In recent weeks, various families with readers of Homecinema Magazine have started working with the latest LCD LED TV and UHD Blu-ray player from Panasonic. What do they think of the GXW804 LCD TV and DP-UB424 Blu-ray player? What are the most important plus and minus points? And would they recommend these premium products as a family? We summarize the most important conclusions.
Panasonic GXW804 LCD LED TV
In 2019, Panasonic will launch various new LCD LED TVs including the GXW804 models. These televisions are equipped with the latest techniques and standards, including the 4K Ultra HD resolution and support for all HDR standards; HDR10, HLG, HDR10 + and Dolby Vision. Support for Dolby Atmos is also available. In addition, the GXW804 LCD models with the powerful HCX processor for optimum image display. The televisions are also equipped with special Game and Sport modes. This optimizes the device specifically for the display of game or sports content. Among other things, this ensures a very low input lag, so that images are displayed quickly and sharply. In addition, in sport mode, the colors and sound are adapted to the content, giving you the feeling of being present at the promotion.
The Panasonic GXW804 is equipped with the latest version of Panasonic’s smart TV platform. With the new My Home Screen 4.0, equipped with a new Panasonic GUI, you can adjust the user menu of the television randomly. Access to VOD and broadcasts is also thanks to a redesigned interface that includes icons with hot keys for live TV, connected devices and apps such as Netflix, Amazon and YouTube. The GXW804 models are also equipped with voice control via the Google Assistant (via a Google Home speaker) and Amazon Alexa. Furthermore, all TVs come with HDMI 2.0b ports with HDMI ARC, a built-in audio system, WiFi and Bluetooth.
Panasonic DP-UB424
The Panasonic DP-UB424 is one of the premium Ultra HD blu-ray players from Panasonic and is, just like the LCD TV, equipped with the latest standards and techniques. For example, the player has the HCX (Hollywood Cinema Experience) Processor, there is support for HDR10 +, there are two HDMI outputs (for audio and video), and hi-res music can be played in the highest quality. Of course there is also WiFi available and you can play 4K content via Netflix and YouTube.
Three different families
Together with Panasonic, Homecinema Magazine and FWD offered three families the opportunity to use the Panasonic GXW804 LCD LED TV and DP-UB424 Ultra HD Blu-ray player to test at home. For a period of three weeks they were allowed to watch all their films and series, and play games on the newest generation of LCD television. The results are now in and below you can read the most important conclusions.
Introduction families
Who are the families who have tested the latest LCD LED TV and UHD Blu-ray player from Panasonic?
Family 1 (family Smits)
Our household consists of myself (27 years) and my wife (26 years). We regularly have nephews and nieces on the floor between the ages of 4 and 8, who of course, just like us, can no longer be ignored by the pipe. Nowadays they also know better how the remote works than the older ones, especially Netflix and YouTube are found quickly. That is why we felt called to participate in this test panel.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
We, Anton & Clara and nephew Klaas-Jan, who Spending the weekend with us are one of three families selected to test these new Panasonic products. We signed up because we wanted to compare the latest Panasonic TX-40GXW804 TV with our own Panasonic TX-40DX730 TV, which we bought 3 years ago. Since we ourselves and together with Klaas-Jan watch a lot of films on DVD and (UHD) Blu-ray with our Panasonic DMP-UB900 UHD Blu-ray player, we were also curious about the newest Panasonic DB-UB424 UHD Blu-ray player.
Family 3 (van Eijk family)
Because of my preference for Panasonic I felt immediately addressed. 10 years ago I bought my Panasonic TX-P42V10E after reading and comparing specifications. And now I am naturally very curious about the performance of the TX-40GXW804 LED TV and DP-UB424EGK Blu-ray player. Because 10 years of progress on image and sound, is our family going to see that?
