46" widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) *

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars great TV, good value
We recently bought the Panasonic Viera 46in plasma TV. The price was good and the delivery time excellent. The TV itself has an excellent picture and the controls (remote) are easy to use. Set-up was a breeze. This was our first time to buy a large electronic from Amazon. We are very pleased with the experience and will consider other large electronic purchases in the future.

5 Stars My first plasma flat screen
I've had my Panasonic TH-46PZ80V set for about a month now and love it. It has an amazing picture and none of the glare issues I've read about in other reviews (and our living room gets a lot of direct sunlight during the day). I'd recommend this set to anyone. I especially love the insert my camera SanDisk for an instant slide show. The set even automatically orients the picture. Amazon had the cheapest price, free delivery, and they even unboxed it and set it up. Amazing service. Thanks Amazon.

5 Stars nice
The picture is great. I thought my buddy's HP plasma was awesome...i didnt know anything. the surround sound even sounds great, though don't expect much in terms of bass. I have a double window about 4 ft from the TV and i havent felt any glare problems at all. I use FIOS, and my friends with comcast are stunned.

5 Stars Best picture ..by far for the price
After researching flat screens for the past 6 months or so (and watching the prices fall), this tv out shined all the others. The LCD TVs I looked at in this price range fell far short in picture quality, contrast, and motion detail. Panasonic has shown in tests by [.....] to have produced some of the best picture quality in the industy.

I picked it last week and the TV looks awesome!

Highly Recommended!

5 Stars Great TV
After lengthly investigation, we bought this instead of an LCD Sony or Samsung because we though the LCD screens might get damaged too easily by our small children. After a month or so of use, we are very pleased with the Panasonic plasma. Great picture. No evidence of burn in. No significant problems with reflections, partly due to where we happen to use it. Only two small gripes: 1) For some goofy reason, Panasonic puts the channel up/down toggle on its remote controls where the volume up/down usually goes (on the left side), and its volume up/down where the channel up/down usually goes (on the right side). The remote is otherwise nicely designed. 2) The TV includes an SD card slot, which you can load up with photos, etc. They look great, but there is no random play feature on it, so if you have 500 photos on the card, you will always see Photos 1, 2, 3, etc; but never see Photos 498, 499, 500!

Buy/More Info

50" widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) *

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars The Right Price
No problems so far. Tv is on for a good 12 hours a day. Highly Recommend.

5 Stars Great TV
I was a little leary about buying a TV online and going off reviews but I love this TV and the delivery was great they were very gentle with it. The picture and sound is both great. Watching a movie in 1080i is spectacular. We also use the Wii, Xbox 360 and a media computer I just built with it and the graphics are crystal clear. I recommend this TV for the price and quality.

5 Stars great plasma to get until more 1080p content is widely available
I went in shopping for a 58in Panasonic or 60in Pioneer plasma with a $3000-4000 budget that I'd keep for at least five years like our last tv. While comparing how the picture quality in person looked, the price of this 50in Panasonic TH-50PX80U caught my eye at $1300. Sure it's 720p, but we're at least another year or two out for content in 1080p to be more available especially via cable. I already had a bunch of non blue-ray dvd's and I simply didn't value the improvement that blue-ray dvd's offer to either buy or even rent them. Yes, the blacks looked better on the Pioneer, but only when you're comparing side by side.

I almost still went for the newest 58in Panasonic just because the exterior design is a lot slicker with it's large continuous flat surface. However, when Amazon randomly dropped the price to just below $1000 with free shipping, I couldn't resist. Combined with the $250 in Amazon certificates I already had, I got an awesome 50in Panasonic plasma for $750.

I just received my TH-50PX80U and the delivery went very smoothly. Picture is incredible and all thoughts of 720p vs 1080p and black levels are gone. Only surprise is the location of the 3rd hdmi port which is in the front. I planned on plugging in my cable, dvd player, and apple tv via hdmi but I don't' want any wires out front. So for now my apple tv is plugged in via component cords which isn't bad actually. If I really want a larger screen in the future, the $2000+ I saved now should be about what the 58in Panasonics will cost next year.

