TVs

Panasonic Viera TC-P42G15

Price range:

$969.00 - $1,199.99

Summary: A 42-inch Plasma HDTV from Panasonic with 1920x1080 resolution, 2 component-video inputs, and 3 HDMI inputs.

3 people have reviewed this model.

See all 3 user reviews

Write a review

Type: 42- to 46-inch models

Specs
TV type As digital television has grown, the choice of TV types has expanded. Most models, known as standard or conventional, receive only the traditional analog TV signal. Digital TVs are available in HDTV (high-definition TV), EDTV (enhanced-definition TV), and SDTV (standard-definition TV) formats. Once the transition to digital TV is complete, SDTV sets are expected to represent the entry level of TVs. HDTVs can display exceptional picture quality in a 16:9 aspect ratio. EDTVs offer a lesser picture quality than HDTV but have a picture that's roughly equivalent to that of progressive-scan DVD players. SDTVs may not measure up to the HDTV sound and picture standards, but they're similar to high-quality standard TVs. (For each type, the term "ready," as in "HD-ready,' refers to the need to connect an external tuner to decode the incoming digital signals.) Even regular TVs will be able to accept digital signals, once broadcasters go all digital, if they're connected to an external digital TV tuner/decoder. They won't, however, display the superior quality of digital signals. Some are actually "monitors" -- like HD monitor -- these lack any kind of tuner and tuner-related features (closed captions, second-audio program, clock). TV type	Plasma HDTV
Screen size (in.) The size of the television's screen, measured diagonally in inches. In general, the larger the screen size, the farther away you need to sit for optimal picture quality. With HD sets, sit at least 4 feet from a 37-inch or smaller set, 5 to 9 feet from larger screens. With standard-definition models, you need a little more distance because the detail isn't as fine. Screen size (in.)	42
Screen shape The screen shape, or aspect ratio, is the proportion of a TV screen's width to its height. Standard TV screens have an aspect ratio of 4:3, giving them a squarish shape that is 4 units wide for every 3 units high. With the DTV conversion, wide-screen TVs have dominated the market. They typically have a 16:9 aspect ratio, giving them a wider screen that better resembles the screen in a movie theater. (Some LCD TVs have a 15:9 aspect ratio that differs slightly, but they're often not identified as such.) Wide-screen TVs can use the full screen to display HDTV broadcasts and prerecorded movies. When displayed on a standard screen, such images must be framed at the top and bottom with black bars in order to maintain the wide-screen aspect ratio. Conversely, regular TV programming displayed on a wide screen has black bars on both sides. (Note that much programming actually differs from 4:3 or 16:9, often necessitating bars of some width.) Many sets have stretch and zoom modes to eliminate the bars and fit the image to the screen, albeit with some distortion. Screen shape	16:9
Native resolution Applies to "fixed-pixel" display types such as LCD, DLP, plasma, and LCoS. It's expressed in horizontal by vertical pixels (for the picture elements making up a displayed image). Incoming signals of higher or lower resolution must be down- or up-converted as necessary to match the set's native resolution. Generally, the more pixels a display has, the more visible finer details become -- but many other things affect the results. Native resolution	1920x1080
ATSC digital tuner An ATSC tuner can receive over-the-air broadcast digital signals, which may include high-definition widescreen images and multichannel sound. A TV with a built-in ATSC tuner, called an integrated HDTV, requires no additional equipment other than a roof antenna to receive the broadcast networks' HD offerings. (You must be close enough to a station transmitting digitally, with no trees or other obstructions blocking the signal.) However, you won't get premium stations offered only on cable or satellite. For that, cable subscribers still need a box or CableCard provided by the cable company; satellite subscribers need an HD receiver/dish setup. ATSC stands for Advanced Television Systems Committee, a nonprofit organization developing voluntary standards for digital television. They defined the signal formats that are used, which include 480p, 720p and 1080i. ATSC digital tuner	Yes
QAM digital tuner This tuner can receive some digital cable broadcasts, which may include high-definition widescreen images and multichannel sound. A QAM channel can be either unencrypted (in the clear) or encrypted (scrambled). Encryption allows the service provider to define and control the subscription levels (conditional access). With unencrypted channels, you need no other equipment to view the broadcast. With encrypted channels (typically premium channels such as HBO), you need either an external cable box or, with a CableCard-ready TV, a CableCard from your service provider. QAM refers to Quadrature Amplitude Modulation, a way of encoding a digital signal that differs from that used for digital off-air (ATSC) broadcasts. QAM digital tuner	Yes
