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Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Model number: TH-50PZ80U | SKU: 8740419

Add true cinematic experience to your home theater system with this plasma HDTV that features x.v.Color and Deep Color technologies for vivid, lifelike color reproduction. View still images from Secure Digital media on your TV via the Secure Digital media card slot (media not included). <class="gs_iv">Geek Squad Installation Videos© See how our highly trained Geek Squad Installers can help you get the most out of your home theater.

Average Customer Rating:

4.9 out of 5

20 of 20 (100%) customers would recommend this product to a friend.

Customer Reviews for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Review 1 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

4.0 5

Terrific plasma - great product 12/28/2008
By Iam4LSU from Dallas, TX

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

3.0 5

Features

4.0 5

What's great about it: almost spot on color out of the box, only minor tweaking needed
What's not so great: lack of customized color/gamma settings in user menu, no VGA input

"I wanted to give this a 5 star overall rating, but the sound and lack of customization features keeps it at a four. However, if your over-riding criteria is simply best picture for the buck, then this plasma qualifies for the five star rating. It doesn't have the "BLACK!" blacks of the Kuro's, but overall, it has an eye-popping, sharp and precise image that only needs minor tweaking to fully enjoy and immerse yourself into.

With Blu-Ray movies at 24p/1080p it is simply stunning with very little mosquito noise in the shadows or very light areas. With Verizon Fios feeding the plasma a 1080i signal, the images are exceedingly detailed, vibrant and lifelike. I'd like to have better sound, but it is what it is and what I expected, so I'm not going to belabor the point. Get a decent outboard sound system to match up with this plasma for a pleasurable watching and listening experience. The media player loads quickly and is easy to navigate through. It lacks a Zoom function, which would be nice.

I was able to make a purchase when the set was reduced in price to $1499 and I received an additional $300 discount to $1199.00 for purchasing a Panasonic Blu-Ray player. I needed to make that purchase anyway, so this only swayed me from Sony to Panasonic. With the discounted price of $1199, I'm happy. I used the cost savings to purchase the 4 additional years of extended Geek Squad warranty.

5 years ago I was selling professional 50" NEC plasmas at 900:1 contrast and at 1280 x 768 resolution for around $13,500.00. Getting a 1080p plasma with native contrast of 20,000:1 and dynamic contrast of 1,000,000:1 is such a bargain at $1200.00!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes
Is this product used primarily for business?: No

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Review 2 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Awesome Picture 12/18/2008
By jtcrusader from Lynchburg, VA

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Everything
What's not so great: Nothing

"This review is after just a few hours of viewing. My only reaction is HOLY COW WHAT A PICTURE. I upgraded from a Panny rear-projective HDTV and the difference is almost like going from SD to HD.

My advice is also do some research on the break-in period, as there are some DVD's available that will help during the 100-150 hour period. Just be smart about what you watch during that time, as well."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes
Is this product used primarily for business?: No

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Review 3 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

SCREAMING HD PICTURE! 12/05/2008
By RoLLLLTide from Bama

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

4.0 5

Features

4.0 5

What's great about it: Value, setup, cabinet appearance, brand.
What's not so great: Hooked on HD channels. Can't go back.

"Extreme 50in. HDTV for the price. Deep blacks for excellent contrast.
No glare problem (even in a room with table lamps). Want 1080p and you watch sports, movies, and network TV in HD?
Want to spend less than 1,400.00? This is a very satisfying choice. Panasonic knows Plasma TV."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes
Is this product used primarily for business?: No

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Review 4 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Best buy plasma tv 11/28/2008
By tvzombie5

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Outstanding picture quality for a great price
What's not so great: TV sound alone is not bad. But pales in comparison to a theatre sound system like the Bose I have it paired to.

