Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #3005 in Home Theater
- Color: Black
- Brand: Sony
- Model: KDL42EX440
- Released on: 2012-08-02
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 23.00" h x
3.00" w x
38.00" l,
33.00 pounds
- Hard Disk: 500GB
- Display size: 42
Features
- Full HD 1080p picture quality
- Motion flow XR 120 - 60Hz refresh rate
- Edge LED backlight and thin design
- Clear Resolution Enhancer
- TV without stand (Width x Height x Depth): 38.75-Inch x 25.375-Inch x 9.25-Inch, TV with stand (Width x Height x Depth): 38.75-Inch x 23.75-Inch x 3-Inch
Sony BRAVIA KDL42EX440 42-Inch 1080p LED HDTV (Black)
Product Description
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
60 of 62 people found the following review helpful.
By honestreviewer
Received this Sony 42" LED HDTV last week and I already own the 32" LED HDTV 1080p so I knew it would be just as great. Well it is better than I hoped it would be. Set up was super easy. The screen is sharper than my 32" size. You can watch this TV in a dark room and it adjusts to its environment. Same with a bright light on. From every angle you can see this TV clearly. This is in our living room. Perfect size. Highly Recommend this TV.
45 of 50 people found the following review helpful.
By Krunal
I really like this TV. Awesome picture clarity, thin LED screen and big 42 screen. The only part i don't like is that USB can only play .mpeg or .mpg movies. It cannot play other famous movie extensions like .avi, .mp4 etc. The good thing about this TV is that it supports 110V to 240V so that you can use anywhere in the world. Amazon does not charge tax that's plus point.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful.
By Jerry F. Coleman
The Sony quality is very evident: sound quality, picture sharpness, menu layout is all good. The led display is an improvement over the lcd which I previously own. It is lighter, thinner, with sharper image. Delivery was on time with no damage. Thanks.
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Price Comparisons Panasonic TC-L50EM5 50-Inch 60Hz LED-lit TV
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #4725 in Home Theater
- Brand: Panasonic
- Model: TC-L50EM5
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 27.30" h x
2.80" w x
45.70" l,
38.60 pounds
- Display size: 50
Features
- 2 HDMI
- PC Input
- 1 USB
Panasonic TC-L50EM5 50-Inch 60Hz LED-lit TV
Product Description
Media PlayerSimply insert an SD Memory Card or USB memory stick into the slot to enjoy previously saved photos, video clips, and music on VIERA's large screen. You can also add frames and other effects to your photos and videos, and create slide shows complete with background music. A wide variety of formats is supported, so you can listen to PC-based music files and web movies right on your TV. *Applicable formats vary depending on the modelGame ModeGames are much more fun when there's no lag in operation. VIERA automatically chooses settings that provide the optimal image, so you get super-fast response and no delays. Even dark scenes with delicately rendered details are beautiful and easy to see.Environmentally FriendlyPanasonic is committed to producing HDTVs that are mindful of the environment. The new and improved high efficient LED/LCD panels reduce targeted power consumption up to 25% over the 2011 models. The EM5 series is Energy Star certified. |
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
68 of 68 people found the following review helpful.
By Zdriver
Was looking for a big screen monitor for my new home theater / gaming PC and also used as a occasional second HDTV. Wanted an energy efficient LED display, (my main home theater TV is a plasma Panasonic G25 - which has performed flawlessly for 2 years) and this model certainly fits those requirements.This is a new Panasonic model - released in September I believe, and could find very little review information online. I have never purchased a large fragile item like this online, but due to Amazons stellar return policy, I decided to take the risk & am very happy I did.Delivery was excellent +. Appointment was for 9AM, received a call at 8:30 from CEVA - the delivery contractor, and it was in my living room at 08:50. Arrived in pristine condition - no damage to the set or the box. After a quick power up test, carefully inspecting the panel, I signed off & CEVA went on their way.HD content looks supurb. Panel brightness looks uniform across the display. There were no dead or stuck pixels. The factory settings are not the best - used some reference settings from reviews of other similar LED / LCD models and tweaked the custom settings for now to:Backlight 70Color 60Brightness 30Tint 5Sharpness 10Color Temp NormalLooks pretty darn good. Will set it up properly with Disney's calibration disc when it settles in for a few more hours. I have owned it for less than a week.Connected to my new PC, corrected for the overscan a TV monitor gives you vs a PC monitor, and WOW, a big and impressive desktop. Can read my email from across the room! Fired up 1 game on it, 1080p, looks fantastic. Audio is typical of a thin panel TV - since I have it connected to my PC with 5.1 surround, not an issue for me.The finish of the TV is excellent, piano black thin bezel with a clear acrylic surrounding it - not visible in the pictures. The black bezel thickness is 7/8" top and sides, bottom is 1 1/4". The acrylic adds 1/8" top & sides, 1/4" bottom.Overall, this is one very impressive unit. Not fair to compare it to the output & features of my plasma display. This has 2 HDMI (one with audio return) and 1 USB inputs, not a smart TV - but perfect for my purpose. If you want the smart & network connected features, all you have to do is connect a inexpensive networked blu ray player and you are there. My Panasonic plasma has never seen a network cable, the blu ray player provides all the Viera features. When I upgrade it next year, I'll move it to the LM50EM5 other HDMI port.Thanks Amazon - Recommended .... 8.5 / 10 (may go up after I calibrate it)
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
By Stephen Shireman Jr.
