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Panasonic TX-P42G20 Review

By Vincent Teoh • Monday, 8 March 2010, 10:35 pm GMT 

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.

Panasonic TX-P42G20

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 connections on Panasonic TX-P42G20
Rear: 3 x HDMI, VGA, component, 2 x Scarts, aerial, Freesat, ethernet & audio outs
Side connections on Panasonic TX-P42G20
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 [Picture] menu page 2
[Picture] menu
[Sound] menu [Setup] 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
[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.

[Professional] viewing mode [Professional] viewing mode page 2
[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] submenu [Colour Management] submenu
[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
Pre-calibration CCT in [THX] mode
Pre-calibration RGB Tracking
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 CCT in [THX] mode
Post-calibration RGB Tracking 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 Gamma tracking in [THX] mode
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 CCT in [Professional] mode
Post-calibration RGB Tracking 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 diagram in [THX] mode CIE diagram in [Cinema] mode
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 in [Professional] 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.

ITV HD on Freeview HD

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.

FA Cup football on ITV HD

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 (£806.55 including free delivery from Dixons using voucher code 05TV which gives 5% discount).

4.5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

81 Comments So Far... Add Yours

  1. chocky909 on 9 March 2010 1:02 am

    Good review thanks. This bodes well for the rest of Panasonic’s 2010 line up.

  2. Paul on 9 March 2010 3:52 am

    excellent review

  3. Charles on 9 March 2010 3:54 am

    I hope you aren’t just going to measure the black level once and leave the review as it is. Please let the G20 get some serious hours on it and measure the black levels as the panel ages. I’d like to see where it’s at after 500, 1000, 3000 hours etc. so that we as consumers can know where the black level will actually be at after using the set instead of how it will look only after it’s been on for a week.

  4. HDTV, discussione generale !! - Page 50 - Il Forum ufficiale di Multiplayer.it, con discussioni, sondaggi e le ultime informazioni on 9 March 2010 5:19 am

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  5. Denis on 9 March 2010 7:49 am

    WOW!
    Black level as good as 8th generation of Pio! And stepeped drop after ligther level like the 9th Kuro’s. Panasonic has introduced Kuro technology indeed…
    Thank you for the job!

  6. Peter on 9 March 2010 7:51 am

    Other review sites says that black level has not increased. I don’t understand? Also, the USB HDD recording functionality has already been tested some time ago here:
    http://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1267447473

  7. JA on 9 March 2010 8:14 am

    I´m realy realy impresed that you with a steady hand can compare with a TV set you saw last year.

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  9. Giddyup on 9 March 2010 8:51 am

    Very nice review, thanks Vincent. Shame about the speakers lacking less punch from last year’s model..

    Quote:
    [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.]

    To me that sounds like they have eliminated the problem, whereas the review on the 42G10 from last year says that Vincent could see it.

  10. Jac on 9 March 2010 8:52 am

    What about the remote? And the sound quality?

  11. Denis on 9 March 2010 9:26 am

    Frustrated to see deinterlace problem with film-based content.

  12. Tomos on 9 March 2010 9:38 am

    Is the motion resolution result the same on all picture modes?

  13. AVforum.no - Panasonic gen. 13 (2010) on 9 March 2010 10:03 am

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  14. Panasonic TX-P42G20/TX-P42G20B/TXP42G20 Plasma Preview on 9 March 2010 11:29 am

    [...] 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 [...]

  15. pannyfan on 9 March 2010 12:48 pm

    What mode(s) was input lag measured on please (game?, normal?, thx?)

  16. pannyfan on 9 March 2010 12:50 pm

    Don’t worry, just reread input lag measured in “Game” mode.

  17. Agent on 9 March 2010 4:26 pm

    What input was lag tested on? If HDMI, can we get a test for the VGA port?

  18. Pedro on 9 March 2010 5:53 pm

    Hello! Are IFC and 24p Smooth film available on THX mode? Does Photo viewing mode anything good to photos being displayed?
    Did not the G10 and V10 achieve 1080 lines of motion resolution without engaging IFC?
    Sorry if my english is poor but I am portuguese

  19. QwaftZefoni on 9 March 2010 6:22 pm

    Thanks for this review, coming from you ppl it surely is trusted among the net.

