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Customer Reviews for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
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Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Model: TH-42PZ85U
SKU: 8723278
UPC: 037988241835
This 42" flat-panel plasma HDTV combines 3D Color Management, motion-pattern noise reduction and simulated surround sound for a rich audio and video experience.1499.99
Average Customer Rating:
4.4
out of 5
(39 Reviews) 39
Rating Snapshot 39 reviews
5 stars
31
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
2 stars
1
1 star
4
87% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
34 out of
39)
Customer Reviews for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Review 1 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
It is a shame it is going away!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: zzandrewss
from Rock Hill, SC
on 03/01/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Price for the QUALITY
What's not so great: Bass Boom
I've had this television for two weeks now and it is a shame Panasonic has disconitnued it and moved to a different model. This TV works great and looks beautiful whether I am watching with the Digital Tuner, with my HD Converter through my cable provider or Blu-Ray. I personally thought I would never own a Panasonic television but after doing research on websites like CNET I decided to give it a try. I am not disappointed with this product quality at all. For this price you should grab it off the shelf FAST!
The only problem I have found is that the Bass Boom setting does not work well and the sound is muffled with the stock speakers. I prefer watching TV with the audio through my Bose 1-2-3 system any ways for better quality Dolby sound so this is really a non-issue for me personally. I am sure most will agree with me on that topic.
I'd recommend this television for everyone and add Panasonic units to it. I purchased a Panasonic Blu-Ray player at the same time and the installation and functionality is flawless. High Quality Product at a very competitive price point!!!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 2 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
LOVE IT!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: lsorkin
from Kansas City, MO
on 02/26/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Perfect for me
LOVE IT!! This is the perfect TV for me. I love the picture color options. Picture quality is FANTASTIC. Great sound without surround sound system! As always, the sales staff at Best Buy was extremely helpful in helping me make the right chice for my room, and personal preferences.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 3 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Best Plasma TV for the Money!!!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Ants587
from St. Paul, MN
on 02/05/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Great HD picture along with easy set up
What's not so great: Speakers are ok
Bought this Tv just prior to Christmas 08' and got it for 999.99 with 150.00 gift card right on the spot and another 100.00 off a Panasonic Blu Ray player. I already own this TV in the 720P model so I knew it was going to be a great television. I've had the TV now for almost 2 months. I just had it calibrated by the Geek Squad who does an excellent job. The HD picture on this TV is great. Blu Ray discs are unbelievable and the picture is a sight to behold. I have 3 other televisions in the home, all of which have been calibrated by the Geek Squad. This 42" 1080P by Panasonic is by far the best TV for your buck. The Geek squad agent who did my TV just told me he bought a Panasonic Plasma for his home. That right there says a lot. You won't be disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 4 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Great tv.
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Gryph
from Boston
on 02/05/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Amazing picture
What's not so great: nothing yet
Bought this about 5 weeks ago. Picture quality is incredible . My only small complaint is that you would think nowadays remotes for these nice tv's would be back lit, but no dice. I spent months researching before deciding on this set, I'm very happy with my decision. I know a lot of people complain about the sound, it's not as bad as I expected. If you have a surround system than it doesn't matter. Great amount of inputs for cable tv , dvd player, video game system and pc. I highly recommend tis set.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 5 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Best plasma for the price
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: ijokr
from monterrey, mexico
on 01/26/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Picture Quality, Price, Black Levels, Brightness
What's not so great: Features, Noise
The picture quality is excellent, the blacks are incredible. This tv is very bright compared to other plasmas,this was one of the reasons I chose this one because during the day I can´t keep my room very dark so that´s a plus. The only problem with this tv is that features in picture calibration are not as much. The other problem is that it makes noise, not much but if you´re close you´ll notice. Other than that the tv is great, I purchased it two weeks ago and haven´t experienced any burn in and we play a lot of games in my house, especially guitar hero. I would recommend it to anyone. The sound of the tv is good but I can´t say much because I have a home theater connected.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 6 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Wow, What a TV!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Tengquen
