Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Best Buy Ratings and Reviews

Customer Reviews for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

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Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Model: TH-42PZ80U
SKU: 8732838
UPC: 037988241972
With 3D color management, rich 20,000:1 native contrast and a 20W speaker system with simulated surround sound, this plasma HDTV delivers a true cinematic experience. The Secure Digital media card slot lets you view still images from Secure Digital media on your TV (media not included).1299.99
Average Customer Rating:
4.661 out of 5
4.7
 out of 
5
(65 Reviews) 65
Open Ratings Snapshot
Rating Snapshot 65 reviews
5 stars
55
4 stars
6
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
4
94% of customers would recommend this product to a friend 
(
61 out of 65
)
Customer Reviews for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV
Review 1 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great TV...Too Bad it Died on Me

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: Anonymous
from Cleveland, OH
on 02/09/2009
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
I bought this TV back in late December of 2008 after reading rave reviews about it and had it delivered on January 3rd of 2009. When I first set-up my TV I was amazed by the picture quality (without even adjusting any of the color settings). I then connected my Blu-Ray player to it and began to watch Planet Earth, and was even more impressed by the picture quality. It was like looking through a window and seeing a jungle, dessert, mountains, etc. right in front of you. Well needless to say after 4 weeks of owning my tv, it died on me. The screen went black and the LED began to flash 10 times. I've done some research on this and it looks like one or more of several boards have malfunctioned in the unit. This is really worrying me and am in the process of looking into returning my this TV in for a different model.
What's great about it: Inexpensive, Great Picture
What's not so great: Defective
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Excellent TV

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Tommyhawk
from Cleveland OH
on 02/05/2009
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I originally went to BB dead set on an LCD TV. I ended up buying a 37LG50 1080p LCD, and when I got it home, I was disgusted by the motion blur, poor contrast ratio, and washed out blacks. I returned it a week later for a Samsung 530 40 inch 1080p lcd, and was happier with it, but still not really impressed. The same color, contrast and motion problems were apparent on the samsung, but to a lesser extent. I went back to look at a 120hz LCD to hopefully fix the blurring issues, and was not really that impressed. The motion still looked choppy and artificial. Compared with my 3 year old Insignia 30 inch CRT HDTV (at 1080i), the lcd's all looked like garbage in terms of contrast, color, and motion. Even the high end 120hz LCD models couldn't come close to the old CRT, except in terms of the resolution.
Then I saw the Panasonic Plasmas and did a bit of research on them. I was originally against Plasma due to the burn-in and durability problems they were known for in the past. After a little research however, it looked like panasonic and some other manufacturers had done a good job of reducing the severity of these problems to the point where they were on a similar level as a CRT, which I never had problems with.
So I returned the Samsung, and picked up the Panasonic 42 inch 1080p. It didn't look much different in the store, but once I got it home, it took my breath away. The colors were real, the blacks were deep, and the motion was completely natural. Finally this was it. This TV puts the old CRT to shame in every category. On the LCD tv's, I spent hours trying to tweak the picture trying to make it look acceptable. With this plasma, I couldn't make it look bad no matter what I did! I was told to keep the settings low for the first 200 hours to break in the TV, and it still looks amazing, even with all the picture adjustment settings below 50.
Playing games like COD4 and 5 is unreal on this thing. There is no motion blur to speak of, and it is much easier to see movement due to the deep contrast ratio. I feel like I just got a lot better at the game, because it's so easy to spot enemies. Movies look great too, even just DVD's upconverted to 720p on my XBOX 360. (as a side note, xbox looks like garbage at 1080p- it puts too much stress on the hardware. Keep it at 720p, or get a PS3).
The sound is very good for a flat panel, but I did of course hook up my surround system, which is obviously going to sound much better. I will give it 5 stars though, because it's very good for what it is.
My only gripe is that burn in is still a concern. I did notice some burn in the corner after playing COD5 for a few hours, and it stuck there for a few days. It really freaked me out that I had permanently damaged the TV, but it did go away after a few days. Hopefully once the TV is broken in fully, this will no longer be a problem. Also, i'm hoping that there are no durability issues, but only time will tell. I'll try to update later.
All in all, this TV, or the updated Panasonic 85u model are the best bang for your buck, and the best picture you are going to see for under 1500 bucks. Period.
What's great about it: Incredible picture, no motion lag, great price to value.
What's not so great: Burn in and durability concerns.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 3 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Amazing Picture Quality

