Panasonic TC-P46S1 Review

Panasonic TC-P46S1 brings honor to the company’s name, through its overall competitive picture quality. This Panasonic plasma TV is a very good example of what the manufacturer intended to bring forward with the new plasma TV series released in 2009. The blacks are the deepest seen on a plasma TV in 2009 (the same quality as in V10 and G10 series), and, while the colors are not as accurate as in its newer mates, because it does not have the THX certification, this 46 inch plasma TV offers a good deal for the buck, as its price is lower than, for example, Panasonic TC-P46G10. Of course, this does mean that you won’t enjoy the fancy features you find in the top of the line series; but, if you are looking for a very good plasma TV at a competitive price.

Note: Panasonic TC-P46S1 is the 46 inch variant of S1 Series from Panasonic Plasma TV 2009 Lineup. The Panasonic TC-P50S1 Review is more in-depth and you might want to check it out as well. Both TC-P46S1 and TC-P50S1 have the same performance and features, the only difference between them being the screen size.

At a Glance:

Panasonic TC-P46S1
Manual
(PDF File)

• Panel type: NeoPDP (improved plasma display)
• Resolution: 1080p (standard) / 1920×1080 (exact)
• Contrast ratio: 40,000:1 (native) / 2,000,000:1 (dynamic)
• Shades of gradation: 6144
• THX certified: NO
• Anti-glare filter: New Anti-Refective Filter
• 24p cinema mode: NO

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Second best 46 inch plasma TV from 2009
• Good picture quality
• Black levels as good as those found on more expensive models
• Generally good colors
• NeoPDP panel makes it more energy efficient and gives it an advantage in picture quality

Cons:

• Lacks THX mode (as opposed to high-end series from Panasonic)
• Anti-glare performance is good but not great
• Even after calibration, perfect color accuracy is not possible.
• Lacks advanced picture controls (Samsung models are superior in this area)

Overall Performance

Panasonic TC-P46S1 does not disappoint in terms of overall picture quality. Being gifted with the “Infinite Black” technology from Panasonic, this plasma model successfully acquires the deepest blacks, which became a standard for the series released lately by this manufacturer. Critics may point out that the colors fail to cover the best accuracy possible, which is explainable by the lack of THX certification (introduced only from the G10 series up), but the issues are not as difficult to deal with, and they do not ruin the watching experience.

Black Levels

Through its deep blacks, Panasonic TC-P46S1 can be considered to be, in terms of picture quality, closer to high level plasma TV’s, rather than mid level products, as its price indicates. As the display has the ability to shut off the pixels on areas of the screen which are very dark or black, the blacks are flawless, and word has it that they are worthy of challenging the blacks displayed by the now defunct Kuro from Pioneer, still considered the best plasma TV ever made. Shadow detail is also incredibly good, making for great picture quality and a realistic experiences when watching movies on this plasma TV.

Color Accuracy

Color accuracy is not the best in the S1 series. Panasonic TC-P46S1 still needs improvement in displaying the best colors, as they do not look as sharp and accurate as they should on the edges of the screen. Plus, we had to keep in mind that the series does not have the THX certification, a more expensive feature that is available only with G10 and V10 representatives.

Video Processing

Being a step up from Panasonic’s X1 series, Panasonic TC-P46S1 boasts about its 1080p resolution, and it has the ability to deal with 1080p and 1080i video sources without a fret. Because it does not have 24p cinema mode capabilities, it is easily surpassed by the newer G10 and V10 plasma TV’s from the same company, which enjoyed better research in this area from the manufacturer’s specialists. As a HDTV, Panasonic TC-P46S1 deals well with high definition content, and there is nothing to reproach here.

Standard Definition

Unfortunately, not the same thing can be said about displaying content from standard definition sources. The objects shown on the screen are less sharp than on other plasma TV’s made by other manufacturers, and jaggies can still appear, despite the fact that the noise reduction is quite solid.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a reliable plasma TV and you do not care for exotic features that also contribute to a rise in price, then Panasonic TC-P46S1 is meant for you. With its great picture quality, this Panasonic plasma TV has all the reasons to stand proud among its peers.