Panasonic TC-L50ET60 50-Inch 1080p 120Hz Smart 3D IPS LED HDTV (Includes 2 Pairs of 3D Polarized Glasses)

Just bought this new 2013 ET60 – 50 inch model from Amazon about one week ago. I previously owned a Panasonic 2012 ET5 model and a 2012 Samsung S6 6150 HDTV. I use the Digital Audio output to a Sony A/V receiver.

THE GOOD

The mechanical construction of the 2013 ET60 is very good. The bezel and stand are now a silver color which looks richer and matches my decor better (its very hard to find any Audio Video component that is not black – which looks like office furniture!). The stand is very solid construction, but does not swivel. The cable connections are parallel to the back panel, which allows the panel to be pushed up closer to the wall when using the stand (my previous Samsung had cable connections perpendicular to the panel, so it needed to stay at least 6 inches away from the wall, and you could see the ugly back cables when you passed by it).

3D support – its awesome. The picture quality seems to have improved from last year, especially the 2D to 3D conversion (you can watch regular TV channels and convert them to a simulated 3D). Since there is little 3D content available, and very expensive, I will likely use the 2D to 3D conversion feature mostly. The screen also contains IPS technology, providing a good wide viewing angle. I have a bright room, and the picture looks good with little glare and no adjustment out of the box.

The new Homescreen changes from last year’s model improves the User interface greatly. You can customize the homescreen to add which Apps and browser shortcuts appear. The set will remember which homescreen you last used when it powers up again. You can turn this feature off if you wish, (as well as the annoying advertising banner).

Internet streaming to TV is good, no stutter at all. The previous 2012 Samsung model I owned would need to buffer You-tube videos every 20 seconds, making it impossible to watch. I have wired Ethernet to both old and new TV.

Swipe and Share feature. From my iPad, I can easily send stored pictures or video to the TV screen, with the Panasonic VieraRemote2 app. You need to use the browser function within the VieraRemote2 app which is limited to what the TV browser can support.

The Panny ET60 supports wired keyboard and mouse only (NOT Bluetooth as indicated in the Amazon product info). I was able to use a Logitech M505 wireless mouse (non-bluetooth) that comes with a small USB dongle, which I plugged into the TV backpanel – it works great. The iPad Remote2 app contains a keyboard function, so I don’t need any dedicated keyboard.

THE BAD

You want to watch foreign news or other non You-Tube video from the internet ? Many video streams still required Flash Player or Silver light – both are NOT supported. It kinda renders the browser app useless for me, since for most general browsing, I will use my iPad. Most TVs don’t support Flash Player.

The Amazon Instant Video App is over two years old, with no further updates available! No 5.1 sound, no Watchlist, awful old User Interface. I owned a 2012 Samsung TV and the same App was better, newer, had the watchlist etc. The new Panasonic remote now has a red Netflix button on it. We can only draw the conclusion that there is no further support for the Amazon Instant Video app on Panasonic TVs (since March 2011). This is looking like a possible deal breaker for me…

There is no way to turn off the internal TV speakers if you use the Digital Optical Output only (without Viera Link hdmi) to your A/V Receiver ! I verified this with Panasonic tech support. You need to turn your speaker volume to zero (the mute function shows an ugly icon).

The Media Player (files on USB stick) does not support 5.1 surround sound, only stereo (confirmed with Panasonic). The .avi type media files are not supported, only mp4 /mkv.

THE UGLY

You will likely be comparing this model with the Samsung UN50F6400 model, which has about the same price point at the time of this writing. The Samsung has the black color with spider leg base, and supports Bluetooth keyboard/mouse and dual core processor. The Samsung has Active 3D (battery powered glasses). The Samsung’s Amazon Instant Video app is much better, and there are more apps available in general with Samsung (even if you only really use 4 or 5 of them in the end ;-). I disliked the Samsung 2012 Series 6 remote, as the buttons were too small and placed in an awkward position – the Panasonic remote is better. Its a difficult choice in the end, it really depends on what features you use most, but so far I am happy with the Panasonic 2013 ET60 model for its mechanical and picture quality strengths – less the dated Amazon Instant Video app and lack of 5.1 sound on Media files.

Customer Video Review Length:: 0:52 Mins

Choosing a TV can be a difficult process because there are many options available. There are a number of key questions you have to ask: What room will the TV be viewed in? What type of content are you going to be watching? Do you want 3D capability and/or internet connectivity? Below are some of the pros and cons of this TV to help you decide if this television is right for you.