from Bradenton, FL
on 01/22/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture Quality, Smooth Motion, Accurate Color
What's not so great: Sound Could be Better
I bought this telivision on sale for $1099. I previously had an Insignia 720p television. This is by far, hands down, the best television you can buy in this price range. The picture quality is absolutely stunning. After months of research online, and demos in the store, my search came down to this and an lcd Samsung LN46A550. I like both, but the Panasonic has better blacks, better sound, and MUCH smoother picture during panning or fast movement during movies/sports. You absolutely must get a blu-ray player with this tv...the picture is breathtaking. Most of the reviews that give this television a lower score complain about the sound quality and the heat generated by the set, since it is a plasma. I have had this set for 2 months now, and the sound is perfectly acceptable. I was planning on getting surround, but now I will wait on it. However, if you are an audophile, or if your living room is a larger space, then I would suggest a surround sound system. Also, the heat generated by the set is NOT that much at all. It gets warm if you feel the back of it, but thats it. I also have noticed no increase in my electric bill. I know there is a lot of debate around LCD vs Plasma. In my opinion, Plasma is still the better choice. Panasonic has been perfecting their plasma line for a while now, and it certainly shows. LCD is more power efficient, but not enough to outweigh the other benefits of Plasma. I hope this review helps. Good luck in your search!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 7 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
PZ85U is an excellent
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: webbie
from Sheboygan, WI
on 01/15/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture quality
What's not so great: NOTHING!
We purchased the 42 2008 Panasonic plasma 1080p model TH-42PZ85U about a week ago, after about 2 weeks of almost non-stop comparing of different sets at various stores. Weve watched it during bright glary daytime conditions and dark room evening hours. Weve watched HD channels and SD (standard-def) channels, and HD-DVD movies. Were familiar with the amazing picture quality of High-Def because weve had a Fujitsu plasma for the last 5 years, which was excellent. The Fujitsu developed an un-repairable problem with its power supply circuit panel.
To summarize, the picture quality of the Panasonic TH-42PZ85U plasma is absolutely outstanding! It is stunning! Its mesmerizing. Its like nothing Ive ever seen before. It was great in the store, but even much better under home conditions, without bright store spotlights, with good cable HD service, and without having to share a TV signal with 83 other sets.
In doing the visual research at various stores, I was attracted to LCD sets because of their incredible brightness and bright colors. Under the bright store lights, the poor plasmas looked like dim, lost souls next to the super-nova LCDs. However it soon became evident to me that LCDs had more of an artificial look to the images, especially the human face. Faces on LCD sets looked more plastic and flat, without real-world color gradients. They looked more like a poster. Faces on plasmas looked real, with real texture and color gradations, with a 3 dimensional quality. Other scenes on LCDs also looked more 2 dimensional. On plasmas, the same scene had depth and a 3-D quality. I had read about this, but didnt understand what it meant until I saw it with my own eyes.
The TH-42PZ85U is more than bright enough at home, even during a bright sunny day with lots of direct light coming in from our patio. The brightest picture mode, called vivid is too bright for even those conditions under its default settings. The default color setting is also way too strong and a bit too green. But after adjusting down the brightness and color strength, and adjusting the color tint a little away from green to red, the picture is truly outstanding. In the evening we use a picture mode called cinema, which is soft yet sharp, beautiful and so real you think you are in a movie theater. When cinema mode is not bright enough for our inside lights, we change it to a mode called standard. Each of the modes can be adjusted as you wish, and then retains that adjustment when that mode is chosen later.
Regardless of the picture mode, with an HD signal, the picture is incredibly sharp, smooth and non-grainy, and the quality of the colors is great and realistic. I see no motion artifacts, even when watching fast moving action such as in a basketball game. The blacks are super black, there are lots of gray shades in the dark areas, and the whites are very white. To make blacks even blacker, there is a "black level" setting under the "advanced picture" menu. It gives a choice of "light" or "black". I like it better set to "light" because "black" takes away a little from the gray shades. Even on "light", the blacks look almost as black as the bezel that surrounds the glass panel. This plasma TV has a 3-dimensional quality that just seems to make images pop out.
