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The TX-L32X20B is that rare beast: a 32in LCD focused on pictures to the near-exclusion of fancy features.
A chunky 83mm deep, this HD ready X20 Series set is initially notable for what it doesn't include – there's no Freeview HD tuner, LED backlight or Panasonic's Viera Cast online hub – but is nevertheless a stunningly simplistic attempt at cut-price picture prowess.
The next screen size up is the TX-P37X20B, a 37in plasma, which also has an HD ready resolution.
A resolution of 1366x768 pixels earns it just a HD ready badge, though the biggest faux-pas is the TX-L32X20B's lack of a Freeview HD TV tuner. Elsewhere in its extensive flat TV line-up Panasonic has shown itself to be rather obsessive about installing a DVB-T2 tuner (and, in some cases, a Freesat HD tuner, too), but not here. Nor is there any semblance of web connectivity and certainly no sign of Panasonic's Viera Cast online entertainment hub.
It's fitted with a traditional CCFL-backlight rather than an LED array, though this helps bestows on the TX-L32X20B its most enticing feature – that rock-bottom price.
It's not all back-to-basics stuff; Panasonic's Vreal 5 picture processing is present, as is an SD card slot – you won't find that on any other brand of TV.
Connectivity is strong for a budget set, with three HDMI inputs leading the charge, though one is on the side of the TV, leaving just two on the rear. The side panel (on the TV's left-hand side as you watch) also includes a SD card slot, headphones jack, composite video input, stereo audio inputs and a Common Interface slot – the latter crucial since it expands the available channels to Top-Up TV packages.
Elsewhere on the rear panel are a couple of RGB Scarts, a set of component video inputs, an RF aerial jack and a D-sub 15-pin PC input. Audio is dealt with by a set of stereo audio ins and outs and an optical digital audio output.
The bog-standard DVB-T tuner inside the TX-L32X20B finds all channels quickly, though the software that supports the service is surprisingly poor. Somewhere along the line Panasonic signed-up for Guide+Plus and its clunky, advert-strewn interface, which was a mistake.
Schedules are shown for seven channels over the next seven days, but such is the space taken up by descriptions – and even diagrams – of what button does what, that information for at least 11 channels could theoretically be displayed. Ditto the actual programme titles, which are squeezed into overly small boxes. It's all very well using large fonts, but what's the point making it easy to read half a word?
Incidentally, Panasonic sells a tilting TY-WK3L2RW wall mount specifically for this model, which costs around £170 online.
Even in a decidedly budget package, picture quality should not be skimped on – something that's very easy to do in a world swamped by cheap LCD panels. Panasonic isn't one of them, and though it never reaches reference level, the TX-L32X20B provides pictures that appear unassailable value when compared to similarly priced sets.
In 4 HD's baffling The Event (from a Virgin V+ HD box) the President's sharp suits look dark while revealing just enough detail to convince – certainly more than you'd expect from an LCD TV at this price.
A desert scene reveals a lot of detail within a vista studded with natural-looking colours, with a quick camera pan not too troubling for the panel; motion blur is evident if you look for it, but it's never distracting. In practice, a 100Hz mode isn't missed too much, though if your diet is largely Blu-ray it's worth upgrading beyond the TX-L32X20B to Panasonic's G20 Series.
A close-up of Sean in hospital is equally compelling, with individual pores and beard follicles visible on a panel that's clearly been upgraded from last year's X10 Series. Not bad for a HD ready panel.
These impressions are drawn with the excellent contrast-heavy Cinema preset engaged. Similar strengths apply to the True Cinema setting, which, if reserved for blackout conditions, puts the TX-L32X20B's excellent contrast characteristics on show to stunning effect.
A special skill of the panel is the viewing angle; it makes almost no difference if you watch the TX-L32X20B from the wings, since contrast and colour remain virtually unchanged. Black areas of the image take on a bluish hue, but it's ever so slight.
Left on the dreaded Dynamic setting skin tones are off the mark and there's a strong purple bias to dark areas of the image. As always, it's best avoided.
Other tweaks are few, comprising just contrast, colour, brightness, sharpness, noise reduction and C.A.T.S – the latter being an ambient light sensor called Contrast Auto Tracking System, which can be set to either on or off. It's best left on if you're watching in bright conditions.
With Game mode engaged, images from an Xbox 360 hold up well, with little in the way of motion blur, though as on all LCD panels it's easy to detect some loss of resolution when the camera pans to follow a goal kick taken on Pro Evolution.
HD channels from a V+ box enjoy similar strengths to Blu-ray, and the TX-L32S20B's treatment of SD channels from its own tuner isn't bad, either. That same dollop of contrast and spot-on colouring gives pictures from BBC1 a rare boldness and clarity, though quick camera pans aren't as comfortable to watch as with HD.
