Panasonic 3D LED LCD TV / 47″ / Full HD / Clear Panel Pro / Wi-Fi Smart Viera TH-L47WT50A
Why Panasonic?
It’s not just the smart HD picture, the remote control, number and range of sockets like HDMI and USB have all played an equal role in my selection.
Resolution versus screen size:
Most LED/LCD TVs on the market today (Dec 2012) suffer from significant resolution distortion once they go from 47 inches to 55 inches. I originally bought a 55-inch 3D HD LED, but settled for a 47-inch TV due to the much sharper picture quality. There are good TVs larger than 55 inches, but they come at a cost, well beyond my humble budget.
Panasonic remote control and touch panel:
HDMI CEC – Consumer Electronics Control, for me this is an important feature in the selection and why I finally switched from less expensive brands to a Panasonic. CEC allows the remote to manage all devices connected via HDMI, such as Blu-ray Disc Player, PVR, Home Theater, etc.
The remote is one of the best I’ve come across to date, fast switching between channels and most modes, back and forth has very little lag time. Note that the TV’s built-in native internet takes about 30 seconds to load, but switches back to TV and other modes in an instant. Having a conventional remote control and touch panel included in the price/package is a real bonus.
Less expensive models and online purchases:
Always see the product before you buy it online or you will be disappointed. Poor resolution and coarse pixelation of the screen is a common problem with some makes and less expensive models, something that can only be detected by personal evaluation. Flat screen units with low resolution and large blocks of pixels should be avoided at all costs.
Lesser known brands I considered:
HISENSE: lacked HDMI CEC
TCL: lacked HDMI CEC
NUOVO – Good value for money (Supermarket – Smaller sizes only)
KOGAN: Can’t see a working model.
Other popular brands worth considering:
TEAC, TOSHIBA, SAMSUNG, LG, SONY, SHARP
Why I chose to shop online:
Faster, cheaper and, in the case of BBB, free shipping.
My original intention was to shop locally, but that has its drawbacks – the main one being that I usually end up walking out the door with something different than what I originally intended.
Advantages:
The sharp picture for both the free air and PC picture via HDMI is amazing (clearly this depends on the source being HD). Internet programs like Google Earth take on a whole new dimension when viewed on this 47-inch Panasonic display.
4 HDMI ports and 2 USB ports are very useful, if you plug a keyboard into the USB connector you will find that it works when in Internet mode.
Cons:
Capture Recording: One Touch Recording will only play on the specific Panasonic TV from which it was recorded. I suspect this can be easily overcome by adding a separate PVR BOX, but a bit annoying to say the least.
Native and extended warranties:
It’s important to check so many warranty details before buying, there are questionable product insurers out there, I’ve been caught twice now, both connected to big international brands and well known retailers, I finally settled both claims but the situation was annoying and the warranty covered a TV it took the better part of 6 months to resolve.
The overall experience, product, supplier, shipping – Australia
The Panasonic TV:
Exceptional – 4.5 out of 5 stars
Much better than I expected, a very pleasant surprise. I have subtracted half a star for the issue of restrictive recording. I suspect that other well-known brands will soon have similar recording policies, if they don’t already have them, designed to protect the property rights of movies. The remote control and touch panel are real winners with performance, well above all expectations.
The seller:
This is my first purchase with Big Brown Box (Australia), which also includes free shipping. the experience was nothing short of first class.
Big Brown Box – 5 out of 5 stars – highly professional, couldn’t fault them.
Shipping:
Delivery is free with “Allied Express” (Australia) and your local freight contractor “Toll”. Delivered a day ahead of schedule to the “appropriate room in the house.” Good friendly service – top marks, 5 stars, highly professional, couldn’t fault them.
Conclusion:
Very happy – nothing less than a first class experience.
The revision:
This review has been written independently and free of charge for the parties mentioned in the review. Ownership/trial period 3 weeks. 3D has yet to be evaluated.
POPULAR PANASONIC MODELS
PDP model for Asia:
TH-P42GT50D TH-P50GT50S TH-P55VT50T TH-P65VT50S
TH-P42GT50K TH-P50GT50T TH-P55VT50V TH-P65VT50T
TH-P42GT50T TH-P50GT50W TH-P65VT50D TH-P65VT50
TH-P50GT50D TH-P55VT50H TH-P65VT50G
TH-P50GT50G TH-P55VT50K TH-P65VT50H
TH-P50GT50K TH-P55VT50S TH-P65VT50K
PDP model for Oceania:
TH-P50GT50Z TH-P55VT50A TH-P60GT50Z TH-P65VT50Z
TH-P55GT50Z TH-P55VT50Z TH-P65VT50A
PDP model for the Middle East:
TH-P42GT50M TH-P50GT50M TH-P55VT50M TH-P65VT50M
TH-P42GT50P TH-P50GT50P TH-P55VT50P TH-P65VT50P
Asian LCD model:
TH-L47WT50H TH-L55WT50G TH-L55WT50S TH-L55WT50W
TH-L47WT50W TH-L55WT50H TH-L55WT50T TH-L55WT50X
TH-L55WT50D TH-L55WT50K
LCD model for Oceania:
TH-L47WT50A TH-L47WT50Z TH-L55WT50A TH-L55WT50Z
Middle East LCD model:
TH-L55WT50M