    Please considering sharing the calibrated settings in [Professional mode] with the rest of us that want a good headstart in settings but don’t want to pay €300 for ISF calibration. TIA

  20. Jay on 9 March 2010 8:20 pm

    Waited to purchase this TV for around 4 months now and left the G10 on the shelf, but after seeing those horrible input lag measurements it seems i have made a huge mistake and should of went for the G10 which only has -10ms lag. It’s strange that game mode has the same amount of lag as the other options?

    Not good!

  21. Chris on 9 March 2010 8:54 pm

    Good review, thanX!

  22. Darren on 10 March 2010 10:04 am

    How come the motion resolution is worse than last year’s neoPDP models : Now needing IFC before 1080 lines can be attained? More like 2009’s S10! :-o

  23. Allan on 10 March 2010 1:07 pm

    That input lag stinks! Don’t if I trust the figures though… I have actually ordered the 46″ G20, so I need to double check the measurements stated here.

    If you stumble upon another input lag test of the G20, please shout!

    I stumbled upon the first review of the Panasonic VT20 myself – those who cannot wait might find it interesting :) :
    http://hdguru.com/panasonic-tc-p50vt20-3d-hdtv-hd-guru-exclusive-first-review/1391/

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  25. Jay on 10 March 2010 2:00 pm

    Allan could you post your findings also, really want this tv but have been put totally off it now and will need to act quick to grab a G10.

  26. Allan on 10 March 2010 2:09 pm

    Hi Jay, I’m in the same boat as you! I haven’t received the set yet and given the lousy input lag results of the G20, I’m considering cancelling my preorder and wait… Only problem is that I found the 46″ G20 dirt cheap…

    Anyway, if I don’t cancel my order, the G20 won’t land until April, so I still have some time to find out…

  27. Allan on 10 March 2010 2:36 pm

    Btw… to those of you, who haven’t yet seen the German review :) :

    http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=da&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.areadvd.de%2Fhardware%2F2010%2Fpanasonic_tx_p42gw20.shtml

  28. andy on 10 March 2010 2:52 pm

    hi all

    whats the difference between the TX-P42G20 and the TX-P42GW20?

    do they have the same panel and controls?

  29. Vincent Teoh on 10 March 2010 5:19 pm

    @chocky909 & Paul: Thanks for your kind words.

    @Charles: If anyone can supply me with a unit on a long-term loan basis (3 to 6 months), I’ll be more than happy to perform serial black level measurements over time.

    @Denis: The TX-P42G20B is still using Panasonic’s own instead of Pioneer Kuro technology to drive its plasma cells.

    @Peter: I can only put it down to variations between units (European vs British versions) and/or testing methodology. Either way, the conclusion is that any improvement in blacks over the G10 is marginal.

    @JA: The numbers and results (derived from objective measurements) don’t lie…

    @Giddyup: Thanks for your kind words. Just to clarify, I’ve never been sensitive to plasma phosphor trails when watching real-world content, so I would say that those people who see phosphor trails on the G10 will most likely also see them on the G20.

    @Jac: Bog-standard Panasonic remote. Layout similar to that on the V10, except that the [Menu] and [Aspect] buttons have swapped places.

    @Tomos: The only thing that made a visible difference (on test patterns) to the motion resolution is [Intelligent Frame Creation].

    @Agent: According to our measurements, input lag on the VGA port isn’t any lower than HDMI.

    @Pedro: Yes, [IFC] and [24p Smooth Film] are available in [THX] mode. Sorry I haven’t tested the [Photo Viewing] mode.

    @Darren: I think too much emphasis has been placed on the motion resolution figures. At the best of times I struggle to see the difference between 900 and 1080 in real-world content when comparing side-by-side from more than 4 feet away (or whatever is a sensible viewing distance).

