Panasonic’s iPod-friendly TC-L37X1 doesn’t quite compare to JVC’s LT-P300 because it’s unable to show digital photos from an iPod or regulate aspect ratio for videos. And while JVC’s model also offeres superior HDTV picture quality, the Panasonic is less expensive when compared to similar screen sizes. Unlike the JVC LT-P300 series, which utilizes an iPod dock built into the TV itself, the Panasonic TC-LX1 series uses an external dock. While the iPod dock works fine with this set, no other dock will, so if it breaks you’ll have to contact Panasonic. Unlike JVC’s set, the dock on the Panasonic doesn’t need a separate dock adapter.
Brief Specifications of TC-L37X1
- Resolution: 720p (standard), 1366 x 768 (exact)
- Contrast Ratio: 700:1 (native) 12000:1 Contrast Ratio (dynamic)
- 60Hz processing
- Ethernet: NO
- Picture-in-Picture: NO
- Anti-glare filter: YES
- 24p cinema mode: YES
- Viera Link
- SD Card Slot
- iPod Dock
- Energy Star Rated
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Three HDMI inputs and a PC input included
- Energy Star Rated
- Color accuracy decent
- iPod dock allows playback of videos and music
Cons:
- Black levels a bit too light
- Aspect ratio not able to be changed with iPod video
- iPod-based digital photos not viewable
- No analog audio output
Features
Panasonic offers not as many picture adjustments as many manufacturers like LG, a company that usually overdoes it in the picture control department. Its global picture modes are adjustable and a fifth setting called Custom is independent per input. Panasonic’s Game mode preset doesn’t eliminate video processing to improve the gaming experience like Sony or Samsung’s dedicated Game mode preset. The Panasonic TC-LX1 series doesn’t support 1080p native resolution, but at its screen size this shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. It can’t accept or show 1080p signals, so users must set their HDMI gear to 1080i or 720p.
Panasonic included an A.I. picture function for changing the backlight based on what’s being displayed. There is a color management control for working with color decoding and a video noise reduction setting as well. Users can also adjust the black levels, but there are no detailed color management, gamma, or more in-depth picture settings, leaving users with little to tinker with to get the optimal image replication.
The set includes a zoom mode for horizontal size and vertical position. While the TV doesn’t have picture-in-picture or image freeze, it can accept SD cards with digital photos. Users can put the card into the slot on the left side of the set and see images on the screen. Its energy saver option cuts down the TC-L37X1’s backlight to control power usage.
The LX1’s iPod dock is compatible with most iPods for music and videos. Besides music and videos, the set won’t show other content like apps, the browser, or e-mail from an iPhone or iPod Touch. Also, some of the older iPods won’t show video for some reason. Unlike the JVC set with similar capabilities, the Panasonic set doesn’t show photos from the iPod, users have to transfer them to an SD. JVC’s LT-P300 lets users sync the iPod with a PC using USB, as well as substitute a TV show’s audio with that of the iPod. It even gives users the ability to change audiobook playback speed. The Panasonic TC-L37X1 doesn’t give users any of these features but it allows digital audio output fed iPod audio to be sent to external devices, so iPod music can be played using the TV through a home theater system. Also, a lot of video and audio settings can also be applied to iPod content.
The Panasonic TC-L37X1 does feature one mode the JVC fails to include. Using remote mode, the TC-LX1’s menu screen shuts off and users are able to operate the iPod’s music and video playback using the set’s remote control, though aside from letting users see cover art on the small screen, this feature is puzzling.
The Panasonic TC-LX1 series relies on an external iPod dock, which starts charging the iPod as soon its inserted, and continues to charge no matter what users are doing with the set. To access the iPod menu, users must press the Viera Tools button on the remote instead of it popping up when an iPod is inserted. Panasonic’s iPod menu system shows Videos, Music, and Podcasts categories. Users can scroll through using page up or down on the remote, though no cover art is supported. The shuffle or repeat functions are buried in the settings menu, instead of being prominent in the main music menu like JVC’s model. The Video section shows movies, music videos, TV shows, video podcasts, and rentals. Videos are shown in the inset screen to the right of the menu. Videos can be opened to full screen, but aspect ratio control able to be used. Unlike JVC’s remote, Panasonic gives users the option to go forward and reverse skip through videos.
