Panasonic Vieras are always strong contenders for the top plasmas, and the company has shown it’s commitment to this technology by continuously innovating and providing great HDTVs for all market segments. The TH-42PX700 was released more than a year ago for the mid-range crowd but it remains a popular entry-level and wallet-friendly plasma.
Design
Eschewing the none-more-black theme, Panasonic opted for a multi-hued finish for the secondary frame that surrounds the glossy black bezel: thin line on top in glossy black, sides in matte grey/black and bottom
Panasonic TH-42PX700
in silver. The silver frame houses the speakers, TV controls and SD slot (note that the cheaper TH-42PX70 has this second frame in glossy black and it lacks the more sophisticated speakers and the SD slot). The greyish swivel stand and pedestal add style to the design which is eye-pleasing, to say the least.
The remote shipped with the TH-42PX700 is a semi-universal type with large rubber keys and a contoured rear for easy handling. Button arrangement is fine, except for the navigation keys which were placed near the top – it requires an extra effort (or extra hand) to use it. As with all Panasonic HDTVs, the all-too familiar yellow-on-blue Viera GUI was used in this set. But since it is one of the easiest menu systems we’ve come across, we are not wont to complain.
Screen/picture clarity
To its credit, Panasonic continues to improve its plasma line of HDTVs. The TH-42PX700 definitely improved on the already excellent picture clarity of its predecessor (TH-42PX600): black levels are a shade darker and colors are correctly decoded and rendered, resulting in astonishingly clear images. The deep blacks allow shadow details to be more defined, and uniformity across the screen is quite impressive.
As the TH-42PX700 is a HD-ready set, 1080 sources are downscaled to fit the TV’s 1,024 x 768 native resolution. Video processing of these high-resolution materials is a breeze, and if there is any resolution loss, it isn’t discernible to be of concern. It‘s in deinterlacing sources and rendering low-resolution standard-def materials that the TV produces jaggies and artefacts that may distract TV viewing, but usually, the impressive picture clarity makes these noise a little less of a worry.
Features
As earlier mentioned, better speakers set this TV apart from its twin brother (TH-42PX70). Equipped with the Advanced Smart Sound Speaker System, this set delivers impeccably clear bass and mid-range sounds, with more pronounced audio dispersal around the room. Other features include digital optimizer to reduce noise on digital signals and advanced color management system. Sockets on this set include three HDMIs (all Viera link capable), three Scarts, D-Sub PC port, SD car slot, and a retinue of component video/audio jacks.
Panasonic has all the bases covered with the TH-42PX700: great picture, superb sound affordable price. Buyers who are new converts to the HD phenomena would do well to start their high-def viewing with an excellent set like this one, and it would surely be a life-changing experience.
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