cnet Reviews Panasonic’s GT30 PDP

Last years GT25 was a decent set, but the general consensus was that it straddled unnatural space between the G25 and VT25 with a price that wasn’t quite right given the feature set.  With a year to correct that, maybe 2011 is the GT30’s time to shine.

Panasonic has consistently been among our favorite televisions over the last few years, both at the high-end level and the lower–the latter due to historically excellent picture-quality-for-the-buck. The GT30 sits in the upper middle-end, a notch below the company’s 2011 flagship in panel technology and, we assume, picture quality. It’s not without its flaws, but it’s still a superb TV overall that sets the bar high once again, and outperforms its step-down linemate, the ST30 series (review coming soon), with better black levels and color. The Panasonic TC-PGT30 series belongs on the short list for buyers who want the advantages of plasma but don’t want to pay the premium for a flagship TV.

  • Last year, the GT25 seemed

    Last year, the GT25 seemed like it was rushed out in response to the Samsung 2D to 3D feature and coompetitive price points.

    This review certainly is interesting. It seems there must be a firmware bug that allows proper 24p in “60Hz” which we know is simply impossible. It must be allowing the display to enter 96Hz mode or something to that effect. I’d love to understand more about that result.

    It’s a shame gamma is so far off on this display and apparently can’t be dialed in with calibration.

    • The real shame is that

      The real shame is that there’s no 50″ VT30 this year.

      • 50″ is too small to be

        50″ is too small to be useful Laughing

        • 50″ would be perfect for my
          50″ would be perfect for my bedroom.

          • I think what you need to do

            I think what you need to do is move that old 58″ VT25 to the bedroom so you can haul in a 65″ VT30! Money mouth

          • Now that is great idea, it’s

            Now that is great idea, it’s been looking kind of small lately 🙂

          • I only imagine that your

            I only imagine that your better half would want to strangle me for suggesting such a thing 🙂

    • These new TV’s are starting

      These new TV’s are starting to use some of Pioneer’s technology, and Pioneer had an advanced setting in their Pure Cinema settings that engaged 72Hz mode for 24p sources.  I’m guessing maybe Panasonic has done the same thing.

       

      • Panasonic (Samsung, LG, etc)

        Panasonic (Samsung, LG, etc) also has a proper Cinema mode using a rate of 96Hz that they’ve been selling in the V-series since 2009. I took a look at the manual for GT30 and it indeed lists 96Hz Cinema mode so either they goofed in the firmware or made a mistake in the manual.