Great Deal Panasonic TC P42G15 – 41.6″ plasma TV – widescreen – 1080p (FullHD) – HDTV
Customer Review
I had previously purchased the TC-P42S1 with high expectations. Although I loved the picture, it had an annoying buzz, especially during bright scenes, that I couldn’t deal with. Even after exchanging it for a second set, the buzz was still there. I could hear it 14 feet away in a quiet bedroom, which is unacceptable. I hear it’s hit or miss to get a set that doesn’t have such an audible buzz, but I had bad luck both times and didn’t want to try for a third.
So, I decided to give the TC-P42G15 a try. And I’m so glad that I did. Not only is the buzz (which all plasmas have to an extent) not a distraction in a small, quiet room, but the picture is much more crisp. The S1 had a slightly grainy appearance when viewing up close, especially noticeable when viewing the menu characters which were somewhat blurry. But the G15 is smooth as silk. Just stunning. Everything is crisp and clear.
And I love the features the G15 has that the S1 was missing, such as a PC port and Viera cast for Internet access. These are features that I will use extensively. The G15 remote also has a lighted feature that was missing with the S1, although it only illuminates the channel and volume buttons, which is a slight disappointment. It’s still helpful to find the most important buttons in a dark room.
I only have a few minor gripes, which subtracted one star. This set should have had a guide feature, being, as far as I’m aware, the top Viera model. Very limited channel info appears on the screen: not even the name of the program that you’re watching. It also doesn’t have a USB port. I’d much prefer that over the SD card slot since my digital camera takes CF cards. A USB port is also useful for firmware updates, yet this rather expensive 42″ set does not include one. I also find the preset pictures modes useless. Standard is too dark, and THX is also rather dark and has a greenish tint. I will never use neither. Personally, I think THX is a marketing ploy to sell electronics, be they audio, video, or a combination. There’s nothing exceptional about it, speaking as someone who’s purchased many “THX certified” products. It’s just something to stamp on the box.
I use the custom settings and have tweaked the perfect picture for my taste, be it for cable or movie watching. And game mode is perfect for playing your PS3 or Xbox 360. I didn’t make any adjustments at all to that. It’s just right. Everything looks amazing and it doesn’t get glaringly bright at certain points like an LCD. I know from experience since I also have a Sony XBR6 which can blind you at times. It’s like looking into the sun at certain points in a game, and turning down the brightness only makes other things too dark. This plasma destroys LCD for gaming. It’s the perfect balance of light and dark and has exceeded my expectations.
All in all, I’m very happy with this TV. And I got it for a great price online which sweetened the deal.
Highly recommended. No regrets.
very good tv…not perfect unfortunately – J. Abrahamian – San Marcos,CA
PROS:
Picture is very clear
Sound is actually quite good (for a small room) if you don’t have surround sound system
Installation, set-up, and the remote were ridiculously simple
CONS:
I have to admit that I am a little disappointed that the picture isn’t brighter, even in a totally dark room. The brightest setting totally ruins the color. The THX setting is the best out of all of the programmed settings. Perhaps I am biased or unfairly comparing this set’s picture quality to my 52″ Samsung LCD (LN52A650) or my buddy’s Pioneer Kuros Elite 60″ plasma….both still have the best pictures I’ve ever seen
I wish Panasonic included individual R/G/B color settings
Great tv but less than perfect sound – K. P. Stewart – Seattle, WA
I purchased this tv after extensive research. It’s fantastic, especially for HD content and gaming (I own both a PS3 and a Xbox 360). My only complaint with the television is that it’s built in audio is horrible. That’s not too much of an issue if you already have a good surround system/receiver, but relying on it’s internal speakers would be a huge mistake.
After setting the audio output to my receiver and speakers, I’m quite happy with it. There isn’t a LCD tv in the same price range (Or even for 50% more) that’s competitive.
I’d also prefer more HDMI inputs on the back of the unit (It has 2 on the back, and one on the side, along with the VGA input). My TV sits between two display consoles and there’s really no room to plug something in on the side. Just a minor gripe really.
Rating : 4.5
Price on Feb 05, 2010 08:14:01 : $1,299.00
Offer Price : Too low to display
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Panasonic TC P42G15 – 41.6″ plasma TV – widescreen – 1080p (FullHD) – HDTV Features
- 41.6″ screen (measured diagonally)
- widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
- built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required)
Panasonic TC P42G15 – 41.6″ plasma TV – widescreen – 1080p (FullHD) – HDTV Overviews
The Panasonic TC P42G15 explores new ways to enjoy TV, with a variety of link functions like HDMI.
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