Panasonic TC-P65V10

2009 was a great year for LCD TVs as well as the newer LED TVs that strive to replace the aging plasma displays. In fact, LCD TVs are becoming more advantageous than their plasma counterparts in terms of features and they get more appeal for having lower price tags as well. One of the major limitations, however, is the screen size and most manufacturers have their largest LCD displays at around 55 inches. This means that 65″ inch models are out of reach. Panasonic provides a good solution to this problem in the form of the Panasonic TC-P65V10. Not only does this HDTV look good on the outside, but it manages to deliver top quality in all the important areas including image quality, sound quality, and connectivity features.

Design & Visuals

The Panasonic TC P65V10 is a large beauty measuring 64.8 inches diagonally for displaying Full HD 1080p content. Some of the design aspects like the one-sheet design are not present in this larger version of the V10 series and it doesn’t include the swivel panel that is exclusive for the 50″ model either. It still manages to be attractive with a nice silver fade on the bottom of the unit and the image quality doesn’t fail to disappoint.

This is because of the 2,000,000:1+ dynamic contrast ratio that plays a very significant role for its amazing black-level reproduction performance. The new Neo PDP screen technology contributes to its one inch thickness, 50% power reduction, and native 40,000:1 contrast ratio. This works alongside the Real Black Drive system to achieve some very good black-level results. These specifications meet the THX certifications making it a perfect display for watching 1080p Blu-ray movies.

People that are fond of watching action intensive movies or that are into spots will get the most out of this display as it uses a powerful 600 Hz sub-field drive for smoothening out the frames and eliminating blur. It also has the 24p cinematic playback support which is necessary for enjoying the latest movies in their smoothest quality possible without the flickering.

The quality is further backed up with some amazing color renditions despite the lack of picture controls. What is more important is that this quality can be enjoyed from any viewing angle thanks to the self-illumination features of a plasma display. It uses an advanced AR filter to eliminate the unwanted glare effects and a special “Game Mode” can be used to enjoy video games at a higher quality.

Actual user review:
“I’ve been waiting for months for the 65 inch V10 to become available. First thing I did after setting it up was to switch the picture setting from Vivid to THX and the picture was amazing. Flipped through a few channels and watched some dark scenes from shows on my DVR that I had been saving just for this purpose. The clarity in low light scenes better than I had imagined. I have played with the custom pro picture settings some, but haven’t spent enough time to get it looking better than THX yet. I have enjoyed the Viera Cast features, especially the weather and YouTube. I was watching a movie on cable and started wondering what other movies had the same director. I paused the show, switched to YouTube and looked up the director’s name and watched a few clips of him taling about the movie I was watching and a few others he had directed, then went back and watched the rest of the movie. It was nice to be able to do this without having to pull out my laptop. I was also impressed with the picture quality from YouTube, even when I put it on full screen (I don’t think most YT videos are prepared to be displayed at 65″, but it still looked pretty clear!) I haven’t rented a movie from the Amazon download service yet, but I’ll have to try it. I can’t believe that the picture will equal BluRay though- which reminds me… For some reason it was nearly three days of watching this set before I remembered that I hadn’t seen a BluRay disc on it. I had been too caught up playing with the settings and Viera Cast and setting up my Harmony report (which is a little tricky to get set up for Viera Cast because I wanted the direction pad to control the DRV when watching cable and to control the TV when using VC, but I figured it out.) Anyway, I finally got around to putting in a BluRay disc and the picture went to a whole other level – like nothing I’d seen before. Going back to Comcast compressed 1080i HD signal after BluRay was like looking through a mist. Now I can’t rent BR movies fast enough. I almost want to stop watching my favorite shows on TV and wait for the season to come out on BluRay. Well, if you’re still reading- I love this TV -I want to stop writing now, go close the shades and start watching.” – M.Higham (WA,USA)

 

Sound

Sound quality is also pretty good thanks to the implementation of the BBE ViVA High Definition 3D Sound technology which provides some added range compared to ordinary stereo technologies. This works extremely well with the wide color viewing angle making it possible to enjoy the TV experience from any angle as the 3D sound evenly distributes the sound with good accuracy. This is also the reason why it earns THX certification for watching movies.

Other Features

The Panasonic TC-P65V10 features Internet connectivity via Ethernet using the VIERA CAST feature which can be called up from the remote to display a nice panel interface of all the different web content that can be accessed including free services like YouTube and Picasa. Content can be purchased as well using the Amazon Video on Demand service. What is even better is that these resources can be previewed prior to buying. Other useful information can be displayed right from the panel interface like stock and weather information.

It also comes with 4 HDMI ports which should be enough for connecting an entire home theater system including a Blu-ray player or next generation gaming console. Panasonic-branded devices can utilize the VIERA Link interface which makes it possible to use the single remote control for controlling all these devices with ease including newer Lumix digital cameras and network cameras that are connected to the Ethernet port.

Finally, there is an SD card slot that supports SDHC cards which is good for both digital camera and camcorder users thanks to its support for AVCHD and 1080p image formats. Slideshows can be view in 16:9 with the option of applying any of the 4 display effects and 3 background music types.

The Panasonic TC P65V10 does wonders in every possible angle and the black levels are far better than other models of its size. As long as the heavy $5,000 price tag doesn’t put people off, this is one of the best TVs in its category.

Average User Rating:

• “I received my 65V10 about 2 weeks ago and am very satisfied with the picture set on THX mode. Perhaps one of the best features is the THX mode. By selecting this setting I can pretty much rest assured the TV is at near peak settings. This means no calibration necessary which appeals to a low Video tech guy like me. I am moving up from a seven year old 57″ Hatachi DLP. There is a significant step change in clarity, detail and color. I believe a LCD or even a DLP is brighter than the plasma but the plasma is sufficiently bright for my interior room. As they say the blacks are indeed very black. With my DLP upgrade, I actually found the 65V10 used less space when one considers that all components can be placed under the TV while some components require side placement with my old DLP. The 65″ does not look particularly big for my nominal 15′ by 20′ room with corner installation. I am a little miffed with the TV’s internet capability since I can get there anyway with the PS3 I purchased specifically for Blu-Ray, a choice I do not regret for a primarily non-gamer family. The PS3 has wireless capability right out of the box. Suspect I will understand the 65V10’s capability better as time goes on and I have a chance to add a wireless receiver to the TV. The colors and detail are extraordinary are amazing and as I say I am very satisfied. I almost went with the 77UM sharp LCD but am not looking back. I’m sure it is a good TV also.” – D.A.Fischer (WV,USA)
• “Have only had the TV for two weeks. The picture is wonderful right out of the box. You will need to lower the factory settings and go through a few hundred hour break-in period to allow the panel to settle in before displaying the truly brilliant video. Still waiting to determine if ISF calibration will make the display better but it looks really good as is. Have over one hundred hours to date.” – W.Guyton Jr. (NM,USA)

 

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