Our family consists of 5 members. Linn (10), Djune (8) and Riv van (6) and Barbara (38) and myself Erik (46). If you ask us what we do with our TV, I think we are not very different from the average viewer. We watch regular broadcasts on TV, but we also watch many films via Blu-ray and DVDs. Games are played via the Playstation and lately the internet and the display of social media on a large screen have become increasingly important for young people. Youtube in particular with the kids is something that is missed on our “old” TV. So we are curious if a world will open with this modern Internet TV.
General impression TV
The first impression of the TV upon entering is very important. What do the families think of the installation, the design and the image and audio quality when the TV was first turned on?
Family 1 (family Smits)
I started installing the television, this went fairly quickly and smooth. I needed about fifteen minutes for this, because I had some difficulty in assembling the foot, I only came across the manual afterwards.
But well, foot assembled, now placing the TV, that was a bit more difficult because I was alone at that moment. The TV must be placed directly in the foot, something that you cannot (or must) easily do alone. Eventually with some help I succeeded, the TV was on. And the Blu-Ray player was also installed quickly. Plug & Play principle, plug in and let the testing begin. The TV starts up quickly, just like the Blu-Ray player, nice and smooth and ready to use. Immediately set the Mediabox of the TV provider, and after 1 minute there was image and sound. The devices that I have connected are the Blu-ray player, Mediabox from Ziggo, and my Playstation. There are only 3 HDMI connections on the TV, so more would not go either.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
The mounting of the base under the TV was very simple with the clear instruction supplied. Immediately noticed was that the new TV leans back about 2 cm, while our current TV stands upright. This is very useful if the TV is on a low piece of furniture, but less desirable if the TV, as with us, is higher. Our tip to Panasonic is to supply the position of the TV variably, or with two or three choices.
The installation went smoothly and quickly with a few obvious choices, which are provided with sufficient information on the screen. Since we watch TV through the Horizon box from Ziggo, we did not have to install any channels. Also connecting to the internet was all automatic, after which the latest software was installed.
When we watch a TV program via Ziggo, we do that with the sound from the TV itself, because the sound from the TV is excellent. Only when we watch movies do we let the sound play through our Harman Kardon 5.1 amplifier and JBL speakers to have a better and more intense sound experience. An extension of the GXW804 compared to the DX730 is bluetooth, so I can easily connect my wireless Google Pixel Buds earphones to the TV.
Family 3 (family van Eijk)
I had previously received information about the TV format we would get, this was a bit disappointing. We would have liked the 65-inch that would have fitted perfectly in our TV niche. But don’t worry, even a “small” LED TV can positively surprise you.
After unpacking, I had some problems with the hardware installation. Mounting the base under the TV is a job that would have been easier with colored stickers and a specified mounting direction. Fortunately it worked and the final result is a TV with a sleek black glossy frame and a kind of brushed metal base that has a luxurious look.
The remote control is very nice. Fortunately, Netflix is standard as a button on the remote control and in addition it is also possible to connect one App to the MY APP button, this of course will be the YouTube App.
We watch via KPN TV, the maximum resolution is 1080P @ 50Hzz and with that gives a reasonable image, however sound was a problem. After much reading, changing settings (HDMI mode 1 and mode 2) and exchanging HDMI cables, I was unable to display both image and sound on this Panasonic. Our own Panasonic does not have this problem so it is not the source but the reproducer. Fortunately we usually listen via an amplifier so the sound problem for just watching TV was fixed by a detour. Playing sound with Blu-ray DVDs and other sources (Netflix / Youtube) was no problem and surprised me positively.
Image quality TV
Image quality is perhaps the most important part of a TV. What do families think of the image quality of the Panasonic LCD LED TV? And, which institutions did or did not like?
Family 1 (family Smits)
Immediately when switching on the television I was particularly curious about the quality of a 4K television, especially since we only used Full HD ourselves goods. We will never again opt for a television that does not have 4K image quality. What a relief that image was, we certainly watched the Love Nature 4K channel for hours. The colors, the details, and the sharpness of the image were something we were not used to at all. Also movements just went smoothly the way you would like. Afterwards we activated “Dynamic picture mode” at settings, this made it even better for our experience, and after the so-called fine-tuning at image settings you can adjust it even more to your own preferences.