    @Chris: Thanks for your kind words.

    @Jay & Allan: The input lag figure is far from horrible… MW2 played fine for me. But then again, different people have different sensitivities to input lag.

    @andy: Googling around the TX-P42GW20 should be the German/Swiss equivalent of the TX-P42G20.

    Warmest regards
    Vincent

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  32. Rene on 18 March 2010 4:37 pm

    Dear Vincent,

    thank you very much for your review of the G20.
    But arren’t you a little backpeddling on the input lag for games issue? I for one think it is rather shocking that the G20 performs worse than the G10 regarding input-lag!
    Wich leaves me utterly confused because I waited for the G20 because of the black level degrading issue on the G10. Now it seems this wait was in vain because for my main purpose of the TV I want, gaming, the G20 is inferior and the G10 is no option because of the mentioned black level issue!
    Could you please inform me which HDTV right now is the fastest regarding input lag / gaming?

    Best regards,

    Rene

  33. Edoardo on 18 March 2010 9:16 pm

    Thanks, your review are the best of the net!!!!

  34. Dave on 20 March 2010 8:35 am

    Review the G25

  35. barry hill on 23 March 2010 4:55 pm

    I am about to upgrade my tv and would appreciate some advice from you or others. As we are unable to receive satellite tv I rely on an internet download through an Xbox to receive Sky Sports. My broadband speed is 5 – 6 Kbps from F2S. Having not been able to receive Sky until recently I am grateful to be able to access in this way, but on live football the motion is very jerky . I currently have a Panasonic with 100Hz technology, which generally provides an excellent picture in most situations. As I am technologically ignorant in these matters I wondered if the 600 Hz refresh rate on the plasma tv would make any improvement to my picture as it certainly appears to be a good set. Alternatively, what else might I do to improve my picture?

  36. Easter on 27 March 2010 4:27 pm

    Thanks for the interesting review Vincent

    I was completely underwhelmed by the G15 (which I had the misfortune to own) with the oversaturated colour gamuts in all picture presets especially out in the green and red areas of the gamut making skin tone and grass colour unnatural.

    So disappointed with it I sold at loss and don’t want ot make the same mistake again.

    The review is indicating the G20 has got the colours right this time around. Please can you confim the G15 colour gamuts issues have not been repeated?

    Am I right to take from the review that THX mode is a damp squib as when the colours are right gamma is going to make PQ looked washed out?

  37. LPK_CZ on 31 March 2010 12:24 pm

    Hello, excellent test, as always.

    Please, the calibration settings in a professional mode.

    thanks

  38. michael on 1 April 2010 6:52 pm

    Very nice and very thorough review of the TV. I am getting the 42G25(US model). I have a feeling that they are very similar. In the review you also said that it was calibrated in the Professional1 mode. If I read the review right, that seemed to give better results than the THX mode. But I looked in the user manual and that is not an option for me. It lists Vivid, Standard, THX, Game, and Custom. Could you use the “Custom” mode and get the same results? If I were planning on getting this TV, the US model, calibrated by a professional, what mode would you recommend.
    Thanks

  39. Tom Welding on 1 April 2010 10:05 pm

    Vincent,
    Thanks for a very thorough review. However I would like to know if the G20 performs any better than the G10 under bright daylight conditions.

  40. Bob on 1 April 2010 11:57 pm

    Whoa. Wait a minute before shelling out for any Panasonic plasma.

    Black levels in Panny 2010 panels have registered a 36% black level increase in 375 hours.

    Post 7419:
    http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=18388330&highlight=#post18388330

    Do yourself and your wallet a favor and stay away from Panasonic – I wish I did.

  41. Henri on 1 April 2010 11:57 pm

    Why the calibarion settings isnt posted on review? i would also want to find good settings for my 50g20, if somebody has link or any information about good settings please post.

  42. Adrian on 3 April 2010 11:03 am

    I see Panasonic has still kept the ads in the EPG even for digital Freeview/HD channels – complete with “select Ad” button – for those users that cannot wait to see ads after paying for their TV.

