Sony KDL40NX803/KDL40NX703 Launched

The Sony KDL40NX803 and Sony KDL40NX703 LED-based LCD televisions (which constitute Bravia’s 2010 PRESENCE range) have started trickling into Sony Centres across the United Kingdom this week.

In addition to the affordable ESSENTIAL (EX) range, Sony’s 2010 line-up of Bravia HDTVs are further segmented into PRESENCE (NX), CINEMATIC (HX) and SIGNATURE (LX) ranges. Models in the PRESENCE (NX) and CINEMATIC (HX) ranges are pitched at buyers pursuing design aesthetics and picture quality respectively, whereas the SIGNATURE range caters for those who want the best Sony has to offer.

Sony KDL40NX803

The LED backlighting system deployed on the Sony KDL40NX803 is the edge-lit variant, where LEDs are mounted along the edges of the LCD panel to illuminate the screen. While edge-lit LED technology is generally regarded as inferior to local-dimming versions in terms of image quality, it does allow for a slimmer chassis and lower power consumption.

A single sheet of glass overlies the screen and the bezel, essentially giving the Sony KDL40NX803 a breathtaking frameless design which resembles a black monolith when switched off (hence the phrase “Monolithic Design”). Instead of using the default table-top stand shipped with the HDTV, you can opt to buy an opulent brushed aluminium stand (SU-40NX1 or SU40NX1) that allows you to recline the panel at a 6° angle — according to Sony this is devised specifically for watching the 40NX803 from low, contemporary furniture.

Besides featuring a native full HD screen resolution of 1920 x 1080, four HDMI ports and Bravia Engine 3 (BE3) image processing, the Sony KDL40NX803 edge-LED-backlit LCD TV also boasts an inbuilt Freeview HD (DVB-T2) tuner, 200Hz Motionflow technology, and integrated wifi connectivity.

Along with the 40″ KDL-40NX803, the Sony NX803 series is also available in the screen size of 52 inches:

Size (inch)	Model Name	Alternative Name	RRP
40	Sony KDL40NX803	Sony KDL-40NX803, KDL40NX803U	£1600
52	Sony KDL52NX803	Sony KDL-52NX803, KDL52NX803U	£2300

Note: High street stores like John Lewis, Currys and Comet, and online retailers such as Amazon and Dixons may sell these Sony Bravia NX803 HDTVs under their respective alternative model names; the extra character “U” appended to the end of the model number basically denotes the 3-pin-plug UK version.

In other European countries, the Sony KDL40NX803 is sold as the Sony KDL40NX800 which makes up for the absence of a Freeview HD tuner with a built-in MPEG-4 AVC HD tuner.

Sony KDL40NX703

One rung down to the KDL40NX803 in the PRESENCE range is the Sony KDL40NX703 which sports only 100Hz Motion Flow instead of 200Hz technology. The Sony Bravia NX703 series comes in 2 screen sizes:

Size (inch)	Model Name	Alternative Name	RRP
40	Sony KDL40NX703	Sony KDL-40NX703, KDL40NX703U	£1300
46	Sony KDL46NX703	Sony KDL-46NX703, KDL46NX703U	£1700

In our previous reviews of Sony LCD televisions equipped with 200Hz Motionflow technology, we have pointed out that any improvement over 100Hz Motionflow was subtle rather than obvious in real-life viewing. It remains to be seen whether the case is the same for the Sony KDL40NX803 and the Sony KDL40NX703 edge-lit LED-based HDTVs.

Sony KDL40HX703

If you are bent on having 200Hz Motionflow but on a regular CCFL rather than edge-LED-backlit LCD TV, you’ll have to cast your eyes at the CINEMATIC range.

The Sony HX703 series is probably the closest direct successor to the outgoing Z5500 series; the Sony KDL40HX703 does however offer the following improvements over the KDL40Z5500:

• Minimalistic Monolithic design;
• Integrated Freeview HD (DVB-T2) tuner;
• Wifi-ready for accessing selected online content via a wireless USB dongle; and
• Can now playback DivX/ XviD/ AVI/ AVC video files over DLNA and USB (previously only limited to MPEG1).