The caveat to this TV is that it is bare bones. It's simply a TV with no bells and whistles. With that being said, I purchased it because of that, not despite of it. I'm running my home theater through an AV receiver (the Sony STRDH520).When I first got the TV I quickly hooked it up directly to my cable box (Comcast HD DVR) and the picture was horrible. I was getting worried. But then once I ran the HDMI from the cable box to the receiver and then to the TV BOOM, Crystal clear picture. In our house we have Vizio, Philips, and Samsung and now this Viera. Give me the Panasonic any day of the week. It's beautiful picture and deep black background make watching movies a dream. I bought it specifically for Movies and sports. NFL Redzone looks amazing in HD as well. All the colors "pop" without being annoying. I played with the picture settings for a while and once I fine tune it enough I will add my settings to the review. I started with the "Standard" settings however, and went from there, and frankly the Standard setting is fine for most. Also, though this is a 60Hz TV, you can't tell the difference when compared side by side with a 120Hz TV which our 42" Philips is. Movement is crisp and realistic. I have already recommended this TV to everyone that is looking for a 50". I only have it 4 stars because if you don't have an A/V receiver with HDMI, you WILL be disappointed.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
By William Phillipson
I have a home theatre system but was hoping to upgrade my TV - bigger screen and 1080p. Look at the flyers through black Friday, over the weekend and then into cyber Monday left me assuming that it wasn't going to happen this year. Then I stumbled upon this Panasonic 50". 50" HDTV 1080p. It apparently has speakers and other stuff - but isn't a "SMART" TV. Maybe this is why the low pricetag. Anyway, I got it delivered this Friday. It looks amazing. Wickedly thin - and half the weight of my old 37". Picture is beautiful. I can see everything from across the room without squinting! And the detail I can now see on plain old cable and movies - incredible! Watching old movies again and exclaiming "I didn't know xxxx was on the wall!" or whatever.Highly recommended.
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Monday, May 28, 2012
Affordable Westinghouse UW40T2BW 40-Inch 1080p 120HZ Slim LED HDTV
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #731 in Home Theater
- Brand: Westinghouse
- Model: UW40T2BW
- Dimensions: 26.50" h x
8.00" w x
44.25" l,
29.40 pounds
- Native resolution: 1920x1080
- Display size: 40
Features
- 1080p display
- 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (4000:1 native)
- Include 2 HDMI, 1 component video, 1 composite, 1 PC and 1 RF
- Ultraslim design: Ideal for wall mounting (with optional mounting kit, not included). VESA 200mm x 200mm compliant.
Westinghouse UW40T2BW 40-Inch 1080p 120HZ Slim LED HDTV
Product Description
Watch your favorite movies, games and more with this Westinghouse UW40T2BW LED HDTV that features a 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and 1080p resolution for clear, extremely detailed images. The included two 10W speakers produce a lush, rich harmonic soundscape.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
42 of 43 people found the following review helpful.
By Mohammed
I would like to start my review by commenting on the other review. I viewed the TV at Costco and it is, in fact, NOT the same TV. It has the same specs, but is not in fact the same model number. The TV at Costco had a much more dull, inaccurate color to it as well. I think this is the difference between this tv and the UW40TC1W.On the TV itself: The TV's picture is really good for the money. I am using a Dish Satellite with a Joey Hopper and it looks great. I use it in my bedroom and lie about 8-10 feet away (head to screen). I hooked up my BR Drive and the picture was clear and crisp (not vivid or exciting like a Samsung, but still very good). (Make sure your input is set to 1080p--I was watching 480p until I realized there was a difference in my Dish Joey settings).Pros: Price, picture, size, LED, 120Hz, 1080p, calibration presetsCons: Basic remote, lackluster feature set (hard to adjust and calibrate picture, but see above), not smart TV, and no "smooth motion setting"Overall, the TV is priced right, but not a 5 start TV at all. Given the price, I can only knock one star. It is what it is and it's not trying to be anything it isn't. See cons.Update: Wanted to add that I have not attempted to mount this. The TV is breaking in some and looks better every week to me. I have used it with my HP DV7 to play Bluray and they look pretty darned good. I also hooked it up to my desktop via my GTX295 and enjoyed COD4 and BFBC2 with lots of immersion. I have always wanted to play on something this large. Paired with the GTX295 and an HDMI cable, games look great with little screen lag.Side note: I received the TV with absolutely 0 dead pixels or any other cosmetic issues. I might just be lucky, but in the some 12 devices I have owned with flat panels, only my PSP had a single dead pixel. I feel terribly sorry for those with as many as 5-6 with any given brand, but no issues at all here!
