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Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player reviewed, are the new features worth it?
Panasonic's DMP-BD60 hits the scene as the successor to the well-received DMP-BD35, packing Viera Cast features on top of BD-Live capability in a slim (& more power efficient) package. CNET's reviewers threw the new boss on their test bench and found a lot to like, while the Internet features weren't flawless with some control issues on YouTube videos, however it lags the competition without wireless Internet capabilities. Picture quality was up to par, but it seems to have fallen off the pace compared to the latest offering from Samsung in terms of speed, taking longer to load some movies from off mode. Check the full review for all the details, but with the price currently at $299 this player might not have enough value unless Amazon VOD and Picasa access is particularly important.[Via TV Snob]
Panasonic's VIERA TC-P42S1 plasma reviewed: nice, for the price
So, is Panasonic's low-end TC-P42S1 worth the relatively small asking price (around $1,000)? CNET reviewers sat down to find out exactly that, and they concluded that while it wasn't perfect, it's apt to be plenty awesome for the average HDTV viewer. For starters, it consumes a good bit less energy than previous PDPs, and it also sported black levels that "nearly rival" Pioneer's heralded KURO. Other praises include excellent shadow detail, solid color saturation and a decent array of ports. The only real knocks were the less-than-accurate primary colors / color temperature and the skimpy picture controls, but as we mentioned, these aren't likely to matter to the non-enthusiast. Overall, critics found that this here set struck a great balance between price and performance, but we'd still recommend putting your eyes on one before pulling the trigger.
Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on
We were able to spot a few of Panasonic's latest innovations in the home theater space back at CES 2009, but we got a much more intimate look at things during a recent New York showcase. The new Blu-ray decks look nice, if not a touch plain. Not that everyone wants an Alienware-esque BD deck or anything, but we digress. The Blu-ray HTIB systems were particularly of interest, as these things are perfect for sneaking BD into homes that are currently DVD-only, and while we longed for more information on the portable DMP-B15, the on-hand reps didn't seem too anxious to gush over technical specifications with us. Their loss, totally.
Panasonic's 2009 VIERA Cast Blu-ray players priced, shipping in April
We first got a peek at Panasonic's DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and VHS-packing DMP-BD70V at CES, and now they've got official pricetags ahead of their April release. Beyond the VIERA Cast support for Amazon VOD, YouTube and other Internet content, this year's decks also include improvements in power consumption, with the BD60 drawing 16% less juice than last year's DMP-BD35. The DMP-BD60 can be had for a suggested $299, while the BD80 and BD70V are both priced at $399, depending on whether you prefer VHS or 7.1 analog outputs. Check out the CES 2009 hands on for a better look before these show up at a retailer near you.
Panasonic 2009 VIERA HDTVs official pricing revealed
Just in case the HDGuru didn't carry enough credibility for you, Panasonic has finally issued a press release with prices and shipping months for most of its 2009 VIERA brand lineup. We've taken a peek, and everything appears to line up with the leaked figures, including that slim wireless HD equipped Z1 and its $5,999 pricetag, while only copping to a summer ship date. The rest of the lineup proceeds downward in pricing and features from there, the wall-busting details are but a mere click of the read link away.
Panasonic's ultrathin TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma priced at $5,999.95
Yeah, we know -- six large for a 54-inch HDTV seems a bit much in today's society, but the same sort of thing was said last September when Mitsubishi threw a $6,999 sticker on its mesmerizing LaserVue set. Panasonic's one-inch thick TC-P54Z1 plasma, which just might be the last of its breed barring production of the NeoPDP concept, will undoubtedly serve a shrinking niche, but for those willing to pay for the best of what's new, they'll be getting an awful lot of sexy for $5,999.95. Speaking of that MSRP, that's the good word from the HD Guru himself, though we've yet to see an official confirmation from Panny. Honestly though, that's about what we reckoned it would list at after seeing it unveiled at CES, so now would probably be a good time to start hunting for any 10 percent off coupons for your favorite B&M HDTV outlet.[Via CNET]
Panasonic's CES 2009 VIERA HDTV lineup priced and dated... for Japan
Remember those fancy new VIERA HDTVs introduced at CES by Panasonic? Yeah, well every last one just got a price tag and release date for the Japanese market. The Z, V and G Series (13 models in all) have been officially given a sticker and launch window, with the earliest ones heading out in March and the laggards getting boxed up in late April. Needless to say, there are far too many zeros and commas to list here, but you can head past the break along with your trusty currency converter to get a ballpark estimate of what these will run on American soil.