    Until there is a way to turn it off, there’s no way I’m buying a Panasonic TV for the benefit of selecting what Ads to see in the EPG.

    I’d rather have Samsung’s system of seeing a thumbnail of the current channel while using the EPG instead of losing 1/3 space to Ads that don’t bring any benefit whatsoever.

  43. Pepe on 4 April 2010 9:27 am

    Been looking for a good price on the tx-p42Gq15 for some time now, down to £700, but now they have this set wondering which would be better?
    Is the new set worth spending an extra £200 on??
    cheers
    Pepe

  44. Adam on 4 April 2010 9:07 pm

    Evening,

    Id be very grateful if the calibration settings were posted as well. Also why are the settings not put in every review?

    Regards…

  45. Ibby on 4 April 2010 11:21 pm

    Vincent, Could you please post your calibration settings ?

    There are enough requests for them.

  46. Tony Cole on 6 April 2010 11:31 am

    just took delivery of the 50″ Version of the TX-P G20 on Thursday of last week after looking at Samsung and Philips models.
    Blown away by Dr Who, Top gears trek across the Andes On BBC1 HD on Freesat most of the ITV output is remastered (ITV’s words not mine) and look a little soft in comparison but King Kong remake in 1080i from ITV HD looked very good indeed 4OD HD looks good too again dependent on the content
    BLU RAY (the Dark Knight) Looks amazing, the characters seem to stand off the background giving a real feel of depth.
    SD looks a little soft in comparison (only to be expected) but certain programs like CSI in SD take on an extra quality as are older films (The Original Italian Job, & the Robe) are very watchable all in all very pleased haven’t played around with the settings too much (yet) and just waiting for a 1TB external HD to start using as a PVR

  47. Bouke on 7 April 2010 9:04 pm

    @ Ibby:

    Same here.

    A friend of mine asked me to search a TV that would be good enough for him, and because this review is so positive my final decision was this TV.
    We have just ordered it, and it would be great if you would post the Calibrated settings for us all to enjoy.
    Specially because It isn’t one of the most expensive TV’s, so I think that most people who buy this TV won’t have the money to buy a professional calibration.

    Hope you can post/send me the calibrated settings, just like you did on the reviews of both of my own TV’s (Samsung A656 and Panasonic PX80).

    PS: Srry for my bad english, it isn’t my native language.

  48. Chris. on 9 April 2010 6:00 pm

    So basically this is a v10 with better calibration options?

  49. Rupert on 10 April 2010 1:25 pm

    Panasonic have created an almost perfect tv. It’s just a shame they have taken so long to do it. My pz800 could have been almost perfect with the same picture control this model allows.

  50. Rob on 11 April 2010 1:56 am

    I recently purchased this model after reading this (and other) review(s) and have used it for about a week and a half now. I’m pleased with the purchase.
    However, part of me thinks I should have waited 6 months for 3DTV (I’m a partial fan of 3D, though it’s only good to users with good vision, much like surround sound is only good to those with good hearing), except there’s not much in the way of 3D yet (unless for example, you have a fair amount of money to spend on Sky in the UK for the 3D channel which is only in preview at the moment until Autumn if I’m correct).

    I decided to “break-in” the screen, and although I’ve occasionally let a permanent image remain on screen, it’s managed to show it only slightly (on a blue screen mainly) and eventually (fairly quickly) wash away with moving pictures or with switching the TV off.
    This is my first purchase of a HDTV and it looks as if the technology has advanced enough not to be so worried about permanent image retention or “burn-in”. I’ll still keep my caution though for the next 100 hours (of use) or so and see what happens after that.

    I too would like the calibration details. I know you state no numbers (which is true) and although this could present a problem to give to us online, pictures would do, or how many “clicks” of the button to the right from “zero” would be fine for me. Just a suggestion :-) .

  51. Panasonic G20 Owners Thread - part 2 - Page 27 - AVForums.com on 11 April 2010 7:10 pm

    [...] there is a pro view here Panasonic TX-P42G20/TX-P42G20B/TXP42G20 Review: Freeview HD TV [...]

