Panasonic TC-P42X1 Plasma HDTV Review - Conclusion & Comparisons
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By Mark Brezinski
Published on May 18, 2009
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| Conclusion |
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 The Panasonic TC-P42X1 is an entry-level HDTV that doesn't come with many extras. It features a lot of the perks typical to plasma HDTVs, such as a great viewing angle and a deep black level.
Unfortunately performance was no impressive apart from those standbys. It features a poor greyscale gamma and color performance. Neither the greyscale nor the colors were emulated properly, with very little differentiation on the lower and higher intensities. In order to prevent colors from peaking, you'll have to turn down several settings that decrease contrast and maximum brightness. This, in turn, means the TC-P42X1 won't be able to outshine a normally-lit room.
The TC-P42X1's one extra, the photo viewer, is a nice, utilitarian feature, but doesn't make up for the myriad issues the TV suffers from, such as the lack of details in dark and intense colors, or the motion artifacting. Although the price is very attractive we'd recommend looking at alternatives as you can get significantly better picture quality than the TC-42X1 offers.
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| Comparisons |
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Versus Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU
The TC-P42X1 and TH-46PZ8OU have similar black levels, peak brightness, and contrast, but the TH-46PZ8OU has a much better greyscale gamma and resolution scaling performance. Both have similar color performance and have relatively similar results elsewhere as well, with the TH-46PZ8OU yielding slightly better results. If you're looking to future-proof yourself, the TH-46PZ8OU is a better option, with both 1080p and Xvycc Color mode. |
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Versus Samsung PN50A760
The PN50A760 has a much higher peak brightness and contrast ratio. It also does a better job with colors. The PN50A760 is a better plasma all around, unless you're on a budget: in addition to being the more expensive TV at $1,929, it'll also cost about $100 to run each year, vs. the TC-P42X1's $25. |
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Versus JVC LT-42P300
The LT-42P300 is an LCD and features an integrated iPod dock for media playback. As an LCD, it has a much higher brightness and shallow blacks. Despite its poor black performance, the LT-42P300 still has better differentiation between dark colors than the TC-P42X1. If you're looking for a set that has slightly more functionality than the basic entry-level set, the LT-42P300 is a good option. |
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