CableCard-ready Also known as "DCR" (digital-cable-ready). When used with a CableCard, these TVs can receive the encrypted cable channels (to the level permitted by your subscription package). You would get a CableCard from the provider. Note that the first-generation CableCard-ready TVs are one-way. They can receive signals but can't communicate back to the provider, so they can't be used for interactive services like subscribe-on-demand. Second-generation CableCard TVs were planned but have been stalled due to unresolved agreements and changing marketplace. CableCard-ready	No
Speakers For flat-panel TVs, speakers can be either built-in or detachable; when detachable, you can reposition them to, say, better fit the set into a cabinet. Some plasma TVs do not come with speakers at all. For these, we test optional speakers sold by the manufacturer. For flat-panel TVs, front-firing speakers can be either on the sides (which minimizes the height) or below the screen (which saves on width). Speakers	Built-in; down-firing
Overall height (in.) The measurements of a TV expressed as height, width and depth, in inches, rounded up to the nearest 0.25-inch. For flat-panel LCD and plasma sets, dimensions include the base and detachable speakers, important if you plan to place the TV on a stand or in an entertainment center. See "Panel size without base" if you plan to wall-mount only the display. For rear-projection TVs, dimensions include the stand only when it is part of the set. Overall height (in.)	27.75
Overall width (in.) The measurements of a TV expressed as height, width and depth, in inches, rounded up to the nearest 0.25-inch. For flat-panel LCD and plasma sets, dimensions include the base and detachable speakers, important if you plan to place the TV on a stand or in an entertainment center. See "Panel size without base" if you plan to wall-mount only the display. For rear-projection TVs, dimensions include the stand only when it is part of the set. Overall width (in.)	40.5
Overall depth (in.) The measurements of a TV expressed as height, width and depth, in inches, rounded up to the nearest 0.25-inch. For flat-panel LCD and plasma sets, dimensions include the base and detachable speakers, important if you plan to place the TV on a stand or in an entertainment center. See "Panel size without base" if you plan to wall-mount only the display. For rear-projection TVs, dimensions include the stand only when it is part of the set. Overall depth (in.)	12
Panel size without base (HxWxD, in.) For flat-panel LCD and plasma sets, dimensions are for the display panel only, not including the base and detachable speakers, rounded up to the nearest 0.25-inch; also see "Overall height (in.)", "Overall width (in.)", and "Overall depth (in.)". Panel size without base (HxWxD, in.)	26.25 x 40.5 x 4
Weight (lb.) How much the television weighs (in pounds). This varies with the screen size and model. Weight (lb.)	60
Warranty (months): parts/labor/in-home The length of time the television is covered by its manufacturer for defects or repairs. Most warranty coverage is divided into parts and labor, typically one year for parts and either 90 days or one year for labor. With an in-home warranty, a technician comes to your home to service the set when you have a problem--of particular importance with heavy or wall-mounted sets. Warranty (months): parts/labor/in-home	12/12/12
Subfield drive (Hz) To produce images, all plasma TVs use sub-field driving, where each video frame (which lasts 1/60th second) is further sliced in time to even finer parts. Subfield drive (Hz) refers to how fast these parts are flashed onscreen per second. Originally, plasmas had a rate of 480Hz (60Hz x 8 sub-fields). Most new plasma models operate at 600Hz (60Hz x 10 sub-fields), so they're called "600Hz sub-field drive" models. The benefits of the higher subfield drive rate, when performed well, are increased contrast, freedom from banding (false contours), and the perception of clearer images during fast-moving scenes -- or improved motion resolution. These improvements are not guaranteed, however. We've seen differences among tested models. Subfield drive (Hz)	600
Cabinet finish/color The appearance of the cabinet of the TV set, excluding the bezel, which is described separately. Cabinet finish/color	Matte gray
Bezel finish/color The appearance of the frame surrounding the screen. Bezel finish/color	Gloss black
Other sizes in brand line TVs from a given manufacturer often come in various screen sizes and form a brandline. The model designations are usually very similar, with only the screen size changing, such as TV-40XYZ1, TV-46XYZ1, TV-50XYZ1. Brandlines are used by the manufacturers to support various marketing strategies; for example, to sell product across different price ranges, and appeal to various consumer segments. Specific features may be found only at certain levels in the brandline. In practice, there can be much commonality among these linemates. It's useful to know when shopping for a TV that a certain model has bigger or smaller siblings, in case you have to adjust for size. Other sizes in brand line	TC-P46G15 (46-inch), TC-P50G15 (50-inch)

