Update: We have completed our review of the Panasonic TX-P42G10 NeoPDP plasma.
Continuing our coverage at the Panasonic Convention 2009 in Amsterdam, we were presented with their evolutionary roadmap for the ongoing advancement of Viera flat screen HDTVs:
It’s heartwarming to see Panasonic’s unwavering dedication to plasma display technology in spite of fierce competition from LCD/LED television panels which has seen several manufacturers (like Pioneer and Vizio) withdraw from the plasma market due to diminishing margins. Key to Panasonic’s vision is their NeoPDP technology which doubles the luminous efficiency of each plasma cell. In other words, to maintain the same level of brightness, Panasonic plasma TVs that use their NeoPDP Double Efficiency Technology only need half the amount of energy compared to their non-NeoPDP counterparts.
 |
 |
As a result, NeoPDP-powered Viera plasma televisions promise to thinner, more energy-efficient, and are capable of delivering deeper blacks and higher motion resolution.
Panasonic TXP42G10
The Panasonic G10 series – expected end of March 2009 – is the first Viera plasma range to incorporate the NeoPDP technology. There are three sizes: the 42″ Panasonic TXP42G10, the 46″ Panasonic TXP46G10 and the 50″ Panasonic TXP50G10. All 3 offer full HD 1920×1080 screen resolution and a claimed native contrast ratio of 40,000:1. Other features include:
- 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro which helps achieve 1080 line motion picture resolution;
- Viera Link which lets you use the remote control to operate devices connected to the Panasonic HDTV via a HDMI cable; and
- Viera Image Viewer which allows you to view still pictures on an SD card in slideshow format with background music and transition effects (if you so wish).
As usual, there may be an extra alphabet appended to the back of the model name depending on your country. For instance, Panasonic TXP42G10B denotes a 42-inch G10 true HD plasma TV which is sold in the United Kingdom, while the European version would be TXP42G10E.
Update 26 February 2010: The Panasonic TXP42G10B has now been replaced by the TX-P42G20B which boast an additional Freeview HD tuner, THX certification, user-accessible white balance and gamma controls, and other extras.
Panasonic TXP42G15
Coming in 2 sizes (the 42-inch Panasonic TXP42G15 and the 46-inch TXP46G15), the Panasonic G15 series is the next step up in Viera’s plasma hierarchy. The Panasonic G15s offer the following advantages over the G10s:
- Slim chassis design (2-inch);
- Viera Cast which lets viewers access certain Internet content on the Panasonic Viera HDTV;
- An extra HDMI input (four on G15 vs three on G10);
- DLNA media streaming capabilities, allowing you to view photos, listen to music, and even playback DiVX videos from compatible networked devices; and
- V-Audio Surround Pro (vs V-Audio Surround on G10).
The RRP for Panasonic TXP42G15B and TXP46G15B are £1,299 and £1,499 respectively, though exact release dates remain sketchy.
Looks nice :-D are there no news on the tunerpart? Are they gonna have MPEG4 or..?
Thanks for the article. Do you have any info on the RRP for the G10 models? Also, can you confirm that the S10 does not have the NeoPDP as I see conflicting reports and there’s little info on the Panasonic website.
wonder how these babies will do with street fighter iv though ;)
@Mads: Apparently the UK versions (Panasonic TX-P42G10B and Panasonic TX-P42G15B) will be equipped with a Freesat tuners.
@Dan: The RRP for the Panasonic TX-P42G10B, TX-P46G10B and TX-P50G10B will be £1199, £1399 and £1499 respectively.
As far as I’m aware, the S10 series will not have Neo PDP… the G10 series is the “lowest” range in Panasonic’s 2009 lineup to feature NeoPDP technology.
Welcome back, Vincent. I thought you was drown crossing the English channel. It’s a pleasure to read you again. ;-)
I’m curious to see if they have reduced glare on the Neo range. They’re claiming a new filter has lowered it significantly.
Also, some people are saying that you can still see a little bit of flickering when playing 24p material on the G10 series, whereas you don’t see any flickering on the more expensive V10 range.
Btw, when I said glare I meant reflections.
Anyone else find it immensely frustrating that you can’t get the NeoPDP screens without getting a Freesat tuner included :/ I don’t want to pay a massive (guessing £100-200) premium for a tuner that currently offers little benefit (just BBC and ITV HD so far?)
The source of my confusion:
S10 models in the US are essentially EU G10 models but without Freesat tuners.
The mind boggles.
At least the RRP for the G10 is the same as the old RRP for the PZ80. I wouldn’t be surprised if retailers try to sell them at PZ81 prices though.
lots of mixed messages out and about , re dates of uk release of TX-P42G10, good to see an est cost out ,and relief for the wee man in my local Currys , certain that the new 42″ wasnt having anything more to do with Freesat !!