53 of 58 people found the following review helpful.
By Nerd Alert
My first HDTV was a Westinghouse, and I was thrilled! It was around 8 years ago, and things have changed quite a bit. Standards are higher and prices are lower. With so many companies trying to get our attention, can Westinghouse still compete in the low end market?BUILDMy first impression of this TV was, "This is a Westinghouse? It looks fancy." The bezel is nicely understated and pretty thin, and the TV is very slim considering the low price. Compared to the Seiki TV I recently reviewed, this TV looks like it is from the future. It does not look like a $1000+ TV, but it doesn't look cheap.The USB port can't be used for pictures or movies. It is for firmware updates, if the TV ever needs them, and would most likely be used only by a repair technician. The port does provide the 5V signal if you need it for a peripheral such as a USB Wii sensor bar.The Westinghouse I bought 8 years ago was built like a tank. When it recently died, I took it apart and it was full of thick metal. Similarly, the stand was very heavy duty. The stand for the UW40T2BW is pretty flimsy in comparison, though I think it will hold up decently. The TV does easily wobble and needs to be somewhere very stable, though there is an included hole to screw it to the furniture if that is an option. My TV stand has a glass top.PICTURE QUALITYIf you want chromaticity diagrams of the standard color spaces, I have uploaded them to the image gallery. If you don't know what they mean, the gist is that the color reproduction is pretty standard to better than average for a low end TV. However, some areas look a bit blotchy. This is probably not the panel's inadequacy, but some sort of processing that is done to the picture. Unfortunately, processing can not be turned off on this TV. Still, I was very happy with the picture quality for the most part after calibration, and 1080p movies looked great.LCD TVs used to be awful with quick motion, such as a camera panning across a scene. My old TV left a smeary trail. This is not an issue with most newer TVs, but still is in some at the lowest price range. Thankfully, the UW40T2BW had no such issues. The only problem is that there are no options for the way it converts standard frame rates to 120 Hz (motion interpolation, etc.). Sound like techno babble? If you've seen a fancy TV make everything look a bit sped up, you've seen a perhaps overdone version of motion interpolation. Some people love it after they adapt, while others hate it. Most TVs have an option to adjust it, but the UW40T2BW has one setting, which is pretty subtle.If you are planning to use a TV as a computer monitor, I think it is worth considering this one. It has a true 1:1 mode, so there is no issue with overscan. However, with black text on grey, there is sometimes a garbled color field around the text. This may be the result of the same processing that makes some imagery look a bit smeared. It is not an issue for most webpages I viewed.EDIT: I forgot to mention that this TV has wide viewing angles. I can look at it from a pretty sharp angle before the picture washes out, and even then it looks pretty good.WALL MOUNTINGI would generally not include anything about mounting in my reviews, since I've mounted many TVs and the process is always the same. However, looking at the back of this TV will give you an immediate migraine if you are planning to mount it. It is almost like they intentionally sabotaged anyone who would dare try. The screw holes are place next to a recessed area, so you won't have access to them without building out some strange structure with spacers.While I'm sure that where there is a will, there is a way, I highly suggest looking elsewhere if you plan to mount your TV. Even if you figure out a way to do it, it will probably look like a mess.EDIT: There was a will and a way. Joshua Merrill wrote a review in which he describes the issues with wall mounting. The size is not the standard one in Amazon's description. He found that the Sanus AMF112-B1 did the trick. If you plan to mount the TV, I suggest reading his review and giving him a helpful vote. I don't know why Westinghouse made it so difficult/specific, but at least there is a solution. The downside is that this is not an ultra flush type mount. Those are both cheap and look really nice on thin TVs like this one. Ah well.Big_G also let me know that he was able to do it in the comments, and I am hoping he will give us pictures and more information. His approach seems to be more DIY (just buy longer screws and add spacers/shims until it works). If you go this route, make sure to properly match the threading of the screws to avoid making a return trip to the hardware store.SOUNDLike most modern HDTVs, the speakers on the UW40T2BW do not point forward, giving the sound an echo. It is sufficient for basic use and I forgot about it a few minutes into a movie.REMOTEThe remote is very basic. It is not super intuitive and does not light up, but it is okay. It requires pointing at the TV.OVERALLIf you plan to mount your TV, stay away from the UW40T2BW, unless you are looking for a challenge and a trip to the hardware store (but see edit above). Otherwise, I have been very pleased with the picture, apart from some splotchy color areas here and there. Motion looks very nice, and the overall package compares very well to other TVs in the same price range. It is great to see Westinghouse remain competitive.
