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Panasonic launches four more 3D plasma HDTVs, including a 65-incher

By | April 24, 2010, 3:27pm PDT

Summary: Panasonic has already sold out its first shipment of 3D plasmas, and the company is back again with four new models making up the Viera VT25 series, two of which will ship next month and the other pair in June. Like the Viera VT20 set that Best Buy is currently selling, the TC-P50VT25 is a 50-inch [...]

Panasonic has already sold out its first shipment of 3D plasmas, and the company is back again with four new models making up the Viera VT25 series, two of which will ship next month and the other pair in June.

Like the Viera VT20 set that Best Buy is currently selling, the TC-P50VT25 is a 50-inch model that starts at $2,599.95. It will go on sale during the week of May, as will the 54-inch TC-P54VT25 for $2,999.95. If you want to go even bigger, Panasonic can oblige you with the 58-inch TC-P58VT25 for $3,399.95 or the massive 65-inch TC-P65VT25 for an equally massive $4,299.95.

All VT25 plasmas include a pair of active-shutter 3D, though additional pairs will set you back $149.95 apiece. They’re also THX certified, feature a 5,000,000:1 contrast ratio, and have an Ethernet port for connecting to Panasonic’s Viera Cast Internet services, which include support for Skype video-enabled calls. One cosmetic difference between the VT20 and VT25 lines is the bezel color: choose the VT20 if you like gunmetal gray or select the VT25 series if you prefer a metallic brown.

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Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist.

Disclosure

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy is a freelance technology journalist; currently, all work that Sean does is on a contractural basis. Sean has also written corporate communications documents for CA.

Sean does not accept gifts from companies he covers. All hardware products he writes about are purchased with his own funds or are review units covered under formal loan agreements and are returned after the review is complete.

Biography

Sean Portnoy

Sean Portnoy started his tech writing career at ZDNet nearly a decade ago. He then spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. He received a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. from the University of Southern California.

Talkback Most Recent of 4 Talkback(s)

  • Can existing sets support 3D?
    Would I really need to buy a new television to see 3D movies? Are existing Plasma, DLP, etc sets capable of supporting 3D films with the nicer Tektronix style 3D glasses. Can't say I would miss the red/blue cardboard versions.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    dancoiv
    26th Apr 2010
  • No...
    The new 3D technology requires the TV to communicate with the glasses to work. That and some other technical requirements that current TV set do not have.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Narg
    26th Apr 2010
  • RE: Panasonic launches four more 3D plasma HDTVs, including a 65-incher
    Personally, one of the most annoying features, or rather lack of features about these 3D sets, is that at their huge exorbitant price, they only come with a single pair of 3D glasses. Most who put down the disproportionate kind of cash required to bring one of these TVs home are mostly - at least - two-person families. For the manufacturers of these TVs to further extort from their customers yet an additional cost for another pair of glasses is totally ludicrous if not near criminal. We won't even talk about family arrangements with two or more children. These TVs should come with a minimum of three pairs of 3D glasses.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    jason-as@...
    26th Apr 2010
  • Glasses
    I have to agree. If you're going to charge $2500-$5000 for TV, you should include 4 pairs of glasses. We're only talking about another $450. Of course, the the manufacturers, that is another $450 in profit.

    I guess they figure if you are willing to spend $5000, what's another $450?
    ZDNet Gravatar
    WindowWasher
    26th Apr 2010

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