Panasonic KX-VC500

The VC500 codec box is the main component of the HD Visual Communication System(HDVC). It features full HD 1080i video input and output via HDMI ports, which makes the device an easy compatibility for any gadget. It can support two video inputs, four boundary microphones, and can link up to a maximum of four locations. The unique 360-degree HD microphone guarantees clear audio clear audio capture from any direction in the room. The technology is the same you find in Panasonic�s Viera TVs.

Due to the use of a H.264 high-profile video compression and SIP protocol technologies, the HDVC system can maintain a conference call with bandwidth requirements as low as 512kbps.

A secondary mobile camera can be used along with the main unit giving the conference call an unprecedented level of versatility.

Panasonic Viera TC-P50X3 Plasma Television Review

We�ve got another interesting plasma on tap for you today as we check out the Panasonic Viera TC-P50X3. While it won�t be nearly as impressive as a lot of televisions we�ve seen here, it will have a lot that�s going for it, especially in the value department.

The Panasonic Viera TC-P50X3 is a fifty inch 720p plasma television that offers Viera Tools to help you with the various television functions, Viera Image Viewer to let you show pictures on your television, a 600 Hz refresh rate for smooth video, two ten watt speakers with Surround Sound capability, two HDMI ports, one component input, one composite input, two USB ports, and wi-fi, once you pick up an adapter for it.

Admittedly, a bit short in the features department, but don�t be too concerned about this. While this is certainly a basic piece of hardware, one thing it�s not is a bad piece of hardware. That 720p picture looks better than you�d think with a 600 Hz refresh rate behind it, and the sound is actually better than you�d expect too. And streaming even becomes a possibility, which is terrific.

Now here�s where things get even better�the price tag. I told you this one was going to be a pretty nice value, and it is. You�ll be able to pick one of these up for $718 out at Amazon, and that�s a really very impressive price. You�re getting a fifty inch plasma television that can handle streaming and puts on a nice picture and sound display for well under a thousand bucks. I call that a good solid value.

And that�s why you�re definitely going to want to have a look at a Panasonic Viera TC-P50X3 yourself. It�s a good value system, and though it may be simple, it�s still going to put on a nice show, and that puts it head and shoulders over others I�ve seen. (Source)

Panasonic VIERA TC-P50VT25 Plasma 3D HDTV

The TC-P50VT25 is a 50 inch 3D ready TV that is part of Panasonic�s flagship Viera VT25 series of Plasma TVs. The VT25 is an upgrade over the VT10 line of Panasonic TVs from 2009. Along with 3D capabilities, the TC-P50VT25 features numerous technology improvements over the previous generation of Panasonic plasma TVs.With improved picture quality and black levels, 600Hz sub field drive technology for enhanced screen refresh rates and butter smooth 3-D performance, the TC-P50VT25 is an extremely attractive choice for consumers. Continue reading our review of the Panasonic TC-P50VT25 to find out if it is the best 3D TV for you.

Highlights of the Panasonic TC-P50VT25 Review
Strengths

* Excellent picture quality with exceptional black levels, color fidelity and details
* THX Certification for excellent out of the box image quality
* Neo Plasma display panel technology enables true 1080 lines of moving resolution for video content
* Anti glare technology for comfortable viewing
* Industry leading 3D display performance. Smooth and flicker free 3D viewing without any ghosting or motion blur artifacts
* Ability to play 1080p 24fps 2D content (Blu-ray and some satellite programming) at 96Hz via 4:4 pull down for smooth, judder free viewing.
* Provides excellent value for money. Cheaper than high-end edge lit LED TVs while retaining a performance advantage when it comes to Picture quality and 3D display technology

Weaknesses

* Display is around 3.5 inches thick. Not as slim as Samsung�s edge-lit LED 3D TVs.
* Only one Panasonic 3D glass included with purchase. Additional active shutter glasses cost $150 a pop.
* Plasma panel is not as bright as LCD panels. This 3D images can seem a little dim at times.
* 3D is still a new technology. It might take another generation of displays to get over the initial teething issues with these televisions.

Picture Quality
Flatpanel Resolution

The TC-P50VT25 features a Neo Plasma Display Panel (Neo PDP) capable of displaying full 1080p content. An important feature of this Plasma TV is its ability to display true 1080p video content since these plasma panels are capable of displaying full 1080 lines of moving resolution. What this essentially means is that the ability of screen elements to refresh at a fast rate on the VT25 Plasma TVs prevents any loss of screen resolution even when displaying fast moving scenes wherein all the screen elements require continuous updating. In direct contrast, LCD display technologies are still limited by their longer hold times and screen refresh rates, as a result of which, even the latest LCD 3D TVs such as Samsung�s 9000 Series are only capable of displaying 800-900 lines of moving resolution. While this isn�t a huge difference, it is still important to note that the TC-P50VT25 provides full 1080p motion resolution.

