42in Plasma Picture Sound Features Usability Value Panasonic have once again demonstrated that there is a good deal of mileage left in Plasma technology. Rating: 93%

Reviewed: 06 May 2010

  Value, black level ability, colour

  SD pictures a little 'soft' for some

Design

It seems strange that Panasonic have not gone all out to create something a little more visually appealing in their G20 range of Plasma TVs. While the likes of Samsung and LG could sell some of their LCD panels on looks alone, this is certainly not the case with the new G20 Panasonic.

It is strange because we know that Panasonic have not skimped in other areas, with some exciting technological improvements. Placed alongside the 2009 plasma range however, you would be hard pressed to tell whether or not the G20 was the newer model. On closer inspection, the G20 is a little slimmer and a little lighter than the outgoing G10, but you have to look hard to spot the difference.

What you do get from Panasonic, as always, is a reasonably high level of fit and finish; to a standard that you would not normally find from a mid range flat panel TV.

Features

Although Panasonic are not the only manufacturers of Plasma TVs, they continue to be a standard bearer for a technology which is facing stiffer and stiffer competition form its technological cousin, LCD.

	Screen: 42in 16:9 Tuner: Digital Sound System: Nicam Resolution: 1,920 x 1080 Contrast Ratio: 5,000,000:1 Other Features: NeoPDP, Freesat HD and Freeview HD tuners, 600Hz sub-field drive, Vreal Pro 5. Sockets: 4 HDMI, 2 SCART (RGB), S-Video, Component Video, SD card slot.

 

Panasonic are not resting on there laurels and relying on a dedicated band of Plasma aficionados however, but continue to offer exciting technological advances to maintain Plasma as a viable LCD alternative.

We were impressed with Panasonic's 2009 implementation of NeoPDP technology and there have been some significant improvements for 2010.

The original NeoPDP technology introduced larger cell surfaces and improved phosphor mixtures to enhance flat panel luminance efficiency. The 2010 implementation offers an improved cell structure, improved phosphors and a new discharge gas formulae.

While the overall picture performance of plasma compares favorably to LCD, relative power consumption of the competing technologies has always exposed plasma's Achilles heal in significantly greater running costs. NeoPDP technology not only reduces power consumption but paves the way for slimmer, lighter screens with improved picture performance.

The G20 retains 600Hz Sub-Field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro technology. Things are always not quite what they seem however, and the 600Hz as we shall see does not translate into 600 frames per second.

Remembering that a video signal is actually a series of still images (frames) appearing so quickly that they trick the eye into believing we are watching a moving image (100Hz = 100 frames per second) - Sub-Field technology adds an extra step to the process. Sub-field drive is the method used to display (or 'flash') the individual image elements (dots) on a plasma panel, 600 times per second (600Hz).

Panasonic are actually employing some clever technology to 'interpolate' this extra data. Although the number of frames has not increased to 600fps, the technology has produced impressive results in terms of enhanced picture smoothness on 2009 implementations of the technology.

Covering both bases, the G20 gets a built-in Freesat HD and Freeview HD tuner for free (no subscription) High Definition programmes. Elsewhere there are 4 HDMI inputs (1 is v1.4), a D-sub PC jack, two USB inputs a LAN port and SD card slot. The LAN port gives you access to Panasonic's 'Viera Cast' service with the likes of YouTube and 'Skype' (currently showing a 'coming soon' message) and also enables file streaming from a DLNA-capable PC.

An optional USB dongle gives you the option of substituting the hard wired LAN connection for Wi-fi and interestingly, you can record to an external HDD (Hard Disk Drive) via the USB. You can copy Standard or High Definition programmes (although not via the analogue tuner) to a HDD between 160GB and 2TB. Unfortunately you can't use a memory stick and recordings can only be played back on the TV you made the recording ...

The G20 now gets ISF (Imaging Science Foundation) compatibility which means that a certified professional can now calibrate your TV. Panasonic have actually had to add more precise tweaking options such as an improved colour management system to get ISF on board.

To round things off, Panasonic's core picture processing technology now comes in the shape of Vreal Pro 5 and contrast ratio goes up to a claimed 5,000,000:1.

Performance

Not expecting anything more or less than a wholly competent Black Level performance from the TX-P42G20, we were surprised to find that this aspect of the screen's abilities in this respect exceeded our expectations.

Panasonic Plasma's have been performing particularly well in this area for some time, producing gloriously rich black level detail which has often put much higher priced LCD TVs to shame. But Panasonic have obviously not been resting on their laurels with a black level performance that we have just not come across at this price level.

To begin with, there are none of the backlight inconsistencies that so often present themselves on high end LCDs and the level of graduated detail across darker scenes is simply outstanding. As we expected, there are no areas of greyness, just swathes of deep rich blacks which present subtle variations across darker tones.

The accomplished black level performance provides the perfect canvass for Colour and the G20 is able to take full advantage of this backdrop with a gloriously vibrant yet wholly accurate colour performance. Not before this TV arrived had we witnessed a blend of accuracy and vibrancy to this level from such an affordable screen.

One crucial difference between the 2009 models and the latest offering from Panasonic is that the G20 adds much more colour vibrancy to standard definition pictures while maintaining the accuracy of those pictures. The G10 was a pretty good TV, but can't match the G20 for the subtle application of colour to tricky areas such as facial tones.

While the G10 certainly appealed to those who liked the slightly 'softer' presentation of images typical of plasma, it certainly didn't endear itself to those who prefer the pin sharp vibrancy of LCD. With the G20 things may change, especially with Standard Definition now demonstrating more of the characteristics of an LCD display.

While some will always prefer LCD, with added vibrancy and colour accuracy, the G20 may just convince a few LCD diehards to consider the alternative. Standard defintion pictures continue to impress with only a miniscule amount of 'noise' interference and a little 'fizzing' with fast pans and are complemented by excellent motion handling ability.

One of Plasma's strengths for some time, Motion Handling on the G20 continues to impress. The only Achilles heal of Panasonics of old, 'judder' has been virtually eradicated.

In respect of motion handling, there are none of the processing side effects so often present with LCD TVs and if you are a fan of Plasma technology, you will find no fault with the G20. Once again, fans of the ultra sharp rendition of images you get from LCD technology may find the G20 pictures a little 'soft'.

High Definition pictures are predictably good. In fact, they are much better than good with a level of pin sharp detail and overall realism that compels you to reach out and touch the screen.

A Full HD (1920 x 1080) configuration makes a big difference and the combination of resolution and picture processing wizardry produces one of the most startlingly realistic HD pictures you are likely to come across.

We were also pleasantly surprised to find an Acoustic set up which finally goes some way to doing justice to the rest of the screen. While not comparable to a dedicated home cinema set up and still not perfect, the speakers on the P42G20 noticeably better that most flat panels we have come across. While the base could be stronger, this is one of the few TV's that can really cope with the demands of the strongest soundtracks.

Conclusion

Panasonic have once again demonstrated that there is a good deal of mileage left in Plasma technology. While Plasma aficionados will love this screen, the combination of sharper performance and good value will also appeal to all.

  Value, black level ability, colour

  SD pictures a little 'soft' for some