  52. Kevin on 11 April 2010 10:01 pm

    I’ve had the 46G20 for 2 weeks now and have to say that the Professional picture modes are the only ones that have accurate skin tones and grass colour – possibly because of the adjustable hue controls (+5 on R, G & B makes it perfect). The only downside is that the automatic contrast system doesn’t work on the Professional modes so I have to use the Normal picture for daytime use (Cinema is also duller). THX disables IFC and 24p Smooth Film so that’s a no-no for me. Picture is not quite as razor sharp as my previous Panasonic plasma (720p) so I have Resolution Enhancer and Sharpness both on max. Another bummer is that the Tint control for NTSC DVD’s and all Blu-Rays has now gone completely, despite the manual saying it’s there. Two steps forward, six steps back…….

  53. Mika on 20 April 2010 10:47 pm

    Nice review again!
    Could you please post the calibrated settings for us?!

  54. xyzbird on 25 April 2010 7:08 pm

    I am very pleased with my G20 which replaced a 5 year old 37″ plasma Panny.

    Nobody would ever buy one if they saw the set up in a local Curry’s where they are trying to promote Samsung’s LED LCD. They have 3 panels on the wall, the first is a Samsung normal backlit LCD followed by a 32″ Panasonic G20, then a Samsung Led LCD. Of course the LED one looks fantastic but what have they done with the purposely poor black level settings on the Panny?

    I feel inclined to go in with my remote control and restore the proper settings – even to ‘torch’ settings – and see the reaction!

  55. xyzbird on 25 April 2010 7:11 pm

    Sorry – meant 42″

  56. Jeffers on 4 May 2010 6:10 pm

    I want to buy a dongle and connect my P42G20B to the internet via a wifi, but I don’t know what standard wifi I need – anybody out there know please ?

    Also, I’m considering an alternative to wifi — ethernet via the mains. Has anybody any experience of these plugs please ?

    Thanks

    Jeffers

  57. Xtopher on 5 May 2010 5:19 pm

    Note the Dixons site is no longer honouring the SAVE3 on the G20

  58. paul on 8 May 2010 6:23 pm

    For those wanting some calibration settings, I have seen them on flatpanelshd if anyone is wanting a quick fix. I know they they might not be the same as the guys testing here but it may help.

  59. john on 9 May 2010 11:21 pm

    two points i would like to ask about is the cam(common interface) on the TX-P42G20B able to be used for top-up tv content and will you be able to just stick a smart card in or will you need additional bits and will the epg be ok for top-up-tv point two will there be a led -lcd versions of the same spec i.e hdtv twin tuners both hd sat and terristal as want to upgrade from old crt and will it be in silver as well as black

  60. Xtto on 14 May 2010 3:41 pm

    Where are the calibration settings??? If this TV is one of the best out there… please post them!!!

  61. Sreeni on 16 May 2010 10:47 am

    Can you please let me know what are the optimum picture settings for this TV, I have got the 50″ equivalent one (TXP50G20B) and the wife isn’t too happy.

    Thanks in advance.

  62. nuse3: on 25 May 2010 7:53 pm

    Hi, this TV have 24p/96hz mode?

    Thanks.

  63. Martin on 28 May 2010 7:55 am

    Hi Vincent,
    Is there possibility to get your settings for “Professional1″ mode. I mean settings you used to calibrate 42G20 in your test.
    Thanks

  64. m-il on 28 May 2010 11:23 am

    Test and picture settings from german magazine AudioVision
    http://audiovision.de/Test-Archiv/Tests/2010/03/Test-Panasonic-TX-P50-GW-20-Plasma-TV-fuer-1600-Euro

  65. Benjamin on 4 June 2010 4:58 am

    Input lag results are highly disappointing. Too bad I already ordered the TV. I assumed that the lag would not be any worse than the G10… guess I learned my lesson

  66. graham on 8 June 2010 1:20 pm

    Thanks for the review, helped in my decision to buy one. In relation to DLNA, does it also stream music to your AV Amp etc. Reason for asking is that the manual only refers to Photos and Videos, but I would assume it could also stream music via a DLNA server for all media types. Is anyone able to confirm.

