Panasonic Viera TC-P50VT25 3D Capable 1080p Plasma TV

Panasonic TC-P50VT25 Feature Review

Panasonic's new flagship line of Viera Plasmas is the VT25 series. These new Full HD 3D plasmas feature the new 1080p Infinite Black Pro panel with a stated 5,000,000:1 native contrast ratio. The VT25 series meet the THX certification and include THX Movie Mode which sets the TV up for optimum movie viewing right out of the box. The VT25's Full HD 3D sends a full 1080p image to each eye for the complete HD 3D experience. One pair of 3D eyewear is included with each plasma.

Panasonic's Viera Cast features returns with new additions. Wireless capability or the built in ethernet port allow instant access to content such as Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand, Skype video calling and conferencing, Bloomberg News Service, YouTube, Twitter and more. Viera Link allows for similarly equipped items to communicate and integrate into a home entertainment hub with added features.

4 HDMI Inputs, 2 USB Ports, PC Input and RS232C give plenty of connection options and Viera Image Viewer allows for easy viewing of still images and HD video from an SD memory card.

We were more impressed with the Panasonic plasma HD 3D experience than almost any other at CES 2010. Upon first view we noticed that the 3D presentation is smoother and does not wear on the eye as much as some of the LCD 3D models. During a lengthy discussion with Panasonic technology experts at the show, we learned that this is partly due to the 600hz sub field drive allowing for full 1080p-resolution to each eye. This differs greatly with even a 240Hz frame rate LCD which will allow for a max of around 800 lines of reslution in 3D. It showed. We also discussed viewing angles with 3D content as a possible plus for plasma over LCD. I did not notice this as being too much of an issue when I tested 3D on a couple of LCDs later at CES though I think it will warrant a more thorough test later this year.

Thanks to Pansonic's staff we were able to view and test the Skype enabled (through USB) feature at CES 2010. Though you must purchase the camera adjustment seperately this is a nifty option for Grandmoms the country wide to be able to view those grandchildren without straining to see them on a small monitor. It probably will not matter much to them that there is considerable lip sync lag time (due to transmission and not the TV). The picture quality during Skype transmission was not crisp or even very colorful - but it gets the job done in 50, 54, 58 or 65 inches which will make it a useful feature to many.

Panasonic was quick to point out its new energy savings technology to us at CES 2010 which they stated was 40% more efficient. This is due in large part due to their new NEO PDP (plasma display panel) factory in Nagasaki Japan. The new NEO PDP panel design allows for major savings on the power supply inside the plasma panel. A smaller power supply helps in two ways, first it's one of the most expensive components in a plasma panel and thus costs have been significantly reduced by accomplishing a smaller supply. Second, the smaller supply helps with reducing the wattage intake of the TV, reducing your power bill. Panasonic states that the new NEO PDP panel plasma models are 40% more efficient.

Are plasma TVs now as energy efficient as LCD TVs? No, LCD on average still uses less power. Panasonic was quick to point out the difference in savings however at around $1 to $2 per month in energy savings. They posed the question, "How many hundreds of dollars more is the consumer willing to pay for this kind of savings (in an LCD)?"

We've noticed Panasonic plasma TVs improving the brightness of its TVs over the past couple of years. Apparently, 2010 will continue this trend as Panasonic is still gaining on LCD technology in the brightness area. Panasonic representatives explained that 2010 model will be still brighter than 2009 models with the new NEO PDP while still going for a deeper black dimension.

Panasonic did not appear to concentrate on the super thin TV presentation at CES 2010 as did many of the LCD manufacturers. Though we did not measure depth in the new Pansonic lineup it looked to be about the same as 2009 on the series at around a 3.5" depth. Panasonic stated that it was not a big focus this year. This will likely translate to very attractive price points on the 2010 Panasonic plasma models.

-Robert Wiley

Panasonic TC-P50VT25 Specifications