- 28
- May
Tag : 50″ 1080p, th 50pz85u, plasma hdtv, panasonic viera
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 Company : Panasonic List Price : $2,499.99 Amazon Price : Too low to display Used Price : Average customer review :  |
Features
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks
- 4096 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction
- Viera LinKâ„¢ HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV’s remote control
- GalleryPlayer® allows you to enjoy the world’s finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV
Product Description
50″ widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) *
Customer reviews
Terrific TV!!! 
I’ve had it for roughly a week now with no complaints! Great picture!
I bought a Bose sound system, as I knew the spearkers within the TV wouldn’t suffice. Honestly I could have done without the Bose system, but it’s a nice addition.
I’ll post updates later, but so far I have no complaints with the Panasonic Plasma!
Initial Impressions; “White Glove Shipping”
Initial impressions of the set are very positive - great blacks, contrast, viewing angle. 1080i OTA broadcast is spectacular, 480i is good, and analog is fine. Will definitely require image tweaking after break-in, probably with ISF’s high-definition disc. Menu structure is straightforward and easy to use. I will need to provide an update regarding imaging performance at a later time after I have experimented with more sources.
In our viewing area, which is not especially “light controlled”, reflections are not an issue at all with this set.
Interestingly, Panasonic’s online ‘Plasma FAQ’ mentions a 100-hour break-in period… and nothing I find in the documents provided with the set itself mention this. The FAQ site is:
http://www2.panasonic.com/consumer-electronics/support/FAQs/details-FAQs+for+Plasma+TVs-UCM_PRD_CNT_001993
Now about that “white glove shipping”… I guess I read more into it than it actually says. The sentence…
“At your home delivery experts will place the carton in a room of your choice on the ground floor, unpack the product, and remove all packing materials from the residence.”
…means just that. It does NOT mean that the delivery personnel (experts?) will in any way help set up the television… including putting it on the fairly simple stand. The result was that the unit was set on the floor, propped against my television stand, and powered on to show that it indeed worked. Again, it is true that the delivery process was exactly as specified; probably better than having the carton left at the door! Just manage your expectations. And, by the way, the “delivery experts” were a couple of guys from a local general delivery company. Nice enough, but certainly not _A/V_ delivery experts 
Know your TV and install area before you buy
I’ve read many reviews complaining about this TV yet it seems the majority of these people would’ve been better off had they done some research prior to purchasing a Plasma vs. an LCD. First, my review of this TV: This Panasonic is one of the best Plasma’s I have seen. I won’t bore you by restating the specs that you can read in the details of the listing but trust me when I say that the picture is absolutely beautiful. So why trust me? I’ve owned HD TVs for the past 5 years and have kept up with current models, always planning my next purchase. My first was an LCD. While the detail and colors were fantastic compared to SD, the lack of ability to show motion clearly was aggravating. After much research my next purchase was a Panasonic 720 two years ago. While the black levels, contrasts and motion ability were far superior to the LCDs I looked into, including my own, the reflective glass panel was irritating as I had the TV in a room with a lot of light. (Finding the best seating position was essential.) After yet more research, and a need for yet another TV in a room that previously contained a 13 yr. old 32″ Sony that went out, I decided on this TV. The Panasonic brand of Plasma, 720 or 1080, is by far the best TV you can buy for the price. They are of equal quality to the Pioneers that will run you 50%-70% more. This particular Panasonic Plasma does a much better job at not reflecting light but there still is some reflection. I can say, however, that it reflects less than any of my old tube TVs. Now for the skinny on Plasma vs. LCD: It’s very simple, Plasmas will give you the better picture but will reflect more light. LCDs do a great job of not reflecting light but are poor on motion…even the new 120Hz refresh rate LCDs. Before you invest in either, make sure you know what you’re buying and where you’re going to be placing the TV. It will save you much frustration.
Best Plasma for the Money
The black levels onthis TV are phenomenal, it has pleanty of inputs/outputs for anything that you might need to do. If you need more you should by a receiver with HDMI switching capabilities. I ordered this TV through Amazon, on April 19, 2008 as it turns out they stock this one. I was shocked when Wednesday the 23rd the shipping company called me to tell em they have my TV ready for delivery. I received it and wall mounted it yesterday. I am about 5 hours into the recommended break-in period for a Plasma. I will be getting it Calibrated once I hit 100-150 hours. I will add more information later if there is anything I can add. I have never been more satisfied with a product or an online service. I highly recommend Buying it through Amazon. 3 Days and it was on the wall!
One of the best deals on one of the best TV’s
I had to write.. one guy said that the TV had stuck pixels, you can’t have a stuck pixel on a plasma TV, that’s an LCD thing.
Also, I have no problem with refelection. I bought this as a replacement for an LCD Projection Sony Wega 50″ 720p, and while yes, you can see reflections when the TV is off, It has NEVER bothered me or been noticable with the TV on. And glare(not reflection) bothered me on the LCD display I had in the exact same location.
Oh, and I’m very picky!
My only complaint with this TV is the lack of ‘fine tuning’ that can be done by the user from the menu for calibrationf. I understand you can still get into the sevice menu to do this. But to me, this isn’t a big deal for the price. The details are increadable, the black levels are fantastic.
Best deal available, especially at the price offered on this site!
