Picture performance

Hi-def picture quality is a cut above the LCD mainstream, with well judged colour reproduction and plenty of detail. There are caveats though; I found the set best viewed in moderate to high ambient light. In a darkened room, its black level limitations became all too evident – blacks grey out and there’s only marginal shadow depth. Panel speed and moving picture resolution, though, are excellent. Leave the set’s IFC (Intelligent Frame Creation) mode on Mid for the best combination of sharpness and low motion picture artefacting.

Not quite picture perfect, but media playback file support and IPTV options perform well

Panasonic’s 3D plasmas have long enjoyed a reputation for best in class 3D, so how well does this LED debutant perform? Rather well, as it happens. There’s some crosstalk double imaging, but it’s understated. The screen itself is small enough to negate most double imaging effects. But you do need to sit close to get a sense of immersion.

Not the most attractive option for reasons of price as well as style

An onscreen adjustment tool is available to amend parallax, but this merely shifts double images from negative to positive parallax. The kicker is that no 3D glasses are supplied with the screen. You’ll need to budget for another £130 for Active Shutter eyeware.

Verdict

The DT30 is a super-slick LED TV with more bells and whistles than a troupe of Morris Dancers. It does everything well, with only a few chinks in its performance armour. Personally, I’m not convinced this is a good size for 3D though. While the implementation is good, the cost of additional glasses and general faff factor mitigate against its appeal. What does impress though is the set’s excellent media streaming capabilities and the promise of the Viera Connect portal. ®

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