Fortunately we have it more expensive Netflix subscription so that we can also watch 4K films and series. Never knew that the difference between normal HD and 4K can be that big. During the day it is often more difficult to watch TV due to a reflection / glare on the screen, we were not bothered by this. Whether you are sitting directly in front of the TV or at an angle, the image remains pleasant to watch. Black is also really 85% black, which makes especially dark scenes in films and series beautiful. With many TVs this is more white-black. Unfortunately, the pixels do not go out, so you can still see that the screen glows in the dark night scenes.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
Unfortunately, our demo model had a few dead pixels in the top center of the image, so it sometimes it looked like there was a dirt on the screen. We assume that if this had been a purchased item, Panasonic would have exchanged it under warranty.
What was striking was that the image of the GXW804 except the bottom stops a few millimeters from the bezels as opposed to the DX730 . That is why the screen of the GXW804 is also 6 millimeters wider than the DX730. The positive effect is that the GXW804 has less or no trouble with a kind of shadow edge and has full brightness up to the edge of the image. We had hoped that the GXW804 would have a larger viewing angle than the DX730, but it turned out to be just as bad. We see at a distance of 2.5 meters from the screen, with more than 1 meter from the center, that the colors are becoming paler, so that is a viewing angle of only 66 ° . If you sit together on the couch in front of the TV, there is nothing wrong, but if you sit in a chair more to the side, then you miss depth in the colors.
The light intensity of the GXW804 seems slightly higher than that of the DX730, when both are in standard normal mode, this is less visible on the photo. As we watch the most films with little to no (day) light, we use the True Cinema image mode, the colors of which are very acceptable to us. You can then adjust it completely professionally via additional submenus.
Family 3 (family van Eijk)
After the installation and updates of both devices, I naturally want to experience the 4K image. For that I watch the 4K UHD blu-ray “Passengers”. The image is really very sharp and the detail is super high. Very nice in the beginning but I miss the movie look. When I switch to “true film” mode via Image, the sharpness and clarity decrease a bit and I find it more pleasant to look.
It is a coincidence that I 2x the animation film “cloudy with a change of meatballs” on blu-ray have home. In addition, I purchased the Panasonic DP-UB404 blu-ray player myself last year. So time for a fun test. The setup is: the DP-UB404 on the Plasma TX-P42V10E and the DP-UB424 on the LED TX-40GXW804. Although both discs are not 4 versions, the difference is immediately apparent. Plasma is clearly softer than LED and displays less detail. Certainly with a close-up of the screen. The LED screen shows more detail and is sharper. When I ask the children which ones they like better, they indicate that LED is nicer even though the TV is smaller than our “old TV”. What also becomes very quickly clear is the limited viewing angle of the LED screen. In the center of the screen it is very pleasant to look at, but it is not pleasant to look at from any position. The Kids sit in the middle of the TV because as they indicate every time; “The side is not beautiful”. I experience this myself too, because from our kitchen I look at a large angle of about 60 degrees, the colors are then barely perceptible. A large viewing angle with our “old” plasma is no problem. Fortunately, they are usually sitting in front of the TV during exciting films or games and do not notice much of it. What was striking was the speed of the screen, with fast passages in the film no blur is noticeable even with the many pan work during a football match or during the playstation, the image and the ball remain sharp.
Smart TV
The Panasonic GXW804 LCD LED TV is of course a smart TV, with various smart options. How was the smart TV platform used and how did you like it?
Family 1 (family Smits)
You have apps like Netflix, Videoland, YouTube directly on your TV, without extra boxes. This all worked great, but the range of apps was disappointing. Apps like NLZiet are in the app store, but do not work on the TV. And an RTL XL or NPO Plus is also not listed. Something we use a lot normally *. Netflix just worked great just like Videoland and YouTube. Although the TV needs some start-up time with apps like YouTube if you want to watch 4K demo videos. After a little more than 25 to 40 seconds, the 4K image only appears. Also with Netflix the TV needs a few seconds to display the best resolution. But this was not really disturbing for us **.
