Amazon.com: Panasonic VIERA TC-P55VT30 55-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black: Electronics

Amazon.com Product Description

3D Technology Checklist

This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires:

	A Display First, you'll need a 3D-ready display--whether it's a 3D HDTV, 3D projector, or 3D computer monitor. These displays have more processing power than standard 2D models for displaying 3D images in rapid succession.
	A Source Your display may be ready for 3D playback, but you'll still need a device to read 3D content. This can be a cable box with a subscription to a 3D channel, a 3D Blu-ray Disc player, or a PlayStation 3 system.
	3D Content 3D content--the actual entertainment, in other words--will be played back using the source mentioned above, whether it's a 3D broadcast from your cable provider, a 3D Blu-ray Disc, or a 3D video game.
	3D Glasses For now, the vast majority of 3D HDTVs require glasses for 3D viewing. Many use powered "active shutter" glasses, others polarized "passive" glasses. You'll need one pair per viewer, and they'll have to be compatible with your display, whether they're the same brand, or a pair of "universal" glasses designed to work across brands.
	HDMI Cable To connect your source (such as a 3D Blu-ray Disc player) to your display, you'll need a high-speed HDMI cable. Cables with this designation feature bandwidth speeds up to 10.2 Gbps (gigabits per second), for carrying the 3D signal without any loss of quality.
If you want to get more information about 3D, shop our 3D products, watch videos, or interact with other customers, we invite you to visit 3D 101, our customer center about everything 3D.

Internet-Ready Television

Internet-ready TVs use your broadband connection to deliver dynamic content, whether it's streaming video from Netflix, new music from Pandora, or a quick glance at today's weather forecast.

Although there is overlap, each manufacturer offers a unique bundle of free or paid services, including streaming video and music, social networking apps, online photo galleries, news and financial updates, weather info, sports scores, and a variety of other smartphone-like applications.

Manufacturers continue to add new content to their offerings, keeping customers current through firmware updates, and making a bit of research a prudent step in your buying decision.

Learn more about Internet TVs, how they work, what services are offered by different manufacturers, and exactly what you'll need to get started at our Internet TV 101 customer center.

(June 2011)

Step into the 3D World. The VIERA VT-series Full HD 3D plasmas create an all new viewing experience by putting you inside the action and creating a new world of TV viewing realism.

Infinite Black Pro 2

Enhancements to the panel and cells help reproduce images with smooth, natural gradation and deep, rich blacks even when viewed in bright surroundings. In movies, the true, deep blacks faithfully convey the intent of the filmmakers, adding power and realism to the viewing experience.

Full-HD Resolution Speed of 1,200 pps

Full-HD Resolution Speed, the new standard for moving picture measurement announced by the Advanced PDP Development Center Corporation (APDC), indicates the maximum moving picture speed that can be enjoyed with full-HD resolution. VIERA HDTV's achieved 1,200 pps (pixels per second) under this new standard. Even images that scroll left or right at the extremely high speed of 1,200 pps are able to be correctly displayed at the maximum resolution of 1,080 lines.

Fast Switching Phosphor

The use of fast switching phosphors has significantly reduced afterglow duration and reproduced clear 3D and 2D images. Fast switching phosphors are used in all full HD models.

Improved Pre-discharge and Filter

Minimizing pre-discharge has made it possible to produce crisp blacks with minimal graying. And improving the filter shape has suppressed glare and reduced internal reflections in the front glass panel. The contrast in bright ambient light has been raised to enable rich, more robust blacks.

THX 3D Certified Display

In order to enjoy the original image quality of a movie, you need to have a display that portrays the images exactly as the movie's creators intended. VIERA HDTVs have met the high standards set by THX Certified Display Program, reproducing both 2D and 3D images with cinema-like quality.