Features
Illuminated remote Some remote controls offer illuminated buttons for easier operation in a dimly lit room. Illuminated remote	Yes, partially
3:2-pulldown compensation A feature on most digital TVs that can enable things in motion to look less jagged around the edges. It affects only movies converted from film to video--the majority of cinematic movies on DVD. This feature is sometimes referred to as film mode, cinema mode, movie mode, or by brand-specific names such as CineMotion. Blu-ray and progressive-scan DVD players have this feature as well. With older, non-progressive-scan DVD players, which lack 3:2-pulldown compensation, we recommend you buy a TV that offers this feature. Even with Blu-ray and progressive-scan DVD players, there's some benefit to buying a TV that has 3:2-pulldown compensation. By going into the menus on both pieces of equipment, you can compare the performance of the feature on the DVD player and the TV, and use the one that does a better job. 3:2-pulldown compensation	Yes
Can customize display settings by source Some sets can recall picture adjustments (such as brightness and contrast) you made while using a specific content source--say, your DVD player or a cable box. Settings in TVs with this feature may be stored automatically or by pressing a button on your remote. Can customize display settings by source	Yes
PIP (no. of tuners) Many TV sets offer PIP (picture-in-picture), a feature that lets you watch two images at the same time on one screen: the first, full-size; the second, in a small box within the larger picture. A variant of this is POP (picture-outside-of-picture), with which the screen image is split evenly in two. TVs with dual-tuner PIP or POP can tune into two channels simultaneously without the contribution of additional equipment. Those with only one tuner require a second, external tuner, such as a VCR, in order to use PIP. Some TVs can send the second channel's audio to a separate audio output. PIP (no. of tuners)	No
Virtual surround sound Produces a simulation of the surround-sound effect using just two speakers. Virtual surround sound	Yes
Memory card accepted Some TVs have a slot that accepts memory cards for viewing still images from digital cameras, video clips from camcorders, and playing MP3 audio files. Inserting the camera's card typically results in better image quality than if you connect the camera to the TV's composite-video input. Secure Digital is the most common memory card type that's supported, but some TVs may also accept xD-Picture Card, CompactFlash, and/or other media. Memory card accepted	Secure Digital, Secure Digital High-Capacity
Swivel base Enables you to angle the TV screen to face different parts of the room. Most often found on LCD sets, less frequently on plasma TVs. A "Yes" for this question indicates that the TV can swivel on its base. Swivel base	No
Separate control unit Some flat-panel TVs come equipped with a separate control unit, essentially a video receiver, that accepts the cabling from devices sending audio and video signals to the TV. (The unit then connects to the panel via special cables.) While this gives you another set-top box to deal with, control units may provide more inputs than do flat-panel sets that have all the connections on the back or side of the display panel itself. At the very least, they reduce the number of cables traveling up to the display panel. Control-unit inputs are also far more accessible than are connections to a wall-mounted set. Separate control unit	No
Auto power save When this feature is enabled, the TV screen will dim or go blank, or the set will shut off, when there is no incoming signal or a fixed signal (such as a test pattern) for a period of time. Auto power save	Yes
Image shifter When this feature is enabled, the TV will shift the image across the screen slightly, at an imperceptibly slow rate, to even out the wear caused by bright spots in the image. Image shifter	Yes
Burn-in equalizer When this feature is enabled, it completely fills the screen with a bright white field to wear down all the phosphors. Any less-worn phosphors will be more prone to being evened out. Consider this brute-force approach only after noticeable image burn-in has already occurred. Burn-in equalizer	Yes
Multimedia slide-show TVs with this feature provide a navigation screen and playback function of still pictures, movie clips and MP3 audio files which are stored on an inserted memory card or USB memory device. Multimedia slide-show	Yes
Network access The ability of a TV to decode one of the many Internet protocols, and have either an Ethernet port or built-in WiFi access which you connect to your home network. The basic version of this feature enables the TV to show you news, stocks, and weather information. Some versions of this feature are more advanced, such as access to streaming video portals like Hulu, YouTube, Netflix, etc. The depth of information you'll get is set by the proprietary service agreements between the manufacturer and the content providers. It may change over time as services are added or deleted. Network access	Ethernet