"I compared flat panel tvs for a long time and decided that for the room that the television was going in a plasma would work fine. I knew I was getting a quality picture for a lower comparable price vs. an LCD unit. I looked at Consumer Reports magazine article and knew that the Panasonic was highly rated. So far I am amazed every time I turn it on a watch. Friends and family are awed by the picture quality also. The High Definition picture is so crisp, clear and lifelike. The way the unit displays lower definition signals is equally impressive. The SD card reader mounted on the front panal was another feature that was a big plus. Viewing photos on this set is really cool, and easy. The Best Buy team helped in selecting the perfect accesories and Geek Squad wall mounting was very well done. I think the only thing that is only mildly a downer is that it is heavy to move for viewing at different angles. But that could actually be corrected with a fancy motorized mounting arm and is not the TV's fault. The wide viewing angles are another big plus by the way."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Review 5 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Excellent Television 11/06/2008
By playit1788 from Michigan

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: great picture, better then expected sound quality, Love the remote
What's not so great: Nothing

"this is an absolute great television, my ps3 upconverts all my dvds and even though this tv is only 720p it looks great. sound quality is absolute genius, no vibrations very clear and crisp. Color quality is very true to real love color. I work at best buy and i have been keeping my eye on this guy for a while. this is a definite recommend to buy. Great tv"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes
Is this product used primarily for business?: No

0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Review 6 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Great picture 11/04/2008
By HD101 from Wisconsin

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

3.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Easy setup and menu. Great picture quality. The deepest blacks compared to other plasmas I've seen.
What's not so great: It needs better speakers.

"The remote is small and easy to use. The menu is easy and so is setup. The colors are vivid and the blacks are deep. It desperatley needs a couple good speakers by Infinity or Klipsch installed because the system it has is a little muffled."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes
Is this product used primarily for business?: No

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Review 7 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Great Purchase... 10/21/2008
By NeuroKinetic from CA

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Picture, Size, and Features
What's not so great: Sound and no Swivel

"To start off for the price, this TV is by far the best in class. It's the model under the TH-50PZ85U but meets all the same expectations for a couple hundred dollars cheaper.

The main quarrel with this unit is the sound isn't what I thought it would be, even hooked into my receiver the sound wasn't that great. but it seems to of been fixed with another one. So, I'm assuming it was a bad TV.

But the picture quality is amazing, with it's 1080P Million to 1 dynamic and it's 20,000 to 1 native contrast ratio. It delivers vibrant rich colors even beating Samsung, Pioneer, and LG which actually have 10,000 more Native Contrast Ratio. Panasonic didn't short themselves with this TV, this TV is amazing...

It has three individual screens to help prevent burn in, so the gas can switch between screens. Re-enforced screen to be "Wii-Proof." Has an Anti-Reflective screen now though not an anti-glare which I think was a better feature on the last year Panasonics.

Technically this TV is awesome, Quality wise... It's exceptional as well. You get what you buy and more- I can't begin to explain how awesome this TV is. If you see this screen in a store where they know how to refine the color correctly- it is beautiful.

When I first saw it, it was on a 720P Satellite Signal out-shining some tough competition. It's color was more detailed, vibrant, and overall perfect. Then comparing the price tag it beat the competition by over $500 dollars...

I put it to a 1080 P Blu Ray and it was simply breath taking, the quality is amazing... One purchase you won't regret."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 8 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Top 250 Contributor

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Amazing Picture!!! 09/21/2008
By BOX1 from Arkansas

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Great with BluRay and XBox 360
What's not so great: Wish I would have bought it sooner..

"If you don't have this HDTV you are missing out. Just check out the picture quality and you will be getting it the same day. Must see..."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Review 9 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

best tV 09/16/2008
By ernie12

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

5.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's not so great: MAKES THINGS LOOK TO REAL

"WHISH I WOULD HAVE GOT ONE EARLYER HAS THE BEST PICTURE ON ANY OTHER I HAVE SEEN"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Review 10 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Best Plama Under $2000 09/04/2008
By brettday2002 from Oklahoma City

Picture Quality

5.0 5

Sound Quality

3.0 5

Features

5.0 5

What's great about it: Picture Quality, packed With Feature
What's not so great: Horrible sounding speaker

"Returned a faulty Samsung LCD and opted for plasma after 2 failed attempts with samsung LCD TV's
This Plasma from Panasonic i remarkable! The picture quality is just outstanding! SD channels look crisp and clear, and HD has to be seen to be believed. PS3 and Bluray will make your jaw drop and hit the floor.
Remember to follow the break in period on this set so that image retention and burn in will be less of an issue down the line! Just don' have any of the adjustable picture settings above 50 for the first 100 hundred hours of use and have the picture zoomed in (no black bars) you will be fine. This will greatly reduce image retention in the future as the phosphurs will get an even burn in during the break in period.

