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| | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review: ( 290 customer reviews )
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378 of 388 found the following review helpful:
 The straight facts! Mar 30, 2011
By Know your stuff before posting
If you read the 3 star product review, you might think twice. This individual actually sounds convincing. That is unless you've done your homework. I'd like to clarify a few incorrect points that have been made.
- Fast switching phosphors are used in all Full-HD VIERA models for 2011. By reformulating the phosphor materials, afterglow has been minimized and luminous efficiency has been increased. This enables crisp, clear rendering of motion images. A level of efficiency that exceeds our 2010 panels also increases picture quality while lowering power consumption.
Only the top of the line 2010 3D models ($2K) had the fast switching phospors. The neoplasma is literally a promotional "tag". The 2011 3D TV's have a different rib structure in the panel as needed for the seperation of 3D images, specific cross talk cancellation processors to minimize 3D double images, and a specific louvered filter (infinite black) to help keep glare down while keeping the two 3d images clear.
Panasonic streamline the production lines by sharing internal components for 2011.
Cost leader is the 2D 720 "X" model. High end 1080 2D is the 2D "S" model. The only 1080 3D line is the "ST" model. That's it. It's cost effective.
Note that "X" and "S" do not have the pro mode picture setup like the 3D models but don't let that scare you. The 3D models need it to fine tune double imaging.
The 720 "x" model is a fine choice however you will notice a difference in edge glow with blueray IF you know what your looking for. Since most HD TV channels are 720, you'll never know the difference. A lot of people read the old CNET report and live by it and a lot of it is valid. But a one size fits all review between 720 and 1080 is flawed. The old comparisons between LCD and plasma is no longer an issue as power consumption is now equal.
Panasonic plasma has always been choosen as best picture over Samsung and LG. Do your homework and make sure your looking at a review within the last two years. Panasonic wins period. Far more natural colors, especially over LED-LCD which makes movies look like they were filmed with video tapes.
I have no need for 3D as its not receiving the support expected. Soon 3D screens without glasses will be standard just like the new handheld games systems that have just been released. They just have to get past the headaches...
My old Panasonic was one of the first 1080s on the market and has been through 4 rough home moves and is still kicking strong. That earns a bit of brand loyalty from me.
I went with the "S"46 model for a very simple reason. $768 delivered.
Thinner, better design, better picture technology than the 2010 Panasonic models and 1080 for bluray. Lovin it.
[...]
Panasonic VIERA TC-P46S30 46-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
119 of 123 found the following review helpful:
excellent picture Mar 30, 2011
By G Smart
The picture quality of this TV is simply excellent. Compared it with more expensive Panasonic "Infinite Black" G model and it's impossible to see the difference in real video content. You need to be in total darkness and have very high quality, low noise signal with large swatches of black and put them side to side to notice a slightly darker black in G models. Of course, just watching TV you will never think I wish blacks were deeper.
I've watched HD programs over the air, from blu-ray, Netflix from Roku, and from PC over HDMI. All modes 480/720/1080 progressive and interlaced displayed perfectly, and TV did a good job upscaling lower resolution to native 1080. No problems with motion, no blurring, no color fading or runoffs. TV does have a slightly lower moving picture resolution 900 lines (vs 1080 lines in top models), but it's quite impossible to notice that without measurements. So sports viewers will be satisfied. Also, on a positive side, the screen is not as glossy as the majority of other plasmas, so reflections are subdued.
I've been using this set for a few days now, so I can't comment on "image retention" problems that previous generations had. Supposedly the phosphors used in this set are improved from previous year, and reportedly they last longer. Just be sure you turn on the "pixel orbiter" to avoid burning in the logos and avoid prolonged display of static images. You can also run "scrolling bar" once a day for 15 minutes for the first week to age the phosphors evenly. Not all plasma owners believe a break-in period is necessary for the later generations of plasma TVs, and no plasma manufacturers now suggest their sets require break-in.
