Panasonic TX-L42E30B
Panasonic may be a plasma brand at heart, but it’s destined to make a splash with LED if this E30 is anything to go by. Although positioned under the brand’s DT30 3D models, but it offers a better 2D viewing experience due to more uniform backlighting. Its design is a step up the ladder for the usually staid brand, and offers outstanding network media streaming.
File compatibility across the network and from USB aced my AVCHD, DivX, AVI, MKV, MP4, MOV and MPEG test files. MP3s play back with album art. Picture clarity is high, with good motion resolution. The key to this is the brand’s 200 BLB Intelligent Frame Creation Pro picture processor. Black levels are good, but not stygian. The brand’s cloud-based Viera Connect content portal is the final temptation. In addition to BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, you can also download a variety of apps and games from Viera Market.
Reg Rating 80%
Price £950
More Info Panasonic
Panasonic TX-P42G20
Panasonic’s G-series plasma models set the benchmark when it comes to high performance on a budget. Only marginally less chic than the LED opposition, the screen compensates with a compelling hi-def picture. Motion clarity is the best in this group, colours are naturalistic and black levels cavernous. With a Freesat tuner as well as Freeview HD mincluded, the TV offers more HD viewing options than its rivals.
Want extra content? Panasonic’s first gen IPTV portal, Viera Cast throws open the doors to YouTube, Daily Motion, Skype, Acetrax and Eurosport, as well as games and general purpose apps. Media streaming support across the network includes AVCHD and AVIs, however, MKVs were ignored.
Reg Rating 85%
Price £699
More Info Panasonic
Next page: Philips 40PFL7605
COMMENTS
Expensive
That's a large price premium for network (non)connectivity.
Find a larger, or cheaper TV without worrying about network connectivity and pick up a Western Digital WD TV Live Plus 1080p HD Media Player. Then, in 2 years when it's obsolete, ditch it and buy a newer one. Loads cheaper than just ditching your TV and buying a newer one....
Run things for a long time here
I replace every 9 to 10 years as well. I have had 3 large TVs so far in my life and I am nearly 50.
I am also an early adopter.
I ran a first generation Wega IDTV until I got a HDTV.
My HDTV doesn't do Freesat or Freeview HD, just normal Freeview.
My current 46" better last that extra 7 to 8 years!
Only thing I am missing is 3D but I get headaches from that.
I spend a lot rarely rather than less more frequently.
As to Betamax - the only working VCRs I have, happen to have that printed on them, mind you they have only been used for PC video capture since we got our first digital terrestrial PVR (pre Freeview).
Just make sure you have plenty of HDMI ports.
Re: Poor investment (Longevity)
In the case of a pair of tellies I bought from a certain Korean manufacturer (LE40A656, T220HD) my longevity estimate would be around about 24 months.
For the record the warranty doesn't extend that far, whatever the EU, Trading Standards et al, or indeed my receipt says about it (according to the manufacturer).
As it turns out the root cause was down to some bulging electrolytic caps in the PSUs. I replaced the caps myself rather than pay someone £200 a shot replace the PSU boards with identically broken PSU boards which would fail < 2 years down the line again.
Strangely the T220HD's faulty caps appeared to have already been replaced (judging by the messy joints and burn marks on the board), and the failed caps were a different brand from the others on the board.
Sony Wins !
No Chance, they are on my blacklist. Do not trust them to throw some sort of DRM in your lap at later date.
All you laptop buyers - Sony disables record stereo mix function (the old record what U hear) on all their Vaio's so if you want this function look else where.
Plasma + Backlit = Divide By Zero
I didn't think plasma display needed a backlit source since each set of pixels produce their own light, or am I missing something about the CCFL bit.
