Panasonic TXP42G10 & TXP42G15 Unveiled

Update: We have completed our review of the Panasonic TX-P42G10 NeoPDP plasma.

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Continuing our coverage at the Panasonic Convention 2009 in Amsterdam, we were presented with their evolutionary roadmap for the ongoing advancement of Viera flat screen HDTVs:

It’s heartwarming to see Panasonic’s unwavering dedication to plasma display technology in spite of fierce competition from LCD/LED television panels which has seen several manufacturers (like Pioneer and Vizio) withdraw from the plasma market due to diminishing margins. Key to Panasonic’s vision is their NeoPDP technology which doubles the luminous efficiency of each plasma cell. In other words, to maintain the same level of brightness, Panasonic plasma TVs that use their NeoPDP Double Efficiency Technology only need half the amount of energy compared to their non-NeoPDP counterparts.

As a result, NeoPDP-powered Viera plasma televisions promise to thinner, more energy-efficient, and are capable of delivering deeper blacks and higher motion resolution.

Panasonic TXP42G10

The Panasonic G10 series – expected end of March 2009 – is the first Viera plasma range to incorporate the NeoPDP technology. There are three sizes: the 42″ Panasonic TXP42G10, the 46″ Panasonic TXP46G10 and the 50″ Panasonic TXP50G10. All 3 offer full HD 1920×1080 screen resolution and a claimed native contrast ratio of 40,000:1. Other features include:

• 600Hz Sub-field Drive Intelligent Frame Creation Pro which helps achieve 1080 line motion picture resolution;
• Viera Link which lets you use the remote control to operate devices connected to the Panasonic HDTV via a HDMI cable; and
• Viera Image Viewer which allows you to view still pictures on an SD card in slideshow format with background music and transition effects (if you so wish).

As usual, there may be an extra alphabet appended to the back of the model name depending on your country. For instance, Panasonic TXP42G10B denotes a 42-inch G10 true HD plasma TV which is sold in the United Kingdom, while the European version would be TXP42G10E.

Update 26 February 2010: The Panasonic TXP42G10B has now been replaced by the TX-P42G20B which boast an additional Freeview HD tuner, THX certification, user-accessible white balance and gamma controls, and other extras.

Panasonic TXP42G15

Coming in 2 sizes (the 42-inch Panasonic TXP42G15 and the 46-inch TXP46G15), the Panasonic G15 series is the next step up in Viera’s plasma hierarchy. The Panasonic G15s offer the following advantages over the G10s:

• Slim chassis design (2-inch);
• Viera Cast which lets viewers access certain Internet content on the Panasonic Viera HDTV;
• An extra HDMI input (four on G15 vs three on G10);
• DLNA media streaming capabilities, allowing you to view photos, listen to music, and even playback DiVX videos from compatible networked devices; and
• V-Audio Surround Pro (vs V-Audio Surround on G10).

The RRP for Panasonic TXP42G15B and TXP46G15B are £1,299 and £1,499 respectively, though exact release dates remain sketchy.

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