By Philip Wong, CNET Asia
11/05/2007
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/home_av/tvs/0,39037585,40515652p,00.htm

It looks like we are in love once more with the Panasonic Viera LCD TVs. This was after an imbalanced 2006 lineup focusing mainly on its plasma counterparts. Dropped out of its flat-panel stable was the LCD equivalent of its flagship 600-series, leaving its potential customers with a paltry choice of only four low-to-midrange models.

This time round, we have the TX-32LX700M back on the plate, outfitted with the popular In-Plane Switching (IPS) LCD panel and some of the latest technologies the market has to offer. Will it hold against the competition or can its small 32-inch screen prove an insurmountable hurdle with the fast-falling prices of the 42-inchers?

Design
The LX700’s shade is a departure from the familiar Viera black-and-silver scheme, and comes instead in a refreshing matt finish somewhat in line with the current A/V fashion trend. Beyond this cosmetic change, it still possess many signature traits of its lineage, from the curvy side profile to the clean lines and unique diamond-shaped swivel stand. Minimalists may also be attracted to its clutter-free front, save for the embossed company logo in contrasting silver and a couple of other smaller ones hinting at its underlying potential.

Measuring 836mm wide, the chassis is longer than most 32-inchers due to a pair of streamlined side speakers, a minor compromise in exchange for enhanced stereo separation. Impromptu hookup is a hassle-free exercise, thanks to the side A/V inputs conveniently located by the right. These are clustered below the SDHC card slot housed behind a flip cover and spring-loaded for easy removal. It would have been a sound layout if not for the top-mounted TV controls, easily out of reach for many but the most determined.

	A handsome remote to go with the latest Viera. (Click for larger image)

Panasonic has shipped an attractive matching remote for the set. While the buttons at both extreme ends may hinder one-hand operation, this is offset by a comfortably arched bottom and multifunction capability. Seven dedicated keys are included to facilitate basic VCR and DVD playback, though their relevance is limited to selected Panasonic models. On this Viera, external input selection is implemented via a toggle button and it doesn’t help that there are eight looping options available, making video switching a cumbersome task.

It is a love-hate affair when it comes to the onboard software menu. On the one hand, navigation is a breeze with the well-structured submenus and a handy onscreen guide. On the other hand, we can’t help but lament the miserable spread of advanced video configurations, taking into consideration its flagship stature. This leaves most of the video-processing executions to the V-real II engine, less two multilevel noise reduction and automated color management systems in the user's hands.

Features
Just like the latest Hitachi 37LD9800TA, the LX700 is equipped with an iteration of the popular In-Plane Switching LCD panel. Besides offering an HD-ready 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution, it’s also rated to put out a ground-breaking 8,500:1 native contrast, ultra-fast 6ms response time and a wide 178-degree viewing angle. While we were unable to verify Panasonic’s claim on the contrast performance, we are giving the company the benefit of doubt especially after our exchange with its Singapore product manager.

Following in the footsteps of the Toshiba Regza, this Panasonic is the second lot of flat-panel TVs in Asia featuring 100Hz video-scanning technology. Dubbed 100Hz Motion Picture Pro, it doubles the onscreen picture frame rate, theoretically delivering smooth and sharp motion visuals. In the same light, its V-real engine has also been overhauled with the 1080p standard. This generation-two processor now accepts high-quality video signals while processing them in their native formats without introducing performance-detrimental down-conversion, etc.

	An SDHC card slot for all your photo-viewing needs. (Click for larger image)

If you intend to use the TV as a showcase for your photo collection, the onboard JPEG playback and integrated SDHC/MMC slot are definitely a strong plus. This value-added function, previously available only on its 2006 plasma counterparts, supports the latest high-capacity flash card in excess of 4GB sizes. Upon detecting the presence of a card, the set will automatically offer an option for switching into the Photo View mode. After which, previews and relevant file numbers will be presented in a 4 x 3 for user selection.

Though there is no side HDMI like its PV700 plasma peers, you will still have access to a pair of these all-digital sockets on the rear. These are now 50 and 60Hz 1080p-compatible and Viera link-compliant (for one-remote operation between Panasonic-branded electronics). Going a notch lower in performance are the dual 1080i-capable component-video sockets and the Mac-friendly PC input. These are further complemented by the S-video and composite jacks which are assigned together with their component counterparts under AV/2 and 3.

Performance
Pairing this Viera with suitable players is a no-brainer, thanks to its comprehensive format compatibility. For HD, we have elected the 1080p Sony PlayStation 3 which readily mates without a hitch. Same for our 480p-configured Pioneer DV-969AVi DVD player hooked up using a Monster HDMI cable. To kick off the review proper, we got the LX700 tuned to the local MediaCorp broadcast. Though the pictures displayed were generally sharp, gain-free with minimal dot crawl, we felt the details could have been better.

When pitted against the synthetic Avia test patterns, this Panasonic demonstrated perfect grayscale but fumbled in color decoding by a moderate red push. Surprisingly, this didn't stop the panel from displaying tonally balanced colors, most notably in Finding Nemo where the vibrant reef habitat and the characters were easily brought alive onscreen. The onboard video scalar also did a fine job upscaling DVDs, though its artifact-free performance was still nowhere close to the Pioneer player especially for edge enhancement.

Piping a 1080p Blu-ray feed turned out a visual fest, characterized by razor-sharp sparkling-clean pictures. We had little problem making out the intricate costumes showcased in The Phantom of the Opera and were equally delighted with its life-like flash tones. To put the 100Hz Motion Picture Pro to test, we allowed ourselves numerous laps of PS3 Ridge Racer 7. Here, the panel lived up to our expectations by rendering panning scenes in solid fidelity, without the slightest hint of fast-action motion blur and ghosting.

	1080p PC text resolution, but the sharpness could have been better. (Click for larger image)

The same positive impression was also extended to the onboard photo viewer which was generally responsive, in our opinion, clocking an average 4 seconds to populate the previews and another 8 seconds to display a selected shot. These were reproduced in full details and laced with minor jaggies. Next, we got the panel hooked up to an HP 6910p laptop via a Monster cable. Despite using a quality interconnect, 1,024 x 768-pixel text was softer that expected, exhibiting subtle improvement only in standard aspect ratio.

Rounding it up, we got the audio subsystem under scrutiny. This performed admirably with strong stereo separation and crystal-clear treble. Having said that, we felt bass and surround sound effects were obviously lacking, especially for a set with woofer-loaded speakers. On the whole, Panasonic has done a good job wedding an IPS panel with 100Hz technology. The LX700 would have been of Editors' Choice caliber if not for its lackluster software menu and humble facade, both important prerequisites for such a premium model.