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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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05.3D
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06.Viewing Effects
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07.Calibration
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08.Connectivity
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09.Remote Control
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10.Audio & Menus
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11.Multimedia & Internet
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12.Power Consumption
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13.Vs Samsung UN55C7000
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14.Vs Samsung UN46C8000
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15.Vs Panasonic TC-P50VT20
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16.Conclusion
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17.Series Comparison
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18.Photo Gallery
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19.Ratings & Specs
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20.Comments
Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800
Previous: Page 14
Vs Samsung UN46C8000Next: Page 16
ConclusionVs Panasonic TC-P50VT20
Value Comparison
The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 is a fatter, boxier TV, required to fit all the guts of a plasma display. As a plasma, the black levels are great, but the peak brightness was so dim that it created a problem when you wear the 3D glasses. Overall, we’re having a harder and harder time recommending plasmas over good LCD TVs. The only real benefit to the Panasonic TC-P50VT20 was that we thought it displayed 3D content better than the Samsungs. We’re still T.B.A. on the 3D performance of the Sony KDL-46HX800.
| Core Attributes Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
| Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 | Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 | |
| Size | 46 in. | 50 in. |
| General Type | LED | Plasma |
| Format | 1080p | 1080p |
Blacks & Whites
The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 is a plasma display, and as expected, its black levels were much deeper than the LCD displays. However, the peak brightness was terrible – so dim as to cause passers-by to comment on it. As a result, the contrast ratio is quite narrow compared to the other TVs.
Color Accuracy
The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 was noticeably weaker in its color performance tests. It had a harder time maintaining a consistent color temperature, and the RGB color curve results were a little more frazzled than the Sony’s.
| Color Temperature Comparison | |
|---|---|
| Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 (Score: 8.47) |  |
| Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.81) |  |
| RGB Comparison | |
|---|---|
| Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 (Score: 8.06) |  |
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| Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 (Score: 7.7) |  |
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Motion
You can fault it for color and brightness, but the Panasonic TC-P50VT20 had outstanding motion performance.
| Motion Scores | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800 | Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20 | |
| Motion Score | ||
Viewing Effects
The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 also beat the pants off of three LCD TVs, with a massive viewing angle of 160 degrees. That’s about seven times wider than the Sony KDL-46HX800.
| Viewing Angle Comparison | |
|---|---|
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|
| Sony Bravia KDL-46HX800: 11.15 | Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT20: 12.67 |
Connectivity
The Panasonic TC-P50VT20 has a good selection of ports compared to the Sony KDL-46HX800. It lacks an analog audio output, but has the addition of an SD/SDHC/SDXC card slot.
| Connectivity Comparison | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony KDL-46HX800 | Samsung UN55C7000 | Samsung UN46C8000 | Panasonic TC-P50VT20 | |
| HDMI | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Component | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Composite | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| S-Video | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VGA | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Audio In | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Digital Audio Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Audio Out | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ethernet | None | Yes | None | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| USB | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Card Types | None | None | None | SD/SDHC/SDXC/SDXC |
| DLNA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Latest News
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18-May-2012
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Features
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After testing dozens of televisions this year, the staff of TVI has made its official selections for the very best televisions of 2011. Read More...
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HDTV Streaming Content Compared
Televisions aren’t just getting their content through the coax cable anymore. Just as the internet has gradually moved towards a video-rich space—YouTube, Hulu, Vimeo, etc.—those same sorts of features are creeping into your TV sets. Like it or not, those 1000+ channels of direct cable are not enough anymore. Read More...
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Technology Preview: Haier Completely Wireless Television
Imagine a TV with no wires. You’re talking about WiFi, right? No, we mean no wires, at all. Haier, the Chinese company better known as an appliance manufacturer, is showcasing a new technology here at CES that conducts electricity wireless to the TV, as well as streaming content. The TV is pretty far from production at this point, but it’s among the more amazing things we’ve seen at the show. Here’s an in-depth look at the technology and how it might be implemented in future products. Read More...
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