The description Amazon (and it looks now they removed it) seemed to suggest that TV had a built-in Wi-Fi. It doesn't, you need to buy a separate Wi-Fi USB adapter for that. Due to lack of adapter I cannot tell if IPTV and DLNA are working as expected. The other negative is common to all plasmas, which is high power consumption. You don't find this information advertised anywhere, because this set is rated at a whopping 339W. The built-in audio is weak, it has two tiny 10W speakers. It's fine for casual watching TV programs, but if you want to watch movies you probably want to invest in a separate audio system.
This TV may lack all the bells and features you can find in more advanced models, but it does deliver an excellent picture at a very reasonable price and that what matters most.
Edit 5-8-2011. I installed USB Wi-Fi adapter (Netgear N600) to test the Viera Tools. I didn't find them very useful though. It has Netflix client, but picture quality is poor (compared to Roku on the same network). Then there is CinemaNow, which I never used. Amazon Video on demand looks OK. I don't have any use for Pandora, Napster, or Facebook, so I can't comment. There is also Media Player for SD and USB cards, works pretty well. I popped in an SD card from Panasonic camcorder and picture was pretty good, no conversion was necessary. And finally, there is DLNA client, which I couldn't make to work. I does find the DLNA server, but connection always fails.
176 of 190 found the following review helpful:
Seriously gorgeous Mar 12, 2011
By Curtis G
**Please note that I am reviewing the TC-P42S30. I feel obliged to mention this because in some cases, Amazon has migrated the reviews of a particular product to the newer version's page. I just want to avoid confusion--and snippy comments.**
I am the ecstatic owner of a Panasonic TC-L32X2 32-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock, so when it came time to move up to a 42" set for the living room (and move the 32" to the bedroom to replace the 27" tube TV), I mostly confined my search to Panasonic. I had considered the previous version of this unit because it was highly rated on Amazon, as well as slightly less expensive, but I decided to take a chance on the newer model--even though it's so new that it has no ratings or reviews. (As of 3/27/11, however, this unit is less expensive.)
I ordered this TV on a Saturday and received it via delivery truck on Wednesday. Setup was painless (it is pretty heavy, though). I was pleasantly surprised to see that it supports Internet connectivity (although it wasn't something I was looking for, the concept has really grown on me), but less pleasantly surprised to learn that the wireless dongle (Panasonic DY-WL10 Wireless LAN Adapter for select Panasonic Viera HDTVs and Blu-Ray Disc Players) is another $99. For that much, I think I'll run a LAN cable. [I did; see below. Also see the comments for another wireless alternative.] I'm using the three HDMI ports for my Verizon FIOS set top box, Apple TV 2, and JVC XVBP11 Blu-ray Player. A set of RCA audio/video inputs takes care of my Pioneer laserdisc player. (Yeah, I'm old school.) I don't foresee using the SD card slot for anything but firmware updates, but I like having USB ports so we can watch our Flip movies in full HD glory--once I learn how to do it, that is.
I was very happy with my LCD TV even in the middle of the day; maybe that's why I never realized just how bright our living room is. The first time I tried to watch this TV from the couch, the reflection from the skylight was terrible. Around noon, the glare was nearly unbearable.
In late afternoon/full dark, this TV looks fantastic. It's so good, in fact, that I couldn't tear myself away from 2 Fast 2 Furious, which says a lot. The problem is that I do most of my viewing during the day, so I'm not sure that it's going to work for me in the long run. I'll have to give it a few more days. The preset color modes aren't perfect, but they're fairly accurate right out of the box. Both Netflix and iTunes movies streamed over the Apple TV look great. When I have some time I'll run Video Essentials to get the levels dialed in.