The menu runs quite smoothly, and you have quickly found apps like Netflix in the list. Settings and such are also quick to find and easy to adjust. The design is very well-arranged, but due to the lack of apps it does not feel complete.
* Panasonic states in a response that NLZiet and NPO are indeed available for this television and should also be usable. ** The delayed display of the 4K resolution has to do with (the speed of) the internet connection.
Family 2 (family de Ruiter)
We have registered the TV via the Smart Speaker Settings app on the TV and then in the Google Home app on a smartphone the Panasonic TV linked to the room where the TV and a Google Home mini are. Then after saying “OK Google”, we can turn the TV on and off, turn the volume up or down or to a certain value and convert from HDMI1 to e.g. HDMI2. This succeeds, but only with a large delay.
The My Home Screen 4.0 is more extensive in terms of possibilities than version 2.0 on the DX730 and works infinitely, more clearly and there is much more to configure. In the various apps you can search for text or films for information. Only typing letters via the remote control on the screen is very cumbersome. To make it easier to type texts, we have linked a Logitech wireless keyboard K400 plus and that works great.
Family 3 (van Eijk family)
Smart Apps are the most important features of a new TV for the youth here. Finally a TV where you can use YouTube, Netflix and of course your smartphone. Unfortunately, the latter is not (yet) completely flawless. I have had to establish many a connection to the phone and many Panasonic app to download from the store but it really doesn’t run smoothly in my case (Sony) Android and the Panasonic. And so I keep finding the internet browser app a bit stupid. But also positive news can be reported because how happy can you make a daughter who can now view her favorite YouTuber on a big screen without cover. Even “browsing” to the next video was a simple trick for the 9-year-old that I really don’t have to explain.
If you then come down on Sunday morning and see your 7-year-old daughter watch a new horse series on Netflix without that she has had help with that, you can speak of a successful menu / remote control design. Now everything does not have to run via the internet and fortunately the “oldies” among us can also simply place a USB stick in the TV. I find this especially easy if we want to view photos with them all at the same time. Of course this is also possible via the network, but a USB stick is sometimes just easier. I am glad that this option is over.
Gaming and sports
There is a lot of gaming in some families, so we would like to know how we enjoyed playing games. What was input-lag, and what did you think about the image quality?
Family 1 (family Smits)
I am also a lover of playing games on my Playstation 3. Unfortunately, this one does not have 4K support, but still a great combination. Previously, I often had vague smudges across the screen during movements in games such as Grand Threft Auto, and Splinter Cell. I have not been bothered by that now, dark images are really dark, but still good to see. The colors in the games are vivid, which makes it even more realistic.
For the children we have connected the Nintendo Wii to the scart connection. The old Wii has no HDMI out. This also worked smoothly and easily.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
Neither of us is a gamer, so we have no Playstation, Xbox or Nintendo. We do watch sports on TV, mainly the Landstede Basketball games, of which family member Herman is the coach. We watch this through Ziggo Sport or as live streams on the Internet or YouTube. To keep the images fluid and sharp, we watch them in sport image mode, with the Intelligent Frame Creation set to Maximum and Sharp Movements.
Family 3 (van Eijk family)
The lively colors in game mode are super appreciated by the kids, and the brightness in dynamic mode is also appreciated during the day. Even in sunlight, the image remains visible. A night of gaming on the PS4 surprised me and the neighbor. Playing a game with a 4K screen is really a different story. The super sharp image does occasionally surprise you. The game mode is apparently effective because even in our fastest games I have not noticed any lag or image defacts. When we switched to True Cinema mode as a test, we saw that “Modern Warfare” seemed to be showing something more than in “game mode”. The image processors therefore clearly do their work.