We have a small room (about 14x10). Two of the chairs are within 4-5 feet of the TV. The 1080 resolution screen resolution really pays off from this close distance. Even from 4 feet, when we are on channels with strong HD signals, the screen is totally smooth, with no graininess, screen-door effect, or ghosting or other artifacts.
As good as a general cable 720p signal looks, even more outstanding is the signal from our (now obsolete) HD-DVD player, which actually puts out a 1080p signal. I was watching Planet Earth on the new Panasonic plasma. The picture quality is incredible.
There are a few things about the TV that are not outstanding. Standard definition programming is very ordinary, not very exciting. I wonder if the 1080 screen resolution of the TV makes standard definition signals look even worse? The built in speakers are so-so, not great. It doesnt matter to us because I put the audio through a surround sound receiver and external speakers. The anti-glare capability of the screen is average. During sunny days we can see some glare from the sunlight outside our patio sliding doors, although the reflection is muted and dimmed.
Overall we are thrilled with this plasma TV. Even though we have had a plasma before, the picture quality is so outstanding we cant seem to pay attention to the program we are watching. We are just mesmerized by the quality of the picture we are seeing.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 8 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Great Plasma TV
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: mwengel62
from Lafayette, IN
on 01/01/2009
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture quality
What's not so great: Nothing
Got this TV with the Panasonic BD-35K Blue Ray player. Setup was easy and picture quality is great. A word of caution. Don't use the Monster Flat Panel cleaning kit. It smears the protective cover Panasonic uses on the screen. Per Panasonic only a damp cloth with highly diluted dishwashing soap sould be used to clean the screen.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 9 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Wonderful TV
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Neilage
from North Carolina
on 12/23/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Great Picture, Easy to work with
What's not so great: Connections location
The picture is just what I'd hoped for! I haven't seen any problems with it yet. No ghosting, no burn-in, no bad areas. It was easy to setup both attaching the hanging bracket aswell as labeling up my connections and the connections' specific color controls and so forth. I only had trouble with it when i connected my other equpiment. If you use the included standing bracket then no problems but when I attached my hanging bracket #and most people hang these TVs right?# the connection site on the TV is right where the bracket can block it. But there are so many seperate connections I just worked around it.
The sound quality I can't speak for. I've got a sound system and only listen to audio through that.
Very Happy with it!
The sound quality I can't speak for. I've got a sound system and only listen to audio through that.
Very Happy with it!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 10 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Great TV for an incredible price!!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: meekless
from richmond, va
on 12/19/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to set up, great picture even with standard def DVD's
What's not so great: Non I can see as of yet
Love this TV. I have been waiting for a long time to finally pull the triger and get my first high def TV. I'm glad I kept waiting. Between a special online deal and special combo price on this TV with a Panasonic Blue Ray player, I saved so much money. I was able to get this Tv at $799, and the BD-35K player for $199. The Best Buy employees were great as always. From the manager and rep in home theater to the customer service rep that helped load my new toys in my car, I thank them all for their help. And as far as the TV goes, WOW!! I have a ton of standard def DVD's, which look incredible upconverted to 1080P. I cannot wait to add some Blue Ray's to my collection. I have only owned the TV now for a couple of days, but at this time I have nothing negative to say. At the price I paid, how could I?