I’m really looking for a review of the G series, particularly about the performance of NeoPdp panels and the calibration/fine tuning of image settings.
The G10 apparently has per input settings in Custom mode.
I hope the Euro version has that too.
Hi,
Yet again, another mainly set of spectacularly drab looking sets from Panasonic – looks like they never learn! The V series is at least respectable looking but for some reason, they have omitted a 46″ version from one of the best looking line -ups – great going Panasonic – which moron do you pay a vast salary to come up with that crap decision?
Any idea when we might be getting to see reviews on the G15 sets? I hope they perform better than they look and it will be very interesting to see how much the have been able to close the gap (if at all) on the G9 Kuro’s, especially on black levels and SD performance. If they only just approach or match G8 Pioneer performance then I for one will be very disappointed considering how much time and resources Panasonic have had to close the gap. I do not expect them to match Pioneer G9 Blacks but I do at the least expect them to be in between the G8 & G9 which would be respectable. If they can’t even do that then it really does show how very far ahead of the game the Kuro’s are/were compared to everyone else in the plasma camp.
I see I will have to wait until 2010 for the infinity:1 contrast ratio :-)
I suppose they will use the (improved?) technology of Pioneer then…
Meanwhile I will enjoy the current Panasonic plasma (TH42PZ80) as a temporarily solution :-)
They are also releasing a V series (one up from the G) in May and the flagship Z series (not sure when), but will be in a 46″ and 54″
Hi, I’m very interested in the TX-P42G15, do you think this is the best 42″ plasma that will be available in the next 12 months? At 1299 i don’t want to make a mistake as my budget was 1000.
Hi, just wondering are the US and European models of the G10 different? According to Panasonic’s US website the G10 is THX certified, whereas the UK website does not make any mention of THX certification. Also some websites state the US G10 has other features found in higher models.
So is the US G10 better specified? If so, if we buy one will it work in the UK (with the correct transformer) and will the warranty be valid here?
I am always amazed why Pioneer is suposed to be some sort of bench mark as I have recently unboxed one of their KRL37V LCD’s and I have to say that it is awful, very poor viewing angle and mediocre picture quality. I have it side by side with a Sony, Panaonic and a Samsung 37 inch and it doesn’t even come close.
I am unsurpised that they have pulled out of the TV market it is their own fault, no 42 inch this year I mean that is the best selling large screen size and they dont have one and their sets are over priced and overrated.
The G 10,s (pana ) are here !!!!!!!!!!! im getting one next monday , a week today !!!!!!!!!! (42 “)
is it true the g15 streams youtube and yahoo , cos i think i saw an ad for the samsung newy already out ,and does all that
Daniel, Pioneer were known for their Kuro range of plasma televisions. I don’t really follow their LCD range (though I thought they were quite well thought of also) but they certainly don’t compare to their status in the plasma market.
Ron, yes the G15 streams off certain internet sites – I can’t say I think it’d be worth paying a premium for that feature alone though.
Asif, yes the models are different in a number of ways. The US is in my opinion better specced in comparison to the UK model, which is a pity – rip off Britain once again. I wouldn’t worry about the lack of THX certification though. It doesn’t mean very much.
thanx ben , no im stickin with the G10 ,phoning on friday to get the wheels turning
It’s also worth noting that you don’t need the G15 web interface if you will have a HTPC hooked up to your panel.
Just got the (42) G10, SA-BX500EB-K AV Receiver, DMP-BD35 Blu Ray player and 3 HDMI leads for grand total of £1665 including delivery and 5 years warranty on the TV. Recommend going to Panasonic shop as they willing to deal and the 5 yr warranty worth up to £300 from some cheap (?) internet stores.
my local independent store supplied me today with the G10 for the princely sum for £1049 , its coupled up to the new sony 280 hts , i have to say it sounds and looks awesome
yes 5 yr guarantee is in the pipeline ,im told its worth between £5-600
I am so confused with the new range of Pana’s. I have the th42pz700 and have had it for about 18mths. It lacks so many of the newer features, so I am hunting for an upgrade.
As my tv is rented from Hughes I think Im going to rock in there and ask nicely for a discount or an upgrade.
