In this Panasonic TC-P54V10 review we are going to take a look at which is the best plasma TV of 2009 in the 54-inch size class. This review applies to both the TC-P54V10 (54-inch) and the TC-P50V10 (50-inch) because they are both part of the Panasonic V10 series. There are other size variants available as well, however they may be slightly (although not by much) different. Except for the Panasonic Z1, which will probably only be sold through specialist dealers, the TC-P54V10 is Panasonic’s top-of-the-line plasma TV. It sits at the top of its 2009 lineup, both for its exceptional image quality and its rich feature set. This is a high-end TV, so naturally you will have to pay a relatively high price for it.
What makes it the best HDTV of 2009?
Pioneer Kuro Elite models have been and continue to be the best HDTVs of all time. However, they are now discontinued as Pioneer no longer makes televisions. The void left by Pioneer’s departure will now be filled by Panasonic and Samsung, as both have exceptionally good plasma TVs in their high-end series. LG is also present in the plasma TV market, however no one seems to have revised their 2009 models. However, Samsung has made visible improvements to its plasma TVs this year, especially in the black level department, Samsung continues to being visibly superior. The black levels of the TC-P54V10 are simply fantastic. While they can’t beat those seen on Pioneer Elite models, they come close to and are visibly better than any other HDTV’s black levels. With deep blacks and excellent shadow detail, the image on a TC-P54V10 is lifelike. Combined with the accurate colors offered by THX mode, the result is magnificent. A delight for the eyes of the beholder.
From Viera Cast to picture controls
Naturally, as you would expect from any expensive high-end HDTV, the Panasonic TC-P54V10 has a very rich feature set. Although LG’s PS80 series comes with an integrated hard drive and NetFlix support, making it the most feature-rich model out there, the feature set present in the Panasonic TC-P54V10 isn’t small either. You get the old services that Viera Cast offered since 2008 (weather, stocks, news, etc.) plus, starting this year, you have access to Amazon Video on Demand (VoD). In addition to these “exotic” features, you have access to a rich set of picture controls. Considering that while color accuracy is good in THX mode, one can complain about its default settings in other modes, the extensive set of picture and color controls will come in handy when calibrating the TV in non-THX modes.
