Panasonic 54-inch VIERA TH-P54Z1N Plasma TV - Big on AV

Ze Best Of Panasonic

Over the years, Panasonic has quietly evolved into a brand that's synonymous with plasma display panels (PDP). In fact, this linkage between a brand and a product type is even apparent than their counterparts like LG, Samsung or Hitachi, who are lauded for their strengths in other areas of consumer electronics. Whichever brand you're looking at, it is obvious the contention for the slimmest glitzy screen is well and truly on its way.

On that note, we've managed to snag the swanky new VIERA TH-P54Z1N for a closer examination. Incidentally, the 54-inch Z1 has since toppled the V-series off Panasonic's PDP flagship spot as 2009 drew to a close. But is the incredibly expensive Z1 worthy of a stint in the top drawer? As a matter of fact, the Z1 has a unique trait similar to Sony's ZX series - an external tuner box. We figure something has to give if you want to slim your display down to a mere 24.7mm depth. Unfortunately, and in contrast to Sony's ZX1 which features the BRAVIA 1080 Wireless perk for AV transmissions, Panasonic was unable to incorporate the WirelessHD interface into the local model due to military restrictions on frequency regulations here. It's a shame, but no less a reality.

Moving on, the Z1 is currently the biggest PDP available on Panasonic's consumer range with an impressive arsenal of specifications, on paper at least. Fitted with Panasonic's homegrown NeoPDP panel, the swanky Z1 offers a Full-HD screen and Panasonic's "Infinite Black" perk, or you may see it as Panasonic's reformed Real Black Drive system in order to achieve deeper blacks. Compared to the previous Z-model, the new NeoPDP offers double the luminance with just a third of the former's power requirements, thanks to new materials used for its electron generation source. With these in mind, let's see if this VIERA is ultimately worth your affection. Also, do stay tuned to the end of our review as we reveal how much this skinny piece would cost you. 

Slim and Polished Trendsetter
 

Design

Sleek, stylish and streaked with brushed-metal strips, Panasonic's VIERA Z1 is indisputably one of the sexiest PDPs we've ever encountered. However, before you plonk yourself into that comfy sofa to savor the beauty of this thin-profile display, it pays to know that some assembly work is required. Four holding screws are needed to secure the panel to the stand's brackets, dubbed as the "pedestal". Additionally, the Z1's pair of sidebar speakers has to be fastened to the panel as well. When you're done, don't forget to insert the two audio terminals fitted with a Ferrite-core noise suppressor. After much huffing and puffing, we dare say the panel is relatively heavy on its own (30.5kg), so take extra care if you're planning to make this a solo effort. Its elliptical base is nice to gawk at with a layer of curved textures on a chrome surface. One downer, of course, is its lack of swiveling capabilities. 

Panasonic is an active member of the WirelessHD consortium. Unfortunately, the localized Z1 isn't loaded with WirelessHD (like its American counterpart) for reasons cited earlier in our review. Being so, you'll need to connect the external tuner box to the TV via a supplied HDMI cable, minus the wireless benefits. This additional box demands more rack space for sure, but you can't deny it's a whole lot easier to access the box's assortment of AV connectors, compared to reaching for the TV's back panel. There are four HDMI 1.3 ports situated at the STB's (set-top ala tuner box) stern for your AV peripherals, including a dedicated HDMI TV Out connector. In front, a flip-down flap conceals a SD card slot and a HDMI port amongst others. One glaring caveat is that the display lacks internet connectivity. At the navigation end, the Z1's comprehensive remote wand is identical to the V-series we've reviewed previously, with a VIERA Link button seated around its directional pad. Strangely enough, Panasonic sent us a stick with Chinese labels which we had to make do with.

Features

Specs wise, there's little to differentiate the Z and V premium class PDPs. The Full-HD NeoPDP panel is capable of 1080 lines of 'moving' resolution instead of 900 (compared to Panasonic's previous installment), an improvement made possible by its 600Hz Sub-field drive feature, delivered with thanks to the NeoPDP's new cells and drivers. One glance at its specs sheet also reveals an eye-popping dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1. Furthermore, Panasonic has bumped up their VIERA Image Viewer to support MPEG2 on top of its current support for AVCHD and JPEG files. If you know next to nothing about the mechanics of AV qualifications, perhaps the Z1's THX certification would settle any doubts. Simply put, THX facilitators have placed the TV through a barrage of stringent video test patterns to ensure the TV is up to a certain visual standard. THX-certified displays, like the Z1, come with a THX mode with presumably optimal settings for film playback if you prefer not to tinker too much.