5 Stars Best Picture for the Money
This TV is everything it says it is and more. The picture is ultra clear and i have zero complaints. I recently purchased my 50 inch Panasonic TV from Amazon .com. I was sceptical at first because i was not to sure about spending this much money over the Internet.The shipping was fast and everything i expected. When i first turned the TV on i was amazed. The picture is perfect and you would never know that it was not a 1080p TV. I run a HD receiver from my cable box and a up converting DVD player. The sound and easy to use remote are also very good. Overall i am very pleased with the great picture quality and service i got with amazon.com.

5 Stars Could not Have Asked for More!
We purchased a Panasonic 50" plasma from Amazon. The transaction was simple and straight forward and the delivery came on time. We researched the set on line and at stores and found Amazon very competitive in price and they lived up to their reputation on delivery. The set arrived the day it was scheduled and in perfect condition. I checked back with Amazon after the purchase and the price dropped. When I contacted them, there was no hesitation and I received over $120 refund. With that and the savings originally, we purchased a Wii and now we are having some fun!

Buy/More Info

PRODUCT FEATURES:100Hz technologyPure blackTrue colorInvisible speakerClear voiceAV modeConvenienceHDMI 1.3 x 2Optimized for movie, game and sportsNon flickering and blurringEnhanced connectivity

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars The LG 42PG20 Plasma has exceeded my expectations!
I have owned several HDTV's both Plasma and LCD. I wanted to stick with a plasma on this purchase because of the superior contrast ratio versus a typical LCD. I went to my local electronics store intent on buying an entry level Samsung. Despite my plan, I soon realized I could not pull the lever on the Samsung. Its picture suffered from severe jagged edges and presented an inferior image quality compared to the TV's surrounding it on the showroom floor. No manner of adjustments could resolve the problem, therefore I moved on to the similarly priced Panasonic and LG. I immediately noticed that the Panasonic had issues with background noise. This was despite the fact that the noise reduction feature was already turned on. The CNET editor review mentions this problem with the Panasonic plasma. Meanwhile I was impressed with the LG's smooth, clear, and lifelike picture. No background noise, and a deep rich color reproduction equal to that of the Panasonic. I decided to do some more research on LG reliablity and performance before making my final decision. As you would expect, it is easy to locate horror stories for any television brand, as of course people with a bad experience are more likely to post their sob story all over the web. The bottom line for myself was that a Consumer Review said that LG has a similar reliability record compared to other major brands, with only 2% or fewer models suffering from defects within their first year. That was sufficient evidence for myself while also taking in to account the 1 year parts & labor warranty (plus 2 years for the panel) provided by LG. I waited for a blowout sale, and then purchased the 42PG20. The first one arrived with a broken screen. Of course Plasma screens are glass unlike LCD's so they are more easily damaged in shipment. I refused shipment and soon thereafter received a replacement which arrived undamaged. Out of the box the LG is one slick & sweet looking plasma. Unlike some people, I prefer the high gloss piano black screen border. Its sleek and more upscale in appearance. I have HDTV running via an HDMI 1.3 cable. The picture is even better than it was in the store. Despite a low 1024x768 resolution, the HD reproduction is detailed and crisp. I was expecting to sacrifice a bit in this area, and am simply ecstatic that the difference between this TV and my previous 1080p is simply insignificant. As you would expect with a plasma, the colors are deep and rich. Unlike many LCD's, sports broadcasts suffer no ghosting or pixelation. SD broadcasts look great as well, with certain channels looking better after switching to cinema mode or one of the other customized picture settings. I have the LG TV ORBITER feature set to the ON position. A nice feature available to prevent image retention or burn in which can be an issue with plasma televisions. So far, this has not been an issue. I will mention a couple of minor negatives. This LG does suffer from severe glare if operated in a brightly lit room. As is the case with many plasmas, the glass screen reflects the bright windows in my living room. Thus, it will do better in a dark room or positioned with windows behind rather than in front of the TV. Also, this plasma runs HOT. It actually raises the temperature in my living room if run for a few hours. If I put my hand over the set, I can feel the heat rising from it. From what I've read, this is common with plasma TV's in general. Overall, I am VERY happy with the LG 42PG20. A great Plasma television, providing a fantastic HD picture while outperforming many of the other brands in this price range.

