Panasonic recently revealed that they intend to stop manufacturing plasma displays, and warned of an escalation to the advantage of modern 4K LED screens. But that does not mean you should not consider letting your next TV be a Plasma!
Panasonic TC-P65VT60
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Picture Quality - 100%100%
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Sound Quality - 70%70%
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Features - 90%90%
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Ease of Use - 90%90%
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Build Quality - 90%90%
SUMMARY
Panasonic plasma displays have been ruling the roost for long when it comes to image quality, and the Panasonic TC-P65VT60 is no disappointment.
Panasonic 65VT60 has outstanding image quality with deep blacks, natural colors and generous viewing angle.
A few color gradations problems, which gives slightly fewer colors than we had wanted. As usual with plasma technology, you hear a little humming from the plasma panel, plus some fan noise. The brightness is also limited making this plasma screen best suited for dark rooms.
A few months ago I tested the Panasonic reference model TX-P60ZT60 with extremely good results. The "regular" top model TX-P65VT60 has a 5 inch larger screen and much of the technology is similar, although at a lower price.
Usage and Features
Panasonic has fine tuned its menu system and gave it a new home screen. My Home Screen shows a combination of live TV, smart services and other material in a very clear way. You can compose the start menu with the services that are most important, for example, with a shortcut to Netflix.
The remote controlling is done with a standard control plus a smaller touch-sensitive panel. It is used when you are navigating around webpages and other apps. It is not as smooth as with LG's gyro sensitive touch remote, but it´s clearly better than the arrow keys. Panasonic also has a nice remote control via mobile and tablet, for both iOS and Android.
The remote controlling is done with a standard control plus a smaller touch-sensitive panel. It is used when you are navigating around webpages and other apps. It is not as smooth as with LG's gyro sensitive touch remote, but it´s clearly better than the arrow keys. Panasonic also has a nice remote control via mobile and tablet, for both iOS and Android.
Image Quality
Despite recent advances in LED LCD, there are still plenty of reasons to choose a plasma like the 65VT60. The fine color reproduction is one of them, but the most important is probably the combination of deep blacks and wide viewing angle. When you look at the film in dim or darkened rooms, it is important that the black looks like black, not gray or dark blue. Second, if you like to just sit on the couch with friends, it is an advantage if everyone can enjoy the same picture whether from the middle of the couch or when sitting to the side.
This is a task that Panasonic TC-P65VT60 manages in an extraordinary way. The black level is excellent and the detailing in dark scenes surpasses all LCDs I´ve tested so far, including Philips lavish 4K TV. Overall, the picture is very, very close to the more expensive ZT60 model. Watching a movie on the 65VT60 is a pure pleasure!
One area where we see the weaknesses of both the Panasonics is the so-called "banding", where some color gradations merge into one another without obtaining as many shades as the competitors. In particular, Philips 4K model manages to produce more gradations, but also Samsung's plasma contender has a slightly more nuanced color reproduction which is fairly startling.
Sound Quality
Purely sonically Panasonic is good, with clear highs and rich mids, however, Panasonic does not seem to have bothered with giving the VT60 any exceptional sound. Most plasma buffs will probably pair this TV with a separate home theater system. Just as the ZT60, 65VT60 has a fan on the back. One can also hear a hint of transformer hum occasionally. However, this is something to be expected in plasma screens.
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- FEATURES
- SPecIFICATIONS
- IN ThE bOX
- Viera Connect With My Home Screen Swipe And Share Voice Interaction
- Infinite Black Ultra Panel
- 3000 Focused Field Drive
- Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Active Glasses and Built-in Camera
- TV without stand (Width x Height x Depth): 60.3 X 35 X 2.01 Inches, TV with stand (Width x Height x Depth): 60.3 X 38.4 X 12.8 Inches
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