We didn't spot any major changes with the user interface. For quick access, you can hit the VIERA Tools button to read the media contents in your SD card, or adjust your home theater speakers, for example. The Z1 has enough display tweaks for the savvy, like an x.v.Color options for improved gradations with HD movies, and an Eco mode which automatically adjusts the picture settings based on ambient lighting conditions. Speaking of which, the 54-inch Z1 only devours 485 watts (including the tuner box) operationally, compared to the 50-inch V11 who is a hungrier guzzler at 530 watts. One other feature that's lacking, compared to the US release, is Panasonic's omission of VIERA Cast, an online service which gives you access to sites like YouTube and Google. A pity that didn't make it to this region.

DisplayMate Tests

DisplayMate is an application which generates a sequence of test patterns to determine the capabilities of imaging devices like color and gray-scale accuracies for example. For our tests, we've hooked up the Z1 to our display test-bed system via its HDMI connection. To be fair across the board, we have also disabled all proprietary visual enhancements on the TV in order to reduce the variables involved. Here are some findings based on the relevant and critical test patterns:-

Circular Geometry, Cross Hatch and Dot

All straight lines appeared with perfect linearity along the entire test pattern. This is more or less expected with digital displays. Similarly, circular patterns were rendered without any signs of geometric distortion.

Screen Uniformity

Unlike LCD displays which rely on a separate backlight unit which may sometimes result in a "splotchy" consistency, the Z1 shone in this particular test with a spotless and uniform display across all six grey tones, ranging from black to white. As observed in our HQV tests (see below), this panel's noise levels were more evident than most, even with static DisplayMate test patterns.

Dark Gray Scale

Deep blacks and consistent greys were observed with this test. However, the Z1's brightness levels have to be bumped up to "+8" before the darkest grey box (block 16) became visible. This isn't much of a deal-breaker, to be fair, since most panels aren't capable of displaying this without exaggerating their brightness levels.

Color Scales

Color accuracy was spot-on. The panel also displayed a consistent blend of tone and color gradations. The only caveat, insignificant at best, is a diluted blend at the brightest end of the three primary colors.

256-Intensity Level Color Ramp

Minor ripples were discernable on the white band, towards the darker greys. Other than that, the NeoPDP topped off this evaluation with smooth color gradients without any glaring kinks or periodicities. We'll see how it fares with our Blu-ray and DVD tests to see if it holds true with media sources. 

IDT HQV Tests

IDT's HQV Tests are designed to assess image quality and the handling of digital displays and players through a variety of video signal processing tasks which includes decoding, de-interlacing, motion correction, noise reduction and film cadence detection. We've programmed the Blu-ray player to playback in 1080i mode in order to stress the TV's video processor. This will compel the processor to convert interlaced signals into progressive signals to accommodate the HDTV's panel. Here are the results we noted on two of the most crucial tests:-

Digital Noise Filtering

Panasonic's noise filtering system, known as P-NR (Picture Noise Reduction), offers a selection of filters in Off, Min, Mid and Max presets. Unfortunately, pushing the TV's noise filter to the max did little to eradicate spurious noise. Sitting at a viewing distance just beyond two meters does make them less visible, though would like it better if the folks at Panasonic could work on their PDP's noise filtering algorithms.

Diagonal Filter Test

As a tradeoff, this VIERA's aptitude in de-interlacing moving 1080i images made us feel a little better about the Z1. The rotating bar on the Diagonal Filter Test maintained its linearity between the fiddly 20 and 40 degrees phase, with a negligible wobble at -10 degrees. While the Z1 does not eliminate noise perfectly, at least we know it's pretty darn capable with video reconstruction techniques.

Film Resolution Loss Test

The Z1's "24p Smooth Film" feature only works with a 1080p24 source. As such, we'll have to evaluate this result with a pinch of salt since HQV's SMPTE test pattern has been transferred to a 1080i60 broadcast standard. Strobing was evident on the horizontal lines, and definitely more significant than the V11 based on our previous tests.

