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Introduction
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01.Tour & Design
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02.Blacks & Whites
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03.Color Accuracy
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04.Motion
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05.Viewing Effects
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06.Calibration
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07.Remote Control
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08.Connectivity
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Formats & Media
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs LG 37LH55
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13.Vs Sony KDL 40S5100
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14.Vs Panasonic TC P42X1
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Ratings & Specs
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18.Comments
Panasonic Viera TC-P42S1
Previous: Page 3
Color AccuracyNext: Page 5
Viewing Effects
Motion Summary
Editorial Note: This is a review of the Panasonic TC-P42S1. The other sizes of TVs in this series include: TC-P46S1 (46"), TC-P50S1(50"), TC-P54S1(54"), TC-P58S1(58"), and the TC-P65S1(65"). Test results are for this model, but should indicate the general performance of other models in the S1 series. Read here for more details on series differences.
• Very little blurring.
• Has issues with artifacting, especially in 3:2 pulldown mode.
• Testing done using DisplayMate Software
Motion Smoothness (7.75)
As is typical of plasma televisions the Panasonic TC-P42S1 did a good job keeping motion smooth. We saw only minor loss of detail in moving faces and very little motion blur behind moving objects. The motion smoothness was a bit better with 1080p content compared to 1080i, but this is to be expected due to the effects of interlacing.
Motion Artifacting (4.75)
Artifacts are things that appear on the display that should not be there. With motion this is often a problem and we saw several problems with the Panasonic TC-P42S1. The most serious is a common problem with plasmas in that there was a trailing green light behind some moving objects. We also saw a significant rolling shutter effect, which makes white and black objects look like their opening and shutting quickly like shutters. Once again the effects were more significant with 1080i versus 1080p.
3:2 Pulldown & 24fps (5.5)
The 3:2 pulldown process is used to convert content that comes in at 60 frames per second (fps) and give it a film-like look. This is generally used with broadcast movies. The Panasonic TC-P42S1 had some problems with 3:2 pulldown. In particular we noticed significant glitches in our test pattern that indicate problems with processing. We also look at a scene of a camera panning across stadium seats. Here we saw a significant crawling effect along the seats that also indicates processing problems. If you have content that is natively 24fps, as you can find on DVDs and Blu-ray discs the Panasonic TC-P42S1 can handle this content natively.
| Other Models in the TC-PxxS1 Series | |||
| This is a review of the Panasonic TC-P42S1. The other sizes of HDTVs in this series should be similar in terms of performance and usability. For details about any differences, click on the image to jump to the Series Comparison page. | |||
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| TC-P46S1 46 inches |
TC-P50S1 50 inches |
TC-P61S1 61 inches |
TC-P65S1 65 inches |
Shop for the Panasonic TC-P42S1
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