Panasonic TC P65V10

Let’s start by asking why you want this tv? LCD tv’s are lighter, use less energy, costs have come way down, no screen burn in to worry about. However, Plasma tv’s are still cheaper, have greater viewing angles, and produce vastly better picture quality. LCD’s have come a long way, but they can not reproduce the deep, rich blacks of a plasma. I waited thru a back-order status to get this. Everything I read said that the Pioneer Elite is the best plasma you can buy(for $7000!). Not wanting to spend that, the second best was supposedly this tv. However, I still would not pay $4000. That’s why I was shocked to see that my local big-box retailer had it for $2900!! For that it’s worth every penny. LCD tv’s produce pictures that are bright, crisp, and sharp. Well, I don’t like that. Real life is not sharp and crisp, but soft and textured. The picture produced by LCD’s seems fake to me. Most often, you’ll find LCD’s displaying animated films in store demo mode. The reason is b/c animated films are supposed to be sharp and creased and bright, and are good matches for LCD’s. I like films, and plasma’s do a much better job displaying them. So, why should you buy this model, and not a lower model? What are the main differences? Well, this model is capable of displaying 1080P 24fps(frames per second) at 24hz(the refresh rate of the pic), lower models do not have this capability. What this means, is that it is a perfect match for Blu-ray. Most films are shot in 24fps 24hz. If the tv can’t display that, it must “convert” the signal to it’s native resolution to display the film. That can mean less smooth motion, and can introduce “noise” into the picture. Broadcast tv doesn’t run at 1080P 24 fps, only Blu-Ray films. So, this tv is for serious movie buffs only who will be playing plenty of Blu-Ray films. If you only want to watch tv, or dvd, you can easily get a lower model, such as the G10. This tv is not for the tech inept. It is loaded with features, and is capable of so many adjustments that non-pros can easily get lost. The remote is pathetic. It’s non-universal, and won’t control any other components, unless they are also Panasonic, and have the proprietary Viera Link. For a tv this expensive, it’s expected you’ll have a universal remote. Only the Vol and Chan buttons are backlit. There are 6 “modes” to watch. Standard, Game, Vivid, Studio-Reference, THX, and Custom. I use Studio-Ref, as I find THX too sepia toned, Standard too washed out, VIVID and Game too bright(tho Vivid is useful for brightly lit rooms). There is a C.A.T.S system, which automatically adjusts brightness depending on ambient lighting. I leave this off. You’d think that in bright rooms it would get brighter, but it actually gets dimmer?! These days, plasma’s are less susceptible to burn-in, but jic, there’s 2 modes of anti-image retention. You can have a scrolling bar go across the tv, or have a “random pixel orbiter” to help. There’s an eco-energy saving mode, which puts a timer on the tv to turn-off if there’s no signal for a certain amount of time. You can set different levels of block noise and mosquito noise reduction. You can set different black levels from dim to bright, and there are 2 different sizes for HD. Sometimes, broadcast tv has digital info on the screen edges that show up as a “crawl” on the edge. Adjusting the size can eliminate that. There are multiple audio settings as well. There’s an automatic volume control that keeps the volume at the same level(sometimes commercials are louder-this prevents that). There’s also a simulated 3d sound field. Let’s face it tho, if you buy this, it’s expected you’ll have a surround set-up, and not rely on the tv’s speakers. There’s plenty of inputs;4 HDMI(including 1 on the side for ease in wall-mounting) PC inputs, sd card input, and plenty of analog. The worst con of this tv is reflection. This tv is supposed to have an anti-glare screen, but even when my small 25 watt lamp is on, I can see it reflected on the screen. Otherwise, the picture is outstanding. There is superb black level performance, great color quality, and smooth motion. With my Oppo BDP83, the picture is stunning. With regular tv, there is still false-contouring artifacts aplenty(best way to describe this is seeing “rings” of distortion when watching, say, a light in a fog bank). Watching HD Theater, a 1080i channel, the picture is amazing. There is very little “noise”, colors are accurately rendered, and there are deep, rich blacks. I recommend this to anyone who wants the best of what’s currently available. That means 1080P Blu-Ray movies, and HD TV, and surround sound with universal remote. If you just want regular dvd, and lots of TV, go with the G10 model, and save money. Oh, and I will definitely be having an ISF tech calibrate this, as it has so many adjustments that even a techno-phile like me is a bit overwhelmed.

Reviewed by : G. Ross,   Jan 9, 2010