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 11 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
GREAT PLASMA
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: whitedevil070
from Eastpointe,MI
on 12/14/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Everything
What's not so great: NOTHING
This is a great plasma I have zero problems with it and I have had it for a while and well no problems with burn in or anything play video games on it all the time no problems the games in 1080p look unbelievable and HD channels are great looking if your looking for a tv this is the one you want
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 12 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Dead Pixels...twice
Customer Rating
1.0
Posted by: MikeSF
from San Francisco, CA
on 12/05/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
4.0
What's great about it: Great picture, sound, and in/outputs
What's not so great: I had to return it twice for dead pixels
The first TV I received had a dead pixel (always blacked out). So I returned it no problem and received the second TV, and it had the same issue in a different location. I returned it again and gave up. Besides all that, the TV was great, amazing picture and sound. But the dead pixels were a deal breaker so I gave up.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 13 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Good for the Money
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: gecoble
from Melrose, MA
on 11/30/2008
Picture Quality
4.0
Sound Quality
4.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Solid picture & easy set up
What's not so great: Not much
I got this TV after my Philips failed. I really liked that TV with the Ambilight, but the picture had some problems and could not be fixed. The Best Buy warranty worked very well and I was offered the Panny as a replacement. I was a little skeptical at first, but I have come around to really enjoy this TV. I cannot recommend the sound as I use my surround system. The picture is very movie like, which I really enjoy. Animation is fantastic and sports have no trailer effect. Up close, the picture can become a little muddy on standard definition stations, but I am really picky. On HD, this TV is great. For the money, this is a great TV. Oh, and that Best Buy warranty, the TV was free, but I just renewed the warranty.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 14 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Great TV
Customer Rating
5.0
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture, ease of use, sound for a flat screen, appearance, runs cool
What's not so great: Nothing
This set is the best you can get for the price. Go with this one over the 80u...the picture is only a little better but the bezel appearance makes it worth an extra $100 or $200. The sound is actually pretty darn good for a flat screen, but obviously a home theatre will make it better. Be sure to follow the 100 hr break in period guidelines and always 'cinema' mode...it give the best picture by far. Check out the AVS forums for proper calibration settins. This is a great set and beats any lcd...and with the price you cannot go wrong.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 15 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
WOW!!! What a picture.
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: plasmajunkie
on 11/11/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture quality, sound and features
What's not so great: Price
This is the end all for 42" plasma. Everything is better on this TV. The only drawback is the price for a 42" - you get what you pay for though :)
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 16 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Awesome TV
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: NurseNancy
from LaMesa
on 11/09/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Picture quality, sound, sleek design.
What's not so great: I watch TV way too much now!!
I spent a lot of time researching a TV before purchasing. My condo has a lot of light so I almost went with the LCD but instead I thought that I'd buy the 42 inch Panasonic plasma 85 first, and if it has glare I'd take it back. The picture doesn't have a glare but the surrounding glossy frame does. (It doesn't interfere with the picture though.) The picture is great in daylight but especially awesome at night. The sound is great so I'm not going to purchase surround sound yet. I did have to turn off the dolby sound b/c it reverberates when you use the DVR for taping. I paid 1199.00 for it on sale which I think is a great price compared to other places. Costco has the older version w/ 20,000 color ratio (opposed to 30,000) but it isn't a sleek looking as this one. I've never owned a flat screen before, but so far I'm hooked and wouldn't change a thing. My only complaint is that I'm watching TV twice as much as usual b/c the pic is so great!! The house work is kinda falling by the wayside if ya know what I mean. Oh....My place looks so much bigger cause it is so slim and sleek looking. I could have gone with the 46 but it was quite a bit more expensive. Anyway....Get it!! You'll love it!! No regrets here...
