Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock Review
Mention LCD TVs and most consumers are not very likely to think of the Panasonic brand. You'll here the usual casual mention of household brands like Sony, Samsung and occasionally Sharp. This is a shame. Maybe even a sin. Although I'll be the first to admit that these household brands are capable of producing good products, the bulk of their current products are actually very average performers yet they sell like hotcakes due to effective marketing and consumers buying out of brand loyalty.
A year-and-a-half ago I purchased a Samsung LN22A650 22-inch HDTV for my wife and gave that unit a good review. Like virtually all LCDs even now, including the widely touted Sony and Samsung sets that claim 178 degree viewing angle capability, that set suffered from color, tint and contrast shifts every time you view the picture away from the dead center seating position. And I haven't even covered the details of screen uniformity problems or even black level. Make no mistake, no LCD or even LED-backlit LCD will ever rival any plasma in these respects.
So I was shocked to find the new Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-inch perform so well. Like some Sony and Samsung models, this one claims a useful viewing angle of 178 degrees. And like those models, this one does suffer from shifts in contrast. Unlike the other brands, though, contrast doesn't drop anywhere near as drastically. Also, black levels stay quite dark across a 15 degree horizontal viewing angle. Beyond that, reflections off the screen take over despite the fact that the screen consists of a matte finish. Vertical viewing angles like the other brands are only good when viewed from dead center.
But I find the basic black level very impressive for an LCD set. It easily rivals the black levels of any of the LED-backlit LCDs I've seen and even approaches the black levels of Panasonic's own plasma models, including the G10 I have. This is no small achievement for any LCD TV. The Samsung LN22A650 I bought a year-and-a-half ago has inferior black level (much brighter).
The other edge the TC-L22X2 has over the same size LN22A650 is that the internal backlighting is far less visible and I think this definitely contributes to the deeper blacks.
On top of all this the overall picture is a lot crisper and detailed even with the sharpness control turned almost all the way down. If you want to see blades of grass in a landscape picture, this is an LCD to marvel at. Of course, it's a 22-inch set so you'd naturally sit quite close to it. I use it as a computer monitor.
In a nutshell, if the picture of this Panasonic 22-inch LCD model is similar to the brand's larger screen LCD models, then Panasonic not only makes class-leading plasmas but cutting-edge LCDs as well.
Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock Feature
- 22-inch LCD HDTV with 720p HD resolution; IPS panel for excellent viewing from almost any angle
- Control and play music and video directly from your iPod or iPhone with included Universal Dock
- 15,000:1 contrast ratio; VIERA Image Viewer for JPEG image slideshows directly from an SD memory card
- Inputs: 1 HDMI, 1 component, 1 composite, 1 PC, 1 digital audio output
- Includes removable stand; measures 21.4 x 15.9 x 7.5 inches with stand
Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock Overview
Your music and videos hit the big time. VIERA X2 Series LCD HDTVs are ideal for music and video lovers. The iPod Entertainment Kit lets you control and play back your iPod music and videos on the big screen.
Universal Dock for iPod
The iPod Entertainment Kit lets you control and playback your iPod music and video directly through your VIERA® HDTV.
* iPod is a trademark of Apple inc. registered in the US and other countries.
VIERA Image Viewer - Easy viewing of full-HD photos
It's easy to view full-HD images with the SD card slot. Watch and show your photos right after you take them. Simply insert an SD Memory Card into your VIERA HDTV to display photos on the large screen. It's much more fun when you can view them on a large screen HDTV with family and friends in high definition and a wide 16:9 aspect ratio.
1. Shoot - Shoot photos.
2. Insert - Insert the SD Memory Card.
3. View - Enjoy your full-HD photos on the big screen.
VIERA Link - Operation with a single remote
VIERA Link allows interconnected operation of various AV devices using only the VIERA remote control, by simply connecting compatible devices to each other by an HDMI cable.
*VIERA Link is a new name for EZ Sync. Not all VIERA Link features are usable with other VIERA Link and EZ Sync compatible products.
Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock Specifications
Offering excellent picture performance, Panasonic's 22-inch VIERA TC-L22X2 LCD HDTV provides 720p high-definition imagery and includes a Universal Dock for Apple iPod, which enables you to control and play music and video directly from your iPod or iPhone through your VIERA HDTV. This X2 series model also features 24P Playback function for superb imagery from 24-frame movies on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, Game Mode for faster image response while playing immersive 3D games, a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, and an improved panel with In Plane Switching (IPS) for an ultra-wide viewing angle and higher moving picture resolution that results in clear, bright images.
This and other models in the X2 line offer Panasonic's VIERA Image Viewer feature, which enables you to play slideshows of JPEG images stored on SD memory cards, as well as the VIERA Link feature for controlling a variety of compatible components--from Blu-ray Disc players to digital cameras--through a single remote.
Adhering to Panasonic's commitment to the environment, this VIERA model--as well as all 2010 models--features improved power consumption and meets the new, more stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements.