The Sony HX703 series is available in 40″ and 46″:

Size (inch)	Model Name	Alternative Name	RRP
40	Sony KDL40HX703	Sony KDL-40HX703, KDL40HX703U	£1200
46	Sony KDL46HX703	Sony KDL-46HX703, KDL46HX703U	£1500

Other high-end models in the CINEMATIC and SIGNATURE range will be covered in a future news post.

Panasonic TX-P50VT20 3D TV Unveiled

Hot on the heels of the Viera G20 NeoPDP plasma we reviewed recently, Panasonic will soon be releasing their flagship VT20 series — comprising the 50-inch Panasonic TX-P50VT20 and the gargantuan 65-inch Panasonic TX-P65VT20 — in the United Kingdom.

Update 21 May 2010: We have completed and published a full review of the Panasonic TX-P50VT20.

Note: Different countries may have different alphabets appended to the end of the model name. For example, the Panasonic TX-P50VT20B denotes the British 3-pin-plug version, while the European variant would be the Panasonic TX-P50VT20E.

The Panasonic VT20 series of plasma HDTV will be blessed with the following features:

• A true HD native screen resolution of 1920 x 1080;
• NeoPDP plasma technology;
• A Freeview HD DVB-T2 tuner;
• A Freesat HD DVB-S tuner;
• THX certification with ISFccc;
• 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro; and
• Two USB ports which allow you to playback music, pictures and video files, connect wirelessly via a wifi dongle (not included), or record HD or SD TV content to an external hard drive like a PVR. Unfortunately the recorded programmes are encrypted and cannot be viewed on other televisions or computers.

However, the single attribute that distinguishes the Panasonic VT20 series from step-down models is its full HD 3D TV capabilities. The Panasonic VT20 3D TV uses the alternate-frame sequencing method where discrete full HD images (1920 x 1080 pixels) are displayed alternately for the left and right eyes. With the help of 3D eyewear (active shutter glasses) which opens and closes its left and right shutters in sync with the delivered images, these separate images are processed by your brain and then perceived as 3D picture.

Facing stiff competition from other TV manufacturers who are also launching their respective ranges of 3D TV this year, Panasonic claim that their NeoPDP plasma panels will create the clearest and sharpest 3D images due to the NeoPDP’s quick response time (which reduces crosstalk) and faster light emission (which reduces afterglow) stemming from new technological breakthroughs in phosphor composition and light-emitting control.

Of course, for those who don’t really care much about 3D, what’s really exciting about the Panasonic VT20 series of plasma television is the potential reincarnation of Kuro technology (in particular its legendary black-level reproduction) as a result of a panel sharing agreement between Panasonic and Pioneer. While we did not witness any Kuro magic on the mid-range G20 we tested, hopefully Panasonic will not hold things back on VT20.

Panasonic TX-P50VT20

Our first encounter with the Panasonic TX-P50VT20 (as well as the Panasonic TX-P65VT20) was at the Panasonic Convention 2010 in Munich.

Left: Panasonic TX-P50VT20; Right: Panasonic TX-P65VT20

We were mightily impressed with the blacks on the Panasonic TX-P50VT20 3D TV, but because the showroom was pretty bright, we shall reserve judgement until we are able to run our tests in a dimly-lit viewing environment when we get our hands on a review sample.

Front view and side connections

The metallic brown finish on the bezel was pretty inconspicuous most of the time, only exhibiting a bronze undertone when examined under bright lighting.

Rear connections and recessed grip handle

A quick inspection around the back revealed a few cooling fans, and a pair of recessed grip handles near the bottom of the panel that will help immensely in handling/ lifting the 3D plasma TV.

