If you’re looking for a low-priced high definition television, then the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 certainly belongs in this category. It may not have all of the features you’ve come to expect from higher-end models, but you wouldn’t expect them at this price point. The question is, is this the right television for you?
Key Specs For The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3
Average Price: 359-399 Released: 2011 3D-Ready? No Screen Sizes: 31.5 inches Screen Type: LCD Resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels Aspect Ratio: 16:09 Contrast Ratio: 20,000:1 Refresh Rate: 60 Hz Viewing Angle: 178° /178° Horizontal/Vertical Response Time: 6.5 ms HDMI Inputs: 2 Dimensions: 30.7 x 8.2 x 20.9 inches
Benefits Of The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3
Price: The first thing you’ll notice about this television is the very reasonable price tag. As far as HD LCD TVs go, this is one of the most affordable that you’re going to find on the market.
Ease Of Use: The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 is one of the easiest-to-use TVs you can find, which is important on a television when you just want to relax and watch it without too much fuss. It’s very easy to set up, and when you’re using it the menus are labeled well enough for you to know just what you’re doing. This is good news because the manual makes things look perhaps more confusing than they really are.
Connections: Although the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 doesn’t have the greatest number of connections for an HDTV, you wouldn’t expect it to at this price. That said, there are a very good number that will satisfy the needs of most users (though do check your own gadgets to see how they need to connect).
Two HDMI sockets mean that you can connect up modern DVD players and other accessories, and there’s a Scart plug for older equipment. It might have been nice to have at least two Scart inputs, so bear this in mind if you have more than one older piece of standard definition equipment.
Although there’s no USB port for connecting up your camera, there is a very useful SD card slot. This makes it easy to create photo slideshows or watch home movies on your new television.
Standard Definition: It’s important to find a television that can handle standard definition as well as HDTV, since so much content still hasn’t made it into HD. Although the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 isn’t the best quality of all televisions, for the price standard definition really does look good and most buyers will be pleasantly surprised. In fact, the standard definition picture on this model is higher quality than you’ll find on many more expensive models.
Picture Quality: There are pros and cons to the picture quality on the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 (see below). On the plus side, this TV handles motion well, has good viewing angles, and the picture is sharp despite a lower resolution than most other HDTVs currently available to buy.
Stand: This television comes with a pedestal stand in the box, which you can put together yourself.
Energy Consumption: When turned on, this television uses around 55 watts, which isn’t too high when compared to other TVs. In radio mode, when the screen is black, it’ll use about 35 watts. The good news is that there is an energy saving mode on the television, and it’ll turn itself onto standby mode if you leave it alone for a while. Unfortunately, though, it does consume a little bit of energy even when switched off.
Drawbacks Of The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3
Sound: The inbuilt speakers on the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 aren’t the best you’ll find in an HDTV. You won’t hear much bass or detail when you’re watching movies.
The good news is that the TV comes with audio connections. You can either connect to a surround sound system, or other Hi-Fi unit. This is what most people tend to do with their flat panel televisions, rather than rely on the inbuilt speakers, so don’t let them put you off too much.
HD Quality: Unfortunately, the HD picture quality on the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3 isn’t fantastic. You’ll notice some motion blurriness and grainy pictures when watching this television.
Screen Size: There’s only one screen size option with the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3, and that’s at 32 inches. This is probably too small for those who have a large living room. However, if you’re looking for a TV for a smaller space or bedroom then this is a good size.
Should You Buy The Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3?
As you can see from the points above, there are many impressive features packed into the low price point of the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32C3. It’s certainly a viable option for those who don’t want to spend too much money on their television. If you’re after the best quality HD pictures, however, it may be worth looking at spending a little more money.