LG’s 50PW450T is a remarkably affordable, 50-inch plasma TV with active shutter 3D technology. Its eye-popping value credentials are underlined by a built-in 3D transmitter and the fact that it ships with a pair of 3D specs, putting plenty of its more expensive rivals to shame. The 50PW450 also squeezes in a Freeview HD tuner and a USB port capable of playing back photo, music and video files. DLNA streaming is not supported, though, and there is no online capability beyond whatever may be possible with the Freeview HD tuner in the future. The 50PW450T’s resolution is 1,024 x 768 pixels, [...]

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  Which is the best 37-inch TV? Making the decision to upgrade from a bulky old 28-inch CRT TV is almost too easy, but heading straight for a 42-inch plasma can seem a little daunting. And thus the 37″ size has become one of the UK’s most popular shapes; a lot more impressive than a 32-incher, yet not big enough to entirely dominate a living room. It’s also often the maximum size for those of us who are forced, simply by the shape of our living room, to shove a TV in the corner. It’s a size division that’s as competitive as any, with the big brands weighing in [...]

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Goddard Space Flight Center have sent us this spectacular 16:9 panoramic high definition close-up of a recent gigantastic solar prominence. What you are seeing here occurred during 90 minutes on February 24, 2011. When a rather large-sized (M 3.6 class) flare occurred near the edge of the Sun, it blew out a gorgeous, waving mass of erupting plasma that swirled and twisted over a 90-minute period. This event was captured in extreme ultraviolet light by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft. Some of the material blew out into space and other portions fell back to the surface. [...]

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Samsung is releasing a new 3D-capable Plasma TV at the sweet price of $989—a full $400 less than its current entry-level 3D set. The 50″ PN50C490 sports an odd 1365 x 768p resolution, but hey—cheap(er) 3D. The PN50C490, available for pre-order now, also offers 3 HDMI 1.4 inputs, a USB port, and ConnectShare for easy digital camera hookups. Dorky Samsung Active 3D glasses are still a must here, alas.

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When it comes to TVs, size really does matter. Panasonic is taking this theory to extremes by announcing the release of the world’s biggest Full HD 3D plasma display. The Japanese manufacturer showed a prototype of the 152-inch behemoth at CES this year where it was understandably drawing quite a crowd. Back in January Panasonic wasn’t confirming whether the TV would ever be commercially available, but it has now announced that it will start taking orders from July, with shipments starting in Japanese and American markets later this year. For those without the wall space to accommodate [...]

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Panasonic officially unveiled its plasma 3D TVs in the UK this week, choosing London’s historic Air Studios to showcase the technology. Speaking at the event, Keith Evans, Managing Director of Panasonic UK, explained how much the company was behind 3D in the home. “In this industry, we get used to innovation. But sometimes new technology comes along which is epoch making – Full HD 3D is it.” Once again, Panasonic re-iterated why the company is best prepared for 3D, with Evans explaining: “We are the only brand that has expertise to be required for every part of the 3D [...]

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Panasonic officially unveiled its plasma 3D TVs in the UK this week, choosing London’s historic Air Studios to showcase the technology. Speaking at the event, Keith Evans, Managing Director of Panasonic UK, explained how much the company was behind 3D in the home. “In this industry, we get used to innovation. But sometimes new technology comes along which is epoch making – Full HD 3D is it.” Once again, Panasonic re-iterated why the company is best prepared for 3D, with Evans explaining: “We are the only brand that has expertise to be required for every part of the 3D [...]

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The TX-P42S20 is one of Panasonic’s first Freeview HD plasma TVs to launch in the UK this year. Panasonic’s 2009 plasma TV range felt like a classic case of two halves, to be honest. In the good half, we found screens using Panasonic’s NeoPDP technology to mostly excellent effect, boosting brightness, colour response and energy efficiency. In the rather average half were screens that essentially just offered tweaked versions of Panasonic’s older plasma screen technology. The S10 series belonged in the latter, average half. It wasn’t actually Panasonic’s entry-level [...]

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Few plasma TVs make it to these pages these days simply because there aren’t many out there. Gas screens now account for less than a tenth of flatscreen sales, but the technology itself is still very impressive. The Samsung PS50B550 carries on that tradition by combining pin-sharp Blu-ray pics with general viewing functions and at a cracking low price. Features Its rose-black frame may well be luscious, but the PS50B550 is distinctly barren when compared to other TVs from the brand. With no kind of internet connectivity or wireless streaming, the PS50B550 doesn’t have much going for [...]

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At first glance it’s hard to believe that the TX-P54Z1 is a plasma TV: the chunky, dour looks that tend to define the technology are conspicuous in their absence here. Pleasingly, the TX-P54Z1 has more in line with slinky LCD models. Particularly remarkable is that this TV is just 25.7mm deep, even out-slimming Samsung and LG’s recent edge-LED TVs. Some of this remarkable slenderness can be explained by the fact that the the set’s three tuners – Freeview, analogue and Freesat – are built into an external tuner/multimedia box, ideal for wall-mounting. You don’t even [...]

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