34 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
By MMO Man
I almost didn't buy this set after weeks of research leading up to Thanksgiving. The other negative reviews that I read convinced me I should fork out for a more expensive set.I am sensitive to issues others had with dead pixels or problems, but I had no such issues and can only comment on the tv assuming that you get a unit with no problems.The picture is extremely vibrant and rich. Do I notice some differences with higher end sets in terms of sharpness? Sure. Is there minimal increased motion blur. Sure. But, honestly, I had to really, really, really focus on the screen and stare for hours to notice anything at all.Additionally, if you are hooking up to a computer, like I did for 1080p gaming in Assassin's Creed 3 and Hitman Absolution, the screen has a special setting for super fast response times for pc usage. Max resolution is also 1920x1080. My games looked amazing in this setting and I was so happy.I purchased this set at Micro Center in Cambridge for $299, although the deal here is good too, although local chains might have even lower pricing.Many of the parts for this set are made by the same factory as Toshiba. To get a set in which you definitely notice a difference in screen quality, I honestly think you would have to spend $700-800.Given I got a TV that, sincerely, I believe is 90% as good for half the price, I am very happy and justify five stars based on quality for the price.I am a big audio/videophile person, but given how inexpensive this was, I thought I would give Westinghouse a try and I'm really happy I did.Two more little notes: I had to play with the brightness/contrast, etc, to get the screen to look its best. This was well worth the effort and you will find many guides that given suggestions. I suggest putting the brightness higher than what you would think and using the cool setting for colors as well as the pc setting for the picture.Finally, I tested the set with a number of friends' HDMI splitters and it worked flawless with all of them.Also, aesthetically the set is very thin and nice looking, installs easily to the base, views well from angles and does not generate much heat.I can't recommend this set enough. Consider pairing it with a Geforce 670 GTX :)
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Sunday, May 27, 2012
Buying Panasonic VIERA TC-L47E50 47-Inch 1080p 60Hz Full HD IPS LED-LCD TV
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #922 in Consumer Electronics
- Size: 47-inch
- Color: One Color
- Brand: Panasonic
- Model: TC-L47E50
- Format: CD-ROM
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 26.30" h x
2.10" w x
43.60" l,
36.40 pounds
- Display size: 47
Features
- IPS Full LED Panel with 360 Backlight Scanning,1 Year Warranty
- Vera CONNECT (Wi-Fi Ready)
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
- Thin LED Design: TV without stand (Width x Height x Depth): 43.6-Inch x 26.3-Inch x 1.6-Inch, TV with stand (Width x Height x Depth): 43.6-Inch x 28.1-Inch x 10.6-Inch
- 2 x Right/Left Channel Speaker - Built-In - 10 Watt
Panasonic VIERA TC-L47E50 47-Inch 1080p 60Hz Full HD IPS LED-LCD TV
Product Description
VIERA Connect IPTV - More Fun Comes Via a Cloud Service VIERA Connect is a cloud service that provides apps in categories like video and music, social networking, games, news and lifestyle, sports, health and fitness. Learn more about the world of Smart VIERA and VIERA Connect here. Enhance your TV Experience with Popular AppsPopular apps on VIERA Connect include Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Facebook, Twitter, Wall Street Journal, and huluplus, all optimized for the best user experience. You can have an unlimited number of apps installed because those apps are stored in the cloud, rather than in the TV memory itself.Learn more about "smart" TVs, how they work, what services are offered by different manufacturers, and exactly what you'll need to get started at Amazon's Smart TV Center.Clicker - Video on Demand Cross SearchingFind your favorite movies and video content easily with one-step searching, which allows you to cross search from multiple VOD services. For ease-of-use, use the quick keyword input on VIERA Connect to help retrieve your desired content faster. Customize your screen by grouping commonly used apps and displaying them on the screen for easier use.VIERA Remote App Support The VIERA remote app lets you use a smartphone or tablet device as a remote control. Tap and flick-based commands are intuitive. Use your smartphone as a gamepad for VIERA Connect game applications or your tablet as a touch pad to control what you do on the TV screen. Display the same web pages on both your VIERA screen and your smartphone with a simple flick. Simply "swipe" and share your favorite photos, music, and movies from your smartphone to your VIERA TV anytime.     