The Panasonic TX-P50VT20B can now be bought from Comet at a price of £2184.99 (using voucher code AW5199 which gives 5% discount). Included in the price are two pairs of Panasonic TY-EW3D10 (TY-EW3D10B in the UK) 3D glasses which felt somewhat flimsy, but nevertheless was quite effective in terms of functionality and aesthetics when we tried them on at the Panasonic Convention in Munich.

3 Problems Affecting 3DTV Adoption

Putting the technical aspects aside, there are three key obstacles presently affecting the 3D TV realm: the lack of content, compulsory eyewear, and deficiency in expertise required to produce immersive 3D content.

The lack of content can be patched by converting existing 2D materials to 3D, but the depth of field may not be as effective in comparison to true stereoscopic 3D (SS3D) unless such materials can be re-rendered; which was later validated by Panasonic’s very own 3D composition for the press that contained a mixture of true SS3D and 2D-to-3D conversions.

The contents converted from 2D to 3D appeared to have the effect of a pop-up storybook as if the depth was composed of multiple layers. It certainly provides the illusion of 3D, but can be somewhat distracting and artificial at times.

The compulsory eyewear doesn’t seem to sit well with the consumers (as one would expect). The idea of wearing a pair of glasses to experience 3D in 2010 seems preposterous to select group of individuals. However, the 3D glasses have been improved and trimmed to a satisfactory level, though the diminished luminance remains the biggest dent of all. After all, both Circularly Polarized and Active Shutter Glasses do block 50% of incoming light as each eye is blacked-out for 8.3ms (120Hz), which ultimately increases the power consumption of the display devices (possibly double) for viewing 3D in comparison to 2D. Thankfully, flicker was nowhere to be seen, which was truly a delight.

Sadly, wide-angle auto-stereoscopic displays are likely to remain mere prototype for some time and such displays require several major technological breakthroughs especially in the field of transparent display technologies (such as the TOLED).

Regardless of the effectiveness of the 3D hardware, we believe the primary quandary with 3D TV uptake lies within the content itself. Obviously Panasonic applied great deal of effort into creating the demos for their sets, and their Frame-Sequential SS3D professional camcorder was truly spectacular.

Having stated that, 3D TV is still in its infancy and it will take time for us to learn how to shoot, edit and master in 3D. It will also take time for us to become accustomed to 3D TVs.

In addition, 3D experience can be highly subjective (due to the incongruity of individual’s perception of stereo depth). We do understand the reluctance of some users towards the acceptance of 3D, but there is no time like the present to launch 3D TVs as it will take time for the feature to become commercially viable and to be implemented into the mid-range sets. After all, it has taken nearly two decades for HD to become widely adopted among the developed nations.

So on that note, we are fairly certain that in few years’ time, users will start to appreciate the true value of 3D displays and 3D-enabled eyewear (also known as Head Mounted Displays). However, for the time being, 3D will remain something of a feature than function.

Panasonic TX-P42G20 Review

The Panasonic TX-P42G20 is the first of many new exciting HDTVs from various manufacturers to hit our review desk in 2010. On paper, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 offers quite a number of extra features — ranging from integrated Freeview HD tuner and USB-PVR functionality to THX certification and ISFccc controls — over last year’s Viera G10 series, but do these translate into a step up in real-world performance? There’s only one way to find out…

Note: The specific model we tested was the Panasonic TX-P42G20B (which denotes the 3-pin-plug British version), but the terms TX-P42G20, TXP42G20 and TX-P42G20B will be used interchangeably throughout this review to refer to the same plasma HDTV.

Design

From afar, the TX-P42G20 looks just like any regular Panasonic plasma television, with its glossy black bezel and a matching swivelling pedestal stand (which is packaged separately inside the shipping box and therefore requires assembly). Upon closer inspection however there are a number of practical improvements.

Effectively measuring only about 5cm in depth and 20kg in weight (without stand), the Panasonic TX-P42G20 is slimmer and lighter than the outgoing G10 series. Under external light its “black” bezel takes on a navy hue, and the gradiated accent along the bottom border becomes more obvious. But perhaps more importantly, we observed slightly less on-screen glare and reflections compared to last year’s G10 and V10 plasmas due to implementation of an improved anti-reflective filter. Although this can make the G20 plasma screen look a little grey when switched off, the good news is that its contrast performance is largely preserved instead of washed out during daytime.

