Panasonic TX-P42C10B is this new?

[Miggs]

Just found this TV on the John Lewis web site for £549, with free 5yr warranty. I was wondering is this TV from there new range, if yes, is it any good. Just been onto the Panny website and can't find it anywhere. If it is new whats the difference between it and some of the other new tv's. Can't find much out about this one.

Thanks Ste.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, it's new - full run-down of all the new Panasonic TV models here.

 

[Miggs]

Whats this model got or not got compared to the others in the range. Is it worth buying?

Thanks Ste.

 

[Andrew Everard]

It's all explained in the news story I linked to in my last reply.

 

[Miggs]

Had a look at your link does not tell me a great deal or is it just me. Where can I see a ful list of specs of all these new Panasonic TV's. I appreciate your link but it does not tell me enough detail to compare like for like. Basically whats the difference between this model TV and the rest? Has anybody out there seen this TV, and is it any good?

Thanks Again Ste

 

[Andy Clough]

We haven't seen the TX-P42C10B for a full test yet, I only caught a glimpse of it at the Panasonic press launch a month or two back.

Basically, the C-Series is the entry-level range in the new 2009 line-up and consists of three HD-ready (not Full HD) plasmas, the TX-P37C10, TX-P42C10 and TX-P50C10.

All the information that I have so far is in my blog on the new Viera range, as you will also see on Panasonic's own website.

You can also download a PDF for that model (TQB0E0823.pdf) which may help, but it seems Panasonic hasn't yet included the TX-P42C10B in its list of available plasmas, so it's hard to make a detailed model-by-model comparison at this stage.

 

[Anonymous]

There is some unconfirmed rumours that the C model lacks or use an inferior polarising filter. Can anybody confirm?

C model are available to buy now. Can any new owners or even salesmen out there do a mini reviews.

Currently debating whether to get the Panasonic C10 or X10

And when can WhatHiFi do a proper review?

Not complaining, but it seems WhatHiFi is rather slow with the latest reviews recently e.g. The TH-P37X10B has been out for over 2 months now.

Is this to do with the manufacturer themselves sending out sample much later? Its just that I use to remember manufacturers use to make sure the major reviewers get a sample very early to generate buzz and interest, then they do a launch. Now it seems everybody get the product at the same time.

 

[Miggs]

When is What HiFi getting the info to make a detailed comparision, because I think thats what people will need to make a decision between this range of TV's.

 

[Andrew Everard]

As you will have seen from both the news story and Andy's blog piece, Panasonic has announced a massive line-up of TVs.

It's supplying review samples of many of them, but of course we don't get one of every set announced at the same time, so some specific models may not be tested for a while.

It depends which models the company is able to/chooses to supply first.

 

[peds]

This is currently being sold for £460 for the 42" Plasma from Additions Direct. Does this sway anyones opinion to buy as a first time purchase??

You do need to use the code for first time buyer from Additions Direct to get this price though!!

Not sure if i am breaking the rules but here is a link:

http://www.littlewoodsdirect.com/rf/lxd/p.do/electricals/televisions-home-cinema/panasonic/42in-hd-ready-freeview-plasma-tv-tx-p42c10b?groupId=592286218&Nu=this_product&SNtk=&Np=1&SN=154+4294955505+85+4294963077&Ntt=592286218&D=592286218&Ntk=group_search&Dx=mode%2bmatchall&thisprod=592286218&N=154+4294955505+85+4294963077&Nty=1&Mis_item_id=15&Mis_item_loc_id=1&product=592286218

 

[Anonymous]

Does WhatHiFi not just go out and buy the some products for testing.

Is there not a risk that manufacturer sends u the best hand picked sample for testing (I still remember the storm over Samsung using inferior panels in some of their monitors after sending reviewers sample with a higher grade panels).

I just imagined for the cost of £450-£500, getting that first exclusive reviews will bring in so much more interest, kudos, brand awareness, internet traffic and magazine sale that it would be commercially worthwhile to do

 

[Anonymous]

We actually get a huge number of exclusives, and it's certainly not uncommon for us to buy products when we need to, but as Andrew says, there's simply not enough room in the mag / time in the day to review every single set at the same time. There are lots of tellies that we've reviewed before anyone else, but of course no-one notices that - they only notice the one set that they're particularly interested in. Of course, as this particular model seems to have generated a particular degree of interest, we will endeavor to get one in as soon as possible.

 

[Miggs]

Good to see you will try and get the TV in as soon as possible. Just got an e-mail to say the TV in question is now for sale at £499. People will want the review as soon as you can get hold of the TV.