5 Stars Great Plasma and Better Than Expected
After the price dropped on this T.V. I decided to buy.

Wary of plasmas I still loved the high contrast ratio that this one delivered. I had the choice between this and a similar samsung and definately could see that this Lg model gave the better picture. 720p? they could have fooled me because the crispness of picture quality is terrific, one thing I was wary of with this being a 42" model.

The Darks are dark, the whites are white, and the colors are vibrant.

I keep mine set on cinema style settings and love it.

The sound is better than most flat panels and the speakers are hidden.

I like the high gloss finish, makes it look sleek.

Ghosting is minimal on this model and if you do experience some ghosting they supply different ISM methods to basically prevent or actually one called white wash which basically resets your picture. I play a lot of Xbox 360 so I was worried about the ghosting but it is not really a problem. I recently paired this with LG's LHT854 home theatre system (about $220) and am enjoying a high quality home theatre setup for a decent price.

So everyone considering picking up this T.V. I say Enjoy!

Buy/More Info

Panasonic?s VIERA full HD 1080p PZ850 series previewed the industry?s first IP enabled television. The introduction of the IP enabled televisions, a technology that provides access to on-line content directly from the television with VIERA CAST technology, is one of many advances found in the PZ850 line.Recognizing the growing use of Plasma HD televisions in the gaming world, Panasonic created the Game Mode, which minimizes the time lag when displaying game images on the Plasma screen. The Mode synchronizes the response of the game image to the player?s operation, thereby producing an extremely clear image with no motion artifacts.Digital Cinema Color Re-Mastering is a value added technology that allows for color reproduction, enabling VIERA displays to reproduce the essential colors for viewing movies. 24p native reproduction, which negates the need for 3:2 pulldown, resulting in a smoother picture, is another feature that provides the best possible viewing experience.

Buy/More Info

Marketing description is not available.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great picture for 1080p and for up-converted non HD signal.
I bought the Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ800U 46" 1080p Plasma HDTV because of the THX certification and the reviews on cnet, I was not disappointed. The picture is highly adjustable, but the four preset options are very good for watching different inputs. For example when you select the game input it automatically increases the brightness and color, for watching BR movies it gives you a warmer setting. The only disappointing part was the delivery. The delivery guys were dirty, leaving marks on the floor and walls. They didn't know if they were supposed to attach the stand, and when they decided it was necessary they did not seem to take great care with the TV. In the end everything worked great.

5 Stars Awesome Plasma!
I looked at HDTVs for almost a year and this is the one that caught my attention.I seriously considered Samsung LCDs and Pioneer Plasma and found this Panasonic delivers the best performance for the money. I have it hooked up to HD satellite and love it. Movies look great and HD football is amazing. Individual grass blades and clean motion contribute to my enjoyment of a terrific picture. The blacks are black and contrast is vivid, I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I am looking forward to purchasing a Blue-Ray player to add to the fun. thanks

5 Stars Wonderful TV excellent service.
The 46PZ800U is everything I was hoping for in a HDTV. Beautiful picture, easy to hook things up to, and a great looking addition to my living room. The size was perfect for a long narrow room (17x11.5). The CEVA delivery people assembled the stand and then placed it in its permanent location, had me connect my HD cable box to it. (yes I was excited about getting the TV. Got the HD cable box 2 days ahead of time, Blu-ray player and HD dvd player were sitting here waiting along with the cables to hook them up)We tested the TV and then when everything was working they asked for my signature. Overall the whole experience was great and I would reccomend Amazon as a Wonderful way to get a new Panasonic TV. PS price on Amazon was over $300. better than any other price I saw for this model.either in store circulars or on-line. Last, I chose this model mainly because of the over 5000 gradients of color, the single sheet of glass construction, and the THX certification.