Communicate with Family and FriendsThe social networking TV app allows you to access social network sites and communicate with your loved ones while watching TV. Watch live sports games while upping the excitement by chatting with your friends as the game unfolds. Record an original message and set it as your answering voice message. Callers can record messages onto an SD Card (min. 512MB required), while you are away. *Skype camera not included with TV purchaseBeautiful Images from Anywhere - Wide Viewing Angle The IPS LED Panel panel delivers a wide 178° viewing angle, you see clear, vibrant images from every seat in the room. The backlight features a wide transmission aperture that enhances contrast between light and dark and improves response to provide smoother motion images. Expressive, Lifelike Colors and Beautifully Reproduced Crisp LinesDiagonal lines and edges are detected with high precision for all types of images, and optimal correction is applied to achieve beautiful, noise-free lines. People's faces are detected and skin tones are corrected to ensure soft, natural complexions.The Perfect Smart TV Experience: A Suite of TechnologiesDLNA/Built-in Wi-FiThe E50 series has DLNA compatibility and is Wi-Fi ready. It requires a separate wireless LAN adaptor which is not included with purchase.360 Backlight ScanningBy increasing the panel refresh to 60Hz with a 3-phase backlight system, crystals are more active and responsive than 60Hz standard systems to minimize image softening under motion. 360 backlight scanning allows for smooth images, without flicker, even in fast-moving scenes. Afterimages are thoroughly reduced by finer blinking.Operate Multiple Systems with Just One Remote Control through VIERA LinkThe E50 features VIERA Link, a technology that allows a consumer to operate all VIERA Link compatible AV components using only the TV’S remote control. Just point the VIERA remote at your TV, and the signal will travel over the HDMI wires to the right piece of equipment, like your Panasonic Blu-ray or DVD player or Home Cinema Surround System.This is both NTSC and Pal compatible.Environmentally FriendlyThe new and improved high efficient LED/LCD panels reduce targeted power consumption up to 25% over the 2011 models. The E50 series is Energy Star certified and has a long-life panel.Inputs/Outputs: 4x HDMI Audio/Video In (Side),1x RCA Composite Video In (Bottom), 1x RCA Composite Audio In (Bottom), 1x RCA Component Video In (Bottom), 1x RCA Component Audio In (Bottom), 1x VGA Video In (Bottom), 2x USB 2.0 Audio/Video In (Bottom) and 1x Ethernet LAN In (Bottom).What’s In the Box: Panasonic Smart VIERA 47-Inch Class E50 Series Full HD LED HDTV, Remote Control, 2 x AA Batteries, Pedestal (TBL5ZX0037), Owner's Manual, Child Safety Guide, Quick Start Guide, Product Registration Card (U.S.A.) and 1 Year Warranty. |
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
704 of 728 people found the following review helpful.
By Btbluesky
As a programmer and a gamer, I have my share of expensive monitors (just ask my wife!). And the regular LCD TV never satisfy my quality standard; colors are either too cartonish, black is not black, and white is tinted blue. So I have only used plasma as TV. It's warm, have rich real color, it's perfect for movie night, there is no argument there.So for my second TV, which in my study and music room, I want to try something else, since I keep hearing the LED LCD are the bomb nowaday (even most of them still do not look as life like as good plasma to me), the energy usage is low, thin and light. So I try my first LED LCD with this model after researching the latest 2012 models within my "2nd tv" price range.Sales person kept pushing LG (got magic wand, apps, thin bezel.....), but for me, IPS is the magic word. For people who do not know what it is just google "IPS panel", if no time, just know this, IPS is supposedly the best panel you can get as LCD panel (I believe all big Apple monitors are IPS, no exception), color is more vivid and the view angle should be a perfect 178.Got the baby home, set it up, hook up to my 15TB home server w/ HDMI, play some 1080p clips. Wow, it's so clear and real looking, this is some great monitor/TV I told myself. Flipped to the movies folder, open Avatar, wow, so this is 120hz, looking real smooth, real clear.IN FACT, it's so real and clear, I double check my refresh rate (at 60hz from source) all the codecs. The images looks like a pre-rendered animation, totally flawless. But after the first 5 minutes, it feels kind of weird to me as the movie somehow look much smoother, but "cheaper" at the same time. Then I remember the stuff I heard....soap opera effect.I never consider my eyes to be sensitive in any case (if anything, years of looking at multi 27" monitor should have desensitized me...), so whenever I heard SOE, I'd just brush it off as some people's sensitive eyes. IT'S NOT, it's very much noticeable to anyone, albeit some people just don't care about it when watching movies in the first place. In 300, all the grains are gone! Now it's really looking like animation, watching them fighting the monsters.By now, 2 hours after I unpacked it, I'm panicking and start looking at all the menu items. After much google, some site suggested to use Game mode, so the TV wouldn't add additional frames by itself to smooth out the frames. BINGO, the movies are looking absolutely stunning, got the good colors, no bleeding, black is pretty black (not as black as the best plasma...but blacker than most mid price monitors out there, which is a tall order for this size and price). So I open up some calibration graphic test for monitor and tune it abit, I'm pretty much set -- happy.BTW I have not try any apps in there, but I tested the iphone app remote, works great.So to sum it up, if you just want picture quality with a good price in a LED LCD, not gimmicks like 3D, apps, hair thin bezel, this is it.Make sure you understand the usage of GAME MODE, tune the brightness/contrast/color to watch movie, and use all the other ones for TV, personal videos, then it's good. OTOH, if the SOE do not bother you, doesn't matter then. The color and contrast will win you over in no time.Edit:Thanks to helpful reply, the setting to turn off the SOE is under Advance Picture->Motion Picture Setting. Good stuff.
805 of 861 people found the following review helpful.