I have trawled through the early reports and specs for the new range of plasma’s and have settled on either the G15 or the V10. http://www.Play.com are showing a £200 price difference (1099 for the G15 and 1299 for the V10) between the two but as far as i can see there is little practical difference. I love the idea of a 2″ thick panel, various picture processing enhancements of enhancements, oh and a little silver sticker saying Thx, but really…. my head says G15. That said the G10 seems only to be missing the Viera Cast and divx and anyone with a 1080 should have a Ps3 under there somewhere. Mind you the G15 is only 50 quid extra according to Play :-)
I am still very undecided so I might just plump for the very sleek and sexy Z1.. *dreaming*
http://www.panasonic.net/avc/viera/eu/product/z_plasma.html
MPEG 4?
The reason to get the G15 is 24p/96 mode where it will play movies at 24p on a 96fps stream and eliminate flicker and judder all together. Viera cast looks like sweetness too. I just saw a G10 in store and that is ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING SPECIAL. Forget the extra 2 lux darkness on teh Pioneer, the motion clarity of the G10 makes everything look real. The right material looks 3d honestly, a very very impressive panel. Motion wins over black in this case when black is back.
yes AA i was told by the tv fitter (fri 17 / 4) that it has an mpeg 4 tuner
The Z-series will be in stores in august.
Rupe you must be quite mad to be getting rid of the pz700. Freesat isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, as for the other features they are fads that will pass.
The PZ700 is a very good full hd set and any upgrade will be marginal at best.
Are you really into watching youtube on yer plasma:P
First of all, thanks a lot for the page and the really detailed reviews. It helps a lot.
You mentioned in the artice that the G15 has the Viera Cast + DLNA function.
My question is what types of pics/music and – most importantly – videos does the G15 DLNA support? I have lot of MKV file and I want to stream them from my NAS to the TV via erthernet, using Twonky or the built-in media (if there is any).
I really like the G15. But I cant decide between the 46G15 and Samsung 46-52B650/750. The Samsung one supports mkv files, that is important for me.
Thanks in advance.
Bests,
anpe008
Nobody thinks it’s weird to go from mm to inch and back to mm again in a roadmap??? The should of just said 25mm in stead of one inch!!
Does anyone know how this tv compares against the Panasonic S1 series that was already released in America in March? Is there a UK release date for this model and hich one should I opt for? Thanks :)
I am interested in buying either the Panasonic Viera G10 or G15 and wondered what the difference would be.
Hi Vincent, many thanks for the excellent website. Could you clear up a question around Panasonic’s 24p Smooth Film feature? Their UK website says that only the V and Z variants have it, though some are suggesting the G15 does too. Is this the case in the UK?
Also, intelligent frame creation, motion resolution and the ever increasing vertical scan multiples are perplexing me. Looking at cheapish screens in a shop yesterday, I noticed all kinds of judder and flickering. Here’s my stab at what I think has happened: plasmas and lcds images decay faster/differently to crt phosphor, creating a need to refresh the screen more frequently. Perhaps progressive scan has played a part there too. Meanwhile, as lossy compression/decompression has become defacto, manufacturers thought they could use the interpolation algorithms already used for decompression to create intermediate images, instead of simply refreshing the original image as necessary until it’s time for the next frame. A ‘free’ feature for them to implement, but one which could easily be done badly, would look bad if the source were already highly compressed, could never be perfect, and doesn’t represent the original material. Am I close?
Sony used to do 100Hz CRTs, so efforts to create more stable pictures by doing interim refreshes are not new. But why the obsession with making interim frames up? Do you ever find it beneficial? I am about to buy my first plasma, so haven’t yet had a chance to play around with one of my own.
Thanks again for all the great info,
Matthew
For everybody’s edification. On the differences between the G10 and G15 models, one is missed off this review. This is an edited email exchange between myself and Panasonic:
Question:
Reference models TX-P42G15 & TX-P42G10. Looking at compare products the
differences are:
Deep Colour (10/12-bit) (G15 only)
VIERA Image Viewer DivX (G15 only)
DivX 3 rear and Deep colour (G15
only)
LAN Port (G15 only)
VIERA Cast (G15 only)
DLNA & DivX (G15 only)
Can you either explain the significance and advantages of these differences or
point me to where I may obtain this information? As there is a significant
price difference I would like to know if the extra cost is worth it to me.
Answer:
Reference models TX-P42G15 & TX-P42G10. Looking at compare products the
differences are:
Deep Colour (10/12-bit) (G15 only)
VIERA Image Viewer DivX (G15 only)
DivX 3 rear and Deep colour (G15
only)
LAN Port (G15 only)
VIERA Cast (G15 only)
DLNA & DivX (G15 only)
Can you either explain the significance and advantages of these differences or
point me to where I may obtain this information? As there is a significant
price difference I would like to know if the extra cost is worth it to me.
Cheers
Reading all the comments, I still can’t understand the difference between 42G10B and 42G15B model. Could somebody advise me which one to go for .