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Hess
from Glen Allen, VA
on 01/30/2009
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I picked up this TV yesterday to replace my 3 yr old 42' rear projection with optical block issues. Was blown away by the picture quality. Set-up was very easy and adjustments to picture and audio were simple to make. All of the reviews that I have read on this TV have been accurate so far. Plasma is the way to go! The technology has come a long way. No need to be so concerned with burn-in and life span anymore. Picture quaility and price are better than LCD.
What's great about it: Great Price, Simple Setup, Amazing Picture
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 4 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great HDTV

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: gonzograndslam
from Waconia
on 01/23/2009
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
The picture quality and the ease of use exceed all expectations . With the blueray 1080p it looks stunning. The contrast is sharp with the darkest darks and realistic brights. Also, this plasma handles the fast speeds of racing games in XBOX 360 very well. The sound from the 2 speakers is pretty good
What's great about it: Inexpensive, Exceeded expectations, Easy to use, great picture
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Poor reliability. Not worth the price

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: SWF007
from Baltimore
on 01/23/2009
Picture Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Sound Quality
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
3.0 out of 5
3.0
The TV stopped working 7 weeks after purchase. It would not turn on. Panasonic tech will come out to repair onsite. The reason I bought this brand in the first place was for reliability, which obviously, is not what's its turning out to be. Better off buying a no-name brand, they come with the same 1-year warranty that Panasonic provides and will cost you hundreds less.
What's great about it: Good Picture quality
What's not so great: Stopped working 7 weeks after purchase.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 6 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Excellent Choice

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: sharkycharger
from Cleveland, OH
on 12/27/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
This was the "me" gift for Christmas... I was fully prepared to pay the $1099 sale price, when my girlfriend noticed an "out-of-package" model displayed for $879... The display stand was cracked, and a few fingerprints, but it had already been calibrated and run through it's "break-in" period. Thank goodness we didn't opt for the 50", because there would have been no way to get the thing home upright! (A must for plasmas).
...After a short scramble to find it's proper remote, we were on our way home. Set-up took roughly 5 minutes, and of course a quick run-through with channel programming, and picture-settings fiddling. One great thing is the set's ability to retain settings based off of each input. SD channels are decent, as this set does an admirable job with them, but, like any HD set, you'll find the "old standby's" nearly intolerable. We're upping our cable to an HD package very soon. Integration of broadcast HD into the total channel-surfing lineup provides a nice preview of the picture quality to come in the meantime...
Sound quality is decent; the surround isn't a "true" surround experience, but that's what home theater set-ups are for. Standard DVD's are beautiful, although viewing from closer than 3-4 feet reveals their limitations (the jury is still out on the whole Blu-Ray upgrade; we'll pass for now, unless I decide to spring for a PS3).
Once Sunday rolls around, we'll see how it performs with sports; I'm sure I won't be disappointed. For now, it's time to catch up on movies!
What's great about it: picture quality, black levels, price
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 7 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Awesome TV

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: philspice1
from Broken Arrow, OK
on 12/23/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
This TV replaced a 32" Sharp LCD. The black level and motion response are way better on this plasma than on any LCD I've seen. Blu-ray movies look amazing. The only (minor) complaints with this model are that while it can accept a 24Hz signal, it can't display it natively at 24Hz but does 3:2 pulldown. The remote will only operate the TV and not other devices like a DVD player. And the power usage is quite a bit more than my 32" LCD, but then again, this is a 10" larger screen. Very minor issues for a wonderful TV.
What's great about it: Incredible Picture Quality
What's not so great: No 24Hz Mode, Power Usage
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 8 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Panasonic Plasma's are great

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Erik76
from Rockford, MI
on 12/16/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
This is the second plasma I purchased from Panasonic. I needed a smaller one since my 55" looked too big for the living room. That one is now in the man cave with surround sound. I bought this for fear of refresh rates on LCD's and sports. I am a sports nut and love the crisp vivid pictures that Panasonic TV's put out. BONUS on this model is the anti-reflective screen. Since my living room is full of windows. I don't even notice glare except on the plastic around the screen. Again great bright picture!! Love the Panasonic tv. Don't worry about screen burn unless you leave it on a still screen for hours. Did this once with my 55" TV (3 hours). had a little burn that went away with a few hours of watching tv. Forgot it on the digital weather channel.
If you want a bright vivid TV then buy this one.
What's great about it: Picture quality
What's not so great: remote lacks options.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 9 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Panasonic

