With the launch of its VIERA series, Panasonic, a leader in digital television, continues to advance flat-panel display technology to new levels of performance. The creation of the VIERA LCD line, and the broad range of technologies it incorporates, confirms Panasonic's strong commitment to the fast-growing flat-panel market.

Panasonic's elegant, 20-inch TC-20LA2 LCD TV brings vivid picture quality to places where one could not normally fit a high-resolution TV, making it perfect for bedrooms, offices, or dorm rooms. At just 3.5 inches deep, the TC-20LA2 is easy to carry and position. Optimized for both television viewing and DVD/VHS tape playback, the TC-20LA2 has a standard 4:3 aspect ratio and features a slim, lightweight cabinet, a 181-channel NTSC tuner, high 500 cd/m2 brightness, and a 700:1 contrast ratio for exceptional picture clarity. The 640 x 480-pixel TC-20LA2 can display enhanced-definition TV (EDTV) programming in the 480p signal format (ATSC DTV receiver not included) and will also display 480p signals from a progressive-scan DVD player at full resolution. The unit also features stereo speakers with 6 watts per channel (x 2).

LCD screens offer a number of benefits over CRT monitors and televisions, including general ease of use, freedom from eye strain (no screen flickering or radiation emissions), quiet operation (no high-pitch "flyback" noise, an issue with CRT TVs), accurate image geometry (no curvature distortion or susceptibility to magnetic interference from, say, speakers), long screen life (with no risk of image burn-in), space savings, and light weight/easy positioning. They also tend to be cheaper and, to some eyes, slightly more natural looking than their plasma flat-panel counterparts, which usually "spec" higher (higher brightness, higher contrast ratio).

A 3D Y/C digital comb filter digitally separates the color information from the black and white portions of the signal, eliminating dot crawl and so-called hanging dots. Other enhancements include LCD AI (Artificial Intelligence), which continuously monitors signal conditions to maintain high picture contrast.

What's in the Box
TV, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and warranty information.