The Plasma TV Blog

The LE60 model appears to be almost identical to the LX60 models in almost every technical specification. The one exception is that the LE60 comes with two 14 watt per channel surround sound speakers rather than the slightly more powerful 20 watt speakers. Since the LE is more of a limited edition model, it may not be as available in your area, and there is no MSRP listed, giving dealers much more leeway in pricing options. In other words, you might be able to find this unit at a special bargain price. If you do, you will not be going wrong with it because it has all of the technical features that give the Panasonic LCD televisions one of the best pictures in the entire industry.

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The big deal in the world of television is the move toward larger and larger screen size. The TC-23LX60 has a screen size of only 23”, and seems a little outsized by the much larger models around it. It is in the area of picture quality that this unit justifies its price. The resolution size is still 1366 x 768 giving a total pixel count of 1,049,088. All of the pixel quality controls are included also. The In Plane Switching control (IPS) gives an exceptional viewing angle, and along with the 9ms response time allows fast action programming such as sporting events to project with no distortion. The Active Light Control and the Active Contrast/Gamma Control System keep the pixels firing and allowing for some of the most brilliant and lifelike colors ever seen on any television.

The HDMI-HDCP interface connector allows one cable connection that does away with the tangle of wires behind most Home Theater systems. All of the standard input and output ports are also included giving you complete versatility in your set up. The speakers are Surround Sound, but only 8 watt per channel. This is a big drop from the more powerful 20 watt speakers on the larger screen LCD, but is a better match for the smaller size screen. The V-Chip program controller is included to give you the ability to lock out offensive programming.

You are going to see what is arguably the best picture on any television in the world, and the unit pulls only 92 watts of power, less than many light bulbs, and weighs a mere 24.3 pounds. The thin screen is less than six inches in depth, and with the pedestal stand that is included can be placed anywhere in any size room. There are many factors that go into the choice of the right model television for the right size room and the right budget. The TC-LX2360 seems more suited for smaller rooms and dens because of its size. It does not take a back seat to any television in the quality of its amazingly life like picture, however, and packs a lot of features into its small package.

The 26LX60 is the slightly downscaled 26” entry in Panasonic’s LCD lineup. Slightly downscaled here does not mean that you are not going to be getting a top grade picture. The unit has the standard resolution of 1366 x 768 giving over a million pixels. It handles progressive scan formats in 480p/720p sizes, and has Panasonic’s high technology features that contribute to producing what might be the best picture quality in any television. The In Plane Switching feature, known as the IPS, allows the screen to be viewed at up to a 178 degree angle without any distortion. The Active Contrast/Gamma Control system and Active Light control both keep the pixels producing brilliant color. The extremely fast response time of 8ms allows sports and other fast action broadcast to be virtually distortion free.

There are two 20 watt per channel surround sound speakers to keep the audio level at a par with the video output. An all purpose HDMI-HDCP interface port allows connection to most any component of your Home Theater system. There is also a full array of alternative input and output connections also included. Parents may control viewing for families with the V-Chip Programming control.

The unit is rated at a power consumption of only 113 watts, and weighs a mere 36.4 pounds. Its light weight and slim profile coupled with the wide angle viewing make placement no problem. The LCD televisions are not currently offered in sizes as large as the Plasma line, but the extremely clear picture, and good black contrast of the LCD more than makes up for this. The TC-26LX60 is not competing in the “large screen” race, but it shows what High Definition Television is all about, and does so at a most reasonable price.

If you are seriously comparing Panasonic LCD television sets, and a 32” diagonal screen is what you have in mind, you are going to have to compare the LX60 package here with the LX600 package. The biggest difference may be in price. The LX60 is going to put out a picture that is going to be hard to differentiate from the LX600 unless you are an extremely hard to please viewer. There is the same high pixel count from the 1366 x 768 resolution, and the progressive scan 480p/720p format. The picture controllers unique to the LCD line such as the In Plane Switching (IPS), and Active Light Control are here also, although they are called “normal” on this unit, and “plus” on the LX600. Still, you are going to be hard pressed to see much difference when you are watching your favorite movie, or sporting event. The picture is going to be flat out crisp, clear, and filled with brilliant color.

The sound system is the same also. Two surround sound speakers rated at 20watts per channel handle the audio. There is only one HDMI port, but that is usually all you are going to need of that multipurpose connection interface, and all of the other connection ports are also included. This includes composite video and S-video ports, as well as a complete array of audio ports. It will be a cinch to connect to just about any Home Theatre system. The V-Chip Programming Control is included as on almost every Panasonic model, and this allows you to exercise control over the programming, and block inappropriate broadcasts.