Miggs

 

[The_Lhc]

Miggs:Good to see you will try and get the TV in as soon as possible. Just got an e-mail to say the TV in question is now for sale at £499. People will want the review as soon as you can get hold of the TV.

That's not good enough, I WANT IT NOW! NOW NOW NOW, go to the shops, spend all of your limited budget on this one item just so I can get a review! TOMORROW! At the latest! Grah! HULK SMASH!!!!!1!!!!

Or not. Your choice...

 

[Miggs]

Have not got a limited budget, just feel we should be told the difference.

 

[The_Lhc]

No, I mean the magazine has a limited budget with which to go and buy gear for testing, which is why they're reliant on the manufacturer sending them review items. In the case of this TV I can well expect Panasonic is more interested in getting their flagship "kuro-killers" out for review to garner some big headlines, rather than the budget models (which is what this is).

Fact is if the manufacturer doesn't send a particular model for review there's very little the magazine can do about it, so demanding that they review it immediately is somewhat pointless. As they said, they'll review it as soon as it comes in, can't do any more than that.

 

[Miggs]

Sorry my mis-understanding.

Miggs

 

[Cliff1]

I also spotted this on J.Lewis,think it said exclusive to them.A couple of hours later i received a em from Richer Sounds for the same part number but minus the 'B' on the end,appears to be the same spec.

 

[Anonymous]

This is getting interesting,

EDITED BY MODS for house rules violation

Can any of the expert from WhathiFi confirm whether the C10 has this fabled AV filter or not?

 

[Cliff1]

I've seen this set in comet today,they set it to freeview for me & have to say i was impressed by the picture this set produced,which has not always been the case,but this was as good as my crt & as the feed is split between so many sets i would think it would show up better with direct connection.The price being what it is could be a steal,got me thinking again.

I also saw the Sony that WHF gave 4 * to because their set had some bleeding,the one i saw was showing a DVD & also looked excellent,didn't see any bleeding on it.

 

[Anonymous]

EDITED BY MODS - please do not discuss moderation

I was just surprised at the huge debate that is going on regarding C10 vs X10 running into some 6 pages! Some say that C10 lacks a AV filter that makes it very inferior while others (including Panasonic Sales satff I spoke to) is adamant that there is very little difference between C10 and X10.

 

[Anonymous]

I couldn't find the C10 on the UK web site. On the US web site they are called the C1 and X1, and on the basis that they are the same as the UK sets (likely), then the X has an anti reflective filter and a 30k:1 contrast ratio, whereas the C has no filter and 15k:1 ratio. There is likely to be a reason for the £100+ price difference and possibly this is it.

I don't really understand why these manufacturers keep this information more secret than an MP's expenses. Presumably someone in marketing is being paid a lot of money to made the consumer's decision choice as difficult as possible - and why do all these sets have to be black?

Roger

 

[Anonymous]

i phoned panasonic and they said that all their tvs have a filter, but that the x10 has 20k:1 ratio whereas c10 has 15k:1 native ratio in uk (both have same dynamic ratio of 2000000:1).

i too had read on another forum about the filter issue on the c10. i compared in john lewis today - turned tele off and looked at reflection of their lighting department behind. i was convinced that the c10 reflected far more than the x10 - which seemd to mute the reflection by muffling it somehow, whereas the c10 gave a truer background reflection. the g10 seemed to have an ever better antiglare filter than the x10, but then that's lot more money again...

so i'm pretty sure it's a much better filter on the x10 than the c10. whether it's worth the extra money is no doubt up to the individual. interestingly enough JL were selling off their display model of the 42c10 for just £500. I wonder if they will not be stocking the plasma c10s any more?

 

[Anonymous]

The G10 is a completely different animal, not only because it is 1080, but the test on it did not rate its standard def performance, although at 1080 it was good. The test on the X10 suggested that whist it was not 1080 it still displayed BluRay well - but not as good as the G10.

For me, standard def performance is the driving factor mainly because most of what I watch is standard. As you will see from my other posting I was very keen on the Phillips 42 PES0001 which has been tested and has excellent performance on both standard def and 1080. But JL can no longer supply it. I could buy it elsewhere, but don't really want to.

Roger

 

[Anonymous]

The TX-P42G10 seemed to get high praise for its SD on this site - "Broadcast TV reception is impressive - even the analogue tuner offers natural colours and coherent motion tracking." The 42G10 and 42X10 were side by side in John Lewis, and looked pretty much the same on SD to me - poss slightly deeper colours on the G10 (due to its better contrast ratio), but no evidence to my eyes of difficulty in upscaling due to the full HD screen.