Burn is less of a problem now than it ever has been. It will take a static image about 8 hours to burn in nowadays compared to an hour from just a few years back.

This tv has many anti image retention and burn in features such as the orbiter which makes the pixels rotate (unable to be seen by the human eye) every 1,2,3 or 4 minutes depending on how you want it set up. Plasmas also generate a lot of heat but this plasma has got 3 fans built into the back of the tv and they are whisper quiet, you cannot even hear them running!
For under $2000 this Panasonic is the way to go if you are looking for a 50" Plasma! If you are on the fence, get off of it and go buy it now! You will not regret it!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Review 11 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Pretty Darn Good 08/03/2008
By JosephK from Kenmore NY

What's great about it: Great Pic/Sound Ease of Use
What's not so great: Does not have Dual Tuner for Cable and Antenna

"I had a Samsung 42" Plasma 720P and was Very happy with the Picture. Sound had to be hooked up to stereo system cause it rotted. After 1.5 yrs. the screen suffered from 'sparklers' in the black sceens. Best Buy warranty covered it so I picked the 1080P Panasonic over 720 because I would have left too much money on the table for replacement. 720P's are now 1,200-1,400 bucks and I would leave 700+ from my orig.purchase. Let me tell you- The TV is GREAT. It way outperforms the Samsung I had- not so much in Picture, they both have great pictures but the sound can't compare and I don't always want to put the surround sound on. The biggest thing that won me was the abililty of my new Panasonic to cool itself. This beauty has 3 fans in the back and it is very cool to touch even after several hrs. of use. Samsung to this day uses ventilation as the rule. They perforate the back panel to allow maximum heat removal. But I now think this is flawed. My screen failed after just 1.5 yrs. I wasn't big on fans because of sounds they are prone to cause but they have come a long, long way. With the sound off, the kids in bed, all is quiet and you cannot hear the fans at all. I went to Best Buy and went to all the Samsung 50 inch and Panasonic 50 and the Samsungs are hot at the top where the heat escapes and the panels felt warm just like my 42" did. The Panasoncs were all cool both front and back. So I applied a very simple rule- HEAT KILLS. Engines, motors, electronics - they're life cycles are shortened by heat. Even if it wasn't the case with my Samsung failing after just 1.5 yrs. I know the removal of heat is extremely important to longevity. So I am extremely happy with my new Panasonic. Returning TV's and shopping for a new one is a pain and I hope this one lasts a lot longer than the last. Another thing- standard upconverters can't do the job when it comes to 1080P Plasma tvs. I noticed the difference right away after I watched several movies I'd seen before. I did this to test my $90 upcoverter which did a great job on my old Samsung 720P but couldn't do it on my new 1080P. Yes my 1 yr. old upconverter was only capable of 720P but I purchased an Oppo 1080P Upconverter from reviewing Cnet and WOW!!! The Pic on Dvds is Sooo much better- you'll also have to consider this if you do not have a Blu Ray like me or plan to have one soon. . All in all- Very well worth it!!!! The SD slot is also awsome..."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Review 12 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Beautiful picture, worth every penny 07/20/2008
By KINGoftheCOOP

What's great about it: Can't ask for much better picture for what we spent
What's not so great: Only that it isn't any bigger

"We pulled this television out of the box months ago and we still see shows on the HD channels that we can't believe "THAT" picture is coming from our TV. I did a lot of research to find the best screen for my money and I had decided on the 50PZ85U but they didn't have it in stock. The assosciate pointed this one out to be nearly identical, minus a casing difference and a pc input. As I wasn't hooking the screen up to my pc and I love to save a dime, I accepted his advice. Nothing has blown up, there isn't any black spots on the screen, and my wife and I are lovin' watching movies on our flatscreen. I am sure the Pioneer Kuro sets look nicer, but I would have had to spend nearly a thousand dollars more to make the blacks on the screen look slightly blacker. This is the 50" HD screen to buy."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 13 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

What an amazing picture! Goodbye Samsung!!!! 06/18/2008
By IsThisTaken

What's great about it: 1080P, speaker quality, 3 HDMI, amazing colors
What's not so great: Puts off alot of heat?

