Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Sound
The TX-P42VT30B's separate woofer produces a slight increase in bass power, but the mid-range is slightly cramped and the audio has a disappointing lack of overall muscle.
Value
At first glance, the £1,500 TX-P42VT30B looks scarily expensive for a 42-inch TV; it costs £500 more than, say, LG's 42LW550T passive 3D TV, which comes with seven pairs of 3D specs.
Compare it to the inferior TX-P42GT30B (currently retailing for about £1,150 with no supplied 3D glasses or Wi-Fi dongles), though and the extra £350 suddenly looks like money well spent.
Ease of use
Operation is straightforward for such a sophisticated set. The attractively minimalist remote is well laid out and comfortable in the palm and a stylish red backlight picks out the main keys to aid its use in dark rooms.
The interface is clean, logical and rather jollier than Panasonic's previous efforts, but it still seems dour compared to LG's or Samsung's.
The biggest problem concerns the Viera Connect interface, which doesn't present many options on screen at once, forcing you to wade through multiple layers of sub menus.
