Panasonic VIERA TC-P42GT25 42-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black
- THX Certified 41.6-inch plasma HDTV panel with full 1080p HD resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio
- Full HD 3D sends a separate 1920 x 1080 full-HD image to each eye, for sharp, crisp 3D images
- Infinite Black Panel includes new filter technology for deep blacks and vivid images with minimal reflection
- Enjoy VIERA Cast Internet TV services such as Netflix and Skype with wired (included) or wireless LAN connection
- 3 HDMI, 2 composite with audio, 2 component with audio, 1 analog audio, and 1 PC input; USB and LAN ports
The Panasonic TC-P50GT25 50″ VIERA 3D Plasma TV is yet another high-end display to ride the mounting tsunami of panels which turn traditional passive viewing into a completely interactive experience with radically immersive 3D technology. Cue up a 3D movie in your Blu-ray player and you’re on your way. In fact, even if you don’t have 3D content, the TC-P50GT25′s powerful processor can render regular 2D content into simulated 3D on the fly. Just add 3D shutter glasses to add new “dimension” to your favorite classics and 2D programs. You can even view JPEG photo slideshows stored on a thumbdrive, SD memory card or computer in 3D. At 50″, the TC-P50GT25 is certainly going to attract attention even before you turn it on. With its Full HD (1920
List Price: $ 1,699.95
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HDTV
WOW!,
There is just so much to love about this TV.
My last TV was a 32 inch Magnavox LCD. Picture was exceptionally bright, but HD channels looked great connected via component cable. For some reason, HDMI would not work with my cable box and that TV. While picture was bright, darker colors left much to be desired.
I ordered this TV and got it in 2 days. I must say, I was pleasantly suprised by the freight carrier, Pilot. They actually arrived earlier than my stated time, ehich worked out well because I was home. The box had not a mark on it. When I get packages from UPS or FedEx, it looks like they’ve played soccer with the packages. The box was in excellent condition. The delivery guy carried it by himeself on his shoulder up to my apartment.
It took maybe about 1/2 hour to unpackage and set up, and connect my cables. Though it’s suggested to do this with a helper, I was able to put together and lift myself. It was a bit on the heavy side, but it was not too difficult to do alone.
I was thrilled when I turned on the set. The picture is crystal clear, and dark colors look excellent on this screen. HD looks awesome.
Since I bought the package, I got the 2 pair of glasses, the 2 BluRay 3D discs and the 3D blu ray player. 3D on this set looks positively breathtaking. I have a number of 3D blu ray titles, and have been watching them on this screen. My cable company aslo has about 18 3D movies on demand, most free, in over-under format. They play fine on this TV through both component and HDMI.
There are lot of settings, and advanced settings. If video setup is not familiar to you, I suggest you do as I did and sit down in front of the TV with the book and read through and adjust your settings as you see fit – it will be worth it.
Another great thing about this TV is the amount of inputs. There are 3 HDMI A/V inputs, 2 Component inputs with l/r audio inputs, 2 regular video inputs with l/r audio inputs, 2 USB ports and an SD/SDHC/SDHX slot. Including the coax antenna input, there are a total of 9 inputs on this set PLUS the 2 USB and SD slot – that’s pretty impressive.
All of the input terminals can be labeled, using preset device names. They can even be disabled using the NOT USED label. Doing this will skip those choices from the input selector menu.
Picture quality? The color range really makes a difference in this set. Theres a black setting which can be set to ligher or darker. Setting it to darker makes a world of difference in HD content. You truly see black and black gradients clearly on this set. There is excellent color spectrum, without the banding I was used to with my LCD panel. The great thing about changing the color settings is that the settings are retained individually for each input. The THX setting for 2D mode, and Cinema setting for 3D mode really enhances the color and clarity of the displayed content.
I really wanted this set for the 3D capabilities. I have tons of my own 3D content (photos and videos) which I was viewing on my 3D computer monitor. Everything is just so much bigger viewing it on this set. I was quite startled at the size difference of the 42 inch (OK, 41.6 inch) screen compared to my old 32 inch screen.
Since my main purpose was 3D with this set, I’ll mention it again, full HD 3D is truly amazing viewed with this setup. People have complained about the glasses being uncomfortable, but I have no cpmplaints with the glasses. The Full HD 3D exhibits almost no ghosting, and the little bit of ghosting I have seen is not at all distracting to me. By comparison, the 3D content offered by the cable company does exhibit a bit more ghosting which at times does subtract from the enjoyment.
My only complaint about this set is the sound from the built in speakers. It’s true that built in sound is never really good, even on the most expensive of sets, which is a shame. In this day and age, they could do better with sound delivery. There are bass and treble setting, and a bass boost function, but the bass boost really just distorts the lower frequencies. At higher volumes, bass is practically non-existant. There is a digital audio output to connect to a home theater receiver, but I no longer have one.