"An absolutely GREAT TV! I had a 720p Panasonic before in 50" but unfortunately it had 1 lit pixel in the corner of the screen. It didnt really bother me much but I have the 4 year warranty so I figured why not replace it for free. Well they didnt have any more Panasonics so instead they gave me a 1080P Samsung instead. I hated it! The colors, sound quality, etc werent even as nice as the 720p Panasonic I had before! I returned that and got this 50" Panasonic....and I am amazed! Picture quality is amazing and it looks fantastic on my wall! Would recommend to anyone, dont think twice and BUY THIS TV!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 14 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

WOW 06/18/2008
By CanMan9 from Virginia

What's great about it: Great picture, easy to use, instructions are crystal clear.
What's not so great: Its almost too easy!

"This TV was an excellent purchase. I have it hooked up to an Xbox 360, Nitendo Wii, and Playstation 3. All three systems look fantastic on the 50" screen, and not to mention the Blu-Ray movies from the PS3 are breath taking. Even the HD Cable channels I subscribe to are fantastic. If you love watching the news or Discovery Channel just wait til you see them in HD! Before this TV I had a 22 year old 32" Magnoavox tube TV so I think you can understand the jump from one end of the spectrum to the other!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 15 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Highly recommended for the price 05/27/2008
By Ordinarygeek from Salt Lake City, UT

What's great about it: Beautiful picture, full 1080P, simple remote
What's not so great: An HDMI port in the front

"I purchased this TV to replace a Samsung DLP that failed twice in less than a year (won't be buying Samsung again).
Compared to the DLP, the Panasonic Plasma screen is a revelation! EVERYTHING looks better. Standard Def, High Definition, DVDs, even my AppleTV looks better.
Lots of good connections with two component and three HDMI inputs. It is this last that nearly caused me to downmark the Panasonic by a star. The third HDMI port is (oddly) in the front of the TV. Why? It makes no sense whatsoever to have an HDMI input on the front.
Sure its useful if your friend comes over with his PS3, but in normal use, a mystery. Luckily the Component connections can run right up to 1080P so this is not too much of a problem.
The included stand is easy to install (but no good for sitting on the floor) and a range of options exist for wall mounting. Its heavy enough to be a two man lift so be aware of that when trying to put it on a wall.
The remote control is simplicity itself (yay!) with a good set of tuning options for the TV.
The GAME mode for an input is particularly useful and PS3 looks fab running at 1080P.
You won't regret buying it!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 16 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

BUY THIS TV NOW, SERIOUSLY LIKE RIGHT NOW. 05/18/2008
By thesilvercord from Dallas, TX

What's great about it: awesome black video color, no noticible video lag during fast scenes, extremely detailed vibrant picture
What's not so great: prone to getting stolen

"This is an awesome TV. I had the 42" LCD Westinghouse before this model and the difference is by a million. There is, of course, a price difference between those 2 televisions, but still, this TV is amazing. The blacks in the picture are amazing. It makes movies and video games so much better. There isn't a vga connection on this TV, but that isn't such a big deal because most people will not use a plasma television as their computer monitor. HD video is amazing on this TV, you can see every detail. IMO, there is no point of buying a more expensive TV than this unless you are just financially loaded to the point that it doesn't matter. Go buy one today, and use your Best Buy Reward Zone card so you can get some points to use towards a new video game or HD movie."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 17 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

Super Bright Screen 04/30/2008
By SeniorCouchPotato

What's great about it: Bright
What's not so great: None

"New 2008 models are super with the 20,000:1 contract ratio. Compared to a Sony XRB4 this is a much better TV."

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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Review 18 for Panasonic 50" Class 1080p Flat-Panel Plasma HDTV

Customer Rating

5.0 5

We love it!!! 04/30/2008
By arkie from Midland, TX

What's great about it: You can actually see the sweat on their faces and the background so clear.
What's not so great: None so far, except trying to figure out how to work the remote control.

"We purchased this plasma tv when our wide screen tv we had went out after 6 years. We did a lot of comparing and for the price and financing, we couldn't do any better. Setting up the tv was easy and we had it up and going in no time. We love the picture clarity and with all the stations slowly going to HD we are one happy family!"

Would you recommend this product to a friend?: Yes

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