Pros: Inexpensive, Good picture quality, Internet streaming
Cons: 720p resolution, Mixed color performance
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 is an entry-level 720p plasma screen that performs fairly well for what it is. It won’t dazzle anyone, but despite its below-average color performance the TC-P42X3 isn’t a bad buy. This 42" plasma HDTV supports stunning images up to 720p and features an ultraslim 3-1/2" deep design that is ideal for wall mounting, with optional mounting kit, not included. The 2 HDMI inputs allow flexible connectivity.
Keeping consistent with Panasonic’s good test results with their plasma TVs, the TC-P42X3 doesn’t disappoint in this category, recording a deepest black of 0.05 cd/m 2. Keep in mind, that this reading is an averaged recording, and at many points in our black and white testing, we saw the reading dip below 0.02cd/m^2^. The TC-P42X3 consequently scored well in this area. The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a fairly good contrast ratio as a result of its low black level and its high peak brightness (for a plasma). The contrast ratio of 2762:1 put it ahead of many other plasmas, but still not quite as good as the high-end plasma screens we’ve seen from Panasonic this year.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 had some trouble maintaining a consistent black level depending on how much white was on the screen. This is fairly common with plasma screens, but in all fairness, the TC-P42X3 did fairly well if you consider that most plasma screens tend to have much more trouble over the entire range of our measurements. Whereas it has great screen uniformity and doesn’t suffer from some of the issues we normally see on LCD screens.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 performs very well in terms of color
temperature error, only displaying a perceptible shift in color temperature in
very few ranges of signal intensity.
Although plasma screens have a logically high refresh rate
due to the nature of their design, the Panasonic TC-P42X3 has average motion
performance at best. While performing our tests, we noticed that the processor
had trouble handling motion in general, displaying tilted images, a fair amount
of artifacting and false color trails.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a native resolution of 720p and can display all standard NTSC resolutions, but it can only handle 720p and below well. Anything higher than that and you’re asking for poor picture quality. Like many other plasmas, this TV’s screen is extremely reflective. We expect this to be more or less the case for most plasma screens, but it’s still annoying; in a well lit room you are likely to see your own reflection at some points, or during advertisement transitions. Should there be a light shining on the screen, you will be almost unable to ignore it.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a reduced number of ports, but this isn’t exactly surprising to us, as many manufacturers have started to avoid legacy analog input and output ports in favor of having more HDMI ports and internet connectivity. Still, some users may find this to be a shortcoming if they use several analog external media sources. Talking about their placement, there isn’t much one could do to mess up placement of so few ports, but there are definite improvements Panasonic could make in this area. Namely, they could return to their normal convention of not combining button and port panels. Another problem you will notice right away is the natural consequence of having a plasma TV on a stand that can’t swivel: it’s hard to reach the rear port panel, and the much heavier plasma screen makes moving the set difficult.
Amazingly enough, the Panasonic TC-P42X3 in reality has a fairly decent audio performance. Sporting two 20 watt speakers, the TV isn’t going to trick anybody into thinking you have a surround sound system, but you will feel some bass in loud scenes with the TC-P42X3’s surround mode turned on. Unfortunately, there is no true equalizer, but this seems to be the norm in low-end TVs. Panasonic has not changed the menu interface much, keeping the same look, feel and most of the options consistent with their TVs over the 2010 and 2011 model years. That’s not to say that it’s a bad interface, but it’s a very basic and unappealing one.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a handful of pre-loaded internet applications, some you will find more useful than others. Panasonic does seem to have a bunch of Yahoo! applications, and as long as that partnership sticks around, you should be able to download content from Yahoo! as it becomes available. Netflix, Amazon and Pandora also have apps on the TC-P42X3, so if you have accounts with those services, you can stream content to your Panasonic!
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a native resolution of 720p and can display all standard NTSC resolutions, but it can only handle 720p and below well. Anything higher than that and you’re asking for poor picture quality. Like many other plasmas, this TV’s screen is extremely reflective. We expect this to be more or less the case for most plasma screens, but it’s still annoying; in a well lit room you are likely to see your own reflection at some points, or during advertisement transitions. Should there be a light shining on the screen, you will be almost unable to ignore it.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a reduced number of ports, but this isn’t exactly surprising to us, as many manufacturers have started to avoid legacy analog input and output ports in favor of having more HDMI ports and internet connectivity. Still, some users may find this to be a shortcoming if they use several analog external media sources. Talking about their placement, there isn’t much one could do to mess up placement of so few ports, but there are definite improvements Panasonic could make in this area. Namely, they could return to their normal convention of not combining button and port panels. Another problem you will notice right away is the natural consequence of having a plasma TV on a stand that can’t swivel: it’s hard to reach the rear port panel, and the much heavier plasma screen makes moving the set difficult.
Amazingly enough, the Panasonic TC-P42X3 in reality has a fairly decent audio performance. Sporting two 20 watt speakers, the TV isn’t going to trick anybody into thinking you have a surround sound system, but you will feel some bass in loud scenes with the TC-P42X3’s surround mode turned on. Unfortunately, there is no true equalizer, but this seems to be the norm in low-end TVs. Panasonic has not changed the menu interface much, keeping the same look, feel and most of the options consistent with their TVs over the 2010 and 2011 model years. That’s not to say that it’s a bad interface, but it’s a very basic and unappealing one.
The Panasonic TC-P42X3 has a handful of pre-loaded internet applications, some you will find more useful than others. Panasonic does seem to have a bunch of Yahoo! applications, and as long as that partnership sticks around, you should be able to download content from Yahoo! as it becomes available. Netflix, Amazon and Pandora also have apps on the TC-P42X3, so if you have accounts with those services, you can stream content to your Panasonic!
On the whole, the TC-P42X3 won’t dishearten if you eye for a
more affordable plasma screen, as long as you are aware of the benefits and
pitfalls of owning a plasma screen TV. That being said, the color performance
is simply bizarre, and it will be a bit distracting when watching your favorite
movies or TV shows. If you’re looking for picture quality or high-performance,
you might consider looking elsewhere.
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