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Panasonic TC-P54V10 Review
The Panasonic TC-P54V10
Panasonic is one of the leading manufacturers of Plasma HDTVs, and it continues to reinforce that position with the Panasonic TC-P54V10, one of its best Plasmas yet with a combination of stunning design, superb picture quality and interactive features that guarantee everyone in the family will have something to love about it.
Design
The design of the Panasonic TC-P54V10 can be summed up in three words - sleek, seamless and sophisticated. Indeed, its one-sheet-of-glass styling is very attractive, in spite of its slightly wider frame, which is a glossy black shade with minimal interruptions and a subtle silver arc in the bottom centre. Its matching stand does not swivel but sturdily supports its large panel.
The clicker of the TC-P54V10 is the same as previous ones, although with a new and somewhat unnecessary trio of keys above the central cursor. The rest of the keys differ in shape, size and color, making them easy to distinguish from each other even in the dark when the absence of a backlight is most evident. Its blue-on-yellow menu is straightforward, though basic compared to other models. Its Tools menu allows access to its new functions.
Screen/Picture Clarity
As befitting of a Plasma HDTV which is just a step lower than the flagship series, the picture quality of the TC-P54V10 is something to be marveled at, with very inky blacks, excellent shadow detail and rich colors that even excel in accuracy, especially in its THX mode, surmounting the problem other Panasonic Plasmas struggle with. The result is vibrant and realistic images that are sure to take your breath away.
Like other models, the TC-P54V10 has a 600Hz Sub-field drive, and refresh at a rate of 96Hz, which allows it to provide one of the best motion resolutions around and display 24p sources properly. It also resolves every line of 1080p sources and de-interlaces both film and video-based sources to a tee.
Features
Aside from its THX display which provides a more accurate simulation of the cinematic experience, the Panasonic TC-P54V10 also offers the Viera Cast for those who want an interactive HDTV. This allows viewers access to YouTube videos and Picasa web photo albums, as well as stock, weather and news updates. It even allows viewers to access Amazon Video on Demand which currently offers some of the best HD videos around without a subscription fee. Its Pro Setting offers more advanced picture controls than most Viera models, and features to combat burn-in and lower power consumption are also present. Connectivity is impressive, too, with four HDMI inputs, two component video inputs, a PC input and an SD card slot among others. In fact, the only thing it lacks is wireless or DLNA connectivity and picture-in-picture capability.
All these warrant serious consideration for the Panasonic TC-P54V10. Indeed, for those who can afford its steep price, this will be a hard one to resist. After all, there is little left to be asked for in a Plasma HDTV.
<< Click HERE to Read The Latest Panasonic Viera TC-P54V10 User Reviews >>
I’ll keep this quick - BUY THIS TV. I am continually impressed by the beauty of the picture, and it wasn’t difficult to get setup. Also, thus far I haven’t experienced any sort of burn-in or image retention whatsoever. If you’re looking for a great TV to watch Blu-Rays and play games on, this is the one. Do not hesitate. I love it.
Pluses: Picture Quality; Sleek Design; Numerous Connections; Different Modes including THX; VIERA Cast; Shipping Carton.
Minuses: Back Light on Remote Control; Price; Size (Overall Unit frame); Sound (Lack of Bass); Lack of WiFi (just a wish); 606 Watts.
The TV arrived in a shipping carton that had four detachable plastic handles along the lower quarter. When these handles are removed the entire carton slides up to leave the TV securely standing in the bottom portion of the carton. Now the set can easily be removed.
Awesome picture quality! Enough said. (Oh, I hooked my Canon HF-S100 and the videos are truly appreciated on this set).
The ‘Single Sheet of Glass’ design makes the set looks good in any room even when it’s off. Plenty of HDMI connections to hook up the Cable DVR, DVD Player, Home Theater System, and a game console.
The few minuses would be the price, which is high for a 54 inch. The sound, despite tweaking, was lacking in the low end. A little more bass would be nice. The “light” for the remote control is a joke. After you manage to find this button in the dark, pressing it will back light ONLY the ‘Volume’ and the ‘Channel’ buttons. These happen to be the two biggest buttons located in the middle. I’m sure most people can operate these function in the dark without the aid of back light. That is the only disappointment.
Overall, the pluses outweighs the minuses that I can live with.
I had a Samsung LCD TV (which is still have - moved to my bedroom) and wanted a bigger one for my Home Theater. I researched a lot of TV and was at first wowed by the contrast settings which is usually set to max in the TV showroom…I felt that something is different about the picture in LEDs and then I compared it to how movies are in the cinema hall…. And after I read about the Soap-opera effect of LED TVs, I started disliking the unnatural look in the faces..
Also, Panasonic does not give that look even in the full blown Vivid setting and also has a lot of tweaks possible to get to the natural setting… The THX mode is great if you get used to it. The blacks are best in this TV - try ‘The Dark Knight’ if you want to know what black is….
Overall a great TV - got a great deal in this TV and am very happy.
I bought this TV as an upgrade to my 26 inch Sharp LCD in my family room. I also own a DLP 60 inch Toshiba that I purchased from Costco in 2007. This TV has a picture that really pops, its THX certified and simply put if you dont have windows directly facing the unit, this is the best TV to purchase period. I paired it up with a Samsung Blu-Ray player and Dish HD receiver, along with a Yamaha Receiver and Bose AM 10 Speakers, the thing really rocks!!. It put the 1080p DLP to shame, now I cant seem to watch it without thinking - this is HD?
As a con, the picture sometimes feels artificially colorful almost like super colors when some DVDs are played but pleasantly so…
The sound is nice for the high end but almost no bass so had to upgrade the sound with a home theater.
Pros: Awesome picture quality. Better than my old 720P plasma.
Cons: FAN noise is annoying at times. My previous plasma TV was silent, so I never even thought to look for this as a potential issue.
Summary: Had I known about the FAN noise I would have not purchase this product. I kept the rating at 3 since the picture quality is very good. If you already have a noisey environment (XBOX, DVR, Fish Tank, PC, …) then easily consider this TV. For those with quiet environments, you may want to stay away. You’ll see posts claiming the fans are silent, do NOT believe them. I called Panasonic and they confirmed that the level of fan noise I am experiencing is normal. I would categorize the level of noise somewhere between a DVR and an idle XBOX 360 (not when the disc is spinning).