Panasonic TX-P46G20B 46-inch Neo Plasma TV with Freeview HD and Freesat HD

Key

at 5:09 pm

I’ve had this TV for a week now and I’m not disappointed too much at all. It’s very sleek, pretty slim (around 30mm) and definitely looks the part. As always with Panasonics, well built too.

Both Freesat and Freeview have a quality picture. I’m watching Liverpool v Ath. Madrid at the minute but, if I had to choose, I’d say Freesat has the better, crisper picture compared to the Freeview alternative. Freesat HD is a bonus and you can definitely tell the difference but having only 2 Freesat HD channels is a little on the sparse side – BBC HD and ITV HD, these, however, don’t operate 24 hours a day. The TV also offers Freeview HD but being in the Tyne Tees area, I won’t be able to receive any of these HD channels until 2012. Future proofed without a doubt though.

If youre not already aware, Freesat is missing some of the freeview channels you might be used to – Virgin, Dave, Sky News, Sky Sports News are all missing from the EPG. But you do get CBS channels on Freesat if you like that sort of thing. You can, however, easily pick up a few hundred extra channels using the ‘Other Sat’ option on the telly, but these tend to be shopping, roulette or adult phonelines for bored singletons. Nothing useful there I think. Luxe HD is also hidden away in the ‘Other Sat’ option which you can swap between quite easily – and Sky News is there too. There are a few half decent music channels too, Flava, Bliss and Scuzz (I think these could be the Sky owned music channels?).

I hooked up my PS3 and the picture was perfect. Game mode apparently gives a better response time but I cannot say that I noticed the difference – the clear, crisp picture is nothing that I’ve experienced before.

This TV is also capable of recording the channel you’re watching – pause live tv and all that. Be careful though, you’ll need to format the hard drive or USB stick you decide to use so that the telly recognises it. I haven’t used this option yet – only because i dont want to wipe the family album from the only hard drive I own. Nevermind, its there if I need it.

Another option which is there is the telly’s internet capabilities – you’ll need a dongle though to access this, otherwise it’s a eternet cable.

When I unboxed the telly, having not owned a Plasma telly to date, I was a little disappointed with the glossy screen, but this is nothing to worry about – no reflections at all once you turn the thing on.

There is a negative though, hence the 4-star rating, the telly tends to buzz during particularly very light scenes. Although not entirely noticeable, if you pick up on it, it tends not to go away. You can reduce it if you alter the picture settings, and this may be a plasma telly quirk, but if I’m paying this amount for a telly, I wouldn’t want to worry about something like this.

Overall, a top telly which I’m very pleased with. Great black levels, a great selection of options you can taylor the picture to that you are viewing, and a huge amount of inputs you can shake a stick at – including USB and HDMI. HD options are definitely a bonus which should future proof your viewing for years to come. All that is missing is a recorder.

PS : the black glossy surround on the telly is the business, I’d avoid the silver surround unless you like the throw back to the 90s look.
Rating: 4 / 5