A Quick Guide in choosing an LCD/Plasma TV

I was looking forward to start checking on the 50 inch models of Panasonic, because some of the best and most popular flat panels of the market are in this category. So I decided to call my expert friends and ask for advice as to where to look at. I was told that there are two 50 inch models and one 54 inch model that are considered to be among the best; so I went to check them out with my own eyes and then continued my research online. I have summarized my findings here and I hope that it will not be tiring for you to browse through the following paragraphs. From the Panasonic 50 inch Plasma TV series I bought my new television, and I am thrilled.

Model ‘Viera TC-P50 X1’ a cheap alternative in 50 inches

Panasonic’s TC-P50X1 is glossy black on its exterior. Shiny black plastic covers the entire frame. The only other things are the Panasonic logo, a LED light, and a large power button that looks nice with the rest of the frame. The speakers are invisible, and controls with inputs are divided into either sides of the panel. Overall, it is not a state of the art panel design.

This is one of the few 50 inch panels that have a resolution of 720 pixels (1366×768)

The standard setting is dim by default to save power. The choice for picture adjustments is very restricted.  The basics are there, i.e. contrast, which Panasonic was calling ‘Picture’ for years. All four of the global picture settings can be adjusted, and the 5th which is called ‘Custom’ is independent per input. The ‘Game’ mode is like the picture mode and does not eliminate video processing as it happens in other brands and models. There is a zoom mode that allows the control of horizontal size as well as the vertical position. There is no picture-in-picture feature.

Connectivity is fair: 3 HDMI inputs, 2 on the back and a 3rd on the side. Also, there are 2 component-video inputs; there is an AV input with composite and S-video, and an RF input for cable or aerial. There’s optical digital audio out. There is a 2nd AV input with composite video, an HDMI pot and an SD card slot. There is no VGA.

The pros for this model are that it is cheap, with a good black performance and fair connectivity.

The cons are that the panel suffers inaccuracy in green and red colors, and picture controls are sparse.

Amazon has over 30 reviews from people who bought this model; more than 20 give it 5 stars; it is a cheap 50 inch model and for those on a low budget who want a 50 inch flat panel, it is probably the best choice.

Model ‘Viera TC-P54 G10’ – A great choice but pricey

This is similar to the 42 inch model, only a little bit bigger(!); you can check out my review on Panasonic Viera TC-P42 G10 here. If you are interested on a flat panel with a size of 50 inches, then you can go for this one. It is quite pricey, I know, but in 50 inches on plasma, it is one of the best choices. There are 20 reviews on Amazon for this model, of which 18 are five-star and 2 are four-star. I repeat that this is not a cheap 50 inch, so if you are thinking below $1,600 then leave it out of your short list.

Model ‘Viera TC-P50 G10’ – my New  Flat panel!

This is my choice! An overall excellent High Definition flat panel television, at a price I could afford. All the features of the G10 at 42 inches are there, but at 50 inches and at the right price. I spent a lot of time on this model until I decided to give my credit card. I went to the local electronics store and spent an hour-maybe more-playing with this model. I was happy with everything except maybe the sound; but for the sound my opinion does not count because I am used to listening very high quality audio, so when it comes to sound I am very demanding. For online reviews, you can check Amazon again, there are more than 80 reviews and nearly 70 are five- star. I could not agree more!

Verdict

I am very happy, that my old 20 inch Philips ‘Match Line’ now has such a worthy replacement, and more than twice the size!