Compare Panasonic Viera TX-L42U2 Prices

Panasonic Viera TX-L42U2 info and resources

1080p

Full HD TVs are capable of showing high definition images that are up to five times as sharp and detailed as old style 'standard definition' images. You'll need to have an HD source, such as a Blu-ray player, games console or HD TV to be able to really see the difference though. All TVs on sale today are HD-Ready. A Full HD TV has a letter p after it and this means that the picture is shown in the best possible quality.

1920 x 1080

1920 x 1080 is the highest resolution available on a television. Often shortened to 1080p, it refers to the number of pixels a screen can display and the level of detail it can show.

2 x HDMI

The L42U2 has 2 x HDMI inputs. HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface and is a standard used for audio / visual equipment. Like the older scart, HDMI is a port that allows you to connect things like Blu-ray players and games consoles to your television. Unlike scart, they're very easy to plug in - and take up a fraction of the space scart leads do. HDMI allows for HD devices to send high resolution information to the television. HDMI is an uncompressed digital signal, as opposed to previous analog interfaces such as S-Video, component video and composite video. In short, HDMI is the best way to connect your AV equipment and is going to be with us a good way into the future. There's a really good blog post over at Hi-Def hardware if you'd like to find out more.

2 x Scart

Scart is a connection between two pieces of audio visual equipment. Although being gradually replaced by the newer HDMI connections, scart is still used on some non-HD equipment you may have (such as pre-HD sky boxes). As such modern TVs normally have one or more scart sockets to make them backwards compatible. The [product_name] has 2 scart connections for this purpose.

Freeview

Enjoy free access to digital television stations without the need for a set top box. Like pretty much every television available today, the Panasonic Viera TX-L42U2 features freeview - the UK's standard for access to free TV stations such as ITV, BBC, E4 and an ever-changing and expanding list. Unlike say Sky, there's no subscription charges and no need for a dish. With the L42U2 you get full access to these stations through a standard television ariel. Built in Freeview does not effect the TVs ability to work with any other TV provider, such as sky, cable or an external freeview box. The official Freeview website is here.

Game Mode

If you're into gaming then you'll appreciate the special game mode offered by the L42U2. Game mode alters the way the TV processes the picture from your games console and means faster response time, and better quality images. This is especially noticeable on an HD gaming console. Game mode optimizes image and sound quality making for the perfect gaming experience. It enhances dark areas and sharpens the picture as well as speeding up image processing.

SD Card Reader

V-Audio Surround

V-Audio Surround is an audio technology used in Panasonic TVs, such as the Panasonic Viera TX-L42U2, that creates the same effect you'd get from a surround sound speaker system from the TVs built in speakers. It aims to replicate the same sound you'd get from a multi-channel surround sound theatre system and deliver a rich sound, with deep bass and clear detail, from only two speakers.

Most modern TVs have some form of virtual or '3D' surround, with each manufacturer having their own name for the technology. Virtual surround is ideal for games, movies or listening to music. You can customize, or disable it in the TV's settings if you decide it's not for you.

There's a lot more info on the V-Audio page at Panasonic and some details on both V-Audio Surround and V-Audio Pro Surround at the Veira Exerience website.