I have to admit that I was a little dismayed by the quailty on the Panasonic TC-L37X1 television.  But only just a little.

But first, the technical rundown.  The Panasonic TC-L37X1 is a thirty seven inch 720p LCD TV with an iPod dock, Viera Link and Viera Image Viewer, three HDMI ports and one PC input.

Doesn’t sound like a lot, I know–and for an eight hundred dollar television (that you can actually find used on Amazon for the low, low price of about five hundred bucks)–and frankly, it’s not a whole lot of value for what you get, either.  I found that the picture was surprisingly grainy even at long distances.  Normally, I expect a bit of grain when I’m checking the up close view, but this one was giving off more grain than a wheat field from about eight feet off.  However, the sound quality was pretty nice, and the controls were plenty easy to handle.

I’m not very happy with the value on this one–at least not on the model I tried–but if you can find a good price on it and don’t mind a grainy picture, you should do all right.  I don’t recommend it myself, but your mileage may vary.

I’m generally very fond of the Panasonic lineup as they’re not only an excellent system overall most times, but they’re also very intuitive to learn without even consulting a manual.  That’s one of my top criterion for judging a system–if I have to resort to a manual it loses points with me.

The Panasonic Viera TCP54S1 is no exception and proves to be an excellent system overall, much like the rest of its lineup.

This Panasonic is a fifty four inch 1080p plasma TV with three HDMI slots and the exclusive Viera Image Viewer, which allows you to show pictures from SD cards directly onto the screen.

One thing is clear, the picture on this piece is absolutely phenomenal.  There are easily reached, easily operable side-mounted controls to complement the remote, and the sound quality is also solid as a stand-alone system.  The one down side is that it’s got a pretty salty price tag of around eighteen hundred bucks, depending as always on where you shop.

But the Panasonic TCP54S1 is certainly a solid value for the price, and if you’re prepared to go big you can’t do much better.

If you didn’t scrunch up your forehead and ask “who?” when I pitched you that headline, then you’re either better versed in world cinema than I am or just not the curious type.  But it’s true–Panasonic’s got a new pitchman for its Viera line of televisions, and it’s Ranbir Kapoor.

You may not know who he is, and it’s not surprising if you don’t, but Ranbir Kapoor is actually one of the biggest names in Bollywood right now.  Bollywood, in case you don’t know, is the Indian equivalent of Hollywood, and so this choice for pitchman makes some sense.

I emphasize some–while it’s somewhat widely known that Kapoor will not endorse a product he wouldn’t personally use, and that’s a great attribute for a pitchman to have, the problem here is that Kapoor’s appeal is somewhat limited.  Oh, sure, in and around the subcontinent, Ranbir Kapoor might well be the equivalent of Robert Pattinson.  But once you get out of Bollywood’s effective range, which as yet is a whole lot smaller than Hollywood’s, Kapoor’s name recognition falls through the floor.

So unless Panasonic’s planning on using Kapoor locally, this may be a bad idea.

Panasonic generally offers a solid lineup of televisions, and for the most part, the Panasonic Viera TC-L32C12 will be another solid LCD item in that lineup.  For the most part.

It’s not that it doesn’t come with enough accessories and such; it’s a 32″ LCD TV, with a 720p image, one PC input, two HDMI inputs, and the Viera Link system that allows it to link to other Viera products.

The picture looks great, especially for a 720p, and the convenient sidemounted controls are actually labeled with pluses and minuses along with the slightly more confusing left and right arrows, so that issue has been roundly dealt with, make no mistake.

However, there’s just one problem I had with this model–the sound was somewhat tinny, which is odd for an LCD tv, but won’t be a problem if you have it hooked to component audio, a receiver and speakers, or a similar arrangement.

But by itself, the Panasonic Viera TC-L32C12 is a solid addition to the Panasonic lineup with only one significant flaw.  That makes it pretty good in my book.

As the LCD television market grows, whether or not revenues grow with it, there will always be a class of LCD TV that’s nothing really special–it’s merely there.  And the Panasonic Viera TCL32X1 is a perfect example of one such system.

It comes with one HDMI port, one SD card port, one S Video jack and one component jack.  It also includes the standard Viera Link system, the Viera Image Player, and an iPod connection port.

So you can see that, already, this system is behind numerous others on the market for its lack of ports.  The standard-definition Philips I bought as an open-box three years ago has more connections than the Viera does.  And when an LCD can’t do as much as a standard-def set, well, you KNOW it’s sort of behind in the market.

As for performance, well, sure, it looks pretty good, and sounds all right, but it’s nowhere near as spectacular as SOME systems I’ve seen.  And considering that they’ve got an asking price of six hundred bucks a unit on this one, you’d figure it’d do a lot more than just be a thirty two inch LCD.