Connections
HDMI inputs (total) The total number of this input on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. HDMI is a relatively new form of digital audio/video input in some high-definition TVs, it matches a corresponding output in some DVD players and digital TV tuners. Unlike other A/V connections, HDMI carries audio and video signals on the same cable. HDMI has become the preferred connection method. HDMI inputs (total)	3
HDMI inputs (front/side/rear) Number and location of these inputs on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. HDMI is a relatively new form of digital audio/video input in some high-definition TVs, it matches a corresponding output in some DVD players and digital TV tuners. Unlike other A/V connections, HDMI carries audio and video signals on the same cable. HDMI has become the preferred connection method. HDMI inputs (front/side/rear)	0/1/2
Component-video inputs (total) The total number of this input on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. Component-video inputs use three separate jacks that separate the video signal into three parts: two for color and one for luminance. This provides slightly better quality than an S-video connection, most evident in color fidelity. They can be used only with a Blu-ray player, DVD player/recorder, digital-cable box, or other equipment that has component-video output. Component-video inputs (total)	2
Component-video inputs (front/side/rear) Number and location of these inputs on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. Component-video inputs use three separate jacks that separate the video signal into three parts: two for color and one for luminance. This provides slightly better quality than an S-video connection, most evident in color fidelity. They can be used only with a Blu-ray player, DVD player/recorder, digital-cable box, or other equipment that has component-video output. Component-video inputs (front/side/rear)	0/0/2
S-video inputs (front/side/rear) Number and location of these inputs on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. S-video splits the video signal into two parts, color and luminance. In general, an S-video input will provide better picture quality than either an antenna/cable or composite-video input. These are often used with digital-cable boxes, satellite receivers, and DVD players. S-video inputs (front/side/rear)	0/0/1
Composite-video inputs (front/side/rear) Number and location of these inputs on the TV. Front and side inputs are more easily accessed than those in the rear, and thus might be convenient for temporary use, but they are also visible. A composite-video input carries only the video signal, providing better picture quality than RF, but not as good as s-video, component-video or HDMI. Composite is often used to connect old equipment like a VCR. Many sets have front-panel composite-video inputs, which let you make temporary connections to camcorders, game consoles, digital cameras and other devices with composite-video output. Composite-video inputs (front/side/rear)	0/1/1
VGA input from computer A connection that allows some flat-panel TVs, notably LCD models, to double as a computer monitor. Some models with a "No" for this feature, notably HD sets, may accept computer signals through a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) or Digital Visual Interface (DVI) input. A standard VGA connection works with virtually all computers; HDMI and DVI inputs are compatible primarily with newer computers. VGA input from computer	Yes
Digital-audio output A TV with a built-in digital tuner often comes with either a coaxial or optical digital-audio output to let you route the Dolby Digital or DTS multichannel soundtrack to a receiver for decoding. The receiver thus splits apart the soundtrack for distribution to various speakers in the room. This output must match the input of the receiver. Digital-audio output	Optical
Headphone jack When you want to watch TV without disturbing others, a headphone jack (usually on the front or side of the set) lets you plug in headphones so you alone hear the sound. You won't find this feature on most sets. Headphone jack	No
USB port Allows a USB memory device ("thumb drive") to be plugged in to the TV . The TV can display the still images and video clips, and play MP3 audio files stored on the drive. USB port	No
Other Other connections may include FireWire, RS-232, infrared emitter. (We may add other types as they are discovered). Other	Stereo audio out

Nobody Tests Like We Do: Our testers put 100s of products through their paces at our National Testing and Research Center. Learn more about how we test for:; Performance; Safety; Reliability; Learn more

To find the model that is right for you, read our expert advice on which features to consider and how to find the best value. Here's one tip: Don't pay for more features than you'll use.