You also get the remarkable low power consumption of 126 watts, and the light weight of only 43 pounds. The Pedestal stand is included, but the extremely narrow depth of this flat screen giant and the wide viewing angle makes placement the least of your problems. Although the Plasma and DLP units grow a bit larger, when looking at pure picture quality, it is hard to beat the 32” LCD.

This 26” diagonal screen LCD unit is just a slightly smaller version of Panasonic’s other 600 package, the 32” with the LX600 set of features. It is able to handle progressive scan formats at 480p/720p resolutions, as well as 1080i with normal scan. The high pixel count of 1,049,088 (1366 x 768) and the picture color controls like Active Light Control, LCD Artificial Intelligence, and a contrast ratio of 3000:1 combine to give an accurate and brilliant picture. It is able to show HD broadcasts at their very best.

The unit also has Panasonic’s In Plane Switching (IPS) that allows up to a 178 degree viewing angle. In other words, it looks as clear from the side as from head on. The very quick response refresh rate of 8ms allows it to handle fast action, like sporting events, as easily as any other type of slower action broadcasts. It has two HDMI plug in interfaces to allow hooking up to any component of your system. Two surround sound 20 watt per channel speakers match audio quality to the video quality.

The V-Chip program control allows parental control. In addition to the HDMI ports, the standard array of connection ports are all available. A pedestal is included, along with a remote control, but with a weight of only 34.4 pounds, and a depth of less than five inches, where to mount the unit will be an easy problem to solve. The unit pulls a remarkably low 113 watts of power according to Panasonic’s spec sheet. When comparing this unit with the 32” also with the 600 feature package, you need only look at that 6 extra inches of screen size compared to the price difference between the models. It really is the only difference, and the smaller unit not only puts out the same high quality picture, but includes all the extras as well.

That number 600 at the end of this model’s stock number is Panasonic’s way of telling us that this is the full package. This is a 32” diagonal screen LCD television that is set up with just about every feature the Panasonic can cram into it to produce a viewing experience that is almost unreal. The resolution is 1366 x 768 giving a total pixel count of 1,049,088. Matched with a contrast ratio of 3000:1, and featuring a response time of 8ms, the LX600 can handle any type of HD signal, and display a picture without any distortion. The very fast response time, or refresh rate, insures this to be true even on fast action broadcasts such as sporting events.Other special features include In Plane Switching (IPS), LCD Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Active Light Control. Each of these cutting edge technologies controls the pixel display to insure brilliant color reproduction. The IPS allows a 178 degree view angle which means you can be looking at the screen from above, below, and to either side, and the picture remains the same.

The TC32-LX600 comes with the other standard features that you can expect from Panasonic. Two surround sound speakers put out 20 watts per channel, and there are built in sleep timers, and three language on screen menus. It also has Panasonic’s standard V-Chip program controller that allows parental control over programming. There is the normal array of connections including two HDMI-HDCP interfaces that allow connection to just about anything you might want to connect to in your Home Theater set up. Composite video, S-Video, and all the other basic connections have rear ports also. There is even a head phone jack.

Perhaps, one of the most remarkable things about this 32” TV is its low power consumption. It is rated at a mere 126 watts. It is also no more than 5” wide, and weights a mere 43 pounds. It can be set on the pedestal that is also included, or really with its low size and weight, and that 178 degree viewing angle, could be placed just about anywhere. There is not enough space here to describe everything this unit contains, but it is certainly a clear choice for the person looking for the very best picture quality for a reasonable cost.

It used to be that 37” inches was a pretty good size television set. It was hard to get the screen size very much larger because the depth of the cathode ray tube in the back would make it too large to fit in most rooms. Plasma television has solved that problem. This television is about 3.7” deep, which is pretty close to flat. This particular unit is currently down on the low end of the Panasonic line as far as screen size, but it still has the same progressive scan, 10,000:1 contrast ratio, and 480p/720p/1080i HDTV compatibility. This produces a remarkable picture. Panasonic boasts it can produce up to 29 billion colors, and it has 3,072 shades of gradation. It has a 1024 x 720 pixel array with Panasonic’s Video Noise Reduction and Color Purity Optimizer features.