Connectivity
The TC-LX1 has three HDMI inputs, two on the back and another on the side. Also included on the back-panel is a single component-video input, an RF input for cable or antenna an analog PC input, and an AV input with composite video. An optical digital audio output allows audio to be sent from an iPod to a home audio system. The side panel also has an SD card slot, S-Video, and a second AV input with composite. An iPod-compatible analog audio output like the JVC LT-P300 has would have been a nice inclusion.
Design
The TC-L37X1’s speakers are mounted along the bottom edge of the panel and face downward and its matching oval stand does not swivel. The remote has three prominent buttons -Viera Link, Viera Tools, and SD Card. The remote can’t control other devices using infrared commands, but when using the Viera Link feature, some compatible HDMI devices connected to the TV can be controlled. Panasonic overhauled its menu design, making it more straightforward. But its onscreen explanations of complex items are still missing, providing ample confusion for certain viewers.
Performance
Panasonic’ iPod dock gives pretty crummy sound quality using the TV speakers and videos blown up to the full screen looked poor, though still watchable by those not looking for perfection. Native wide-screen content looks okay, but with 4:3 content the image zooms. The Panasonic display itself gives more accurate color than JVC’s similar model. Overall, the set doesn’t give users many controls to alter the TC-LX1’s picture pasts its default settings. It doesn’t have custom color temperature settings either. Its A.I. picture function can be more intense than similar modes in other sets at controlling the backlight. Leaving it off for home theater viewing definitely helps.
Black Levels
The Panasonic TC-L37X1 misses the mark in giving users deep shades of black. Philips’ 42PFL6404D does much better in providing ample black levels overall. Dull blacks kill the impact of an image. Using the A.I. picture on the TC-L37X1 helps a bit, but its variability can be very distracting.
Color Accuracy
The Panasonic set has somewhat of a blush cast in dark and black areas. This is much more of a problem in the TC-L37X1 than the JVC LT-46P300 and the Sony KDL-52V5100, but not quite as severely in the Philips 42PFL6404D. The TC-L37X1 did decent in replicating primary and secondary colors, out doing Panasonic’s plasmas altogether. Its grayscale was quite on point, though its color decoding leaned towards red at times. Lowering the color control can help this issue, but the result brings down the pop and diffusion of the image.
Video Processing
At such a small screen size, the Panasonic TC-L37X1 gives quite a sharp replication, comparable to many1080p. It had issues with de-interlacing film-based content, though it worked just fine with 1080i video-based content.
Standard definition
Panasonic’s LCD doesn’t work well with standard-def at all. It doesn’t replicate horizontal resolution well, creating faintness with SD sources. Jaggies sometimes can appear on diagonal lines in certain images. While noise reduction is good on this set, it can leave motes on certain images like falling snow, though it interacts just fine with 2:3 pull-down detection.
Glare and Reflections
Panasonic’s matte screen of the TC-LX1 works great in vivid light. It doesn’t reflect as much ambient light as most glass-screened plasmas or Samsung’s patented glossy screens. Overall it performs well when compared to other matte screens like Sony’s KDL-52V5100.
Conclusion
While the iPod dock is a great inclusion for Panasonic’s TC-L37X1, there are many features that it could have taken from JVC’s similar set, the LT-P300, such as syncing an iPod with a PC using USB, or substituting a TV show’s audio with that of the iPod. However, the TC-L37X1 does have good color accuracy, decent glare reflection, and good amount of connectivity options that will leave most consumers quite pleased with the set despite its shortcomings.
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