All in all, you can really do better than the Panasonic Viera TCL32X1, and in every regard, it shows.

The Panasonic Z1 Plasma series offers a wide array of features that show some promise. As far as the Panasonic Viera TX-P54Z1E is concerned, it transmits 1080p HD signals from its tuner box and can able transmit Amazon video-on-demand services. This means that consumers who consider getting the touted TV can enjoy streaming HD videos through its wireless technology.

The new NeoPDP technology may as well answer the growing concern for energy consumption of plasma screens. With this technology, the TX-P54Z1E can also produce slimmer, lighter screens with improved picture performance.

The 54in Panasonic TX-P54Z1E is now available in the UK.

(Source) HDTV.org

You may have probably heard of Panasonic’s latest HDTV, the 54-inch class Panasonic VIERA V10 Series 1080p Plasma HDTV. Well, from the name and specs alone, you know this one is going to require lots of cash. But if you want an easy way to own it, here is your chance.

Panasonic announces the giveaway via the LivivingInHD.com channel. The promotion is good until July 31, providing anyone an opportunity to own it through a simple membership signup before the said date. If you happen to be a member of the community then you don’t have to do much since you will be automatically entered in the contest. But if you want more chances, just refer a friend or anyone and you can get more entries by doing so.

For the record, the Panasonic VIERA V10 Series 1080p Plasma HDTV costs a hefty $2,599.95. So with that price tag, you can imagine the steal you get by simply being a member on LivingInHD.com.

(Source) Press

No other than Panasonic Corp. has announced that Amazon Video on Demand will be now available via their VIERRA CAST enabled HDTVs.

Bringing unique internet enabled services to Panasonic VIERA HDTV owners, Amazon Video on Demand on VIERA CAST enables customers to:

• Shop from their TV for their favorite movies and TV shows, selecting from Amazon Video On Demand’s massive selection of more than 40,000 commercial free titles including over 500 titles in HD.
• Enjoy instant playback, no downloading, no waiting and no subscription fees.
• Enjoy Amazon Video On Demand’s high-quality video through its use of the advanced h.264 codec and an automatic bandwidth detection feature that seamlessly plays back the best quality file at either 300, 600, 900, 1200, and when purchased or rented in HD, at 2500 kbps.
• Access and add to their virtual library of purchases via Amazon Video On Demand’s Your Video Library, and re-watch them anytime on their Panasonic VIERA CAST (R) enabled HDTV or online with a PC, MAC or other compatible device.

For 2009, Panasonic’s VIERA CAST feature has been extended to three VIERA Plasma HDTV series. Panasonic and Amazon are also working to bring the Amazon Video On Demand service to Panasonic’s 2009 line of VIERA CAST-enabled Blu-ray Disc players by this summer.

VIERA CAST was widely acknowledged last year for its distinctive internet application, allowing the consumer to view targeted sites on a large HDTV, rather than a small computer screen. VIERA CAST is also unique in the industry in that, unlike other internet-enabled HDTVs, it has a built-in Ethernet interface - no external box or PC is required. VIERA CAST is accessed via a single button on the television remote control and there is no fee to use the VIERA CAST functionality.

(Source) Press

We all know that plasma TVs are slowly shying away from the market but if money talks, would you pass up the opportunity to have one? Especially for people who are getting their first hi-tech TV set, the Panasonic Viera TC-P42S1 Plasma could possibly satisfy their cravings.

The Panasonic Viera TC-P42S1 consumes a good bit less energy than previous PDPs, and it also sported black levels that “nearly rival” Pioneer’s heralded KURO. Other praises include excellent shadow detail, solid color saturation and a decent array of ports. The only real knocks were the less-than-accurate primary colors / color temperature and the skimpy picture controls, but as we mentioned, these aren’t likely to matter to the non-enthusiast.

Overall, critics found that this here set struck a great balance between price and performance, but we’d still recommend putting your eyes on one before pulling the trigger.

(Source) Endgadget HD

Panasonic has sweetened the pot when it comes to expanding video quality playbacks as it announced the first line of DivX Certified(R) HDTVs from Panasonic, available in Europe.

The Panasonic VIERA(R) Z1, V10 and G15 series is a cutting-edge 1080p full-HD flat panel digital TV that enables consumers to easily playback high-quality DivX(R) video directly on the television. DivX digital video technology allows consumers to create and watch content on the PC, living room and on the go.

The nine models of the Panasonic VIERA(R) Z1, V10 and G15 series will incorporate its next-generation plasma display panels (PDPs) called NeoPDP technology which provide better picture quality, higher efficiency and thinner dimensions. The VIERA also includes the VIERA CAST(TM) online content service, which will be offered for the first time in Europe.

(Source) Press