Panasonic has received high praise in recent years for the quality of its plasma screens. However, it also produces some fine LED TVs and the TX-L42ET50 is a great example of this. Let’s take a look at why this quality 42 inch unit is one to consider.
The Panasonic TX-L42ET50B has ample sockets and connections including a quartet of HDMIs, three USBs, an SD slot and digital inputs. You can surf the web and stream music, video and images from devices on your home network via the built-in wi-fi and Ethernet connections. SMART TV can be used via the Media Player tab, with the cloud based VIERA Connect service acting as a medium for a plethora of online entertainment content. As with most new TVs these days, you can access various apps like BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Streaming on the TX-L42ET50B is a fast and smooth affair but the interface for the smart hub could do with revamping; it looks slightly outdated compared with those of certain competitors I could mention. The remote control is responsive and the smartphone control app works nicely. Setting up Freeview HD is straightforward and the EPG is easy to use and navigate. Picture quality is excellent throughout with crystal clear clarity and pin sharp images, especially when watching in high definition via Freeview HD or using a Blu-ray player.
The Panasonic TX-L42ET50B is an active 3D TV but unfortunately doesn’t come with any glasses so you’ll have to purchase the active shutter glasses separately. The 3D pictures are reasonable but I’ve seen better. The colours could be improved and even when I switched the picture mode to Dynamic, everything went considerably vibrant, too vibrant I might add. Cinema mode added a cool complexion to the screen.
Sound quality is satisfactory and there are various modes available for you to fine-tune it. As always though, you’re going to need a soundbar or home theatre system to get top quality sound. That’s the way it is these days with super-slim televisions.
To summarise, the TX-L42ET50B is a decent set with plenty of SMART features and good connectivity; 3D glasses included would’ve been nice. Buy it from a reputable dealer and you might get a free five year guarantee thrown in plus some glasses. Make sure you look around for the best deal but you’re probably going to pay around the £800 mark. Happy viewing folks!