It also has the SD card slot that allows the display of JPEG photos onscreen. The input and output array includes the HDMI-HDCP interface that allows one cable connection. It also has the Composite video and S-Video inputs both in the back, and also in the front. The V-Chip Program Lockout allows parental control of the programming. The NTSC/ATSC/QAM allows standard analog broadcasts to be received and also SDTV and HDTV.

There is a Pedestal Stand included, and with it the dimensions are 27.9” x 36.2” x 12.6”, and the weight is only 61.7 pounds. It also has a power consumption rating from Panasonic of only 325 watts. Although not the monster screen normally associated with Plasma Televisions, the TH-37PX600U is quite a bargain for its price.

This unit differs from the Panasonic PX models in that it is only capable of 480p (EDTV) resolution. It does claim to be able to produce a maximum of 29 billion colors with 3,072 shades of gradation just like its bigger brothers. The pixel count is 852 x 480, and it also has a contrast ratio of 10,000:1, so you can still expect an above average picture with sharp contrast and brilliant color. The PD60U series does not have the photo viewer and CableCard slot of the PX60U models either, and the inputs and outputs are all in the rear. There is a HDMI-HDCP interface, and the standard Composite video, S-video, and Video Audio inputs.

The V-Chip Programming Lockout that allows parental programming control is standard as well as two surround sound 20 watt speakers. The NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners allow for standard analog broadcasts and SDTV and HDTV broadcasts. It has the Pedestal Stand, and includes a remote control. When the pedestal stand is included the unit still weighs only 68.3 pounds, and the power consumption is a low 345 watts, much lower than the models with only an eight inch bigger screen.

This points up the value of the TH-42PD60U. It is by no means the Rolls Royce of the Panasonic Plasma line, and is very much lacking in the bells and whistles that enhance the Home Theater experience of the PX600U models. It is very affordable, however, and provides a viewing experience light years beyond the Cathode Ray tube televisions that most people grew up watching and for not all that much more cost.

When you are shopping for a Panasonic Plasma Television, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the plethora of features that not only can confuse you as to what is needed and what is not, but also add considerably to the cost. The 42PX6U could be considered the basic package. This is no small thing, however, as in the area of performance it delivers. It is capable of progressive scan in 480p and 720p formats and has a pixel count of 1024x 768. With a contrast ratio of 10,000:1, it puts out the remarkable picture quality that is the hallmark of plasma televisions. It can produce a maximum of 29 billion colors with 3,072 shades of gradation.

There are no front inputs and outputs on the 6U package, but there is a full set on the back led by two HDMI inputs that allow one cable connection. Connection inputs and outputs for Composite Video, and S-video, as well as audio are included. The V-Chip Program Lockout allows parents to block programming if they wish. Two surround sound speakers with 20 watts of output power match high quality sound to the high quality picture.

A Pedestal Stand is included along with a remote control. The unit has a rated power consumption of a modest 390 watts. It has a depth of less than 4 inches, making it easy to find a place to put it. To understand the advantage of the PX6U unit, you need to imagine a high performance automobile. The PX6U does not have the power windows, and GPS direction finder, and a lot of the other luxury extras, but it has the same engine under the hood.

This 42 inch plasma unit comes with Panasonic’s 60U package. This package leaves out a couple of the extras of the more costly 600U array, but nothing that is left out has anything to do with picture quality. This unit can reproduce a maximum of 29 billion colors with 3,072 shades of gradation. It has a 1024 x 768 pixel count, and a contrast ratio that can go as high as 10,000:1. It has two speakers that produce surround sound and have an output power of 20 watts. The tuners are NTSC/ATSC/QAM to facilitate standard analog broadcasts as well as SDTV and HDTV broadcasts.

Although two rear HDMI-HDCP interface inputs allow one cable connection, there are also Composite Video, S-Video, and Video Audio inputs with two rear and one front connection.

The unit has Panasonic’s standard V-Chip program lockout that allows complete parental control over programming and the SD Card Slot which allows you to show slide shows of your favorite JPEG format photographs on the television screen. The CableCard slot allows direct access to cable broadcasts without the need for a “box” in certain areas where the service is available.

The Pedestal Stand is included along with a remote control. When the unit is sitting on the Pedestal Stand it has dimensions of 30.3” x 40.2” x 12.6”. By itself this is truly a flat screen television with a depth of only 3.7”, and a weight of only 65 pounds. It pulls a modest 390 watts of power according to Panasonic’s rating.