Key Features
 | In Plane Switching (IPS): The latest iteration of Panasonics IPS LCD panel features excellent light transmittance and a wide viewing angle. The wide 178-degree viewing angle--both horizontally and vertically--ensures clear images even when viewed from an angle. And the panel backlight's wide transmission aperture enhances the contrast between light and dark, improving motion-image response. 
|  | Game Mode: With Game Mode, quicker image response increases the enjoyment of video games when a game console is connected to the TV. What's more, VIERA produces the dark images in video games more clearly. This mode works with the anti-image retention (wobbling) function, too. 
|  | VIERA Link: Allows the interlinked operation of various AV devices--from DVD and Blu-ray Disc players to home theater sound systems to digital cameras and camcorders--using only the VIERA remote control by simply connecting the devices to each other by an HDMI cable (see pop-up illustration). |
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Panasonic's VIERA X2 series LCD HDTV. iPod Entertainment Kit: With the included Universal Dock for iPod, you can control playback of the music and video stored on your Apple iPod or iPhone directly through your VIERA HDTV via the remote control and intuitive onscreen menu system (see more about iPod/iPhone compatibility). VIERA Image Viewer: View full-HD images with the integrated SD card slot, enabling you to view JPEG photos captured from your digital camera or camcorder on the big screen. Navigate your images via an easy-to-use thumbnail display. 
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Key Specifications
- Series: X2
- Screen type: LCD (CCFL backlight)
- Screen size: 22 inches
- Filter: Fine Black Panel
- Native resolution: 1366 x 768 pixels
- Contrast ratio: 15,000:1
- Viewing angle: 178 degrees
- Receiving system: ATSC/QAM/NTSC
- HDTV display capability: 720p
- EDTV display capability: 480p
- Speakers: 2 full range, 6W total power; surround sound capabilities
- Image viewer: JPEG compatibility
- Aspect control: 480i/p -- Full, Just, 4:3, Zoom; 720p -- Full, H-Fill, Just, 4:3, Zoom
- Optional wall-mounting bracket: TY-WK23LR2W
- Multi-lingual menu: English/Spanish/French
- Energy Star qualified: Yes
| Connections- HDMI: 1
- Component (Y, PB, PR): 1
- Composite A/V: 1
- PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1
- Digital audio output: 1
Dimensions- TV with stand: 21.4 x 15.9 x 7.5 inches (WxHxD); 15.4 pounds
- TV without stand: 21.4 x 14.3 x 2.4 inches (WxHxD); 13.2 pounds
- What size TV should you get?
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What's in the Box
Panasonic X2 series LCD HDTV, removable stand, remote control (with batteries), operating instructions
Panasonic 2010 VIERA Plasma and LCD Comparison
| Series: | G25 Plasma | S2 Plasma | U2 Plasma | C2 Plasma | U22 LCD | X2 LCD | C22 LCD |
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| Models: | TC-P54G25 54"
TC-P50G25 50"
TC-P46G25 46"
TC-P42G25 42" | TC-P65S2 65"
TC-P58S2 58"
TC-P54S2 54"
TC-P50S2 50"
TC-P46S2 46"
TC-P42S2 42" | TC-P50U2 50"
TC-P42U2 42" | TC-P50C2 50"
TC-P46C2 46"
TC-P42C2 42" | TC-L42U22 42"
TC-L37U22 37"
TC-L32U22 32" | TC-L37X2 37"
TC-L32X2 32"
TC-L22X2 22" | TC-L37C22 37"
TC-L32C22 32" |
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| VIERA Cast | 
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| VIERA Image Viewer |
(AVCHD, MPEG2, JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
(JPEG) |
|
| VIERA Link |
webcam capable | | | | | | |
|
| NeoPDP Panel | | | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| THX Display | | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| Contrast Ratio | Infinite Black | Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 | Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 | Dynamic: 2,000,000:1 | Dynamic: 20,000:1 | Dynamic: 20,000:1
22": 15,000:1 | Dynamic: 18,000:1 |
|
| Moving Picture Resolution | 1080 lines | 1080 lines | 900 lines | 720 lines | -- | -- | -- |
|
| Anti-Reflective Filter | | | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| Display Capabilities | 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p | 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p | 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p | 720p, 480p | 1080p, 1080i,
720p, 480p | 720p, 480p | 720p, 480p |
|
| 600Hz Sub-field Drive | | | | | -- | -- | -- |
|
| 120Hz | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| Game Mode | | | | -- | -- | | -- |
|
| Speakers | 2; 20W total | 2; 20W total | 2; 20W total | 2; 20W total | 2; 20W total | 2; 20W total
22": 6W | 2; 20W total |
|
| Surround Sound | | | | | | | |
|
| HDMI input | 3 (1 side) | 3 (1 side) | 3 (1 side) | 2 | 3 (1 side) | 3 (1 side)
22": 1 | 2 |
|
| Component input (Y, PB, PR) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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| Composite input | 2 (1 side) | 2 (1 side) | 2 (1 side) | 2 (1 side) | 2 (1 side) | 2 (1 side)
22": 1 | 2 |
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| PC input | 1 (side) | -- | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 1 |
|
| USB | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
|
| Ethernet LAN input | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
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| Digital Audio output | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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| iPod Universal Dock | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | | -- |
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| Energy Star | | | | | | | |
| Series: | G25 Plasma | S2 Plasma | U2 Plasma | C2 Plasma | U22 LCD | X2 LCD | C22 LCD |
Learn More
| With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience. If you know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it, you can figure out the size HDTV you should get. - Minimum size = Viewing distance/3
- Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 20, 2010 13:32:07
