- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How it compares
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Panasonic VIERA S30
- 50" 1080p Plasma
- Internet enabled
Released February, 2011
Rated 100% by by Kenn-Baynard (Oct, 2011)Netflix works flawlessly, DLNA server accessibility works pretty well, although there are some MKV files it has problems with, mostly with audio.
Conclusion Check out the Panasonic VIERA S30
First reviewed December, 2011
Features Key features of the Panasonic VIERA S30
50”
Plasma
Rated 80% by by Curtis-G (Mar, 2011)Netflix is essential and Amazon VOD is nice to have, but I really want Hulu.
size
50"
42"
42"
VIERA S30 by anthonyg (Jun, 2011)Same size screen, but sitting on my stand the bezel is noticeably smaller and much, much less noticeable.
VIERA S30 by AWani (Feb, 2012)Just a quick FYI - The 'S' series is considered budget with no 3D and the 'ST' series is high-end and has 3D.
thickness
VIERA S30 by justAreviewer (Dec, 2011)The tv is extremely thin which is nice and it is very sturdy.
VIERA S30 by S.-Schmidt (Aug, 2011)Sound is pretty tinny, as would be expected on a thin TV like this.
Performance Real world tests of Panasonic VIERA S30
power consumption
VIERA S30 by Know-your-stuff-before-posting (Mar, 2011)A level of efficiency that exceeds our 2010 panels also increases picture quality while lowering power consumption.
VIERA S30 by John-Guilbault (Apr, 2011)Power consumption is way down, heat output is virtually nil, burn-in is a thing of the past (with appropriate precautions), and the new screens have a matte finish similar to LCD models.
black levels
contrast ratio
VIERA S30 by Steven-LevelThe DLP is dated tech only used now in huge T.V.'s but the very dark screen gave it great a great contrast ratio.
VIERA S30 by Diana-De-Avila--MS-GkygrlThe picture is crisp, colors are clear and the picture tuning is highly adjustable.
Our analysis How does it stack up against its top 10 competitors
pros
-
Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Netflix, YouTube -
Napster, Pandora -
Facebook -
AVCHD, MPEG2 -
MP3 -
JPEG -
VIERA Link -
access streaming content over the Internet -
easier to share and enjoy your digital photos, music and video -
optional, 802.11n -
other devices can control the TV; better for home automation -
2 -
106 Watts -
1
cons
-
67 cd/sq. m. -
limited color calibration controls; might not display the best picture -
you'll have to go to the theater for 3D videos -
0 -
0 -
0 -
None
Reviews Word on the street
 |
|
|---|---|
 |   Rated by 302 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by michael-paniagua (Mar, 2012) Rated 100% by by M.-Seeraty--hippohips (May, 2011) Rated 100% by by music-man (Oct, 2011) |
Type
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 40% by by Ryan-Lamprecht (Feb, 2012)I can take the same Bluray video and put it in the same player hooked to one of my cheap off brand 40" LCD TVs and the picture looks great, even in the shadow details.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by Frobozz (Dec, 2011)This set weighs only a few pounds more than similarly sized LCD sets, is Energy Star rated and actually uses significantly less power than some LCDs I looked at, and has the beautiful picture that plasma is known for.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by Flanker28 (Sep, 2011)If you are trying to make a decision between an LCD/LED and this plasma set, go for the plasma!
Panel
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by Kevin-D.-Buickerood--Tall-Texan (Jul, 2011)It's got great color, the digital interface is unbeatable, AND, it's a great looking solid black screen when off, almost like a piece of art.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by Joseph-Kimray (Oct, 2011)I'm not into the 3D technology, so once I noticed the prices starting to drop on the non-3D capable TV's, I decided to pounce on a larger model.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 80% by by Patrick (Jan, 2012)My previous set was a 1982 vintage 27" Sony - it still worked fine, but the screen was too small for letterbox format, and it was tiresome having to manage the digital converter box.
Picture quality
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by E-Dowllar (Oct, 2011)It offers a crystal clear picture for a great value.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by D.-M.-Kemp (Jan, 2012)It is crisp, clear, with deep blacks and true colors.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 80% by by M.-Golledge--Gollem (Feb, 2012)In all cases, the picture is extremely sharp, vibrant, and my photos from the computer look very color accurate.
Content
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by AWani (Feb, 2012)'Game' mode is also really good for everything all around too in my opinion(Movies, TV, Games).
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by Dylan-Morgan (Dec, 2011)The picture is amazing while watching sports and movies.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by AWani (Feb, 2012)Watching sports and action movies is a silky smooth experience.
Video
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 80% by by Edward-KirtonThe video quality is outstanding - the best i've seen.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by jhenry (Jul, 2011)The picture is excellent and the best thing about this tv is the option to stream video directly from the web.
Panasonic VIERA S30 50" | Rated 100% by by G-Smart (Mar, 2011)All modes 480/720/1080 progressive and interlaced displayed perfectly, and TV did a good job upscaling lower resolution to native 1080.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Panasonic Viera ST50 Quite consistent calibrated gamma Viera ST50 vs VIERA S30 |
 | 2 | Panasonic VIERA ST30 Brightest screen ST30 50" vs S30 50" |
 | 3 | Panasonic VIERA UT50 Darkest blacks UT50 42" vs S30 50" |
| | 4 | LG LM670 Highest contrast ratio LG LM670 vs Panasonic VIERA S30 |
 | 5 | LG PT350 Most composite A/V ports LG PT350 vs Panasonic VIERA S30 |
 | 6 | LG PA4500 2-way tie: OK component A/V inputs LG PA4500 vs Panasonic VIERA S30 |
 | 7 | Panasonic VIERA U50 3-way tie: Supports Skype U50 50" vs S30 50" |
New duel?
Let the battle continue or dare to compare.
Editions Editions of the Panasonic VIERA S30
| Price | Edition | Power consumption | Size | Wi-Fi | Manufacturer code | Compare | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | | 299 Watts | 46" | optional, 802.11n | TC-P46S30 | | ||||
 | | 139 Watts | 60" | None | TC-P60S30 | | ||||
 | | 106 Watts | 50" | optional, 802.11n | TC-P50S30 | | ||||
 | | 79 Watts | 42" | None | TC-P42S30 | | ||||
