Television has changed a lot over the last decade.
Just ten years ago, the best televisions on the market were large clunky backlit devices that you couldn't even see unless you were sitting right in front of them.
Nowadays, for a fraction of the price, you can have a bigger and better system whose high resolution graphics blow everything else away.
How does Panasonics's new VIERA TC-L32S1 hold up in this marketplace? The reason for this model's existing in the first place is that it touts an all new form of display technology that promises a sharper picture that ever before.
With motion focus technology, precise algorithms are used to double the number of frames that get displayed during a broadcast.
While the standard is sixty frames, this set will push it to one hundred and twenty, ensuring smooth motion and vibrant colors.
Speaking of which, there's no longer a need to sit directly in front of the screen to get all these benefits.
You can view the TC-L32S1 from any number of angles with no diminishing of picture quality whatsoever.
Even if you're sitting to the side of the screen, looking on at an angle, you'll never have to worry about glare or fading! Of course, this isn't enough in today's television marketplaces.
People do a whole lot more than just watch shows and movies on their sets these days, and they demand new and entertaining features.
This set, for example, uses an SD card reader that enables you to browse through your family photos or your digital music collection with ease.
Moreover, VIERA Link technology offers a new level of control.
With this system, your television can truly adopt its role as the heart of your entertainment setup.
Just use an HDMI cable to connect your peripheral devices to your set and you can automatically control them right away with your VIERA remote.
That's right -- no manual full of codes, no trial and error; just plug it in and start pressing buttons.
Every one uses their television for different things, and these require different standards for quality.
For those who watch a lot of action movies or play a lot of video games, it's important that image display speed be up to par, or you're going to suffer from a lot of broken images and slowdown.
Avoid this with a fast 8ms display that ensures you'll see every detail or your sporting event or intergalactic conquest.
Speaking of peripherals and other components, the TC-L32S1 is eager to support them with a huge number of connections available.
You've got three HDMI connections, as well as two full sets of component video connections.
Perhaps best of all is a VGA input that allows you to connect your computer and enjoy a crisp display on par with standard LCD monitors.
In the end, the Panasonic VIERA TC-L32S1 offers a compelling combination of strength and value.
As a newcomer to the HDTV marketplace, it has a lot to prove, but it handles the challenges admirably, with a gusto that can satisfy the most ardent home theater enthusiast.