Boys and their Toys (Part 87)

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Panasonic 46 inch Plasma TV  Not content with our excellent three-year-old, Panasonic 42 inch Plasma, we’ve just bought a Panasonic 46 inch Plasma. As they say, size matters!

but in this case, it didn’t!

The reason? Well, this is the next step in TV evolution. Just as mobile phones evolved to perform lots of additional functions, TVs are going the same way.

The write-ups (like this one), have been fantastic and consequently, almost everywhere was out-of-stock for at least the next few weeks when I tried to order it last Friday. Locating one was a real challenge – but part of the fun too!

After some intensive trawling round the ‘net though, I found one at ‘Radiocraft‘ based in Cardiff. Their customer service was excellent and the TV even comes with free a five-year guarantee. What’s more, if England win the World Cup, they’ll refund the cost of the TV (Do they know something, I don’t?)

viera This latest model, (for the nerds, it’s the Viera TX-P46G20B) and about the only thing it ISN’T, is ‘3D’ – I’m not convinced that technology will catch-on… but I may end up eating-my-hat! 

Tech Spec
Non-Nerdy Version

It’s got an ethernet port so you can connect it your PC router and stream movies from your PC network straight through to the TV

It’s has a wireless connection too, in case too many cables get on your nerves

It has Skype built-in, so plug in a web-cam and you can skype via the TV

USB ports, just like a PC, so you can plug in say, an external hard disk (or a stick), and record straight onto it – then play that recording back just like a Sky-Box

Freeview/Freeview HD built-in – so no need for an extra box

SD Card slot – just pop in your card from your digital camera (or video from a camcorder) for an instant replay

It consumes HALF the power of our current 42 inch TV 

Nerdy Version
freeview freeviewhd freesat_hd 1920x1080

– Full HD as oppose to HD Ready – more pixels!
– In addition to Freeview, it’s got Freeview HD and FreeSat HD built in – that means HDTV for free!!!
– Access to YouTube, and other online services direct from the TV

Super-Nerdy Version
(translations available 9am-1pm)

iPlayer LogoBBC iPlayerCurrently in beta testing, this will make the iPlayer service available on the TV later this year

600HzNeo PDP 600Hz Processing
No picture blur on fast-moving images
 

 
THX2THX Certified
Allows the TV picture to ‘look’ more like the cinema
 

Infinite2000000:1 contrast Very black blacks!
 

 

VieraVieraCast
Access to loads of internet based content

 

 

 

1080p1080i1080i and 1080p
The ultimate in picture quality

2424 fps

DVDs play at the correct speed
 

viera_linkViera Link
Controls your DVD player from the TV remote

dlna_logodlna Certified – is a standard used by manufacturers of consumer electronics to allow entertainment devices within the home to share their content with each other across a home network.
 
Full Specification is HERE and Manual is HERE 

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