The speakers are adequate at low volumes, and there are separate bass and treble adjustments, but at normal volumes, certain low frequencies rattle the cabinet. It was particularly bad while I was watching Inception, but my wife even noticed it during "Top Chef." I know I'll eventually have to upgrade my 15-year-old Sony receiver (it has only RCA input, and the TV has only digital audio output), but it's a little irritating that I have to do it just to watch TV without annoying rattles. If the sound quality were better, I would be happy to give this TV a full 5-star rating. (If it were just about the picture, I would.) Additionally, I need to jack up the volume when I use my Blu-ray player--a problem I also have with my 32" TV. I suspect that the player's audio output level is lower than the DVR and Apple TV. NOTE: After the first few days of viewing, the rattles disappeared. Also, I wired up the DVR box and the BD player to the receiver, so I have big sound when I want it (unless I'm using the ATV).
One feature I will never use is called C.A.T.S., which adjusts the TV's brightness according to the room's light level. Evidently it's set to On in Standard picture mode, which I discovered by accident. After exploring the settings, I found it and turned it off. I want my TV to stay at a consistent brightness level no matter what the room light is doing. (I'll bet this is why the picture looked so bad at high noon. We'll see.)
So all things considered, am I happy with my purchase? Yes. The detail and clarity blow my mind. I'll test it with some more Blu-ray movies over the next few weeks and see how it performs during the day, but I think we have a winner. Welcome to the family.
Update 3/19/11: I ran a 50-foot ethernet cable (BluCables 50 ft CAT 5e LAN Network Ethernet Cable 350MHz) from my Verizon FIOS router to the TV. I wasn't able to connect automatically; after a few failed and frustrating attempts that made me consider buying the dongle, I manually input the network settings for the TV (the trick was finding and assigning an unused IP address) and bingo. Bonus: firmware updates over the 'net. I might move the Apple TV to the 32" in the bedroom, but the Viera Cast selections are limited. Netflix is essential and Amazon VOD is nice to have, but I really want Hulu. I'm still very pleased with the TV; my only minor gripe is the amount of heat it puts out. (I understand that this gets better. I hope so.)
Update 3/25/11: For those of you who, like me, are interested in getting Hulu via Viera Cast, I received this from Panasonic: "Thank you for your inquiry. This Model TCP42S30 includes a feature called EASY IPTV. Easy IPTV includes and is limited to: Netflix, Pandora Internet Radio, Cinema Now, Facebook, Napster, & Amazon Video On Demand. Hulu is an application featured in Viera Connect which this TV does not have. The TVs that have Viera Connect & Hulu capabilities are:
PLASMA: TCP65VT30, TCP55VT30, TCP65GT30, TCP60GT30, TCP55GT30, TCP50GT30, TCP65ST30, TCP60ST30, TCP55ST30, TCP50ST30, TCP46ST30, and TCP42ST30.
LED: TCL37DT30, TCL32DT30, and TCL42D30
[Some models are not available yet and are still awaiting release in Late Spring / Early Summer 2011]"
Why there would be a difference between models, I have no idea. But there you go.
Update 4/14/11: I moved the Apple TV into the bedroom with the 32" TV and have been using Viera Cast to watch Netflix movies. I haven't noticed a single stutter so far. Picture quality appears to be the same as with the ATV. My only gripe is that there's no search feature, and the recommendations in each category are limited in number. The best way around this, I've found, is to use my computer to put movies into my Watch Instantly queue and move them to the top. I also replaced my BD player with an all-region JVC XV-BP10 so I can watch my Region 2 Godzilla movies. ("Godzilla vs. Megalon" didn't look this good in the theater!)
Update 7/10/11: I hate to say this, but I wish I'd gone with an LCD TV instead. This thing puts out so much heat it's like a radiator, which is no fun when you have no AC and it's already 80 degrees in the house. (Ideally, I wouldn't have it inside an armoire with nowhere for the heat to go but forward and up.) And I would really prefer a brighter screen. But at this point, I'll just have to live with it. Could be worse, you know?