Customer Rating
1.0 out of 5
1.0
Posted by: bogged
from PA
on 12/12/2008
Picture Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Sound Quality
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Features
2.0 out of 5
2.0
Bought this TV 10-2-08 and it worked fine for a few weeks. Then on the day before Thanksgiving 3" inches from top to bottom of the screen went black. Called the Repair line and they said could be out in a week. Wow, no fullscreen football! A week later tech comes out and says he has to order a part, It'll take 2 weeks to get it in. Part comes in and have to schedule another visit for install. Tech gets to my home yesterday with replacement board, he says they are short of help and I have to help him remove it from the wall. We get the TV down and the tech takes 1 1/2 hours to replace the 2 bottom boards C1 &C2. Turns the TV on before reassembly to make sure it works properly and lo and behold! NO picture 3" from top to bottom. He now says it must be the screen and not the boards and the screen costs well over $1000 (only paid $899 for the TV)so Panasonic would most likely replace the TV. Tech calls Panasonic from my house and they say "Don't replace The TV order a new screen." Great! BS! Now I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER 2-3 WEEKS TECH SAYS! Reschedule when screen comes in and it will take a fwe hours for this repair because every part and board has to be taken from my TV to be put on the new screen, A TOTAL REBUILD! What the h377! Tech also says he's never done this before. No room for error here, eh? This will be my last PLASMA and last PANASONIC. Going with a Samsung LCD for my next room. LCD only have 2 boards opposed to the plasmas 10 -12. Sorry for the long rant. Will post later about the results.
What's great about it: Nice picturewhen it's working
What's not so great: Technician's can't get it to work!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 10 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great TV

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: afg107
from Cincinnati, OH
on 12/08/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I just bought this tv over the weekend and it was easy to setup and the picture quality is outstanding. It has plenty of hookups in the back and front to accommodate all your needs. I got mine on sale for $1099.00 I thought that was a great price for what you get. Panasonic is the leader in plasma technology and they have options to prevent burn-in on this tv. I would recommend this tv to anyone and everyone I know.
What's great about it: Easy to set up, picture quality, sound quality
What's not so great: Nothing so far..
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 11 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Panasonic #1 Plasma

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Rich267
from Las Vegas, NV
on 12/07/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
This T.V. is awesome, I see alot of t.v. getting ok reviews on sound quality. I think the sound quality is fine on the this t.v., why do you think we have the option to buy 5.1,6.1,7.1 surround sound. You can't compare the two.
What's great about it: Easy set up
What's not so great: A little heavy, but plasma are!
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 12 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

High Quality

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: russdog2204
from Lexington, KY
on 11/26/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
3.0 out of 5
3.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I have had the tv for a few months. Bought it in May and now it's november. It's still running good. I have an eye for picture quality and an ear for audio quality. The picture is fabulous. No problems whatsoever. The sound is what you'd expect from a tv. Not bad but not the greatest either. I have a 7.1 sound sound home theater set up so audio is not really an issue for me. It has all the connections I want. It's a little heavy to pick up and mount on a wall above a fireplace by yourself. But most plasmas are heavy. Plasma do suck some energy but at least this one has earned an energy star. I would buy it all over again given the chance to redo the decision.
What's great about it: Great Picture Quality
What's not so great: Heavy, but it's a plasma
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 13 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Awesome Picture - Good Value

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: neocacher
from Rapid City, SD
on 11/23/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
The picture is terrific. I also have a new Samsung 40 inch LCD which I like very much. I bought this because I needed a 2nd TV and I heard sports are better on Plasmas. The picture is terrific. I will be hooking this up to a yamaha/Klipsch surround system that I love. The picture is TERRIFIC! I wish the remote was a little better with more options, but my panasonic blu ray player is of the same brand so the both work together and I like that. I purchased this on sale with a free bluray player. Wait for sales . They always have them! I didnt think the next model up or the next size up was worth the money, but I did consider the 46 and 50 inch of this same model. I am not sure the 85u is worth the extra money, but it may be to you! Did I mention that the picture is TERRIFIC?
What's great about it: Value, Picture
What's not so great: Menu, Remote
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

One of the best Plasma TVs

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: AdamBr0
from Milwaukee, WI
on 11/20/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
I bought this TV about 1.5 months ago. I waited to write a review to make sure I knew everything about the TV.
The picture on this TV is wonderful. I would go with this over the 85u because the price is lower, and you are only charged more for the 85u because there is a computer input (and you shouldn't even use computers on plasma screens) and because the third HDMI input is on the back rather than the front (which I could see being annoying to SOME people).
The picture and black level is wonderful. Burn in/image retention should not be a problem at all with Panasonics, especially if you do the 100 hour "break in" period with the TV, where all the picture settings are around 55 or lower. The color that this TV puts out are the most true I have ever seen, WAAAY better than the LCD counterparts. Sports are wonderful on it because of its high refresh rate.
The sound the TV puts out is quite good for a TV; good bass and good audio projection around the room.
The glass panel is good because of Panasonics great "glare reduction" technology on the glass. Glare is almost no problem at all, and I have white painted walls with windows.
Only downsides are the remote control and the menu setup. The remote seems small and awkward in the hand. It has no back light or glow. The menu screen, when changing settings, only stays popped up for about 2-3 seconds then goes back to it's parent menu, making it annoying when changing picture settings.
BUY THIS TV
What's great about it: Picture, Black Level, Design, Sound
What's not so great: Menu Screens, Remote
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great Look, Great Performance