Also, by modifying the panel glass design, Panasonic have eliminated the “double image” phenomenon (multi-layered plasma glass causing “ghost image” — e.g. white text on black background — to be repeated behind the original image when viewed up-close and off-axis) on the TX-P42G20 plasma HDTV.

A quick look around the back of the Panasonic TX-P42G20 revealed no cooling fans nor recessed handgrips, and generally solid build quality.

Connections

The Panasonic TX-P42G20 has 4 HDMI inputs. Only the “HDMI2″ port has met HDMI 1.4 specification by including an audio return channel (ARC).

Rear: 3 x HDMI, VGA, component, 2 x Scarts, aerial, Freesat, ethernet & audio outs

Side: 2 x USB, CI slot, SD card, HDMI, headphone out, composite & control buttons

Operation

Just like those found on previous Panasonic HDTVs we’ve reviewed, the user menu on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 features large legible fonts, a clear interface, and highly responsive navigation. There are a couple of small drawbacks though: there’s no numerical indicator for the controls when making adjustments; and there’s no warning message asking you to confirm your action when you click on the [Reset To Default] option, making it extremely easy to accidentally erase your saved settings to factory configuration.

[Picture] menu

[Sound] menu	[Setup] menu

Depending on the input, there are up to 6 global picture presets available: “Dynamic“, “Normal“, “Cinema“, “THX“, “Game” and “Photo“. Engaging the [Advance(isfccc)] option in the [Setup] menu is essential to not only unlock the white balance and gamma controls for these picture presets, but also add 2 valuable [Viewing Mode] presets — named [Professional1] and [Professional2] — to each input.

[Picture] > [Advanced Settings] submenu	[Setup] > [Other Settings] submenu

The aforementioned white balance and gamma controls are housed in the [Picture] > [Advanced Settings] submenu. Under the [Setup] > [Other Settings] submenu, you can find more picture adjustment options like [Intelligent Frame Creation] and [Resolution Enhancer]. The latter is basically an edge enhancement control for SD images.

[Picture] > [Advanced Settings] submenu

Unlike the other global picture presets, the settings for the two [Professional] modes can be saved independently per input, and also mapped to any other input via the [Copy Adjustment] option. Furthermore, clicking on [Advanced Settings] in both [Professional] modes would open the door to advanced picture calibration options such as white balance, gamma and a colour management system:

[Professional] mode > [Advanced Settings]	[Colour Management] submenu

These user-accessible calibration controls have been conspicuously omitted from the UK versions of Panasonic flat-screen televisions for as far as we can remember, so a big thumbs up to Panasonic for finally introducing them on the TX-P42G20… AV enthusiasts who wish to adhere to motion picture standards will definitely be pleased.

Functionalities

This section will be updated as and when we get around to testing the [Viera Cast], DLNA, Wifi and USB-PVR functionalities on the Panasonic TX-P42G20.

Calibration

Greyscale

Out of the box, naturally the [THX] picture preset yielded the greyscale closest to D65 industry standard on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 plasma TV:

Pre-calibration CCT in [THX] mode

Pre-calibration RGB tracking and delta errors (dEs)

By adjusting the RGB gain and cutoff controls in the [Advanced Settings] submenu (which is made available by engaging the “Advance(isfccc)” option in the [Setup] menu), we calibrated the Panasonic TX-P42G20′s greyscale in [THX] mode even closer to D65, and reduced delta errors (dEs) to below 4 from 30% stimulus onwards:

Post-calibration CCT in [THX] mode

Post-calibration RGB tracking and dEs in [THX] mode

Unfortunately the resultant overall gamma was nearer to 1.9 than the ideal 2.2 (the gamma curve also adopted an S-shape at the top-end), which meant that pictures would appear slightly overbright and washed out due to a drop in image contrast. To add insult to injury, for some unknown reason the [Gamma] control had no effect in [THX] mode on our Panasonic TX-P42G20 review unit, hence preventing us from bringing gamma closer to 2.2.