Hi Everyone,
Was looking for a Sony or Samsung LCD, but on looking at the Samsung LE40B750 in a shop, although cheap wasn’t that impressed by its greyish screen when most TVs next to it looked black.
I saw the G10 and thought it looked amazing… Have read its standard def is not that hot, I have a sky+ box and would like a screen to watch Films on, will also be getting a Blue ray player.
Any opinion on what G10 is like with Sky+ box and how it fares with films much appreciated or any alternatives.
Thanks
on the PANASONIC TXP46G10, does anybody know if it wall mountable? i know a silly question, but just want to confirm before i make a purchase thanks for any replys :)
At resault, I think both televisions are excellent. Already Panasonic is one of most fameous brand of world. However, my choise is TXP42G10.
Panasonic is always on the top of the test so I finally bought one.
After 2 years, The quality appeared to be a disaster, I had a few vertical lines on my screen and PANASONIC didn’t answer to any of my requests even if this quality problem was very well known as I could find many users with the same problem.
.
So, don’t forget the service that is certainly not quoted here and were PANASONIC in Europe is at the bottom of the chart !
Currently have the 42 inch G15. It is actually amazing!
The networking capabilities are so coool – youtube on your tv is really useful! It is a VERY good tv. sounds amazing. HD content is flawless. motion is very good; it is not acually 600hz only 200 realistically. an amazing tv! buy it!
its pricey though, but i have that money to spend haha,
The G10 flickers like crazy! The picture – otherwise is wonderful – but on white backgrounds or light skys – you can detect flickering. Just type in Panasonic g10 flicker into Google and see all the other people that have had issues with this. Took a friend into JL to see if the other Panasonics flickered! They did. And I’m not talking about 24p flicker.
QVC’s today’s special value is the TXP42G15B 42″ for £ 784.35 and beiter stil you can buy it split over 4 mothns interest free, has to be a bargain at that!!
Had my TX-P42G10B for a few days and I have to say I am disappointed, Motion blur is no better than any other plasma screen I have seen, sound quality is poor, but worst of all is the terrible colour banding problems, serously thinking about swapping it for a Samsung or LG
Hi, I recently bought the TX-P42G15 and my verdict – Stunning!!!
Go out and buy one immediately! The picture is amazing even on the non-HD channels, and on the HD channels it’s absolutely superb.
I have it hooked up to my router and the Viera Cast works really well, although there isn’t that much content at the moment, but I think it’s increasing all the time.
Xbox 360 games are also excellent, especially with the dedicated ‘Games’ setting. ‘Deadspace’ , ‘BioShock’, ‘The Darkness’, etc all look brilliant.
Can’t think of much more to say really. 100/100!!
PHIL: Regards to flickering… I have a 46G15…. Which doesn’t flicker at all…. And the G10… Is the -exact- same panel lol…. So I would suggest you check your connections/settings and then look at getting an engineer to look at it under the Panasonic inhouse warranty. :) I’d rather have the G10…. Because I only use my Plasma as a monitor… for my computer and 360. But Panasonic didn’t have the G10 on list for staff discount lol… So G15 had to do.
LG: sucks… It is a budget brand… Sure in Germany… It is seen as a good brand, and I admit it has come leaps and bounds from is mostoristy builds it made where there was like a 90% fault odd. (Just like JVC and their dvd players/recorders)
But compared to Panasonic… No freaking contest.
And Samsung is just a sony with a different badge :/
@XVII: how do you find it with your computer desktop – isn’t a plasma too blurry? This is the one reason I am hesitating from buying a plasma over an LCD.
I got the 42″ G15 just before xmas and, generally, I have been very impressed with it. I use it with a standard def Sky box and a Panny Blu-Ray player.
My single concern with it is the the banding that occurs in areas of graduated tone when they are fading in or out, or in motion on the screen. It is only occasionally seen, but I have not seen this on my Sony LCD. Is this a fault or a feature of the technology?
panasonic txp46g15b at cosco uk £799. five year free waranty. freesat plasma
Im puzzled… the spec for the G15 is as below (from this site)
?DLNA media streaming capabilities, allowing you to view photos, listen to music, and even playback DiVX videos from compatible networked devices;
But the downloadable manual for DLNA say it dont play music ??
Does DLNA play music or not??
I buy my panasonic hd 46 tv and it is lock how do u unlock this tv
Crumbs
Steve I have the G15 it comes with a serial number for a server program called Twonky Media for playing content like DivX over the network. But the TV doesn’t support MP3s shame really, but the BlueRay player will play MP3s directly from a USB stick so not too worried.