Panasonic TC-P42S1 Plasma TV Review

Quality does come in small packages, as Panasonic TC-P42S1 aims to prove. Despite being a 42 inch plasma TV, the model exhibits great qualities, usually reserved to more luxurious products. Wanting a plasma TV with a smaller diagonal size does not mean that you must sacrifice quality, and you will not be forced to, with this Panasonic plasma TV. Panasonic TC-P42S1 has 1080p resolution, a new panel model, and overall great picture quality, competing even with more expensive models from the same manufacturer, like V10 and G10 series.

Note: We recommend that you also read Panasonic TC-P50S1 Review. That review also covers features, design and connectivity, as opposed to this one. Both TVs are part of Panasonic’s S1 mid-end series and except the size, they are virtually identical.

Specifications

• Panel: NeoPDP
• Resolution: 1080p
• Contrast ratio: 40,000:1 (native)
• Shades of gradation: 6144
• Anti-glare filter: New AR Filter

Performance

Panasonic TC-P42S1 is better than the X1 models, because it has superior resolution. It blacks are great, the colors are generally crisp and clear, and its performance as a HDTV is nothing to sneeze at. But it does lack THX certification, which means that the colors are difficult to fiddle with, it does not have any extras, like Viera Cast advancements, or 24p cinema mode, and you must know that, if you search for these, you should go for a V10 or a G10 model. All in all, however, for the price, Panasonic TC-P42S1 is a good purchase, offering even more than the money paid.

Black Levels

Kuro from Pioneer has long established a standard in the industry for plasma TVs and those standards have been any plasma manufacturer’s purpose ever since. It seems that Panasonic managed to do a great job as far as black level performance is concerned. Even a mid ranged product, like Panasonic TC-P42S1, has incredibly good black levels, because of the new Infinite Black technology, allowing pixels on the screen to completely shut off when a dark scene appears. This leads to the blackest blacks on plasma TVs on sale these days, and this must count for something, especially since Panasonic is clearly leading in the market for the time being.

Colors

Color accuracy is not the greatest in Panasonic plasma TVs, no matter how expensive. That is why Panasonic TC-P42S1 cannot be truly held responsible for the minor issues its colors face, especially since it does not come appointed with THX certification, like V10 and G10 products do. However, skimpy controls make tweaking with the colors a little too difficult, so we cannot really praise this plasma TV’s colors, either.

Video Processing

Compared with the X1 series from the same manufacturer, Panasonic TC-P42S1 represents a step up the quality ladder, with 1080p resolution, and the ability to receive any kind of high definition signal, be it 1080p, or 1080i. However, you will not be able to watch 24p content to your heart content, as this plasma does not come properly equipped for this task.

Standard Definition (SDTV) Performance

When upscaling from lower resolution, Panasonic TC-P42S1 is an average performer. The image appears too soft, especially around objects, some artefacts, like jaggies, still appear, so, if you only want to watch standard definition content, try to find a different product, and not a high definition plasma TV like this one.

Conclusion

For the price, Panasonic TC-P42S1 delivers great quality. The image it displays is great, indeed, with amazing black levels and great shadow detail. Plus, you can place this anywhere you want, because of its convenient size.