VIERA VT50

Released 2012

A 2012 UK Full HD 3D plasma series in 50-, 55- and 65-inch sizes, with VIERA Connect and built-in Wi-Fi.

Model history · 3 models, 2010–2012

2010VIERA VT20 Compare
2011VIERA VT30 Compare
2012VIERA VT50

Sizes: 50–65″
Panel: Plasma
Refresh: –
HDR: None
HDMI 2.1: 0 of 4
Software: VIERA Connect

What reviewers say

AVForums and What Hi-Fi? both praise the 50-inch VT50's deep blacks, natural colour, clear 3D and extensive features. What Hi-Fi? finds its image close to the cheaper GT50, while AVForums reports occasional 50 Hz motion breakup and finds the touchpad imprecise for small movements. Both judge its built-in sound better than many flat TVs, although external speakers remain preferable.

From avforums.com and whathifi.com

Specifications

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Display

Panel: Plasma
Panel detail: Panasonic's combined UK manual confirms Full HD plasma panels at 50, 55 and 65 inches. Its 2500 Hz Focused Field Drive claim describes sub-field operation, not a published native refresh rate.
Resolution: 1920 × 1080 (Full HD)
HDR formats: None
Picture processing: Infinite Black Ultra filter, THX certification, 1080p Pure Direct and Intelligent Frame Creation. The 2500 Hz Focused Field Drive marketing figure is not native image refresh.
Picture modes: THX Cinema, THX Bright Room, THX 3D Cinema, Professional calibration modes, Normal, Dynamic, Game and Cinema on the reviewed UK 50-inch model.
Motion handling: AVForums observed some 50 Hz edge breakup and dynamic false contouring in broadcast material despite fluid Blu-ray motion; What Hi-Fi? preferred low or off Intelligent Frame Creation for films.

Sizes

Sizes: 50, 55, 65″
Largest size: 65″

Gaming

HDMI ports: 4 (0 HDMI 2.1 at 4K 120 Hz+)
Variable refresh rate: None
HDMI detail: Four 3D-capable HDMI inputs; HDMI2 has ordinary Audio Return Channel and HDAVI Control 5. One SCART, component/composite inputs and D-sub PC input are specified by the UK manual.

Smart TV and sound

Smart TV platform: VIERA Connect
Processor: Dual Core Pro4, as identified by What Hi-Fi? and AVForums for the reviewed UK 50-inch set
Speakers: 18 W
Wi-Fi: Built-in 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz 802.11a/b/g/n
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 3.0 for accessories
Speaker detail: Panasonic specifies two eight-driver front speaker trains and a woofer, rated 4 W + 4 W + 10 W. The woofer is 80 mm in the 50- and 55-inch sets and 100 mm in the 65-inch set.
Audio features: Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby Pulse decoding, Bluetooth audio accessory support, 3.5 mm headphone socket and Voice Guidance.
Casting: DLNA playback and VIERA Connect services; the reviewed UK 50-inch set also offered a browser and mobile-device media sharing.
TV tuners: UK Freesat HD DVB-S/S2, Freeview HD DVB-T2, DVB-T and PAL I analogue tuners.
USB: Three USB 2.0 ports and an SD card slot support media and recording to a registered USB hard drive or SD card.
Ethernet: RJ45 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX for DLNA and VIERA Connect.
Optical audio out: Fibre-optic PCM, Dolby Digital and DTS output.

Design and power

Size: TV-only Panasonic figures: 50-inch 1171 × 706 × 50 mm, 25.5 kg; 55-inch 1286 × 771 × 50 mm, 31.5 kg; 65-inch 1499 × 891 × 50.5 mm, 42.5 kg. With pedestal: 1171 × 754 × 335 mm, 29.5 kg; 1286 × 819 × 357 mm, 36 kg; 1499 × 939 × 400 mm, 48 kg respectively.
Stand: Supplied central swivel pedestal.
Power use: Panasonic UK product fiche average on-mode consumption: 195 W (50-inch), 228 W (55-inch), 305 W (65-inch). Rated maximum: 410 W, 430 W and 520 W respectively; standby 0.30 W.
Energy class: C for all three UK sizes under the 2012 product fiche.
Colours: Frosted-black bezel with silver trim and a grey central pedestal.
In the box: Standard remote, VIERA Touch Pad Controller, pedestal and two pairs of TY-ER3D4MA Bluetooth 3D eyewear. Panasonic's UK manual specifies CR2025-powered glasses; What Hi-Fi? describes them as rechargeable, but AVForums explicitly distinguishes the supplied non-rechargeable 3D4MA from rechargeable 3D4ME. The first on-sale month is unverified, so release uses year precision.

Sizes

Size	Model	Weight without stand
50″	TX-P50VT50B	25.5 kg
55″	TX-P55VT50B	31.5 kg
65″	TX-P65VT50B	42.5 kg

Pros and cons

Pros

Deep black levels with THX picture modes and detailed calibration
Full HD 3D with two pairs of glasses supplied
Freesat HD, Freeview HD and built-in wireless networking

Cons

Some 50 Hz broadcast motion artefacts remained in reviews
Professional picture modes have limited brightness
Plasma power use rises substantially with screen size

Closest rivals

Model	Sizes	Panel	Refresh	HDR	HDMI 2.1	Software	Released
PanasonicVIERA ST50	42–65″	Plasma	–	None	0 of 3	VIERA Connect	Mar 2012
PanasonicVIERA VT30	42–65″	Plasma	–	None	0 of 4	VIERA Connect	2011
PanasonicVIERA VT60	50–65″	Plasma	–	None	0 of 3	my Home Screen	2013

Previous model: VIERA VT30.

Sources

Photo: hifitest.de

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