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 17 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
The Best TV
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: Kaspar
from Lake Houston,Texas
on 11/08/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Everything
What's not so great: Nothing
Best Pic out there it doe's not get hot ,I have friends with other flat tvs and there's get hot and the pic dont even come close.2 of my friends have went out and bought this tv and after my cousin and aunt saw it ,They are the next two to buy it all I can say is go buy it you will love it
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 18 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Panasonic Plasma - Outstanding
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MNRetired
from Bloomington, Minnesota
on 11/06/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
Images for this Review
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What's great about it: Excellent picture, versatile inputs, good price
What's not so great: Nothing, so far
Reviewer: Minnesota Retired from Bloomington, Minnesota on Nov 6, 2008
This is my first plasma TV (Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U, 1080P), purchased 11-2-08. Mounting the screen on the non-swivel base took a little doing, best done by two people, to align screws for fastening, but the rest is easy. Out of the box, my initial impression was not good, picture-wise. However, for some reason, Panasonic chose "standard" picture mode on startup, in which the default picture settings were pretty dark for use in a well-lit room, and not very impressive. However, upon learning more about the various picture modes (standard, custom, vivid, cinema and game) and the ability to adjust the various parameters within each of these modes, I was amazed at the clarity, sharpness, contrast and true-colors that are possible. I had been looking at 42", good quality, 1080P LCD's, but even the best ones didn't have the sharpness, true color, etc. of this Panasonic. Of course, the in-store units are generally hooked up to the best possible HD input signals, unlike what many folks have at home. Even so, the fluorescent background lighting used in LCD's, while providing substantial brightness, seems to give a sort of "neon" coloring to large, colored areas, such as grass, etc., unlike the plasma sets. I was told by a friend who knows plasma TV's that the plasma picture gets even better with time (perhaps the plasma in the cells develops to a higher performance level?). The inputs and outputs of this set are impressive (3 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, optical digital audio out, S-video, PC, program out (audio/video), SD memory card reader, RF, etc. In my opinion, the plasma sets are still definitely superior to the LCD's, and the price has dropped considerably, now comparing favorably with the improved LCD's. The refresh scan rate of plasmas is 480/ Hz, compared to only 60 Hz for LCD , or 120 Hz on the higher priced LCD versions. The improved LCD's are still well behind the plasmas. This gives the plasma much better motion capture (without blurring or jerkiness, which is great for watching sports events). This model of the Viera line has improved anti-reflective filtering on the glass screen face, and glare/reflections are much improved over our previous TV, under the same lighting conditions. Reflections of windows and room lighting are virtually eliminated. I do not presently have the high definition equipment required to take full advantage of this HD TV's capability, but, frankly, I don't feel that I need it for now . My next step will probably be to obtain a speaker/receiver system so that I can take advantage of the surround sound capability and, possibly, a blu-ray DVD player. The two speakers located at the front, bottom of the screen, are angled outward, rather than downward, and they do seem to provide excellent sound characteristics. Several features now help to eliminate a previous problem of burn-in on plasma sets, and lifetime is now rated at something like 100,000 hours or more, well over 10 years of 8-hours a day use, so the old bugaboo of short life and having to "refill" plasma gas is apparently a thing of the past. Panasonic plasma HDTV's were top rated ,overall, in Consumer Reports, early 2008, above plasma LG, Samsung, Philips, Hitachi, HP and another Hitachi version. In all three aspects of picture quality, HD, DVD and standard definition, the Panasonic TH-42PX77U was rated excellent, and I presume that the tested model was a predecessor of the TH-42PZ85U (more recent version, not yet rated). Based on impressions of this model, thus far, I would highly recommend it to flat panel, HDTV purchasers. I hope my researching and impressions are useful to you in making your choice.