60 of 62 found the following review helpful:
Panasonic has been good to me Jun 20, 2011
By Gerard
I have a 3 year old 50" Panasonic plasma and decided to go to 60". This TV is actually lighter and thinner. Some things to be aware of before purchase include:
1) My 50" had a recessed area in the back for the cable connections and a low profile wall mount worked great. This 60" TV needs clearance for the cables. I have it about 1 inch away from the wall and the cables are smashed at the connection point.
2) My 50" had a matte screen option that I paid a little extra for and really liked. This 60" screen is a little more glossy. I have it in a room with lots of daylight and there is some reflection. The bezel around the screen is high gloss black with the bottom center fading into a brushed silver to highlight the Panasonic logo. The thing I do notice when the TV is off is a few wavy lines of distortion on the semi glossy screen. This distortion appears to be under the front glass. It has absolutely no effect on the picture when the TV is on.
3) TV came in "Standard" mode which is too dark. I put it on "Custom" and set it how I liked it. "Cinema" mode seems to be OK too.
4) Speakers are adequate but you may be disappointed. I hooked it up to a Panasonic receiver. I also have a Panasonic Blu-ray and run everything (including cable box) with a $30 Logitech 300 remote.
No complaints with Amazon delivery. The tracking said it was shipped by a company called "Home Direct". The truck that showed up said "White Glove Movers". Two friendly guys carried the TV into my living room, unboxed and plugged it in. I filled out the questionnaire and they were on their way.
Overall happy with the TV after a week.
**Update** After 7 months - still happy and no problems to report.
38 of 38 found the following review helpful:
Good buy for a good product Mar 23, 2011
By msn
This item arrived 8 days after order (2 days early)and the delivery driver helped me unbpack, which took about 5 minutes. Set up was straight forward and easy and took about 10 minutes. There are only 3 HDMI connections, (2 in back and one on the side) but there are component connections for an additional HD source. If you use both a satellite or cable AND over the air antenna (I do) you will need to go back to the menu after initial setup to scan OTA channels as the first time set up only gives you the "either/or" option. There is NO RGB connection on the TV so a computer will have to be connected via HDMI or with an RGB-HDMI/componant adaptor.
Network setup was easy and went without a hitch. I have a wireless bridge which connects to the TV via ethernet cable so didn't need to deal with wireless set up but I suspect it was pretty simple as well, depending on your wireless router and existing network. Internet apps are somewhat limited to the major players like Netflix, Pandora,CinemaNow, etc. and there was no indication that Panasonic will be adding more in the future. DLNA was an important feature to me and this is the first mid-priced model that Panasonic has offerred with it that I could find. The TV immediately recognized my network and after a little familiarization with the interface I was able to play 99 percent of my network media files. I did note that the program files the songs within the albums alphabetically, not in their original album order but this is more an issue of my media server then the TV. File access through Windows Media Player seems to correct this. There is also an SD card slot and media player app but I didn't try this function
The pre-set picture settings take some getting used to as each is designed for different physical environments and you can spend a lot of time trying to decide which one suits you. There is also an option to create your own picture quality setting. I was initially a little dissapointed with the OTA high def picture as it appeared pixelated with rough edges. However this was in a bright environment during daytime hours when digital OTA signals from the broadcasters can be of lower quality . Stronger signal stations didn't seem to have the issue nor did the satellite channels. Night time viewing was awsome and I was quite impressed with the picture quality. I am no audiophile but connecting the digital optical out from the TV to my receiver provided excellent digital sound quality through my system.
Internet app access is a single button push from the remote and the interface is easy to navigate using L-R arrow buttons. I watched programming from Netflix and had no buffering issues with a connection speed at about 1.3mbps. The SD picture was very good and appeared about as close as you can get to HD at SD speeds.
At this point I have experienced no problems or issues and am very happy with this TV. I would reccomend it to folks interested in an alternative to higher priced LCD TVs of similar size and who aren't sold on 3D yet. It also appears to work well for internet feature access at limited connection speeds.
See all 290 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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