By Kevin Farrell
This is my first HDTV purchase. I waited a long time for them to come down in price, and am very happy with this TV so far. I've had it for about 3 weeks now and it is working great. I've watched various movies, the Euro Cup games, MLB All-star game, etc. As many have pointed out, it has a great picture, but may need some tweeking to get it how you want. This isn't hard to do if you have basic technology skills (i.e. finding the "Menu" button on remote and going to "Picture," then playing around with settings). Again, as others have noted, sound is okay. I'm not an audiophile or anything, but like good audio. I'll probably get a sound bar at some point, but it's just fine for now. I would not let others criticism of the sound deter you from buying this TV. I have not used the internet ready features, but will once I get a wifi blue ray player hooked up so can't comment there.The biggest issue with the TV is what others have noted - Panasonic's shoddy packaging. This really surprises me considering the quality of TV. Spend a few more pennies to get an extra layer of card board in there! My box had several holes punched right through it (thanks Fed Ex), fortunately they were all in the back which had more room for error (extra inch or two of depth) than if it were in front where the screen was. If the holes were in the front, whatever punched through the box probably would've damaged the screen.To summarize - excellent TV that I'm very happy about. Great price, especially with no tax and free shipping. I got the TV, the Mediabridge HDMI cable, and a 3 year warranty for less than what I would have paid for just the TV at a local big box store before tax! Not sure how Amazon does it, but I'm happy to benefit from their methods. The only thing here is you are rolling the dice having such a large item shipped. Be home when it arrives, inspect the box, give it a whirl. If it doesn't work or has damage then send it back. From the feedback I've read, Amazaon is very good about this. Fortunately I did not have to deal with it. I did take pictures of the damaged box though as a precaution.I'll update this in the future if anything changes, but otherwise am very happy! Wait for it to go on sale and Prime it!8/2/12 UPDATE - I've begun to notice vertical banding - vertical, translucent lines that almost look like shadows, and range in width from 1" to 4" across the entire screen. This is PARTICULARLY noticeable when I have been watching olympic soccer or baseball games with the green background when the camera is panning or following the action quickly. You see it at other times when there is a bright background and the camera is moving. I've also noted when objects move quickly in movies or shows there is some serious distortion. Other 95% of time picture is great. It is not an HDMI cable or input issue. This is a 120hz TV, so it should not be a refresh rate issue IMO. Here are some links on the topic as it appears to be a common problem w/ LCD and LED tv's.[...][...]Unfortunately, I'm past my 30 days to return it to Amazon. I bought the Square Trade warranty and talked to them first. They were very friendly and helpful, recommending that I use the Panasonice warranty and if they denied me to call back as they would service it. Initially Panasonic DENIED my claim for warranty service as their customer service determined it was not a "serviceable issue." They gave me information on how to dispute the decision. I ultimately asked for a supervisor, who cleared it to be serviced w/o me even talking to them. Technician is coming to my house next week and I look forward to seeing what he says b/c according to the links above it may just be a chronic problem LED/LCD tv's. Even if the tech says it is working properly, I'm still pretty happy with this tv. Panasonic's customer service is more up in the air at this point. I'd love to hear if anyone else has seen this problem with this TV?I'll post again once I get it serviced and update this again...8/7/12 UPDATE - I see they wouldn't allow me to include my links from my last update...oh well. So the technician came to my house today and noticed the problem right away. I guess that does make it a "serviceable issue." We enjoyed watching some of the Brazil and S. Korea match for a while. He tried a few things. We reproduced it on other channels and on a DVD. He said it's not the panel or backlight as he put it to a blue screen and everything was perfect. His best guess was something is wrong with the refresh rate for whatever reason, and noted that since it is a 120hz TV it should not be happening. He said he has not seen this particular issue before, and it looked comparable to what most 60hz TV's look like. He called it in and described it as a "noisy background." The person on the other end of the phone tended to agree so they are replacing the "main board" on the TV. On the receipt it is noted as a "Main PCB," and is a $262 repair. The part is being delivered to my house and repair scheduled for next week. I'll continue to update as it happens.8/16/12 UPDATE - Same tech came back today and replaced the main board. This did not solve the problem. He tried adjusting settings, called into his office to talk to technician who is particularly knowledgeable about settings and calibration, still no luck. He did say that issues like this are not uncommon in LCD/LED TV's. Next step is to call Panasonic and see what they say. Problems seems undetectable to some, others notice it immediately.9/23/12 UPDATE - Wow. Where do I begin. I'll start out with this - Panasonic's customer service is an epic nightmare. That's a pretty good summary. I'm now a month and a half into dealing with them. I've made 5-6 calls to them since my last post in August, spent hours in discussion with them, hours on hold, hours being disconnected, hours being re-routed to the wrong people and the wrong department. In a word, incompetent would be putting it nicely. The service company who came out to service the TV declared it non-repairable back in August. Panasonic claimed they never did this. And around and around we go. There are so many stories I don't even know where to begin. On one call I was told that I could not speak to a supervisor and that I could not leave a message for one. End of phone call. Seriously. It's just insane. This past Friday I spent over an hour with them on the phone as they told me my "TV was working to specifications and would not be replaced." It really took them over a month to determine this? When I asked for a full clarifcation as to why, again, they are cherry picking information from the repair company. The TV is working to specs, however, it also still has the screen issue and they have no idea how to fix it. This is clearly noted in the report. I was told I would need to call the repair company as they would not replace the TV unless the repair company changed their report. I called them (A&E Repair) and they were responsive, friendly, and competent. What a change. We now have an appointment for the same tech to come to my home on Wed. to