This is my first plasma TV (Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ85U, 1080P), purchased 11-2-08. Mounting the screen on the non-swivel base took a little doing, best done by two people, to align screws for fastening, but the rest is easy. Out of the box, my initial impression was not good, picture-wise. However, for some reason, Panasonic chose "standard" picture mode on startup, in which the default picture settings were pretty dark for use in a well-lit room, and not very impressive. However, upon learning more about the various picture modes (standard, custom, vivid, cinema and game) and the ability to adjust the various parameters within each of these modes, I was amazed at the clarity, sharpness, contrast and true-colors that are possible. I had been looking at 42", good quality, 1080P LCD's, but even the best ones didn't have the sharpness, true color, etc. of this Panasonic. Of course, the in-store units are generally hooked up to the best possible HD input signals, unlike what many folks have at home. Even so, the fluorescent background lighting used in LCD's, while providing substantial brightness, seems to give a sort of "neon" coloring to large, colored areas, such as grass, etc., unlike the plasma sets. I was told by a friend who knows plasma TV's that the plasma picture gets even better with time (perhaps the plasma in the cells develops to a higher performance level?). The inputs and outputs of this set are impressive (3 HDMI, 2 component, 2 composite, optical digital audio out, S-video, PC, program out (audio/video), SD memory card reader, RF, etc. In my opinion, the plasma sets are still definitely superior to the LCD's, and the price has dropped considerably, now comparing favorably with the improved LCD's. The refresh scan rate of plasmas is 480/ Hz, compared to only 60 Hz for LCD , or 120 Hz on the higher priced LCD versions. The improved LCD's are still well behind the plasmas. This gives the plasma much better motion capture (without blurring or jerkiness, which is great for watching sports events). This model of the Viera line has improved anti-reflective filtering on the glass screen face, and glare/reflections are much improved over our previous TV, under the same lighting conditions. Reflections of windows and room lighting are virtually eliminated. I do not presently have the high definition equipment required to take full advantage of this HD TV's capability, but, frankly, I don't feel that I need it for now . My next step will probably be to obtain a speaker/receiver system so that I can take advantage of the surround sound capability and, possibly, a blu-ray DVD player. The two speakers located at the front, bottom of the screen, are angled outward, rather than downward, and they do seem to provide excellent sound characteristics. Several features now help to eliminate a previous problem of burn-in on plasma sets, and lifetime is now rated at something like 100,000 hours or more, well over 10 years of 8-hours a day use, so the old bugaboo of short life and having to "refill" plasma gas is apparently a thing of the past. Panasonic plasma HDTV's were top rated ,overall, in Consumer Reports, early 2008, above plasma LG, Samsung, Philips, Hitachi, HP and another Hitachi version. In all three aspects of picture quality, HD, DVD and standard definition, the Panasonic TH-42PX77U was rated excellent, and I presume that the tested model was a predecessor of the TH-42PZ85U (more recent version, not yet rated). Based on impressions of this model, thus far, I would highly recommend it to flat panel, HDTV purchasers. I hope my researching and impressions are useful to you in making your choice.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 19 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
DO NOT BUY PANASONIC PLASMA TV'S
Customer Rating
1.0
Posted by: SCOUT2004
from CA
on 10/24/2008
What's great about it: Nothing
What's not so great: The support when it breaks
DO NOT PURCHASE THIS PRODUCT. I purchased this product 6 months ago and I have already called three times into the Panasonic Concierge Support team. The first was to fix a pixel issue with the screen. I took them three weeks to fix the problem. The second time I called in was because of the known bug with the HDMI ports that causes the power on the unit to go out and have multilple blinks. Basically it doesn't work and they didn't have a fix for it at the time. The third time was the same problem and I was sent out a fix. A HDMI cable with an extender. It did not work. My trouble ticket was escalated to their Field Support Rep to decide on a fix. I am going on one week since this was assigned to a FSR and I have not heard from anyone. I've called in for updates and the only thing I am told is that it has been escalated again and that this is the only thing they can do. Botton line DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT. PANASONIC CUSTOMER CARE IS BROKEN AND THEY WILL NOT ASSIST YOU TO FIND A FIX. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER PANASONIC PRODUCT AGAIN.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Review 20 for Panasonic 42" 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
My first 1080p Plasma TV!
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: 2HYPEDJS
from Orange County, CA
on 10/20/2008
Picture Quality
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0
Features
5.0
What's great about it: Image quality at 1080p, mulitple HDMI inputs, superb color depth and clarity and works great with my Sony PS3 (80G).
What's not so great: Produces a bit more heat than I initaly thought...other than that, there are no problems.
I did plenty of shopping around and for the size of my living room, in my apartment, a 42" TV was the most ideal size for me. I recently bought this plasma tv from Best Buy along with a Sony PS3, as mentioned above, and the combonation of the two is awesome! I truly can not belive that this 1080p quality feals so alive, when I am watching a blue-ray movie, or even playing a game. I am very happy with this plasma and I strongly would recommend it to anyone looking for a solid mid-level plasma!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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