Panasonic CT-32HL43 32" HD-Ready TV with PureFlat Screen Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this TV almost exclusively for DVDs and video games, and it looks really fantastic. Both my DVD player and game console support 480p (p = progressive) and the image is crisp and clear. If you've never owned an HDTV, as was my case, the quality will astound you.
The sound coming out of the TV is quite good for built-in speakers. Also the VIVA BBE 3D sound processing mode does add a ton of depth to the output. I normally turn it off, since I'm a purist and it tends to drown out speech, but for action movies and such it does punch it up a bit.
Overall, this TV made me very happy. However, I do have a few issues that I'll outline below point by point.
HORIZONTAL "WOBBLE"
If you look closely you'll notice that the horizonatal scan lines on this TV tend to shift from left to right in a non-uniform manor. I'd best describe it as a nervous jitter, and makes the image swim. Initially I thought something was wrong with my unit, but a later inspection of the floor model revealed the same artifact.
To be honest the effect is not noticeable under normal usage. I first saw it when I was doing calibration with some THX test patterns. It's also noticeable in menus with high contrast edges. For example, the TV menu itself, or some game menus. And again, only when you're close up.
NON-PROGRESSIVE SIGNALS
I was somewhat surprised with the line doubler in this unit, as interlacing was readily apparent in 480i signals. I'm not sure how it stacks up to other built-in doublers, since I don't watch TV, but I figured it would look better.
BAD UNIT
Initially I wasn't going to mention this in my review, but the first unit I received was no good. The tube was arcing and would pop/flash every now and again. After getting a tech to look at it, my store replaced the unit no charge.
Normally something like this I'd chalk up to delivery, or mishandling from the store I purchased the TV from, but the other reviewer seemed to have similar problems. Maybe that's the case for both of us, but you never know.

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Panasonic's Tau series PureFlat CT-32HL43 is loaded with features to make your DVD and HDTV viewing as simple and as pristine as possible. Whether you're watching broadcast television or letterboxed DVD movies, the perfect flatness of the set's 32-inch, 4:3 aspect-ratio picture tube enhances contrast while reducing glare and reflections. Even better, its HDTV/EDTV display capability (1080i, 480p) lets you view high-definition or enhanced-definition TV programming from an external DTV set-top box with an ATSC receiver or progressive-scan DVD player. Built-in image scaling adapts 1080i signals to the set's native 800-line resolution, and a DVI-HDCP digital input accepts uncompressed, copy-protected digital content from DTV receivers and set-top boxes for stunning image fidelity and clarity.Two-tuner picture-in-picture with split-screen display lets you view two programs at once by dividing the screen in half down the middle. Each program is shown at full height, with one program on the left side and the other on the right. High-quality, 8-bit P-I-P Image Processing provides 256 levels of gray from black to white in the inset picture for finer image detail.Progressive Cinema Scan (3/2 pulldown) provides faithful reproduction of film-based materials. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24-frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; Progressive Cinema Scan digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.A motion-adaptive 3D Y/C digital comb filter displays bright colors and action scenes with incredible clarity by minimizing the "color rainbow effect" in closely spaced patterns, compensating for the motion that occurs between fields. Included 10-bit, 60 MHz analog-to-digital image processing boosts conventional grayscale from 256 to 1024, to deliver four times as many shades of black and white.Digital velocity-modulated scanning is advanced circuitry along the neck of the CRT that senses transitions from black to white in the video signal. The black-and-white portions of the signal are sped up and slowed down, respectively, resulting in sharp black-to-white transitions. For a more filmlike picture when watching movies, you may want to selectively turn off this circuitry.Other picture enhancements include a wideband video amplifier, horizontal and vertical edge correction, video noise reduction, Artificial Intelligence Picture settings, and a Progressive Scan Doubler function that upconverts 480i signals to seamless 480p resolution.The set's ample connections also include four composite-video, three S-video inputs (including one each on the set's front panel for easy camcorder or game console hookup), and two sets of high-resolution component-video inputs.The set uses three speakers: a stereo pair plus a built-in passive subwoofer for extra bass heft. The speakers get 15 watts per channel (x 2), and the set also offers fixed- and variable-level audio outputs, Artificial Intelligence Sound Control (to prevent unwanted variances in sound level), BBE High-Definition Sound (improves speech intelligibility and restores musical dynamic range), and BBE ViVA HD3D simulated stereo sound (which works with both stereo and monaural programs).Other features include video-input and channel labeling, 16-preset favorite channels, a lighted-disk universal remote control (which can be programmed to control many current video and audio devices), and a headphone jack (for private listening or late-night viewing).What's in the Box TV, remote control, remote batteries, and a user's manual.

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