  67. Ozzy5555 on 9 June 2010 5:43 pm

    What is the irish version of TX-P42G20?Or it`s the same?Could it be TX-P42S20L?

  68. KK2010 on 11 June 2010 2:30 pm

    I also would appreciate it if you shared the calibration settings in professional mode (used in test).

    Thank you very much!

  69. John Brown on 15 June 2010 9:55 am

    Same request from me, please!

  70. John on 16 June 2010 11:00 pm

    Please send calibration settings in pro mode

  71. jeff on 7 July 2010 7:18 am

    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 ?any suggested settings?

  72. Barnaby on 7 July 2010 10:00 am

    Input lag test on this tv must be very unaccurate!
    Intelligent Frame Creation increases lag from 16-20 ms to 30-40 ms, that’s why it switched off (greyed out) in game mode.
    All 2010 Panasonic Plasmas have 10-20 ms of lag in game mode.
    You should use the same technic when measuring input lag, otherwise you’ll end up with false results!!!

  73. connor on 7 July 2010 2:19 pm

    Two questions/if I use the dongle can I access internet and media from computer or do i have to use cross over ethernet cable/also can I ATCH BBCI player on this tv

  74. Bruno on 13 July 2010 2:06 pm

    Hi Vincent

    Thanks for the review.
    I have this tv and would like you to post the calibration settings you used, please.

  75. Nicolas on 23 July 2010 11:34 pm

    Hi!

    Thank you for the nice review.

    I’m from germany and i wanna buy a plasma tv, but i can’t decide, if it will be the s20 or the g20. Is the higher price of the g20 justified? I don’t need all of the multimedia features of the g20 like viera cast. Is the picture quality of the g20 much better than the s20 in relation to the price?
    I need some help…

    Thanks.
    Nicolas

  76. Mitch on 27 July 2010 3:19 pm

    I also would appreciate it if you shared the calibration settings in professional mode
    Thanks!

  77. poker on 15 August 2010 4:24 am

    OK, am i going crazy? when i turn on the tv, on a blank input, it goes through the 3 distinct brightness levels (well not really 3, more like 2 and a half). after a couple of seconds it kicks back up 2 full brightness levels. I have CATS and all the other crap turned off. I noticed the increased black level before, but it never did this. This only started after they told me to do a hard reset on the set.

  78. Jonathon Cameroon on 17 August 2010 7:36 pm

    Like Nicholas is asking…… is there a big enough difference from the S20 and the G20 concerning picture quality?

    (Not interested in the HD freesat or freeview or features, just picture.) :D

  79. TVS on 23 August 2010 1:53 am

    This is a great TV – A must for all AV enthusiasts

  80. John D on 30 August 2010 9:57 pm

    Nearly purchased this TV today but decided to wait and see what the 3D model is like. Looking at the input lag are you saying its 46ms some times, meaning its worse than the Samsung LE40C750 and Sony KDL40EX703??? or have I read this wrong? Thanks

  81. Selwin on 2 September 2010 8:09 pm

    Sent this one back after a couple of days of testing. The main reason was that skin tones were not always – if not mostly – unnatural looking. And I noticed that the TV was able to clearly exhibit colour differences between different channels and motion pictures on DVD. For example: “The Proposal” (the entire movie) with Sandra Bullock looks yellowish on the G20. Not so much on our Sony Trinitron CRT (12 years old). Basically our old Sony CRT is less sharp and smaller, but it always shows natural skin tones.
    What I want to know are 2 things:
    - I am not a professional TV tester like you guys. But: could I have gotten more natural colours if I had entered the professional CMS stuff? So much more that all different sources look natural as they do on my Sony CRT?
    - Is a current Plasma like the G20 more capable of showing colour differences between different source materials than an old CRT to a degree I described?

    Thanks!

    Selwin

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