Color Accuracy

The Panasonic TC-P50VT25 is a THX certified 3D TV just like all other models in the VT25 series. The THX certification implies that these Plasma panel TVs are in line with rigorous THX standards for picture quality and meet critical standards in areas such as uniform brightness, accurate colors and color gamut, low black levels, high contrast ratios and the ability to display full HD video content. For the consumers, the THX certification guarantees excellent out of the box image quality for the TC-P50VT25.
Black level and Contrast

The VT25 series features Panasonic�s �Infinite Black Pro� displays that allow for an astonishing dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1. This new technology results in significant improvements in black levels and dark level details as compared to the VT10 Plasma TV panels from 2009. The ability of the TC-P50VT25 to render accurate colors, low black levels and high contrast ratios makes it one of the best television displays of 2010 with significant improvement in the display quality of both 2D and 3D content.

Backlight Uniformity

Unlike edge-lit LED 3D TVs, the Panasonic TC-P50VT25 does not suffer from any non uniformities in the display brightness across the screen. This of course is a fundamental advantage of Plasma technology over LCD technology as the former does not rely on any backlighting for the display of images, but instead relies on the phosphorescence of phosphors on the plasma screen � something that is far more uniform and well controlled.
Refresh Rate and Video Processing

Perhaps one of the strongest fortes of the TC-P50VT25 is its video processing capabilities and its ability to handle multiple sources of video content with differing frame rates without sacrificing the quality of the displayed content.

The VT25 series of Plasma panels incorporate Panasonic�s revolutionary short decay red and green phosphors that have 1/3 the decay rate of conventional red and green phosophors that are used in typical Plasma panels. What this means is that it drastically cuts down on any sort of ghosting and blurring due to the lower decay times of red and green phosphors, something that is an issue on conventional Plasma TVs.

The TC-P50VT25 features the ability to display 3D content at 120Hz (60Hz per eye) as well as display regular 2D content at 60Hz for smooth video playback. One should not confuse the 60Hz per eye for 3D content as being inferior to LCD 3D TVs that quote 120 or even 240Hz per eye for 3D content, as the technologies are fundamentally different. Without going into the details here, keep in mind that a good 120Hz plasma panel with 60Hz per eye will produce a better 3D image quality than a 240 or 480Hz LCD panel due to the faster response time of Plasma panels.

Another important feature of the VT25 Plasma panels is its ability to switch to a refresh rate of 96Hz (an integer multiple of 24fps) thus allowing for a 4:4 pull down of 24fps video content (all your blu-ray HD material and some satellite programming) which results in exceptionally smooth video display without the much abhorred judder that is commonly observed in most LCD and Plasma panel TVs.

Viewing Angle

Like all Plasma TVs, the TC-P50VT25 performs very well when it comes to viewing angles. Plasma HDTVs in general exhibit superior viewing angles to LCD HDTVs and the TC-P50VT25 is no exception. This superior viewing angle of the VT25 panels is also beneficial for viewing 3D content and will provide a more comfortable 3D viewing experience for viewers sitting off-axis from the TV.
Optimal Viewing Distance

The optimal viewing distance for this 50 inch 3D TV is approximately 6 to 8 feet. Be sure to read our guide on calculating the best viewing distance and screen size for your 3D TV. It will help you correctly choose the optimal TV screen size and viewing distance for your home.

3D Technology and Performance

This television features a number of technological innovations such as shorter decay red and green phosphors, and the elimination of the second front glass panel by bonding an anti-glare filter directly to the glass panel of the screen. A new panel scanning system and anti-blur circuitry helps minimize cross-talk and image ghosting on the TC-P50VT25.
High Speed Drive

Most Plasma TVs are only capable of displaying content at 60fps. However, to achieve smooth flicker-free 3D viewing, these displays need to display frame-sequential 3D content at 120fps so that each eye views the resulting video at 60fps. To achieve this enhanced frame rate of 120fps without sacrificing the resulting brightness of the output image, Panasonic has developed and intergrated a high speed drive technology into the Neo plasma display panels thus enabling fast frame rates without affecting the image brightness.