Panasonic expands VIERA HDTV lineup at CES 2009
We already gave you some face time with Panasonic's latest and greatest VIERA televisions, so now we're passing along the official word on the new S1, G1 and X1 sets. Panny's growing its VIERA range from five LCD models in 2008 to twelve in 2009, and the families pretty much cover the range of desired sizes. There's far too much detail to cover in this space, but the details you're lusting after are just a click away.
Panasonic officially outs the iPod-lovin' VIERA X1 HDTV
Panny wasn't about to let JVC unleash a new range of iPod-friendly HDTVs without hitting back with a few of its own, so that explains the four new HDTV / iPod entertainment systems. The 19-inch TC-L19X1, 26-inch TC-L26X1, 31.5-inch TC-L32X1 and the 37-inch TC-L37X1 all come bundled with a universal iPod dock that does exactly what you think it would: bring iPod-based media onto your TV while charging your PMP. Pricing and availability? Take a wild, wild guess.
Panasonic introduces wireless, 1-inch thick TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma
Here at the Panasonic press conference at CES 2009, the company finally woke us up with a stunningly thin 1-inch thick plasma: the all new Z1, or the TC-P54Z1 VIERA, in particular. Little is being said about the panel for now, though we are told that it'll be wireless (via an undisclosed standard) right out of the box. In related news, we're also told that VIERA Cast-enabled sets will soon be able to suck down Amazon on Demand content, so it's good to see Panny keeping up with the Jones family in that regard as well.%Gallery-40912%
Panasonic's 37-inch VIERA TC-37LZ85 LCD HDTV reviewed
Panasonic's first 37-inch VIERA LCD didn't live up to the family name, or at least that's the gist of CNET's recent review of the TC-37LZ85. Sure, black levels were "relatively deep," screen uniformity was "solid" and off-angle viewing was commendable, but "being saddled with inaccurate color" caused it to fall quite sharply in the eyes of critics. More specifically, the "inaccurate grayscale" led to an evidently annoying reddish tinge, and the inability to adjust the color temperature or plug in an HTPC via VGA were just two more reasons to look elsewhere. At the end of the day, it was still deemed a "decent entry" into the smaller-screen 1080p realm, but 3 out of 5 stars just doesn't put forth the kind of satisfaction we'd like to see.
No new HDTV size record to be shattered at CES 2009
For awhile there, it seemed like companies were coming out of the woodwork to showcase the newest "world's largest HDTV" at CES. Now that we've hit the 150-inch point, though, analysts aren't expecting anything to one-up that at next year's show. In an interview with Panasonic Professional Display's Andrew Nelkin, he confessed that he saw 150-inches as a "natural stopping point." For starters, it's big enough for most commercial applications, and moreover, anything larger becomes nearly impossible to install in a single piece. He even felt that the 150-inch ceiling may remain intact for years to come, but maybe he's just masking the development work on a bigger set that's already on a boat headed for Vegas.
Panasonic's VIERA TH-50PZ850U plasma gets reviewed
We've seen a couple of Panasonic's plasmas reviewed in recent months, but the 50-inch TH-50PZ85OU has somehow eluded us thus far. The cats over at E-Gear just got ahold of this very unit and spent the bulk of its time testing things out over the Thanksgiving holiday. Right from the top, the HDTV was praised for its image quality, with critics noting that it "soared above most of the competition, both in feature offerings and in performance." Blacks were black, Blu-ray Discs were stunning and the colors were vivid. Sure, the bundled remote left a bit to be desired, but it's not like you don't have a universal remote to handle that "on / off stuff" anyway, right? We must say, we're a bit shocked that a Panny PDP was regarded this highly, but it's good to see the current king bringing out the best in all of the rivals.
Panasonic reopens VIERA HDTV Concierge Service to the public
It's official: Panasonic reopens its VIERA HDTV Concierge Service to the public at large every single holiday season. This year, however, is different. Rather than shutting down the lines to all but those who actually own a VIERA HDTV on December 31st, Panny will keep the cords of communication open through February 17, 2009. Yep, from now until the Digital TV Transition takes place in America, any human with access to a phone can call in to receive all sorts of buying advice and subliminal encouragement to choose a Panasonic set over any other. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, hit 'em with your best shot at 1-888-777-1170. Just mind the brainwashing and you'll be a-okay.
