The first batch of Panasonic TX-P42G20 (also known as the Panasonic TX-P42G20B which denotes the 3-pin-plug British version) plasma HDTVs has today arrived at the warehouses of UK electrical retailers such as Comet and John Lewis.
Update 9 March 2010: We have now completed and published a full review of the Panasonic TX-P42G20.
The G20 series is, of course, part of Panasonic’s exciting 2010 line-up of 2nd-generation (G2) NeoPDPs/ 13th-generation (13G) plasma televisions which are meant to inherit some excellent traits from the now-discontinued Pioneer Kuros as a result of a technology-sharing agreement between Panasonic and Pioneer.
Like the outgoing G10 series, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 sports a true HD native screen resolution of 1920×1080, NeoPDP plasma technology, a Freesat HD DVB-S tuner, and 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro. However, the Panasonic TX-P42G20B does offer the following improvements over the TX-P42G10:
- Built-in Freeview HD DVB-T2 tuner;
- THX Certified;
- User-accessible white balance and gamma controls with ISFccc;
- Expanded VIERA CAST functionalities, such as Skype and on-demand Blockbuster movie streaming;
- Wifi-ready via an optional dongle; and
- Two USB ports which allow you to playback music, pictures and video files, and also 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.
Specification-wise the Panasonic TXP42G20 is probably more a successor to the V10 series due to the THX certification which yielded impressively accurate primary colours and 2.2 gamma on the TX-P42V10B we reviewed last year. Perhaps most importantly, we expect to see Kuro-esque blacks on the Panasonic TX-P42G20B (Panasonic claims a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1).
The Panasonic TX-P42G20B plasma HDTV can now be ordered online for free delivery in time for World Cup. For those wanting a larger screen, the Panasonic G20 plasma series will soon also be available in 46 inches (TX-P46G20 or TX-P46G20B) and 50 inches (TX-P50G20 or TX-P50G20B).
Kuro-esque blacks in a G20 is just a dream !!
Yap a dream, but the review of flatpanels.dk says that the 42 inches g20 has an higher black level than 42 inches hd-ready 1st gen kuro :D
The V20 due out in May will has a Deep black filter the same as the Kuro 5090.
just purchased g20 after exchanging for samsung7020. . .(auto-dimming was driving me nuts!)
Very pleased so far but I’m looking for someone to post the optimum settings for this tv. . . . still to buy a blu-ray player and calibration disk but if someone can post settings first then that may save me the purchase price of the disk . . . .
jamie, on the freeview hd side is itvhd a simulcast of itv1 ?.
Sorry Templar, I am not yet receiving any freeview hd broadcasts so i can’t tell you. I believe our signal is transmitted from the blackhill tower which should already be broadcasting freeview HD (feb 2010) but nothing yet . . .
Jamie, i will buy it in a few days mate.
Tell me your first impressions about the “black level” if its possible.
Thanks.
Impressive black levels. Don’t get me wrong HDTV has a ways to go before matching certain aspects of CRT tv. Compared to the samsung led there is no comparison if you are after stable deep blacks.
hi there :)
To Jamie: About calibrating G20 you can look at the danish homepage:
http://www.flatpanels.dk and of course –
After calibration
Mode: THX
Contrast 36
Brightness: 0
Colour: 30
Sharpness: 0
Vivid colours Off
Eco-format Off
P-NR Off
Intelligent Frame Creation On/Off
Panel On
R-gain +3
G-gain -2
B-gain 0
R-cutoff +2
G-cutoff -1
B-cutoff 0
its in english too:
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1267447473
/martin
Hi, does the TX-P42S20B have the same spec for picture settings?
I dont need the wi fi connectivity or free sat extras on the g20 and the s20 is a bit cheaper on the pocket.
@tony
The main thing you’re missing on the S20 is the newer ‘NeoPDP plasma technology’, which comes with a few benefits such as being more energy efficient, allowing for a thinner, lighter screen (although I don’t know if the screen depth/weight on these two models is actually different), probably slightly improved contrast ratio and color acuracy etc. You also get an all important(?) extra HDMI slot on the G20.
“After calibration
Mode: THX
Contrast 36
Brightness: 0
Colour: 30”
So how do these numbers come about when there is no number displayed on the menus, only a slider bar. Have I a different version of the G20? I stand open to correction if I am wrong.
?Chris on 12 May 2010 4:50 pm Thanks Chris I went for the G20 in the end and so far I am pleased with it as a non techy average punter. Messing with the inards isa recipe for disaster so I have left it well alone though might have a bash once I have got my head round the excellent danish review above. Cheers
Old Brit: You are correct that the bars have no numbers but, from a similar post on another site, my understanding is that the number represents the “clicks” from the left.
I am from China, recently I buyed an 42G20, unfortunately the THX mode is cutted off, but there are two professional mode ( prof1 & prof2), I want to know how can i cabibrated the TV in prof1 or prof2 mode to acquire the same or near quality of THX mode, Can I use the the settings after calibration of THX mode directly?