verify the problem is still occurring (which it is). Then we are going to call Panasonic together and tell them the TV needs to be replaced. A&E said this way Panasonic cannot claim that the TV was never called in as unrepairable, again.At this point Panasonic is at least guilty of incompetence in their customer service and warranty department. At worst, they are disingenuous, lying, and not standing by their product in an attempt to get me to give up my attempts at getting a working product. What they have yet to learn is that I'm pretty persistent and they've chosen the wrong customer to do this to. I've yet to decide if I will report them to the Better Business Bureau yet. That will depend on the outcome of my experience on Wed. Regardless, I will continue to update this post, my post on CNET forum, I plan to write a personal letter to Panasonic Corporate, and publish a lengthy post to their public Facebook page. That will be a start. To all others who are having the same problem from Panasonic (many of you have contacted me personally), I suggest you document everything - the dates, times, names and ID #'s of all employees in every interaction you have with them. Demand a supervisor as they are slightly more competent than the typical person who answers. And good luck, because you will need it. I will update again as this develops.10/6/2012: I've now dropped my rating of this product to 2 stars. The TV has begun to have serious backlite bleed through - blotchy and ligther in some spots than others when on a black screen - especially in the corners. For the type of LED TV this is, my understanding is that this shouldn't be happening. I wish I could attach pictures. Maybe a video review is in my future to prove all of this. The original banding issue is still occurring. It's also down to 2 because of the overall terrible customer service - unexcusable.Anyway, the technician never came to my house. He was in contact with Panasonic techs who told him that this problem is "normal." They even asked the warranty technician why he was still in contact with me and that he shouldn't be speaking with me anymore since the case is closed. They basically told the one person trying to help me to stop talking to me. Can you believe this?! I've never experienced anything quite like this. I actually spoke to someone at Panasonic that seemed to know what they were talking about in customer service and it's as simple as this - unless I can get someone to claim the TV as unrepairable, there is nothing customer service can do. Since my TV is "working to specs" and the problems people have actually acknowledged exist are "normal," nothing is going to happen. My last ditch effort is an email to the Panasonic technician dept. he was speaking to, along with attached photos and videos of the problem. As always, I'll post their response.This review has become a book and is silly by now, but for me it's the principle of the matter at this point. I'm glad to see the time I've taken to write this has actually deterred people from buying this product. Hopefully more of you continue to comment.10/31/12:Happy Halloween. No trick here, I'm actually getting my TV replaced. So I was able to take video and photo proof of the problems on the TV. I emailed it to Panasonic at the address they requested and surprise, surprise, no response after 2 weeks. I then filed a Better Business Bureau case and had a call from the North American branch of Panasonic within 48 hours. The employee that called me was friendly, professional, and re-assured me right out of the gate that my TV will either be replaced or my money back - my choice. I was informed however, that my current one could not be repaired. I asked them how that could be when they were willing to replace it, but yet other staff had told me it was "working to specs." This is no lie now - I was actually asked if I was recording the conversation. I reassured them I was not. I was then told that it is known internally that there are problems with Panasonic LED line of televisions. REDEMPTION!The employee said that they could not repair the issue because techinically it was within their accepted specs, and that they could not comfortably replace it with the same model as it would be likely that the replacement would have the same issues. In talking to a friend who works at out local Best Buy, he told me that they had not received any Panasonic LED shipments in a while and his guess was maybe they are actually doing something about this now.Anyway, I was offered a full refund, or an upgrade to a Panasonic plasma TV that was much nicer, larger, and a lot more features. I took the TV and I talked them into giving me the next model up from what they offered me an even exchange for due to my troubles. Basically I'm getting a $1200 TV for my orginal price of $750. My Square Trade Warranty also transfers over. I have the employee's direct line so I will be dealing only with them for any future issues - another reason I was willing to take another Panasonic. I'm waiting for the TV to be delivered to a local business who will be delivering it to my door and taking away the "old" one. Hopefully I'll only be writing one more review after this professing love for my new TV. If you are having the same problems that I had, save yourself a lot of stress and wasted time and just open up the BBB case if Panasonic is dragging their feet.I win...maybe11/30/2012:I've had the replacement for almost 2 weeks now (got delayed due to demand and Hurricane Sandy...seems right for my luck in all this). I talked them into giving me a TC-P50ST50 plasma unit as an even exchance. A regional repair company sent a technician out to pick up the old one and set-up the new one. The replacement TV they gave me is absolutely stellar. The plasma picture is far superior to the LED I had. The sound is also much better. It truly is a pretty spectacular TV. Unfortunately, the stock Netflix app is not working on it. Fortunately I do not have to go through Panasonic anymore. The repair technician from the delivery company is in direct contact with their tech dept and is handing it. Panasonic tried to say it was b/c I have too low bandwith - something I thought was plausible considering I only get 3mbps to my house. So I had my cable company bump me up to 15mbps (plenty of bandwith for the app) for a day to see what would happen. I verified via a speed test that I was up and running at 15mbps. It did not solve the problem. I think the app was corrupted on install or something. The technician is awaiting a response from Panasonic at this time. The fun continues...1/10/2013:The Netflix issue was resolved without repair, but rather by some help from the Amazon community. It actual was likely happening due to Comcast intentionally restricting bandwith to the TV (apparently something they readily admit they do to other on-demand competitors). Once I changed the IP address on the TV to the public Google server, the app has worked just fine since then. The replacement plasma TV I received is fantastic. I'm very happy with it.
