The new range of Plasma TVs from Panasonic feature the brand new VIERA NeoPDP panel. The NeoPDP uses several recent technological breakthroughs to give the TV watcher a better viewing experience. The focus of the new technology is primarily improving the picture quality, but it also affects the energy efficiency and the slimness of the TV.
The Panasonic VIERA NeoPDP range is clearly aimed at people who like to watch sporting events with intense high-speed action, next generation video gamers and action film fanatics. All these applications require a high refresh-rate TV and the viewing experience can be negatively affected by blurry pictures or frame judder. The VIERA NeoPDP employs 600Hz Sub-field Drive with Intelligent Frame Creation Pro to overcome these problems and ensure a smooth motion picture without judder. Now, that may sound like just some techno-jargon, but in more basic terms it means that the NeoPDP displays have an internal processor and a clever algorithm to create 600 Sub-fields and display the best ones to optimise the flow of motion on the screen to give crisper sports and movie action. In addition to the smooth motion technology the NeoPDP displays also have superior contrast and colour performance.
The dynamic contrast ratio of 2,000,000:1 is very high in comparison to most other TVs. It means that blacks are deeper and whites are brighter. This means that TV programs, films and games appear more vibrant and life-like. In terms of colours the NeoPDP displays have 6,144 steps of gradation. This is a lot and means that even the most delicate shades and colour differences should be accurately reproduced on-screen for even greater realism. All these picture quality improvements mean that the NeoPDP Z- and V-Series displays are THX certified. This means they meet the strict audio-visual standards set by LucasArts for cinema environments, which is an impressive achievement for a Plasma TV.
Aside from picture quality, the thickness and energy efficiency of the NeoPDP screens are worth mentioning. On the energy efficiency side the most striking aspect is that the new NeoPDP screens have twice the luminous efficiency of 2007 models. This means that they can produce images that are equally as bright (and therefore do not compromise on image quality) whilst only usage half the energy. In addition it is possible to operate the NeoPDP screens in Eco-mode, which adjusts the brightness of the TV according to the ambient light in the viewing room. Reducing the brightness saves energy, so it can save up to 55% power in darkly lit conditions. The thickness of the NeoPDP range of displays varies, but two examples are the V10 Series, which is 2 inches thick and the Z1 Series, which is an incredible 1 inch thick.
Whether the new NeoPDP Plasma TVs are worth the extra cost associated with the new technological features will depend on how you most use your TV. If you mostly use your TV for playing next generation video games, watching action movies on Blu-Ray discs and viewing high-speed sporting events then you will be fully utilising the NeoPDP features and it is worth considering the investment. Alternatively, if you generally watch TV soaps and game-shows on your TV then you would be wasting your money paying for the improved picture technology and you would probably be better off with a standard LCD TV, such as the Panasonic TX-32LZD80, which is still Full HD 1080p, but costs considerably less than the NeoPDP Plasma TVs, as it does not feature the motion-blur reducing technology or the ultra-high contrast ratio.
