic's TX-L37DT30 utilises an LCD panel rather than plasma to deliver its 3D picture
The TX-L37DT30 is certainly well-appointed. It has both Freeview HD and Freesat HD tuners, plus a generic DVB-S/S2 satellite alternative, and sports the brand’s new Viera Connect IPTV portal. A significant upgrade on Panasonic’s old Viera Cast channel, this is a cloud-based service designed to take advantage of the booming apps market.
Connectivity is good. On the back panel you’ll find three HDMI inputs, a PC D-sub connection, Scart and Ethernet Lan. There’s also a pair of USB inputs. Given that Skype is one of the key features provided by Viera Connect, at least one of these will probably end up being connected to Panasonic’s TY-CC10 HD Skype cam. While other branded webcams can be used, Panasonic’s model is a neat cosmetic match and also features a wide mic array, which has been designed to pick up chat from a sofa full of people.
A third USB port is provided on the left hand side of the screen for media playback, along with a fourth HDMI input, legacy phono AV inputs and an SD card reader. There is no integrated Wi-Fi. You’ll need a dongle if you can’t run Ethernet to the set. Setup is quick and easy, thanks to large graphics and a clear UI.
Viera Tools
Unlike rival Samsung, Panasonic hasn’t integrated local media playback and streaming into its smart TV dashboard. You still need to use the dedicated Viera tools bar.
Next page: Media management
COMMENTS
It may well work
lol. £130 for the glasses.. per person. NEXT!
has this fad not dead yet!
If you want 3d drama go to the theatre and watch a play. 3d tvs are a pointless piece of fluff
All that money
and they still can't integrate a wifi chipset in there?
(Ah; I see - the 'official' Panasonic dongle is an £80 'optional extra'
http://www.johnlewis.com/231235540/Product.aspx?source=63258
The modern version of the £19.99 USB printer cable scam...)
A family of four will have to find.........
............almost half the purchase price of the telly in addition to said price? In other words for an average family the real price of this tv is in fact over £1600? I have no complaints about this review in general (most informative and professional in fact) but I would ask that given you (I assume) take the price into account when you are grading the telly, do you really think that it is worth 80% when the real price for the average punter is in fact almost 50% higher than the manufacturers are claiming/pretending? Or to put it another way, given that it is not, in reality, a 3D TV without the glasses would one really have given it 80% as a 37 inch *2D* telly for which they are charging £1100? I am obliged to say that reviewed as a 2D TV I personally would not have given it more than 70% (max) at that price and no more than the same grade reviewed as a 3D TV *at its real price* of £1620.
I have to say that I am very cynical about the TV producers here, they remind me of the printer manufacturers - "cheap" printer and then they force you to open a major artery every time you buy cartridges! The claimed pricing of 3D TV is IMHO a deeply dishonest exercise.
Single tuner?
Why no dual tuner with integrated PVR? A much more useful feature than 3D.
