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Panasonic TX-42A400B review

 Review: June 2014  
 

Last updated June 2014

Rating: 3 stars

In a nutshell: The Viera TX-42A400B is Panasonic's entry-level 42 inch TV for 2014 and is one of the cheapest 42 inch LED TVs available.



 

Design & looks

The Viera TX-42A400B is Panasonic's cheapest 42 inch TV in its 2014 range, and is essentially a makeover and upgrade of last year's TX-L42B6B. It looks good for such a cheap model, with an ultra narrow bezel bringing it firmly into the year 2014. The glossy black finish combined with the black stand lends it a "teenage boy's bedroom" look, which won't fit every room, but in a contemporary setting it shouldn't look out of place.

It's not a TV for hanging on a wall either, measuring a rather thick 7cm deep, and definitely not in the "slimline" category. But for the money, we're not expecting Gucci styling.

The TV comes with a standard remote control and is rated A+ for energy efficiency.

Picture quality

A 42 inch screen for £350 is incredible value, and if you judge your TV simply by the size of its screen then you won't be disappointed. It's a full 1080p HD screen too. But there are compromises involved in getting such a large TV at a low cost. Although colours look bright on this screen and the dynamic range is relatively good, the 100Hz backlighting is too slow for a 42 inch screen, so motion effects can be a problem, especially when watching sport or action. Having said that, we're impressed that Panasonic can deliver a screen this good at this price.

Audio quality

This model has two full range speakers, with V Audio simulated surround sound. The total power of 10W x 2 is typical for a cheaper-end television.

Smart TV

There are no Smart TV features on this TV.

Connectivity

The A400B comes with just 2 HDMI connections, which is limiting. Use one for a set-top box, the other for a Blu-Ray player or DVD and there's nothing left if you want to add a games console. On the plus side, there's ARC compatibility for home cinema compatibility, a USB port for plugging in a digital camera or other device, plus component and SCART inputs for connecting to older AV equipment.

Conclusion - good value for money

The A400B is an impressive TV for the price and is incredibly good value if you're after a "no-frills" model. Picture quality is pretty good, and the fact that you can get a 42 inch screen for this amount of money will give it wide appeal. There's no Smart TV of course - you'll need the step-up AS500B model for that - and we must draw your attention to the fact that there are only two HDMI connections, which will limit the number of devices you can connect to the TV. However, if that's not a problem, then this is a good TV that will surely satisfy many people.


Panasonic TX-42A400B features include:

User questions

Sorry - questions and comments on this page are now closed.

This is my dads tv it keeps going to av instead of tv when turning it on can you tell me how to set it up?

Asked by Jane from England on 10th Jun 2018

I have this tv but I can't find a power plug for it, what plug should I get and where from?

Asked by Liam from England on 11th Jan 2017

Can you give me information on a 42inch 2013 Panasonic tv?

Asked by Peter Dobson from England on 1st Aug 2016



Panasonic TX-42A400B user reviews

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