Gamma curve in [THX] mode	Corresponding gamma tracking

Back to the drawing board then. Knowing that the [Professional] modes offer the most comprehensive set of picture adjustment controls on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 HDTV, we recalibrated from scratch in “Professional1” [Viewing Mode]. Here’s the result:

Post-calibration CCT in [Professional] mode

Post-calibration RGB tracking and dEs in [Professional] mode

With lower delta errors (dEs) across the luminance range, calibrated greyscale in [Professional] mode was even better than what we managed to achieve in [THX] mode. The functioning [Gamma] control in [Professional] mode also allowed us to obtain an excellent overall gamma of 2.21 on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 plasma TV.

Colour

Even prior to calibration, the [THX] and [Professional] modes on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 exhibited accurate primary and secondary colours when charted on a CIE diagram with reference to HD Rec. 709 specification. Switching to any other [Viewing Mode] resulted in an expanded colour gamut with oversaturated green and red primary colour points.

CIE in [THX] mode	CIE in [Cinema] mode

Activating [Vivid Colour] in the [Picture] menu brought about a small amount of red push and a mild change in cyan hue, so we left it turned off (the option is not available in the [THX] and [Professional] modes anyway).

The colour management system (CMS) hidden in the [Professional] modes on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 works quite well, but suffers from the following limitations:

• It is effectively a 2D CMS (i.e. it allows you to adjust hue and saturation but not brightness); and
• You can only adjust the primary colours (red, green, blue) but not the secondaries (yellow, cyan, magenta).

Here’s what we found: when we used the CMS to map the RGB coordinates exactly to Rec.709 specification, a secondary colour would be “dragged” away from its original correct position, or the colour decoding would be off (however slight). In the end we simply left the CMS untouched, as the eventual colour points and colour decoding were accurate enough after calibrating greyscale to D65 in “Professional1” [Viewing Mode]:

Post-calibration CIE chart with reference to HD Rec.709

Benchmark Test Results

Dead pixels	None
Screen uniformity	Perfect
Overscanning on HDMI	0% with [16:9 Overscan] set to “Off“
Blacker than black	Passed
Calibrated black level	0.02 cd/m2
Black level retention	Stable in [Cinema], [THX] & [Professional] modes
Primary chromaticity	Excellent in [THX] & [Professional] modes
Scaling	Above average
Video mode deinterlacing	Very effective jaggies reduction
Film mode deinterlacing	Failed 3:2/ 2:2 cadences in all resolutions
Viewing angle	Excellent (> 150°)
Motion resolution	[Intelligent Frame Creation] “On“: 1080; “Off“: 900
Digital noise reduction	Less PWM noise than Pioneer Kuros
Sharpness	Defeatable edge enhancement
Image retention	Virtually none
Posterization	Mild, though worse with poor source
Phosphor trails	Yes; severity depends on individual susceptibility
1080p/24 capability (PS3)	Accepts 1080p/24 video signal; no telecine judder
Input lag	0ms-16ms slower than our resident Samsung F96

Power Consumption

Default [Normal] mode	133 watts*
Calibrated [Professional] mode	172 watts
Standby	1 watt

* The default factory settings in “Normal” [Viewing Mode] was unusually dim: luminance output measured only 48 cd/m² on a 100% stimulus windowed pattern, which is the reason why the power consumption of our Panasonic TX-P42G20 test sample was lower out-of-the-box than that after calibration.

Picture Performance

Black Level

Idling luminance (and calibrated black level) was measured to be 0.02 cd/m² on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 HDTV, although whether or not this figure can be maintained over time remains uncertain (see boxed explanation). When powered on from standby, or when a DVD/ Blu-ray disc is being loaded, the plasma television would display a lighter black level of 0.05 cd/m² for about 1 second before settling at its idling luminance.