The money saved on cutting-out features like DVB-T2, USB and Viera Cast has clearly been spent on providing this set with the best LCD panel possible; IPS Alpha has for a long time set a benchmark for wide viewing angles and decent contrast, and here's it's paired with some decent upscaling circuitry, too.
Both those facets continue here on what could be one of IPS Alpha tech's last hurrahs; the market for traditional CCFL-lit LCD TVs is in decline, with some predicting that more expensive LED-backlit sets will be all conquering within a year or two. With prices this low for a TV that offers more than enough detail, contrast and natural colouring for most living rooms, it's hard to see sets like the TX-L32X20B disappearing just yet.
Sound
While it's hardly in the upper echelon of flatscreen TVs that have decent audio (that honour goes to Philips), Panasonic's audio engineers have once again done an adequate job on the TX-L32X20B.
It's no substitute for a home cinema system, but the downfiring speakers are backed-up by audible low frequency that proves fine for everyday TV watching.
A simple equaliser is provided to tweak across the spectrum, while there's an option to set exactly how far from the wall the TV has been placed, with the subwoofer compensating. That measurement of a room's characteristics is ramped-up even more in the set's V-Audio options.
The standard setting creates a stereo soundstage that's noticeably wider and more nuanced, dragging up a lot of background detail than the plain old 'normal' setting. Panasonic says that this option is based on actual room measurement generated from the digital signal processor, though it goes a touch too far on V-Audio Surround; the effort to achieve surround sound from two speakers ends up in confusion with stereo effects too far separated. Music in particular suffers.
Perhaps Panasonic isn't too confident in these 'V' modes because there's no dedicated button on the remote, but the overall sound quality is a notch above the mainstream competition.
Value
The TX-L32X20B is available for as little as £369 online, and that's a fantastic price for this accomplished LCD TV.
The lack of LED backlighting might concern some, but if you're going to put the TX-L32X20B in a corner or on a AV stand, the rather bulky 8cm depth won't be an issue – and the financial saving is considerable. Plus, the TX-L32X20B's IPS Alpha has more than enough contrast to compete with budget LED-backlit LCD TVs from Panasonic's competitors.
There's little to get excited about in terms of advanced or multimedia features and the lack of a Freeview HD DVB-T2 tuner is rather short-sighted.
Ease of use
Media playback is disappointing. There's no USB slot to be found adorning the TX-L32X20B, though it does have something most TVs don't; a SD card slot, which is situated on the side-panel.
Photos can be displayed from within the Viera Image Viewer software, either as singles or as a slideshow, by accessing the SD card – either via a dedicated button on the remote, which disables all other inputs, or through Viera Tools, a set of icons that appear at the bottom of the screen.
They're presented as a bunch of thumbnails, though only JPEG files are recognised by the TX-L32X20B's severely limited media player software; TIFF and BMP files didn't work in our test. A slideshow can be started from anywhere in the grid by displaying the picture, then pressing the red button.
Pictures fade in and out nicely, and load quickly, though it's not possible to change the orientation of pictures, which is a shame. And a word of warning: have the mute button nearby unless you want your holiday snaps to be displayed to the sound of some decidedly dodgy lounge jazz (other dodgy tunes are available).
Video is more shabbily treated, with virtually no files handled. Only AVCHD files, which are produced by other Panasonic gear, are supported; some footage recorded on a Panasonic DMC-FZ45 camera in the AVCHD Lite format worked perfectly, complete with moving thumbnails on the home screen, but the samples we tried from third-party camcorders didn't work at all. Best, then, to keep it in the family if you're into hi-def filming.
And music? Oddly, the TX-L32X20B avoids this rather popular medium and can't even muster support for a humble MP3 file.
The TX-L32X20B might not be the most advanced TV we've sever seen, but it and its ilk represent by far the largest chunk of the flat TV market. But while a lot of 32in LCD TVs are of poor quality, this Panasonic combines essential features with excellent pictures.
There's no Freeview HD tuner, but if you live in a non-HD area, use Sky or Virgin, or simply don't care about watching EastEnders in hi-def, that won't matter. By next year a Freeview HD tuner will be a default option in all TVs, but not yet – and for now it helps the TX-L32X20B hit a tempting price.
We liked
A wide viewing angle, excellent colour and as impressive contrast as you're likely this side of a LED-backlight (or, ultimately, a bigger plasma) make the TX-L32X20B an excellent choice if picture quality is your goal. Were also impressed by the above-average speakers.
We disliked
The lack of any notable digital media support beyond simple JPEG photos is enormously disappointing and while the provision of a SD card is a unique nicety, we'd rather see a USB slot. We also have concerns about the Guide+Plus interface for the TX-L32X20B's Freeview tuner, which is graphically weak and a long way behind the efforts of rival brands.
Final verdict
The lack of a Freeview HD tuner will probably prevent a lot of you selecting this model, but bear in mind that the vast majority of Panasonic TVs do have one; the TX-L32X20B is all about the bargain price – and produces a cracking picture for the money.
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