Crosstalk Reduction Technology

As mentioned earlier, the new fast decay red and green phosphors, along with advanced circuitry enable a 66% reduction in phosphorescence decay times thus reducing crosstalk and ghost images. This is a very important technological innovation for Plasma panels that help the VT25 deliver a superior, ultra-smooth 3D experience free of any ghosting or motion blur artifacts.
Media, Internet and other Connectivity

The TC-P50VT25 3D TV comes equipped with wireless and Ethernet connectivity. You can utilize a number of services such as Netflix, Amazon, Youtube, Twitter, Skype, Video on Demand and much more. This television also comes with one active shutter 3D glass, although additional glasses will cost $150 each. Skype allows for making video calls and videoconferencing using your 3D Plasma TV although you will need to purchase a separate Skype camera to use this feature.

This television comes equipped with a large number of ports as listed below:

4 HDMI ports, 2 USB 2.0 ports, a PCI input, and RS232C.

Price and Verdict

The Panasonic TC-P50VT25 features a number of novel technological innovations that enable fundamental improvements in the performance of this plasma panel over last years premium Plasma TVs. With improved black levels, color accuracy, glare reduction, screen refresh rates andenergy efficiency, this TV is a great choice even if you are only looking to upgrade to a better quality TV for 2D content. The 3D is almost a bonus, and it certainly does not disappoint. While there will surely be some teething issues with the first generation of 3D TVs, the Panasonic VT25 series appears to hold the lead over all its other competitors when it comes to 3D performance and 3D video quality. The plasma panel technology also means that this television will be significantly cheaper than some of the ultra-slim LED edge-lit 3D TVs being released by other manufacturers like Samsung. We at Best 3D TVs believe that the Panasonic TC-P50VT25 is an excellent choice for consumers who are looking to buy a high quality, 3D Ready, Plasma TV at a reasonable price. Other 3D TVs that you might want to compare this with are the Samsung UN46C9000, Samsung UN55C8000 and the Samsung UN55C7000.

Source [http://www.best-3dtvs.com/panasonic-3d-tv-reviews/panasonic-tc-p50vt25-review/]

Panasonic VIERA TV Includes HD Recording to SD Cards � We Like What We Hear

Panasonic is no stranger to releasing a whole slew of high powered home theater oriented products. Thankfully they are also no stranger to innovation which their brand new VIERA TV displays nicely. Dubbed the TH-L42G3, this 42-inch 1080p HDTV features an IPS panel, LED back lighting, 2 HDMI ports, VoD connectivity, an Ethernet port and much more. However, these run of the mill features are not what makes this television unique. Instead, its SD/SDHC/SDXC slot is.

This slot will allow consumers to record full HD content straight to an SD card. Of course, you�re most likely going to need to break the bank just a bit as Panasonic says a 64GB SDXC card will be able to record about 5 hours of full HD content. Better yet, you can just plug your external hard drive to the included USB slot to record content the same way � sounds pretty neat to us.

Unfortunately, there is currently no word of a North American launch with this television going on sale in Japan on February 19th for around $1,800.

via crunchgear [http://www.crunchgear.com]

Panasonic SC-PT670 Home Theater Speaker Review�Better Deal Than You�d Think

Next up on our list is the Panasonic SC-PT670, a system that�s actually a lot more system than you�d might expect, and for a whole lot less money than you�d suspect.

The Panasonic SC-PT670 is a thousand watt five channel home theater system that actually includes a five disc DVD player. It�ll also offer upconversion to 1080p, Bamboo Cone speakers, an iPod dock, a whole lot of setup options like Smart Setup with Auto Speaker setup, a Kelton Type subwoofer, both Dolby Digital and DTS decoders, support for a wide variety of media styles including DVD-RW, video CD, JPEG and plenty of others besides.

You can see what I mean here�a thousand watts is unusually potent for a home theater system, at least one priced like the Panasonic SC-PT670. A five disc changer is also an option you don�t hear much about, plus you get even more utility out of the iPod dock and the like. The sound quality on this one also sounds really nice, which is another point in its favor. There�s lots of great value here and by the time you find out what the price is, you�ll really get the thrill of a lifetime because you�re looking at a great bargain in the making.

You can get your hands on this one for the unusual price of $209.07 out at Amazon, and I�d say you�re going to get a pretty good deal here. With multiple DVD capability and some fairly potent speakers, you�ll be looking at a nice value.

You�ll want to hear it for yourself at first, though, and make sure it is what you want, but the Panasonic SC-PT670 should be the system you need to round out your home theater system.