Our Panasonic TX-P42G20 sample did not exhibit any black level fluctuation in its [Cinema], [THX] and [Professional] viewing modes.

A number of USA owners of Panasonic’s 2009 plasma models have reported a sudden rise in black level on their plasma TVs after 1000 to 1500 hours of use. In an email response to CNet USA’s queries, Panasonic USA confirmed that the black level on their 2009 plasmas can brighten over time as a result of automatic internal voltage adjustments which kick in at set intervals to maintain optimal picture performance throughout the life of the TVs.

Panasonic USA went on to state that the newest (2010) Viera plasmas will incorporate an improved algorithm to apply the voltage adjustments in smaller increments so that any change in black level over time is going to be more subtle.

Should you be concerned when buying a 2010 Panasonic plasma television? Our opinion is “no” for the following reasons:

• While there exists a handful of subjective anecdotal reports, at this time of writing there is no concrete evidence showing that European and British sets are similarly affected by this loss in black-level performance; and
• Measurements on a couple of American 2009 samples suggest a threefold rise in black level after 1500 hours of use. Assuming that the black level on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 will increase by the same factor, it’s still going to be a respectable 0.06 cd/m² which is generally adequate to produce deep blacks.

Disclaimer: This information has been included in this review for completeness… we hope that it will not be taken out of context, or blown out of proportion.

Motion Resolution

Using Chapter 31 of the “FPD Benchmark Software For Professional“ as our reference test pattern, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 achieved a motion resolution of 900 with [Intelligent Frame Creation] disabled. Engaging [IFC] would boost motion resolution to 1080 (the maximum quantifiable limit in this particular test pattern).

Standard Definition

The Panasonic TX-P42G20′s handling of standard-def signal — especially 576i — is much improved compared to last year’s G10 and, for that matter, V10 plasma series.

The main area of improvement is in the quality of scaling/ upconversion. Whereas in the past SD material can look soft and/or blurry on previous Panasonic plasmas, the TX-P42G20 resolved every line of the DVD format (both PAL and NTSC), capturing sufficiently sharp detail (either off-air or from DVDs) without any sign of excessive ringing. Engaging [Resolution Enhancer] in the [Setup] menu would inject some edge enhancement to make standard-definition content look even sharper, but because we started witnessing some unnatural halos and stairstepping (however slight) around high-contrast moving edges, we left it off.

Just like the G10 and V10 series, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 HDTV smoothened jaggies effectively for video-based material, but failed to detect and process 3:2 and 2:2 cadences for film-based content. This deficiency in film-mode deinterlacing means that discerning viewers might notice some deinterlacing artefacts such as moire and line twitter in 24p movies and American dramas.

On the whole however, SD programmes — as long as the source bit-rate was up to par — were a joy to watch on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 thanks to its inky blacks, excellent contrast, accurate colours and decent upscaling.

High Definition

The Panasonic TX-P42G20 plasma is the first flat-screen HDTV we’ve tested that boasts an integrated Freeview HD tuner, though this is expected to become a commonplace feature on almost every new HDTV launched in 2010. If you’re fortunate enough to live in an area with Freeview HD reception (at this time of writing only 2 transmitters are sending out Freeview HD broadcasts: Crystal Palace in London, and Winter Hill in the North West), you can hook the Panasonic TX-P42G20 up directly to your TV aerial to watch a limited number of HD channels without needing to install a satellite dish or pay any subscription.

Currently the only available HD channels on Freeview HD are BBC HD and ITV HD, but Channel 4 HD and Five HD are scheduled to be added sometime later in 2010. On Freeview HD, ITV HD is broadcast as a separate channel (mostly an upscaled simulcast of ITV1 with the occasional native high-def programmes thrown in), but sometimes you may get the message “This programme is unavailable on ITV HD” when there’s no content. This is different from the arrangement on Freesat (which the Panasonic TX-P42G20 can also receive through its onboard Freesat tuner) where ITV HD is offered as a red-button service.

