Features

We expect TVs like the Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10 to justify their price with varied connectivity and multimedia extras, as well as by doubling up as a PC monitor. In this section of our review, you'll discover what this TV does well and where its shortcomings lie.

Connections:

Two HDMI connections sit on the rear, with a further one on the side. Together, these should cater for all eventualities, especially since the Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10 already contains an HDTV-capable satellite-TV receiver, freeing up one connection.

Two Scart sockets and an HDTV-compatible YUV interface complete the rear-panel's analog AV connections. The Panasonic can relay sound via its coaxial audio output to an external AV receiver. Not on board: a USB or network connection, as found on current Sony and Samsung models for accessing files from a PC or for using Internet applications.

The side of the Panasonic offers connections for older AV source devices with composite or S-Video outputs, as well as a headphone socket and a VGA input for PC video signals. Along with HDTV sources, the side-mounted HDMI input can also handle digital PC signals. The SD-card reader accepts high-definition photos or HD camcorder videos, but sadly not MP3 files.

You can find a complete list of the TX-P 42 GW 10's connections in the full specifications.

Reception:

The modern satellite module allows the Panasonic to receive an enormous number of digital TV channels - also in HDTV. A CI slot on the TV's side panel will accommodate modules for accessing encrypted channels, but doesn't guarantee support for all encryption systems.

The Panasonic's second TV tuner receives digital terrestrial and digital cable TV (DVB-T and DVB-C), as well as analog TV signals, meaning you shouldn't need any additional set-top boxes.

The Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10 only lacks support for future HDTV broadcasts via antenna or digital cable. But - just between us - you're best off using satellite to receive HD channels for the foreseeable future, since this simply offers better picture quality. And satellite is, of course, right up this TV's street.

Teletext:
Along with four practical pre-sorted channel lists, this plasma supports the current Level 2.5 standard of Teletext, which offers more finely processed graphics. 

Photo, Video, and MP3 Playback:

The Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10's SD-card reader is an excellent feature, allowing you to play back photos and videos directly on the living room screen. The card reader accepts no MP3 music or DivX videos, but does play back SDTV videos in MPEG-2 standard and HDTV videos in AVCHD format, such as those recorded by Panasonic camcorders.

For such videos, the TV provides various picture settings and convenient, well designed operation. It'll even output multichannel sound from HD videos via the coaxial audio output. The picture quality of HD-resolution AVCHD videos is particularly impressive.

This is also true for playback of 1080p-format digital photos, which the Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10 loads quickly and displays with pixel-for-pixel accuracy. With higher resolutions, the TV displays an excellent scaled picture.

The clear folder-management, with preview pictures, and the variable slide-show settings make operation a breeze, and it's possible to sort the photos by date. Our only criticism: Accessing large files takes a relatively long time - with a 14-megapixel photo we waited a whole four seconds. The reader is compatible with SDHC cards of up to 32 gigabytes.

Network Functions:
Here, the Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10 doesn't even make it off the starting line. The newest network functions such as DLNA, Wireless HD, or the manufacturer's own "Viera Cast" system are reserved for the Z1-series plasmas and Panasonic's new LCDs.

Still, if you use one of Panasonic's current Blu-ray players, such as the DMP-BD 60 or BD 80, you'll still be able to use the "Viera Cast" system indirectly: Both players have a network connection (LAN), allowing you to access YouTube videos, photos from the Picasa online photo album service, or news from the Internet, and to display these on the TV via HDMI.

The Panasonic's SD-card reader permits playback of photos and HDTV videos, but not of media such as DivX videos or MP3 music files.

Usage as a PC monitor:

Via HDMI, the plasma displays 1080p pictures accurately and with no cropping (overscan) - if you choose the "16:9" aspect ratio. Turning down the picture sharpness will eliminate the slight edge-ringing seen on fine text.

The analog VGA input, however, will only display pictures correctly up to WXGA resolution (1,366 x 768 pixels). Although such signals require the user to adjust the picture position in the setup menu, they then display without overscan and in decent quality, albeit with slight scaling artifacts. PC pictures in SXGA resolution (1,280 x 1,024) show better scaling with visibly better legibility of fine texts. You can switch the aspect ratio of VGA sources between 16:9 and 4:3.

Light Sensor:

Beside the power light on the front of the TV sits a light sensor that measures the ambient illumination. This becomes active in the "Eco Mode" and adjusts the Panasonic TX-P 42 GW 10's contrast setting to suit the current lighting conditions.

At best, this saves some energy in the dark home-theater: In our tests, "Eco Mode" reduced the power consumption with a 50-percent gray test picture from 190 to 170 watts - it's not a lot, but every little bit helps.

In a very bright environment, the "Eco Mode" has a completely different effect, since the Panasonic now strongly increases its contrast in relation to the picture contents. This means bright pictures are even possible in daylight. In our tests however - again using a 50-percent gray test picture - the power consumption increased from 190 to up to 355 watts.

Internally, Panasonic calls the function "Contrast Automatic Tracking System" (C.A.T.S.), which describes its methods much better than "Eco Mode" - after all, the mode isn't particularly eco-friendly.