Panasonic has unveiled a new swathe of flat screen HDTVs (both plasma and LCD TVs) at their 2009 Convention in Amsterdam. As we had the pleasure of attending the event for the past couple of days, the next few news articles shall be dedicated to going over the salient features of each range, and also highlighting the differences (if any) between the television models.
Panasonic TXP42X10 & Panasonic TXP37X10
First up is the Panasonic X10 series of plasma televisions, which comes in three sizes: the 37-inch Panasonic TXP37X10 (or TX-P37X10), the 42-inch Panasonic TXP42X10 (or TX-P42X10), and the 50-inch Panasonic TXP50X10 (or TX-P50X10). Depending on your country of purchase, there may be an extra alphabet appended to the model number. For example, Panasonic TXP37X10B denotes a 37″ X10 plasma which is sold in Britain, whereas a TXP37X10E is one which is available in Europe. Specifications and picture performance should be similar.
The Panasonic X10 series are only HD ready, which means that these plasma TVs do not have a native screen resolution of 1920 x 1080. While this would not concern viewers who watches mainly standard-def programmes, those who have access to a lot of full HD content (such as Blu-ray 1080p/24 playback from a Sony PS3) should probably opt for a true HD model to achieve 1:1 pixel mapping for optimal fine detail presentation.
Even though it sports a now-ubiquitous polished black bezel, there have been some elegant updates to the design of the Panasonic TXP42X10 compared to its predecessors. The outer corners of the frame are rounded off gently; the wedge-shaped pedestal stand that we’ve witnessed on the previous generation has been replaced by one with a tasteful oval base; and the protruding bit beneath the plasma screen seems more subtle and less intrusive.
From what we’ve seen at the product demonstration, both the Panasonic TXP37X10 and Panasonic TXP42X10 HDTV deliver excellent blacks, natural colours, superb motion reproduction and wide viewing angles (as you would expect from Panasonic plasma televisions). Dynamic contrast is quoted at 2,000,000:1 which should translate to deeper black level, though we’ll need to get our hands on a review sample to judge this properly via objective measurements and subjective viewing in a dimly lit environment.
The Panasonic X10 range of plasma TVs are now available to buy from some online retailers, with prices starting from around £650. We saw an alternate silver version of the Panasonic TXP42X10 at the convention in Amsterdam as well, but we’re not sure if it will be available for sale in the United Kingdom.
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