The Vieracast features might be nice, but I don’t plan on using them, at least not yet. But it’s nice to know they are there. There are also the Viera tools, that allow quick 3D settings, photo viewing, video viewing and other tools which I haven’t really played with yet. Both the Vieracast and Viera tools can be accessed by dedicated buttons on the remote.
Internet setup was a breeze. I do have a gripe however, about having to pay an extra $70.00 for the wireless LAN adapter. For the price of this set, it should include wireless access out of the box.
If you…
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My Experience
I have a THX, non-3D Panasonic plasma(2 years old); a Sony XBR non-LED LCD(4 years old); a low to mid-level Sony LCD (1 year old); Samsung’s top of the line 3D plasma (current model), and several smaller Samsung LCDs (1-2 years old); and a couple of smaller Sharp LCDs (4-5 years old).
Comparing plasma to LCD, at least the older or non-LED/non-dimming, LCDs is like comparing apples to oranges. All of my LCDs have matte screens; they don’t reflect much ambient light and work well in moderate to brightly lit rooms. The drawback is that the blacks just aren’t very black. But to be honest, 95% of the time, I don’t even notice. The non-3D plasma performs well in dark rooms; fantastic blacks and contrast but suffers from ambient light glare. If the scene is dark, the screen turns into a mirror. I use settings found on various sites for specific models (CNET, AVS Forums, etc.). The only deal breakers I’ve experienced are light bleeding/flash lighting; where I exchanged my low-mid level Sony for another and I wasn’t too happy about the reflections on my previous Panasonic plasma screen.
VIERA TC-P42GT25 Performance
I’m happy to report that the Panasonic GT’s new anti-reflective coating is outstanding! It’s still not as good as a matte LCD screen but it’s definitely acceptable if you watch TV in a moderately bright room. The reflections are less than what I experience with my Sony notebook screens. The glare from the frame/bezel on the other hand is worse than average because of the rounded contours. While on the bezel, note that it is bronze, not black. I like it but some may not.
The 2D picture is excellent. The darks are dark and the contrast is amazing. I’ve been using the GT’s built-in speakers for the time being and they’re not bad at all. I don’t have any complaints but I’m realistic about the laws of physics. Still, I will use an external receiver and speakers when I have time to set it up.
3D Content
3D Blu-rays are expensive and the selection is small. I have DirecTV but haven’t tried their 3D content. Fortunately, already expensive video games don’t appear to cost more if they come in 3D. I read Sony has 50 titles coming out in 2011 – so if you like games, you’ll be in for a treat.
Wireless Adaptor
You don’t need but may want a wi-fi dongle. There was a firmware update available when I connected my TV. Obviously, you’ll need one for the internet apps. At $80 a piece, I’d actually recommend a wireless bridge instead. I use the $80 (as of this review), D-Link DAP-1522 with four Ethernet connections. It’s handy because my Blu-ray player, DVR, receiver, etc. also have Ethernet connections. Don’t get upset with me if you have trouble setting up the D-Link; I had to call their technical support myself. It’s been a while so there may be better bridges available now.
Ambient Lights and Glasses
You don’t want any uncontrolled lights, including windows, in the visible range of this TV. When I am wearing the glasses, bright lights create a flickering effect which is distracting. Lights from the ceiling will also affect viewing: they create reflections on the lenses of the glasses, which is annoying. When watching 3D, it’s best to have a dark room. Even the bright blue lights from my DirecTV receiver are distracting so I turn all unnecessary lights off.
Glasses
The newer glasses are rechargeable through a USB connection; they’re lighter and there are no adjustments that I’m aware of. The lenses are smaller so the top half of my vision is through the glasses and the bottom half is not. This is annoying but it could be just be the shape of my face. As it is, the TV should sit at eye level or higher, otherwise I have to tilt my head down to see through the lenses. I did notice the glasses come in 3 sizes now – although the bundle includes only the medium size.
The older glasses require a battery (which is cheap on Amazon so don’t let that be a factor). They cover more of my field of view and although heavier than the new, offer adjustments in the nose pads (comes with 2 and can be placed in 3 different positions). These are my preferred glasses for now because I’ve gotten used to them. I’m sure I’ll get used to the new ones quickly because the lighter weight does make a difference.
Both types leave a lot of room for improvement. They both allow too much ambient light in; don’t cover my field of view enough (especially the newer style), and suffer from ambient light reflections on the lenses. Both are more comfortable when I’m wearing my prescription glasses underneath (because I can feel the nose pads from my prescription glasses are on the correct part of my nose; that is the bony part). I have the Samsung glasses (non-rechargeable style for another TV), and they have much…
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