Panasonic's LUMIX GF2 Features Touchscreen, Full HD Recording

Panasonic this week announced the LUMIX DMC-GF2, the company's smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera with built-in flash. The GF2 is approximately 19% smaller and weighs 7% less than its predecessor, the DMC-GF1. Panasonic packs in a 12-megapixel high speed Live MOS sensor, high performance Venus Engine FHD, 3-inch LCD (with touchscreen-controlled interface) and more into this Micro Four Thirds camera. It records video in Full HD and also supports 3D still image shooting when used with Panasonic's 3D interchangeable lens, the LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12.

All of the menu settings and switching among manual, shutter priority, aperture priority, scene modes, and program mode are all done on the GF2's 3-inch touchscreen LCD. Dedicated buttons include one for movie recording and an Intelligent Auto button, located on the top of the camera. The camera also has a range of AF (Auto Focus) modes, including multiple-area AF with up to 23 focus areas, 1-area AF with a selectable focus area, Face Detection, and AF Tracking.

The LUMIX GF2 records 1920 x 1080 videos at 60i or smooth HD 1280 x 720 movies at 60p in AVCHD. The GF2 can also record HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x 720 and QVGA, VGA and WVGA. On-board stereo microphones are also included for high quality sound recording.

Additional features include a My Color mode, Full-time Live View function, 17 Scene modes and Panasonic's Dust Reduction System. The GF2 also has many of the GF1's features, such as RAW and RAW+JPG shooting modes, a full-resolution burst mode, a pop-up flash, and a proprietary hot shoe for external flashes or an electronic viewfinder.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF2 will be available in black, silver, white, and red and have two kit options: DMC-GF2C � 14mm F2.5 Lens Kit and DMC-GF2K � 14-42mm Zoom Lens Kit. It will be available in January 2011. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Press release:

PANASONIC INTRODUCES COMPANY�S SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST DIGITAL INTERCHANGEABLE LENS SYSTEM CAMERA WITH FLASH
New Panasonic LUMIX GF2 Features Touch-Screen Operation, Full HD Video Recording Capability and Compatible with Panasonic�s Interchangeable 3D Lens

November 4, 2010 � Panasonic today announced the LUMIX DMC-GF2, the latest of the company's DSL Micro (DSLM) compact mirrorless cameras, which is Panasonic�s smallest and lightest interchangeable lens system camera � complete with a built-in flash. The LUMIX GF2 is compatible with lenses from the Micro Four Thirds standard, meaning the system is small and compact, while not compromising ease of operation or image quality. Even more, the LUMIX GF2 is compatible with Panasonic�s new 3D interchangeable lens, the LUMIX G 12.5mm / F12, so users can take 3D photos.

"The LUMIX GF2 is key in the Panasonic DSL Micro line-up, as it�s the smallest and lightest model we offer, while still offering superb image quality, which our consumers have come to expect from LUMIX. Compared to the GF1, its predecessor, the GF2 has been reduced approximately 19% in size and approximately 7% in weight yet is still retains its signature built-in flash," said Darin Pepple, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. "We expect the LUMIX GF2 to be an attractive model for consumers who want to step up to a more powerful camera that is easy to use, and a camera that is �future-proof� with its 3D capabilities."

The LUMIX GF2 is extremely easy to operate for consumers at any level, thanks to a newly- designed user interface, which allows for the focus to be set, or shutter released, by simply touching the large 3-inch touch-screen LCD. The touch-screen LCD with a 460,000-dot-resolution makes taking great photos intuitive. Once a user locks on a subject by touch, the LUMIX GF2 tracks the subject with the AF tracking function, even if the subject moves � making it easy to take photos of moving subjects, like children playing. The contrast AF system adopted by the LUMIX DMC-GF2 is not only accurate and easy to use, but also very fast. Users can choose from a wide range of AF (Auto Focus) modes, including multiple-area AF with up to 23 focus areas, 1-area AF with a selectable focus area, Face Detection, and AF Tracking.

The touch operation also dramatically shortens the time spent navigating the menus. With the LUMIX GF2�s newly-designed Touch Q-menu, the user can customize the camera�s shortcuts with the most commonly used settings. Together with the simple button components, including dedicated buttons for video recording and iA (Intelligent Auto) mode which lights in-use, users can operate the camera intuitively with ease.

With the Intelligent Scene Selector in the iA mode, the camera automatically switches to the appropriate mode according to the subject touched. For example, a touch on a human face switches to the portrait mode and a touch on the background or scenery switches to the scenery mode, while a touch on the subject close to the camera switches to the close-up mode. With the MF assist mode for manual focusing, users can enlarge the subject by just a touch to select 1x, 5x or 10x and smoothly move the subject by dragging it on the screen. In iA mode and the Peripheral Defocus mode, the range of defocus can be adjusted by just moving the slider with a finger, something not possible with larger more complicated DSLR cameras that don�t feature touch control.