3D 24p Cinema Smoother

VIERA incorporates technology that analyzes picture information in both the preceding and succeeding frames, and creates a precise supplementary frame between them. This suppresses the jerky effect seen in movies, so playback is smooth and natural-looking. The distinctive tonal qualities and atmosphere of the movie are preserved, and you enjoy extremely lifelike 3D images.

Frame Sequential Technology

Panasonic uses Full-HD Frame Sequential technology to create its 3D images. Images recorded in 1920 x 1080 pixels for both the right-eye and the left-eye alternately flash on the screen at the ultra-high rate of 120 frames per second. When you view the screen through active-shutter glasses that open and close each lens in sync with the alternating images, you see breathtaking FULL HD 3D pictures with stunning power and realism.

600Hz Sub-field Drive

600Hz technology lets you view superb full-HD motion and still images. For even greater clarity with motion images, Panasonic uses its own unique image-analysis technology. This technology converts the motion in each scene into dots. And each frame is practically displayed for a shorter length of time than in previous systems, to reduce aftereffects.

Game Mode

Games are much more fun when there's no lag in operation. VIERA automatically chooses settings that provide the optimal image, so you get super-fast response and no delays. Even dark scenes with delicately rendered details are beautiful and easy to see.

3D Image Viewer

It's easy to view 3D photos and movies you shot yourself on the big VIERA screen. After shooting with your 3D-compatible camera or camcorder, simply insert the SD card into the slot on a 3D-compatible VIERA TV. The viewing is incredible, with images so realistic it feels as though you're right back in the moment. You'll find that life's special moments are even more memorable when you preserve them in 3D.

2D-3D Conversion

Unique Panasonic technology converts 2D images into high-quality 3D images in real-time. The technology generates a detailed depth effect for each type of image, so the 3D effect is natural and realistic. Use VIERA HDTV to enjoy Blu-ray movies, DVD movies and even ordinary TV broadcasts in 3D. The Super Resolution function allows images that were converted from 2D to 3D to be displayed in sharp, clear 3D while minimizing double image. 3D images with crisp contours are also produced from 3D broadcasts using the side-by-side method.

DLNA/Wi-Fi Ready

Connect a DLNA-compatible VIERA HDTV and DLNA-compatible AV equipment to your home network, and you can watch movies, listen to music, and view photos from any room in the house. VIERA HDTV's Wi-Fi capability gives you even more layout flexibility.

VIERA Connect

The exciting world of IPTV, centering on TV, is about to begin for the enjoyment of the entire family. Now you can enjoy intuitive remote control while relaxing on the living room sofa, with a wide variety of content at your fingertips. In the near future, TV will also be able to link with a tablet device to achieve completely new forms of entertainment that you've never before experienced.

VIERA Link

VIERA Link interlinks the operation of a variety of AV devices, so you can operate them all using only the VIERA remote control. Setup is easy simply connect the compatible devices to each other via HDMI cables.

VIERA Remote

VIERA remote is a TV remote controller app for select Panasonic VIERA HDTVs that uses your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad (of iOS 4.2 or later) to control TV channel selection, input selection, and volume control. Included features are gesture control, a keyboard user Interface, and a power off button. Learn more about Panasonic’s VIERA remote app.

Improvement in Luminous Efficiency Achieves Low Power Consumption

Everything — from the materials and panel structure to the drive method — has been re-engineered. These improvements are a result of the new phosphor and new electrode (fish bone) structure.

Long Panel Life, Up to 100,000 Hours

One important way consumers can protect the environment is by choosing high-quality products and taking care of them so they last for a long time. A high-quality VIERA HDTV can help. Thanks to a newly designed phosphor process and rear panel process, our plasma panels last for up to 100,000 hours before the brightness decreases by half. That's more than 30 years of viewing 8 hours a day.

Mercury and Lead Free Plasma Display Panel Panasonic is committed to making our products more friendly to the environment. In line with this commitment, all VIERA plasma display panels are free of both lead and mercury. This reduces impact on the environment years down the road when the TV is recycled or retired from use.

