Panasonic TX-P42G20 Now In UK

The first batch of Panasonic TX-P42G20 (also known as the Panasonic TX-P42G20B which denotes the 3-pin-plug British version) plasma HDTVs has today arrived at the warehouses of UK electrical retailers such as Comet and John Lewis.

<!-- google_ad_client = 'pub-2887677957235196'; google_ad_slot = '4990177225'; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; //-->

Update 9 March 2010: We have now completed and published a full review of the Panasonic TX-P42G20.

The G20 series is, of course, part of Panasonic’s exciting 2010 line-up of 2nd-generation (G2) NeoPDPs/ 13th-generation (13G) plasma televisions which are meant to inherit some excellent traits from the now-discontinued Pioneer Kuros as a result of a technology-sharing agreement between Panasonic and Pioneer.

Like the outgoing G10 series, the Panasonic TX-P42G20 sports a true HD native screen resolution of 1920×1080, NeoPDP plasma technology, a Freesat HD DVB-S tuner, and 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro. However, the Panasonic TX-P42G20B does offer the following improvements over the TX-P42G10:

• Built-in Freeview HD DVB-T2 tuner;
• THX Certified;
• User-accessible white balance and gamma controls with ISFccc;
• Expanded VIERA CAST functionalities, such as Skype and on-demand Blockbuster movie streaming;
• Wifi-ready via an optional dongle; and
• Two USB ports which allow you to playback music, pictures and video files, and also record HD or SD TV content to an external hard drive like a PVR. Unfortunately the recorded programmes are encrypted and cannot be viewed on other televisions or computers.

Specification-wise the Panasonic TXP42G20 is probably more a successor to the V10 series due to the THX certification which yielded impressively accurate primary colours and 2.2 gamma on the TX-P42V10B we reviewed last year. Perhaps most importantly, we expect to see Kuro-esque blacks on the Panasonic TX-P42G20B (Panasonic claims a dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1).

The Panasonic TX-P42G20B plasma HDTV can now be ordered online for free delivery in time for World Cup. For those wanting a larger screen, the Panasonic G20 plasma series will soon also be available in 46 inches (TX-P46G20 or TX-P46G20B) and 50 inches (TX-P50G20 or TX-P50G20B).