198 of 210 people found the following review helpful.
By StacyK
I bought this from a big box retailer, but have always found the Amazon community to offer great non-pro reviews of mid-level products often skipped by online review sites. Panasonic has picked up the mantle of plasma king since the demise of Pioneer and I hoped the TC-l42E50 would have close to the same impact on LED/LCD market. I have tried LED displays from other major brand names with a 3rd the performance quality of the Panasonic. Let's get this out of the way right now if you are expecting plasma level PQ (picture quality) namely black level performance out of this TV then pack it up and ship it back, because it is not happening. Panasonic has taken the Samsung/Sony approach to this television and offer a screen that pops with intensity, one of the sacrifices being black level performance. You gain a plethora of features that with the right adjustments can make this display outshine it's competitor's. Panasonic has taken great measures to ensure great motion performance with the addition of the 360 backlight scanning feature. This feature breaks the screen into 3 section in which a smart dimming function on the LED's switch them on/off very quickly (120hz frequency) to improve pixel response time and alleviate motion artifacts such as judder, trailing and ghosting/streaking. The math breaks down like this 3 sections x 120hz = 360hz (simulated) for the 360 backlight scanning. They offer an additional motion smoothing technology when set to weak offers no artifacting or Soap Opera Effect (SOE) often seen with this technology, but if gaming on this TV recommend turning off or set to weak due to potential controller lag. Speaking of gaming if you are a gamer than I cannot recommend this TV enough from racing games too first person shooters(FPS)this set can handle anything you can throw at it. I have tried everything from 120hz-480hz televisions and none can perform a third as well as the Panasonic at a about 50% less to the of the main competitors equivalent. Don't let all the fancy jargon confuse you it is all marketing speak. All TV's including plasmas are 60hz with scene interpolation of some kind that inserts frames in between existing frames to give the illusion of a higher refresh rate whether it is Panasonic's:600hz sub-field drive or Samsung's:Auto motion plus they are still a native 60hz. While shopping for a television let that be the last deciding factor, but let your eye's be your guide. Visit a big box store ask for a remote and immediately take it off the Vivid picture settings and set it for Cinema,movie or natural setting in the user menu to get a better idea how the set will function in the real world. This will turn all the post processing nonsense off in most case and let you see the true performance of the display, so you can make an educated decision. If you prefer the look though the Panasonic E50 can still deliver that performance, although adjustments aren't as robust as it's competitor's they are sufficient. Let's break it down. Picture: While not as deep as a plasma display still impressive for an LED/LCD. Black levels are good, but not great colors are natural and accurate making movies and games really pop. Could use a few more adjustment option like a THX or pro mode for better white balance control, but certainly not the worse I have seen. Sound: Like a few of the review have said nothing to write home about, but again not the worse I have heard. If you are in the market for home a theater and gaming set-up most likely a quality surround sound is already a consideration. Since I have a pair of wireless surround sound headphones TV audio quality is not a concern for me. Connectivity: While wi-fi ready this display is not wireless out of the box, an additional dongle is needed for internet connectivity. Build Quality: While this TV doesn't have the paper thin bezel made popular by LG & Samsung it would be right at home on a wall mount or traditional stand. It sports a 1 inch glossy black bezel with a quarter inch clear boarder around that for an all around attractive frame. Panasonic has manage to also avoid some of the pitfalls associated with Edge Lit LED technology namely light bleed and flashlighting. In a completely dark room the screen is solid black or really dark blue through the entirety of the screen with no areas of backlight bleed on any of the sides. There is also no pooling of light where the LED's are unable to reach certain areas of the screen. I have seen $4000.00+ LED TV's not be able to achieve this feat, so very impressive. I hope I was able to give an overall impression of the Panasonic TC-L42E50 television.
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