In terms of picture quality, black-level reproduction and contrast performance were predictably top-notch on the Panasonic TX-P42G20. While subjectively only a hair deeper than those on last year’s Viera G10 plasma series, the inky blacks served as an ideal platform for the incredibly lush colours of HD content to shine with a stunning degree of authenticity that’s impossible to achieve without D65 greyscale or accurate chromaticities.

Even without [Intelligent Frame Creation] engaged, motion clarity on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 plasma TV was more than acceptable when we watched some live FA Cup football action on ITV HD. Activating [Intelligent Frame Creation] did bring about some subjective improvement in motion resolution, but the frame interpolation also caused the ball to “shimmer” when flying past the crowd (though this was nowhere near as conspicuous or offensive as the notorious “triple-ball” tearing artefact witnessed on older Samsung flat screen HDTVs).

1080p/24 video signals were handled properly without any evidence of telecine judder. Engaging [24p Smooth Film] — this option appears in the [Setup] > [Other Settings] submenu in place of [Intelligent Frame Creation] when the TV senses a 24p signal — would introduce a video-like effect to film-based material.

HD Console Gaming

Out of 10 consecutive runs, the Panasonic TX-P42G20′s input lag was measured to be on par with our resident Samsung F96 LED-based LCD television 4 times, and 16ms slower 6 times. [Game Mode] and [Intelligent Frame Creation] did not make any difference to the input lag figures.

Note: Our resident Samsung LE52F96BD with [Game Mode] engaged has about 30ms of latent input lag vs a CRT.

For us, reflex-dependent video games like Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 played fluidly on the Panasonic TX-P42G20, which together with punchy contrast and vibrant colours amounted to a truly absorbing gaming experience. However, whether or not your gaming performance is going to be affected by this amount of input lag depends on your own individual sensitivity, and the reflexes demanded by the particular game.

We witnessed virtually no image retention on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 plasma television, but there’s no harm in taking the appropriate precautions and avoiding lengthy non-stop gaming sessions (at least for the first 200 hours) to prevent permanent screenburn.

On our review sample we did not notice any green/ yellow flashes (also known as phosphor trails, plasma rainbows, green fringe, phosphor lag, etc.) on fast-moving, high-contrast edges. However, because individual susceptibility (i.e. how sensitive your eyes are to the temporal fluctuations of plasma cells) plays a major part in determining whether you see these phosphor trails or not, you should trust your own viewing experience rather than what we say in this regard. If you have seen them before on other plasmas, it is very likely that you will see them too on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 given that the underlying plasma technology remains unchanged.

A Word On Flicker

Several readers have remarked that they see a flickering effect — think CRT monitors with low refresh rates — on Panasonic NeoPDP plasma TVs. For the record, the only times we have noticed flicker on the Panasonic G10/V10/G20 plasmas were from the corner of our eyes when our gaze was focused on our calibration laptop screen, AND only if the plasmas were displaying bright (mostly white) content. Otherwise, we have not witnessed any flicker in real-life viewing.

That said, because the ability to detect flicker varies from one individual to another, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that some unfortunate viewers with high flicker sensitivity may see flicker on NeoPDP plasmas all the time (just like how some people can still complain of flicker on a CRT monitor refreshed at 85Hz). If you have been troubled by flicker on the G10/V10 plasmas, then the Panasonic TX-P42G20 won’t be suitable for you either.

Audio Performance

Due to its slimmer chassis, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 sounded flimsier that last year’s G10. The down-firing orientation of the hidden speakers significantly dented audio resolution and stereo imaging, but at least the volume could go pretty loud with reasonably clear dialogue for run-of-the-mill viewing.

Background Noise

Our review unit emitted a soft buzz from the front of the screen. Like most plasma televisions, the brighter the on-screen content, the louder the buzz, but we were never really bothered by the plasma buzz on the Panasonic G20 at normal TV volume and sitting distance.

