Pros
- Excellent picture quality, boasting deep, rich colors
- Reasonable price
- Good assortment of inputs, including three HDMI ports and a PC connection
- On board photo viewer
- Easy setup
Cons
- Stock sound could be improved
- Only capable of 720p
Rear panel of Panasonic's TC-32LX14, showing some of the inputs and outputs.
Forrest HartmanSetup: The TC-32LX14 came well packaged and, although the box is large, it can be transported by a single person. The setup is simple, as the television comes shipped in two parts: the screen and the stand. It took me only moments to slip the screen onto the stand and bolster the connection with three provided screws. The unit can be wall-mounted if you desire.
Audio visual hookups are equally simple and plentiful. The television has three HDMI ins, as well as an antenna/cable input and options for component video, S-video and composite video. There's also a PC connection (if you want to use the television as a monitor) and a digital audio output (for connection to a home theater amplifier).
The remote control is easy to figure out and use. I read through the manual but had most features dialed in before doing so. The television is a little slow to respond to some commands, such as switching video sources, but this isn't a problem once you become accustomed.
Appearance: The TC-32LX14 has a standard flat-screen design that is sleek, black and attractive. The frame is about two inches on all sides, which is ideal for the 32-inch screen.
Picture quality: This is where the TC-32LX14 really shines. I tested the unit by connecting it to a variety of sources, and the picture quality was outstanding even with standard cable. It's at its best, however, when connected to a high-definition video source, such as a satellite receiver or Blu-ray player.
The picture is detail-rich, and the colors are vivid and lively. You may be deterred by the fact that the resolution is limited to 720p, but this is really a non-issue for a 32-inch television. When viewing the set from a typical distance, you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference between 720p and the superior 1080p.
Audio quality: When connected to cable, the set's on-board audio system had decent highs, mid-range and lows, and it easily filled a room even with the sound barely turned up.
However, I noticed a significant decrease in volume when the set was connected to a Blu-ray player and a standard DVD player. In both cases, I had to crank the volume toward peak levels just to find a comfortable listening volume for movies. This should be a non-issue in small rooms, as the sound was good even at high levels, but it could become a problem in large spaces with background noise.
Extras: Most people use their televisions to watch TV or movies, but the TC-32LX14 has one extra that I found myself truly enjoying: a built-in SD card reader that allows you to view photos taken with a digital camera. You can even set the television to play a slide show with one of three provided music tracks.
The TC-32LX14 also comes with Viera Link, a Panasonic system allowing a single remote to easily control a variety of the manufacturer's components. In many cases, Viera also offers the ability to perform multiple functions with the touch of a single button. This feature won't be of use to everyone, but it's nice for people who own new Panasonic components, and it's something to consider if buying an entire system.