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Ayoodi
from Stow, Ohio
on 11/03/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I loved my panasonic Plazma tv. i use it to play Video games (PS3 and Xbox360) and it gives me all the HD resolution and colors i want to see and experience, and the sound is so real and deep. and like any Plasma tv , when not watching turn off so you can avoid the pixle burn which marks sometimes in your screen , But with the great feature in panasonic there is a White scroll mode that refreshes the screen and returns every thing to normal .
What's great about it: The Picture Clearity and Sound is Perfect
What's not so great: No headset Jack at front
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 16 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great TV

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: ncsuche08
from Raleigh, NC
on 10/24/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
I just got this TV and it looks great, even when turned off. The picture is great and the sound is better than expected. Shop around and find someone who can calibrate it for your light settings, it acctually does help. Often you will see places include a discount on the TV if you add this option. Overall a great buy.
What's great about it: Picture, sound-both quality and volume, prices are good and you can find a great deal at some places right now
What's not so great: finish will gather finger print smudges easily-so frequent cleaning for those who care about that
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 17 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Amazing Picture

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: TaterNuts
from Minnetonka, MN
on 10/23/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
I just bought the Panasonic 42" 1080p Plasma TV after having my Samsung 40" 720p LCD TV blow up on me. The tube went out on it and to be honest, I'm not that upset. I was never that pleased with the picture quality although it was quite the TV to have in college. I am so blown away by the picture quality of my new Panasonic 1080p plasma that I would highly recommend it to any sports fan out there. It follows the game speed like no other TV I have seen.
What's great about it: The picture is exceptionally clear and crisp
What's not so great: Only 2 HDMI inputs
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
Review 18 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Great Value for the cost

Customer Rating
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Posted by: kiz21
from Georgia
on 10/20/2008
Picture Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
I purchased this TV about 2 weeks ago and have been very pleased. The only problem is that the ceiling light in the room with the TV casts a dramatic glare off of the screen. When table lamps are turned on the picture is much better. I would not recommend this TV to anyone who does not have the option of controlling the light in the room.
What's great about it: Great picture
What's not so great: Light drastically affects screen
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 19 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Best Picture at this price

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: ranger34
from San Antonio, TX
on 10/20/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
4.0 out of 5
4.0
This TV is the best TV available in this price range. Have had it for awhile now, and really couldn't be happier. Picture quality is excellent when adjusted properly. (No TV looks right straight out of the box). Audio is loud enough, and sounds like a TV, nothing really special. For customers who own a lot of HDMI-enabled equipment, keep in mind that one of the three HDMI inputs is on the front of the TV. If you have more than two things that use HDMI, consider getting an HDMI switch, or an audio system with multiple HDMI inputs. Overall, this TV is great, much better than any of the LCDs that can be had at this price point.
What's great about it: Excellent Value
What's not so great: Third HDMI in front
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
Review 20 for Panasonic 42" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Excellent TV!

Customer Rating
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Posted by: Fenixfire077
from Hamptons, NY
on 10/20/2008
Picture Quality
5.0 out of 5
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0 out of 5
4.0
Features
5.0 out of 5
5.0
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I Love this TV!!! i've had it for several weeks now, and i can't stop watching it! it's made watching tv THAT much more enjoyable. SO easy to use, and the beautiful design flows right in with my living room. also - assembling the tv to the stand is ingenious! so much easier than any other flat panel i've worked with! the ONE thing i dislike, is 'bass boost' mode, it's a sound enhancement i guess? but it makes voices sound real creepy, an example: if you've ever seen donnie darko?? EVERYONE sounds like that big bunny when you have bass boost on. but thankfully, i don't notice a quality difference in the 'bass' whether it's on or off, so big deal!
Buy this Tv, it's incredible!
What's great about it: Picture Quality, Easy Assembly, Beautiful design, Ease of use.
What's not so great: 'Bass Boost' mode (in sound menu) makes for some scary voices!
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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