Conclusion

It seems to us that the best bits of Pioneer Kuro technology acquired by Panasonic have been reserved for higher-end models such as the forthcoming V20 and VT25 series, because as far as black-level performance on the Panasonic TX-P42G20 is concerned, any improvement over last year’s G10 series can only be described as marginal. In other words, whilst inky its blacks still cannot match those seen and measured on the legendary 9G Pioneer Kuros.

Nevertheless, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 represents a clear step up from its predecessor, as it successfully addresses a few deficiencies we pointed out on the G10:

• White balance and gamma controls are now available in the user menu, allowing us to calibrate the plasma panel in line with motion picture industry standards;
• The [THX] and [Professional] modes can effortlessly deliver accurate colours without red push; and
• The quality of SD scaling/ upconversion has improved visibly, so terrestrial SD broadcasts will look sharper and more detailed on the G20 compared to the G10.

An integrated Freeview HD tuner, commendable motion clarity, wide viewing angles, and reduced power consumption (cf. previous 1080p plasmas) complete this terrific package. Although it’s early days (after all we haven’t examined any 2010 offerings from other TV manufacturers), the Panasonic TX-P42G20 appears to be the HDTV to beat in 2010 when it comes to overall picture quality at this screen size and price point.

Is 3D TV Here To Stay?

In the keynote speech at Panasonic Convention 2010, Bill Foster from Futuresource Consulting presented a persuasive argument in favour of 3D TV, and I happen to agree with him (for the most parts). The images below contain the highlights of the event, which are relatively self-explanatory.

	3D, is this the “Real Deal”? There have been several attempts to launch 3D TVs All have failed A key reason… the technology wasn’t there This time it’s different, thanks to digital Digital Cinema makes it viable to screen 3D movies Cinemagoers are voting for 3D with their feet
	Drivers for 3D: Cinema Avatar now the biggest grossing movie ever… much of the revenue has come from the Avatar 3D version When given a choice, people choose 3D Hollywood producing increasing numbers of new 3D titles, and also re-releasing 2D blockbusters in 3D
	Drivers for 3D: Home Video Blu-ray the perfect vehicle for delivering 3D to the home High capacity and able to carry 2 high-quality Full HD video streams Video-on-demand and downloads will follow
	Drivers for 3D: Broadcast Only a limited number of 3D titles will be released on Blu-ray in the first 12-18 months Consumers will look for alternative sources of 3D content Pay-TV operators interested in 3D as premium event-driven experience, e.g. sports, movies, music Orange, France has conducted several trials including Roland Garros tennis tournament Sky had a high-profile public event last month with live Premier League soccer match shown on polarised displays in 9 pubs across the UK Sky has announced it will launch a service to the home later this year

The majority of us who are in the know are aware that 3D is nothing new. It is in fact older than our great-grandparents, and the reason for its continued failure was due to a number of factors. The primary obstacle however was the analogue domain, as it was difficult to capture, edit, master and display large sequences of 3D via film without inducing any serious adverse effects to the audience.

The method of perception was also limited to linear polarized filters and anaglyph 3D, which failed to win the hearts and minds of the mass audience. Furthermore, it was not possible to produce high-quality 3D on consumer grade-CRTs due to flicker and limited resolution among other factors.

The ColorCode system widely used in the US and recently used by Channel 4 to promote 3D is an improved version of the anaglyph, but even such undertaking failed to produce the level of quality required to satisfy the average consumer.

As time flowed, the thrust for 3D did not diminish, but the hardware simply was not capable until now. Between 2005 and 2009, we’ve witness numerous technological transformations across multiple fields. Flat panels became widely accepted, GPUs for the first time were able to compute general purpose coding (limited maybe but a step in the right direction to help reduce rendering time), cinemas upgraded the age-old mechanical film to digital (and enabled rich digital contents), and so forth. It is the combination of such technologies and the quality of the content which can be created that is powering the re-imagined 3D dream.

Note: This is the first of our 4-part article series which looks into 3D TV technology. In our next article, we’ll outline the 3 key challenges hindering 3D uptake.