UHD Blu-ray player
Of course, all families have also tested the DP-UB424 Ultra HD Blu-ray player. How did you like the player? Was it easy to use and easy to connect? And what was the quality?
Family 1 (family Smits)
Then we arrive at the Blu-Ray player, we always used the Playstation for BR discs. So that was a big difference now, Blu-ray has never really felt like something better than a DVD for me, but now the combination of this player and TV does make a difference.
The player itself sometimes does not work completely along, may respond faster when navigating through the menus. What we also experienced as annoying was the noise in the menus. A high tone with every movement. At institutions I could not find an option to turn this off, that would be very nice. The interface feels very outdated, this could be polished up more nicely.
Apps such as a Netflix and YouTube work similar to the built-in apps on the TV. But loading the image quality through the Blu-ray player was a bit better than on the TV itself, which is a plus.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
The installation was really simple, first the simple start and then the network setup. Then the newest firmware 1.55 installed. Unlike the TV, the Blu-ray player cannot be linked in the Google Home app, but can be accessed through Google Assistant in currently only English and German. There is no app for this on the player, such as on the TV, and the installation is only partially described in the instructions. Fortunately, it is described on the Panasonic support website . In order for the Blu-ray player to execute a command such as play, pause, stop, skip, etc., after “OK Google” you must first say “Talk to Panasonic Blu-ray” and only after you have been welcomed can you say the command. All this makes it a lot harder to use.
The build quality of the UB424 is significantly less than that of the UB900. More plastic, no display and the running gear makes more noise. Nevertheless, in terms of image quality, the UB424 is not inferior to the UB900. Since we had already purchased a GXW804 ourselves, we were able to compare a few films, of which we had several versions, side by side on two same TVs. We could see no difference with the two Blu-ray discs from Mission Impossible Fallout. At Murder on the Orient Express, a real 4K film, we also viewed side by side. First the Full HD Blu-ray in the UB424 and the UHD Blu-ray in the UB900 and then the other way around. The upscaling of the Full HD is so good that for the most part you hardly see any difference at normal viewing distance. Only when you look at the TV with your nose, do you see that things in the background of the image have slightly more detail with the UHD version than with the Full HD version. We had both a DVD and Blu-ray from TOPGUN and between these two versions, Blu-ray is clearly much sharper and more beautiful.
Family 3 (family van Eijk)
Halfway through last year the DP-UB424 already appeared the market and I bought my UB404 six months earlier. I am therefore familiar with the menu and features of these models. The biggest difference is that the UB424 supports HDR10 + and has extensive HDR settings in the “advanced” menu. With or without HDR10 +; the picture that the UB424 presents is amazing. Image processing is sublime and fast passages are displayed without problems. The colors are beautifully clear and black is deep black.
The display settings, which can be accessed via the option button, are easily accessible for the fine tuners and make it possible to further adjust the image. It is not unimportant that the Blu-ray player also loads the DVDs quickly. Now there are faster players, but Panasonic can certainly be called smooth, and the new UB424 is a bit faster than my “old” UB404. I also like the “home” menu of the UB424. Here it is possible to listen or view photos, video or music via a home network or USB stick. Perhaps this is even easier than via the USB port on the TV. And if you don’t have a smart TV like us, it’s a good option to make your old TV a little smart. Because this way you can still use Netflix, listen to digital radio or check the weather forecast. Unfortunately there is no Youtube app, but there are quite a few smart options available through the player. Another nice thing about the UB424 is that it has a separate HDMI output for audio. We rarely actually listen via the TV speakers and via the HMDI port your amplifier is then easily connected via this 2nd (audio) HDMI port. Of course you can also send the sound optically to your amplifier or even via tulip plugs. In other words; enough connections for image and sound.
Conclusion
After three weeks of intensive use, all three families come to a conclusion. What is their opinion about the Panasonic LCD LED TV and UHD Blu-ray player? And would they recommend these products?
