Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-L32S1 32-Inch 1080p

Excellent TV! This is value for the money for sure!

Bottom line, this TV is currently ranked the 3rd best 32inch TV according to consumer reports, only behind the much more costly Samsungs, but ahead of the more costly Sonys. Tier one brand, great price, buy with confidence.

My TV situation: stood in the corner of formal living room, designed not to dominate room, used a few hours a day.
My TV viewing: general TV, casual films (no gaming or surround sound serious cinema).
My TV source: digital antenna/OTA/ATSC (no cable or sat) via Tivo HD, plus Netflix and Amazon video on demand.

I was shopping to replace my old 27inch CRT TV and a 32inch LCD is a perfect size for that. There is a bewildering choice out there. In a big box store I honestly could not tell the difference between the many manufacturers. Reading user reviews on line was ultimately a waste of time as someone always has a complaint or some unique need or set up.

The picture by the way is excellent without modifications, bright, clear, viewing angle is not an issue.

I made my choice for this TV because of 1) the excellent professional reviews by consumer reports 2) brand quality reputation, 3) great amazon price, 4) clean case design 5) good number of inputs.

Considerations: I technically probably didn’t need a 1080p TV, 720p would have been fine as most TV signals are that, and I would not see the benefit at my viewing distance at 10+ ft, but this TV gives me flexibility to use with higher quality sources like HD downloads, gaming consoles or as a PC monitor in future. This 1080p model was also not much more expensive than a 720p model.

Sound on this TV, like most 32inch TVs, is from 2×10w speakers, and is absolutely fine for a living room and casual viewing, I have not had to go above 50/100 on the volume level.
I wasn’t sold on on the added cost for 120Hz for my needs: 120Hz does not seem to matter for TV signals, only 24fps movies, and if you’re into serious cinema you’re probably not looking at 32inch :-)

More info on the Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-L32S1 32-Inch 1080p .

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