While achieving breakthroughs in compactness of design and outstanding photo and video quality, the Panasonic LUMIX GF2 can contribute its professional-level imaging performance to well-balanced engine and sensor technologies. For the image processor, the Venus Engine FHD is incorporated, featuring exceptionally high performance signal processing capabilities in both photo and movie recording. With the advanced noise reduction system employing the 3D NR and CNR (Chromatic Noise Reduction), users can capture clear, naturally-balanced images even when shooting at high ISO sensitivity levels to help prevent the color bleeding.

Panasonic's Venus Engine FHD enables Intelligent Resolution technology, which means that three areas � outlines, detailed texture areas and soft gradation � are automatically detected. Then, the outline parts are enhanced effectively to give edges more clearness while giving a moderate accentuation to the texture areas to look more finely detailed. To the soft gradation part, noise reduction system is applied to make it smoother. Apart from the uniform enhancement of sharpness, the innovative technology Intelligent Resolution precisely performs signal processing pixel by pixel, resulting in images that are naturally clear and crisp in both video and photos. The 12.1-megapixel Live MOS sensor featured in the LUMIX GF2 offers the best of both worlds � the superb image quality of a CCD sensor, plus the lower power consumption of a CMOS sensor.

All of Panasonic's LUMIX G-Series DSLM cameras are equipped with the highly-efficient Dust Reduction System. If dust gets inside the camera when the user changes lenses, it could cling to the image sensor and show up as a spot in photos. The Dust Reduction System helps to reduce this risk by placing a supersonic wave filter in front of the Live MOS sensor. Vibrating vertically around 50,000 times per second, the filter repels dust and other particles.

The LUMIX GF2 shoots professional-quality full High Definition (HD) videos as well as handling still photography. The LUMIX GF2 can record 1920 x 1080 videos at 60i or smooth HD 1280 x 720 movies at 60p in AVCHD. For those looking for better compatibility with computers, the LUMIX GF2 can also record HD Motion JPEG in 1280 x 720 and QVGA, VGA and WVGA. A dedicated video record button makes it easy to start shooting videos, and high quality sound is recorded with the stereo microphone for Dolby� Digital Stereo Creator. Panasonic�s iA mode extends to video recording, with the following features: Optical Image Stabilizer, Face Detection, Intelligent D-range Control and Intelligent Scene Selector.

The Panasonic LUMIX GF2 is artistic not only in form, but also in function, as it provides an array of features that lets users capture true-to-life images while also creating their own expressive, beautiful images. The LUMIX GF2 features My Color mode which is integrated with the conventional Film mode. My Color mode offers a total of eight preset effects � Expressive, Retro, Pure, Elegant, Cinema, Monochrome, Dynamic Art, Silhouette, plus Custom mode, which lets users manually set the color, brightness, saturation and contrast levels. Also, with the Full-time Live View function, users can see how these settings will affect the images before they shoot, which makes it easier to capture the exact effect desired. The LUMIX GF2 has 17 Scene modes, most which can be used during video shooting, too. The exposure meter can be displayed in the P/A/S/M shooting modes for entry-level users to visually learn the correlation between shutter speed and aperture to enhance their photography skills.

The Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GF2, with a quality and solid aluminum body, will be available in black, silver, white, and red models with the following kit options: DMC-GF2C � 14mm F2.5 Lens Kit and DMC-GF2K � 14-42mm Zoom Lens Kit. The LUMIX GF2 will be available in January 2011 and pricing will be announced approximately 30 days prior to shipment. Visit www.panasonic.com for more information.

SOURCE Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company

Panasonic HDC-SDX1 Full HD Camcorder Review

Panasonic HDC-SDX1 Full HD Camcorder
Review | Panasonic HDC-SDX Specs, Price & Release Date � Panasonic
HDC-SDX1: More Light Full HD Camcorder in the world! In any case in these words that the manufacturer sells us his latest Panasonic HDC-SDX1.

This new model offers in a housing Ultra compact and lightweight 186g, 35.8mm wide angle lens
(AF), 23x Smart Zoom, hybrid Stabilizer (mid-end, semi-electric), according to VoIP videoconferencing camera, video recording full HD 1080p, and an LCD touch screen 2.7?.

The Panasonic HDC-SDX1 will begin shipping in September with the SD card provided at a price of $500. [http://www.technosome.com]