Family 1 (family Smits)
Now that we have had the opportunity to test this television, we will never be able to go back to a normal HD television. The 4K image of this TV is beautiful, in combination with the Blu-ray player you can enjoy Netflix and enjoy movies and series. My wife, and others who come here, are also very pleased with the image quality. The image is therefore mainly a big plus, the sound could be better.
The remote controls of both the TV and Blu-Ray player see and feel very old-fashioned. Not very clear due to the many buttons. This should have been flatter and a bit more modern, a bit more like the remote control of the new Ziggo Mediabox.
Furthermore, I would definitely buy this TV myself, I have a completely new experience with this, and I really enjoyed it. Personally, after seeing this image, I would go for a larger model, in our situation as a film and series of enthusiasts, this would really give a cinema experience. The Blu-ray player gives a good picture on the TV, and is certainly better than watching via the Playstation 3. But I would not buy it myself, as soon as it is more user-friendly this would be a different story. For now I will continue to use the PlayStation for this.
Family 2 (de Ruiter family)
We are satisfied with the improvements and advantages of the GXW804 and have since sold our DX730 and purchased a GXW804. It is the fullest 40 inch UHD TV that fits in our 90 cm wide cabinet. If you are looking for an all-rounder with a small size, the GXW804 is highly recommended.
Although we are satisfied with the image quality of the UB424, we remain with our UB900, especially for the better build quality and the presence of a display. Nevertheless, we would recommend the UB424 to others who are looking for a relatively cheap UHD Blu-ray player.
Family 3 (van Eijk family)
If I ask the children what they think about the TV I immediately heard, “better than the old!” When I ask why then, the apps YouTube and Netflix are mentioned first, and shortly thereafter the remark follows that the sound is better. When I ask what you don’t like about the TV, they first find the size of the screen a problem, then they indicate that you have to sit in front of the TV because otherwise the picture is not nice.
Personally, I fully agree with their opinion. The internet applications are of great added value, although I think they should be speech-driven because typing on a screen with your remote control is not nice. Regarding the image on the TX-40GXW804; this is super The 4K screen is very sharp, especially in combination with the DP-UB424EGK Blu-ray player. The sound is great and really surprised me. Keep the noise level modest otherwise there will be some distortion, but what else would you expect from such a thin TV. The menu of both TV and DVD is clear and offers good possibilities to further adjust the equipment to your liking. There are also sufficient connection options for various devices and the ports are easily accessible. A better app for your mobile connectivity would be great. All in all a good TV that scores well in the middle class for € 750. If I had to give the TV from 0 to 5 stars, I would give this TV 4 stars. One star less because of the limited viewing angle. Nevertheless, he scores well in terms of image, sound and ease of use as far as we are concerned.
Expert reviews
Of course, we also has reviewed Panasonic’s GXW804 LCD LED TV. self tested. You can read his full review here here but we can already tell you his conclusion:
The TX-40GXW804 delivers excellent image quality with excellent contrast and solid color reproduction. Even in HDR, it performs well (in this category), certainly thanks to the “Dynamic HDR Effect” which makes images gain in impact and the brightness and color saturation that are falling short are somewhat corrected. That you also get Dolby Vision and HDR10 + support on this model is excellent. My Home Screen 4 remains a good smart TV environment that only LG and Samsung should take precedence.
The DP-UB424 Ultra HD Blu-ray player has also been tested by us. You can read the review here and the most important conclusion is as follows:
The Panasonic DP-UB424 is an affordable Ultra HD Blu-ray player that will not look out of place with most mid-end to high-end TVs. The player does everything right in terms of image reproduction and is even just as good as the absolute top model; the UB9004. You have access to the most important streaming services (in 4K and HDR), you can play almost all discs and files and you get advanced setting options. Small downsides are the outdated Viera Cast interface, the lack of a display and the lack of support for Dolby Vision. If you ask for more on the side of (analog) audio and would you like support for Dolby Vision, then the UB9004 is the best choice. Otherwise, the UB424 is the choice that offers the best bang for your buck.
Add Comment