69 Reviews

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (69 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

111 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best TV currently on the market., July 12, 2011

Jigsore (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic VIERA TC-P65VT30 65-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)

I had researched for about a year or so before placing a pre-order for this set. In 2010 I purchased a 55 inch Samsung C8000 LED set, and had bad luck with two units which were unrepairable, and needed to be replaced. Finally I got one without a problem, and it looked pretty great with bright content, but in blacked out scenes, or letterbox content there was a "flashlight" and cloud effect that was just too distracting. This is in a completely dark room by the way. It was at this point that I decided I was going to buy the best TV on the market with little regard to cost, and almost everything I read led to the upcoming VT30. So I placed my order in April, and the set was delivered on May 13th. Immediately I was blown away by the picture quality of this set, but also noticed a "flicker" effect, almost like the picture was fluttering on the high contrast scenes. For about the first month of owning the set I can't tell you how much reading and research I did to see if there was a way to fix this flicker problem, and although there is a lot of info on the web about this set, it seems like nobody was addressing the flicker issue. So I thought it must just be me, but then I found an article that talked about the greyscale of PDP technology, and that it can cause flicker which only some people see. I know that my vision is good, but could this be a problem with Plasma? Is it just me? Is it the settings of the set? Well, it couldn't be the latter, because I had tried just about every settings combination possible, and nothing had worked. When the contrast was turned down low it did reduce the flicker effect, but never went away and made the picture too dim to really enjoy. The picture quality on this was so good that I was heartbroken to think that it would go back because of this issue, after all, for this kind of money I expect near perfect results as I don't make this kind of purchase every day. So before returning the set I bit the bullet, and forked out the money to have a professional calibrator come out and adjust the settings in the TV's Service Menu. This is a menu that you can access with the proper codes, and is intended only for professionals to tweak the color, greyscale, light output, etc. on the set. Turns out that the set needed the calibration badly. I have never had a professional calibration on a TV before this, and although I figured that it would be a good idea, I never realized just how much difference it could make! The picture quality was already the best I had ever seen, but after professional calibration it is absolutely mind blowingly good! The flicker is gone, the picture is bright, but subtle, and tons of detail in the shadows. Black areas of a scene are pitch black, and colors are incredibly accurate. I almost want to miss work just to stay home and watch TV now. I have Comcast HD, and although it is pretty good in my neighborhood, you just can't beat a Blu-Ray on this thing. In fact, the calibrator that dialed in my TV has a Pioneer Kuro, and has calibrated up to an 11 Million dollar home theater, and his opinion is that there are a lot of great sets to choose from with Panasonic, Samsung, LG, etc, but he agrees that the VT30 is the best you can get right now. If you can afford it, I highly suggest that you take a good look at this TV before you make the leap. By the way, the Samsung LED that I referenced above is now in a bright room, and looks phenomenal. The Samsung D8000 is a pretty awesome set for 2011, and until the calibration I thought I was going to end up that direction, but it also has the flicker effect, and I have had bad luck with two Samsung TV's, and two of their Blu-Ray players in the past. Not sure how reliable they are this year, but I'm pretty sure that the Panasonic was the right choice.

Update: The fluctuating brightness issue on these sets that some people are talking about was on a small number of the initial units released. It has been addressed, and fixed. You will not have a problem with fluctuating brightness from this point forward. Also, I saw the new Elite sets from Sharp and the VT30 is still definitely the king of the mountain. Go see for yourself and I'm sure you'll agree.

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43 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Final review -- success., September 22, 2011

PeterUbers (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Panasonic VIERA TC-P65VT30 65-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)

I was reluctant to purchase this tv as are/were many secondary to the fluctuating brightness.

My amazon TV is an August 2011 build. A previous amazon customer who wrote a review here mentioned his recently acquired (sept 2011) tv was a July build. amazon, on the phone, could not guarantee me any build date, I guess I got luck of the draw on August, which apparently all August and beyond tv's have a replaced A board from the factory -- there is changing information on this on the 'net forums.

