Televisions

It’s almost impossible to start a plasma TV review without first mentioning the L word. In other words, the seemingly relentless march of LED into the showrooms and living rooms of the nation. If plasma was only just being invented it probably wouldn’t reach production, but thankfully for discerning AV enthusiasts, Samsung, LG and Panasonic have long-established factories that continue to keep cooking on gas.

There’s something a bit ‘last year’ about the style of the TX-L47DT50 – but that’s no bad thing as Panasonic has shrewdly adopted a look that’s proved successful for Samsung in the recent past. In fact, this is one of the best-looking TVs in Panasonic’s 2012 lineup, which has more models than Paris in Fashion Week – and the TX-L47DT50’s picture quality proves that beauty is more than just skin deep...

Toshiba’s 55ZL2 rewrites TV history on not one but two fronts, comes fully-loaded with unprecedented amounts of processing power and looks amazing to boot. In other words, it’s the shape of TVs to come. Yet there are a few bumps along the way...

It’s no exaggeration to say that Sony enjoyed a bumpy 2011. Quite apart from its well documented financial ills, the brand’s sprawling TV range was wildly inconsistent, with not even top-flight models escaping criticism.

The 46YL863 is a fine-looking TV, although its heavy-duty stand lacks the coolness of the gorgeous brushed aluminium bezel and designer remote control. It is not, however, a TV for the impatient, taking a good 30 seconds for the blank screen to spring to life after pressing the on button. The interminable wait is possibly the most frustrating aspect of owning this screen as it otherwise generally acquits itself well and shows the importance of Toshiba’s CEVO engine and Active Vision M800HD processing when it comes to delivering HD images.

This attractive beast is rammed with cutting-edge technology – including four remote controls if you count your mouth and arms as two of them. Gesture and voice control can make you feel self-conscious and possibly embarrassed as you gesticulate and yell basic commands at the TV. Frankly, it’s a pointless gimmick.

Panasonic may have been forced this year into embracing both Passive 3D and big-screen LCD technologies, but it certainly hasn’t given up on its beloved Active 3D plasma screens. In fact, the 50in TX-P50ST50 plasma here isn’t at all old-fashioned.