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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.Connectivity
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08.Remote Control
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09.Audio & Menus
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10.Multimedia & Internet
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11.Power Consumption
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12.Vs Sony KDL 40NX700
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13.Vs Samsung LN40C630
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14.Vs Toshiba 42ZV650U
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15.Conclusion
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16.Series Comparison
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17.Photo Gallery
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18.Ratings & Specs
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19.Comments
Panasonic Viera TC-P42U2
Previous: Page 4
MotionNext: Page 6
CalibrationViewing Effects
Very wide viewing angle. Highly reflective screen.
Formats (10.50)
The Panasonic TC-P42U2 has a native 1080p display (1902 × 1080), but can display all NTSC formats.
Viewing Angle (10.24)
The Panasonic TC-P42U2, as a plasma display, has a great viewing angle. In our lab tests, we found it to have a viewing angle of 77 degrees from center on either side (154 degrees in total). The next closest, in this comparison pool, was the Samsung LN40C630, which managed only 33 degrees from center (66 degreed in total).
Reflectance (6.00)
The Panasonic TC-P42U2, like most plasma displays, has a highly reflective screen. LCD displays are not cursed with this particular problem, but plasma TVs require a glass piece in the front, which invariably doubles as a mirror in your living room. If there’s a light pointed at the screen, it’s perfectly reflected. If the light is pointed on you and the screen is grey or black, you’d be able to comb your hair by its reflection.
Video Processing (3.00)
The Panasonic TC-P42U2 has just a few video processing features, which are described below. This is a cheaper TV, so Panasonic has omitted the motion smoothing features and others found on its high-end units.
| Setting | Claimed Function | Our Impression |
|---|---|---|
| C.A.T.S. | Adjusts the brightness and gradation according to the room's ambient lighting condition. | In a dark room, the TV will lower the brightness even further. Not recommended, as the screen is already not very bright. |
| Video NR | Reduces video noise. | Little visible improvement. |
| MPEG NR | Reduces video noise resulting from video compression at the source. | Minor improvement. |
| Black Level | Select 'Dark' when details are washed out in dark areas of picture. | That description (to the left) makes no sense. This feature crushes blacks, but it has no ability to retrieve information from shadows. |
| Other Models in the TC-PxxU2 Series |
|---|
| For more information on other models in this series, check our Series Comparison Page. |
 Panasonic Viera TC-P50U2 50 in. |
Shop for the Panasonic TC-P42U2
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