I was also a bit reluctant to purchase from Amazon, as I've never purchased something this expensive online before, but I've purchased from Amazon for years and have ZERO negative to say about Amazon reliability and service -- it's always been impecable.

I received this this tv only 2 days after I purchased it from Amazon, it arrived in great condition, my wife was home and she didn't know to ask the gentlemen who delivered it to put it on the stand, but they did not offer to do this for us. They turned it on, made sure it worked, and left (they just removed the top part of the box, pulled the styrofoam wrap down a bit, and plugged it in).

I got home, plugged in the wifi, updated firmware from 2.060 to 2.070 witout any problems.

I must admit -- for the purpose of this review -- so far I have not done any major testing. I currently own a Panny TC-P65S2 (2010) and came from a Panny TC-P65S1, and have only owned panasonic plasmas. I have dealt with fluctuating black levels (and am annoyed by them) on the S2, and the VT30 was a great prospect when I heard about the great black levels, apparently stable (thus far in reports from professional testing, i.e. cnet).

I'll report back as I start playing around with this thing. I gave it 5 stars because I did not want to lower the average rating.

I can already tell the black levels are much better than the S2, the one sheet of glass is very cool, it's 1/2 or 1/3 the depth of my s2 -- very thin for a 65" plasma. The brushed aluminum trim is also a nice touch.

Oh, and no buzz compared to my S2 .. my S2 can get rather loud, but this thing has no significant buzz - you can hear a little when you're a few feet away from it.

******

Final review:

My EEPROM number is 84.46 .. this is an August build, Serial MJ1214XXXXX. This has the updated a board/firmware, because I see NO FBr (fluct. brightness)

Performance -- stellar (compared to my previous panasonic plasmas).

This is clearly, without the 9G Kuro on the market, the king of plasmas. I hope all purchasing from Amazon get the August build or beyond. When I called Amazon, they could not guarantee me that, but they would guarantee that they'd return it no charge if I was not satisfied in 30 days. Nothing touches Amazon's no tax price right now.

Colors, black levels, "pop" .. all amazing.

Sure, it's not a Kuro, but it's 90% there, and that says something. I thought my S2 black levels were terrible once I got the tv and started using it. For someone who will be doing dark room watching and CARES about black levels, fluctuating brightness, fluctuating black levels -- here's your tv.

Thanks for reading.

Update (all good) 11/28/11:

This TV continues to impress me -- rock stable black levels and on brightness fluctuation issues (see my report above). Will definitely continue to stay with panny for plasma as currently their plasma is the best on the market. Time to get an oppo blu-ray player.

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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plasma For Life - VT30 is a Winner, October 23, 2011

ha-evolution (ECWI) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Panasonic VIERA TC-P55VT30 55-inch 1080p 3D Plasma HDTV, Black (Electronics)

This is my first plasma tv and I am pleasantly surprised. I did plenty of research before buying this tv and everything I read about this Panasonic VT30 series was correct. It has wonderful blacks and can get plenty bright in certain modes. I was somewhat concerned about the brightness issue given that my past flat panels have all been LCD. I admit I was a fan of the overblown brightness modes that LCD's allow but it is far from the most accurate picture and affects black levels. I had previously purchased a Samsung D8000 edge lit LED LCD but sent it back to Amazon because of the uneven back-lighting. This TV shows no uniformity issues (as expected with plasma technology). Watching sports on the Panny is great and 3D looks awesome also. Black levels are amazing - there is no black crush that I can discern and I have barely adjusted any settings on the TV.

The styling of the VT30 series is a definite plus. I was considering the cheaper ST series but after I seeing the huge ugly bezel I couldn't settle for old school looks. The VT one sheet of glass look is very well executed. The panel is also slimmer than I was expecting considering this is a plasma. Also I have to note that there is no fan noise and no plasma buzzing which other plasmas brands are known for (Samsung).

The Panasonic VT30 is a keeper.

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