Panasonic's tru2way-enabled TH-50PZ80Q plasma lands in Chicago retailer
We were told yesterday that Panasonic's 50-inch VIERA TH-50PZ80Q plasma had made landfall in Chicago at Abt Electronics, and here we have the images to prove it. America's first live commercial tru2way deployment is underway, and this is the spot if you're looking to be among the first to indulge. All yours for $2,299 (the HDTV, that is) -- enjoy the pics below if you're far, far away from the Windy City.%Gallery-34758%[Thanks, Mark]
Panasonic reveals first tru2way HDTVs in Chicago and Denver
We already saw Panasonic's 50-inch TH-50PZ80Q plasma doing the tru2way thing at CEDIA 2008, but the official lever has just been pulled in Denver and Chicago. As of today, Comcast's tru2way platform is active in the aforesaid cities, and the very first tru2way-capable HDTVs are arriving to retail. Eager consumers in the Windy or Mile High City who are ready to ditch the set-top-box altogether without sacrificing VOD and such can polish off their wounded credit cards, as both a 42-inch (TH-42PZ80Q; $1,599.95) and 50-inch (TH-50PZ80Q; $2,999.95) VIERA plasma will be on sale by "late October." As for the rest of the US anxious to dip in the cool, cool waters of tru2way? A few undisclosed locales should be going live with the service "in the coming months," though your guess is as good as ours as to what exactly that means.
Panasonic's 58-inch VIERA TH-58PZ800U gets reviewed
Panasonic's 58-inch TH-58PZ800U probably isn't the first bigger-than-big plasma that comes to mind when shopping for the best, and even though Pioneer's KURO line is currently basking in the limelight, this bugger is still probably worth a look. The PDP was recently reviewed over at CNET, and somewhat surprisingly, the set was found to be a solid performer -- if not an outright star. Critics found that it reproduced deep black levels / highly accurate colors, had excellent uniformity compared with RPTVs and featured a very satisfactory assortment of ports. The only rubs were the lofty price tag and somewhat lackluster picture controls, but we're just thrilled to see some real competition in this space.
Panasonic's FreeSat-tuning VIERA TH-46PZ81B gets reviewed
Back in May, we passed along a look at one of Panasonic's earliest FreeSat-enabled VIERAs. Fast forward a few months, and here we are staring down the barrel of a full-fledged review. Pocket-lint recently got ahold of Panny's 46-inch TH-46PZ81B, a 1080p plasma with a built-in FreeSat tuner. Obviously, the bulk of the review focused on how well that latter inclusion performed, and we're happy to share that it did well. Images from FreeSat HD sources were dubbed "sharp with superb detail," and Blu-ray flicks were also a treat to watch. The biggest downer in the whole writeup wasn't about the set at all -- the reviewer bemoaned the fact that so little HD content was available through FreeSat, and given just how excellent it looked, he was left yearning for more. Couldn't agree with you more, brother.
Panasonic's PZ850 VIERA plasma hands-on
Panasonic may be pretty proud of its PZ850 VIERA plasma, and while the internet-connected functionality is pretty nifty, this thing needs a serious refacing to be taken seriously. Sorry, but when we're looking at a 1.5-inch thin plasma just a hundred yards over, seeing this plain, bulky and relatively dated looking PDP just doesn't do much for us. Or who knows, maybe our eyes are just deceiving us -- judge for yourself below. %Gallery-31220%
Panasonic takes internet enabled PZ850 VIERA plasmas to 58- / 65-inches
It has taken a bit longer than expected, but Panasonic has finally got around to unveiling the 58- and 65-inch flavors of its VIERA CAST plasma lineup. The two new members of the PZ850 family are both internet enabled and can receive web streams (video, in particular) without a separate set-top-box. More specifically, users can see YouTube blown up to ungodly proportions and check out digital photos hosted up on Google's Picasa website. The pair will also boast a 30,000:1 contrast ratio (read: not dynamic), 24p native reproduction, Game Mode, an SD card slot, RS-232C port and four HDMI sockets. The pain? $3,999.95 for the TH-58PZ850, $6,999.95 for the TH-65PZ850 (i.e. the Grand Poobah).