A little about why I chose this TV — I was looking for a new unit for my bedroom, one that was large enough for an immersive movie-watching experience. I have owned many Panasonic TVs and they have always been very reliable, so my preference was to stick with that brand. I wanted an LED model, one that was both 3D capable and also could access my Netflix account. I decided on this model, and overall I’m very happy with my decisions. The product is impressive in many ways, particularly in its image quality and easy on-screen navigation. The only area I feel it is lacking is in both speaker quality and audio connection options…

POSITIVES:

– This TV is incredibly slim. It comes with a sturdy base plate that is easy to assemble. The overall build quality of the TV is great, and the frame is very small which is a nice aesthetic change from the thicker frames of just several years ago.

– You can greatly customize every aspect of the TV, from the image and sound specifications, to parental controls, to changing your home screen layout.

– Picture quality is awesome – it’s full HD 1080p, and the 120Hz refresh rate is also very important if you do a lot of gaming or watch sports. I’m sitting around 6-8 ft. from the screen and the 50″ display is just right… if you’re sitting any further than that you might want to look into the 55″ model or larger.

– The 3D quality is very high – it uses Passive 3D technology, which utilizes polarized glasses that create the stereoscopic 3D effect. In my opinion, if you are new to 3D then passive (rather than active) 3D technology is the way to go – there is less eye strain, and the glasses are comfortable (especially if you already wear regular glasses). Two pairs of glasses are included, and they’re also relatively inexpensive if you need to pick up some extra pairs.

– 3 HDMI input ports are included… that means the cable box, blu-ray player, and video game console can all be hooked up at once and ready to go.

– A lot of discussion has taken place about the merits of LED vs. Plasma televisions. It’s worth researching and looking at both, but I prefer LEDs because they perform better in bright settings (such as a family room w/ large windows) and they also use less energy.

– This is a “Smart TV” – that means it can connect to the internet via your Wireless router and you can get a variety of Apps. For movie lovers, you can stream Netflix and Hulu. If you’re going to use an internet-connected device (such as a Roku box), then there’s really no need to also have a Smart TV. But it certainly doesn’t hurt either, and you can always choose not to connect the TV to the internet if you prefer not to.

– The remote control is very nice and it’s not too cluttered. It’s quite similar the the Panasonic remotes of the last few years. For those who watch a lot of Netflix, the remote includes a Netflix shortcut button.

NEGATIVES:

– The built-in speakers are okay, but not great. They will do fine for watching the news, but if you are into movies/gaming then I’d definitely recommend using some type of sound system/sound bar.

– No headphone jack. I’d imagine this will be a big inconvenience to some, and I don’t see why companies aren’t including it on their TVs anymore. There’s no standard A/V output either, so the red-white audio to 3.5mm conversion cable won’t work either.

– Digital Coaxial Audio (this port is typically identified by the color orange) is NOT included. This will only affect certain people with older audio equipment – most newer home theater units, receivers, and sound bars accept the Digital Optical input (which is compatible with this TV).

– Despite being mentioned in the Amazon product details, this TV does NOT have Bluetooth. I tried to connect a bluetooth device and it did not work; then I went looking into the TV settings and the manual and discovered that bluetooth is indeed not supported.

– Its annoying that Panasonic chose to run banner ads on the TV by default. This can be turned off by selecting “Menu” on remote, then choosing Setup >> Display Customization >> Smart Viera Banner >> Off.

I bought this TV without being able to see it in the stores as nobody carried this 50″ model. I needed a TV for a family room/kitchen. It needs to be seen from multiple angles and not be too reflective from windows. I took back a top of the line Samsung because of reflections. This is an IPS LED tv which has an advantage of not bleeding colors when viewed from the side. The problem is, it does have a lot of reflections. Our kitchen lights showed up clearly on the screen. I am replacing a five year old Sharp TV that had a matte screen and worked well in that room. I am having a hard time finding a good tv that is not reflective. It seems to achieve the best picture, a more reflective screen is needed, so I think I have to downgrade the model to get less reflections, otherwise a Plasma tv would be best. The lower end Sharp and Samsung are less reflective so I guess I’m headed that direction. The TV itself is beautiful and easy to set. The colors are great and are very even when viewed from the side.