Video Test

High Definition Tests

If you recall, our earlier assessment of Panasonic's V-series resulted in an indisputable verdict - the V11 has crowned our tests with its potential for commendable blacks and finely honed images. True to its nature, the Z1 we're looking at has much in common with its 50-inch PDP brother, since they are both driven by a comparable NeoPDP panel and video processing technology. Electronic innovations such as a 600Hz sub-field drive and Real Black Drive system are what they share. To shed some light on this brand of sub-field motion, it simply means the TV is flashing an output of 60 frames per second, multiplied by 10 sub-fields, to deliver 600Hz every second. That said, will the Z1 trounce the V11 on the high definition front? Or are they one and the same under different skins? Let's find out.

There's one Blu-ray title we can count on if we'd like to determine if a TV's black levels are up to scratch. Looking at how the Z1 performed with Batman Begins, there's little doubt about its faculty to deliver solid blacks. Subtle details, like the creases on the Dark Knight's mask or textural specifics on his Batmobile, were clearly visible onscreen as the Z1 managed to balance the tightrope between finer details and blacks. More importantly, visuals were crisp and clear. Color accuracy was truthful albeit a slightly warmer hue, and minimal judders were experienced; with or without enabling "Intelligent Frame Creation". Similar results were gathered from the Corpse Bride Blu-ray disc. One observation is that the display's contrast levels were visibly duller when we switched over to the THX preset. On the other hand, we don't advocate using the "Dynamic" setting since it has the potential to be a retina-burner under dimmer ambient conditions. 

Vantage Point is a tricky BD title to playback since it has coughed up a number of judder issues with certain panels we've tested in the past. Thankfully, Panasonic's PDP didn't fall prey like the rest. Artifacts were less obvious, movements were fluid and natural enough, and the display managed to hold out its crispness even with the room lights on. Additionally, the TV exhibited a very generous viewing angle on the horizontal plane. Minimal color or contrast shifts were sighted, even at 70 degrees off the center axis.

Standard Definition Test

Scaling artifacts were unavoidable when we unleashed the Lord of the Rings DVD onto this 1080p screen. That aside, color tracking and motion handling were relatively clean as observed on this 480p feed. The VIERA's engine has the capacity to scale images of Mordor onto its 54-inch face without them looking like a replica of an 8-bit game, to say the least. On the other hand, the noise conundrum is significantly more pronounced on DVD playback, considering that the video processor has to execute a greater number of algorithms to suit its native 1080p display.

If we may touch a little on the Z1's audio muscle, remember to engage the VIERA's V-Audio ProSurround feature if you aren't relying on a grand sound system at home. They may require only 20 watts to drive, but the speakers' spatial and acoustic qualities are no less excellent. All in all, expect these tweeters and woofer to pack a punch, compared to most mainstream HDTVs. You can also set the speaker distance to the wall via the TV's Sound option.

Lavish Performer

Following up from our full assessment, there are actually more reasons to love the VIERA Z1 than to dislike it. The external tuner box can be a treat or bane, depending on how you look at it since it is lacking in WirelessHD features. Even so, it does make it easier to reach the relevant AV ports, especially if the TV is wall-mounted. True, the Z1 might require some backbreaking assembly work, but the final product is one you can relish at, with its handsome metallic bezels and skinny profile.

Performance wise, the Z1 has delivered the goods as promised with a roundup of excellent visual representations on its renewed NeoPDP screen. Not to mention a Real Black Drive system capable of deep blacks without compromising on the finer aspects. Based on our DisplayMate and HQV evaluation, the Z1 has displayed a casual flair in dealing with moving interlaced images and its effort in accurate color reproduction. On top of which, Panasonic has also reduced the panel's energy consumption by a healthy fraction, which should come as good tidings for your monthly electricity bills. The only drawback, and a niggling flaw which Panasonic has to work on, is the relatively noisy end result. More importantly, the Z1's real world performance, both on the Blu-ray and DVD domain, has seconded our approval in tandem with our display benchmarks' outcome.

We did promise to name its price, and we intend to stick to that promise. The VIERA Z1 will set you back a cool S$6,499, and we kid you not. Measured against the rest of the PDP contenders, the Z1 does seem to rest on the expensive end of the stick, considering that there's no WirelessHD and VIERA Cast. However, it might be worth the money if good visual and audio performance is what you're after and nothing more. For now, Panasonic can probably breathe a sigh of relief that its biggest PDP competitor is out of the picture (read: Pioneer). While there are still a handful of rivals out there in the shrunken plasma scene, the VIERA Z1 is instrumental, in our books, in maintaining the good name of what PDPs are so well known for. 

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