5 Stars Brilliant
This TV is superb. HD images are amazingly clear, and the color is awesome!

When I was looking to buy an HDTV, I was worried about how bad standard def images would look. SD images looked pretty bad on a lot of the HDTVs I had seen. However, this TV does a fine job cleaning up SD images, and I don't notice any artifacting unless I'm only 3 or 4 feet from the TV. This is pretty important, because a lot of programming is still only available in standard definition.

This TV also has great sound. I know that's not something you normally look for in a TV. However, I live in an apartment, and I don't plan on getting a kickin' sound system anytime soon, because I don't want to disturb my neighbors. The speakers on this TV perform nicely instead, and the bass is pretty dang good.

Overall: highly recommended.

5 Stars Fantastically Realistic Looking Picture
I purchased this TV about a month ago and I was holding off on my review because I wanted to break in the set first (yes, you should still break in plasmas in spite of what the manufacturers say). I am at about 250 hours on the set, and I have to say that it is the most realistic looking picture that I have seen in a flat panel. I would even put it right up there with the Pioneer Kuros. Fleshtones are incredible and there is no oversaturation of colors. I simply used the THX mode and made basic adjustments using the DVE calibration disk on Blu Ray.

I had initially purchased a Samsung LN46A650 LCD. I liked the set but I just felt that it wasn't quite as sharp as my Samsung 42 inch 720p plasma. Also the colors were a touch too oversaturated. Amazon returned the set with no hassle and delivered the Panasonic in its place.

Initially the Panasonic also did not look quite as sharp as my 42 inch Samsung although the picture was less noisy. However, right around 200 hours or so, the picture really sharpened up. Now that the set has some hours on it, the picture is just amazing! The only other set that I have seen with a better picture (and not by much)is a 60 inch Kuro. The only thing that the Kuros have over this Panasonic is that they are a touch sharper.

This Panasonic is a phenominal buy if color decoding and a realistic picture is most important to you. If you're looking for a panel that has a bright, punchy picture with colors that are slightly cartoonish but that pop, go with the Samsung LN46A650 lcd.

PROS: Phenominal color decoding, incredibly realistic looking picture, fantastic price

CONS: Picture could be just a touch sharper, speakers are mediocre

Buy/More Info

Click here for a $100 Mail-In Rebate for purchases made 9/26/2008 to 11/30/2008. Please print at time of purchase. Panasonic 42" 1080p Plasma HDTV w/ Home Theater System & $100 Rebate

Buy/More Info

50" widescreen HDTV (16:9 aspect ratio) * built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required) *

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars It rocks brother - but not as a computer monitor (my bad)
Well, I have been a CRT guy for a long time. I always thought that I would not really care to have HD over normal TV. I mean, yeah, the picture would be better but once engrossed in a show, well, would I really care if it is HD? And the answer is - as I expected - not really. However, that is just me.

As far as this TV goes, its fantastic! Great picture, great features - comes with a VGA type plug so you can run your computer into it easily if you don't want to go HDMI for some reason. Sound is okay - not anything noteworthy. But really, it is an excellent TV.

Also - there is no noticeable glare that people are always concerned about. I have windows behind me so when the TV is off, I can clearly see them. When on - I don't notice them at all so don't worry about the glare.

The bad: Note that the bad is about all Plasma - not this TV. First - I bought this to be a computer monitor more than a TV (I am using it right now as a matter of fact - from my couch - very nice). I did not do my research though - very bad. Plasmas are known to have pixel memory. Although better than it was in past years, when you are on the internet for hours at a time - some parts of your screen never change - X in top right corner, window frame all around. For that reason, I wish I had gotten an LCD and would recommend the same to people looking to use this thing as a humungo sized monitor. I am guessing that I will screw it up being a software guy. Also - it is a power hog of course - also par for Plasmas. I don't have to run the furnace in my house anymore jk

That said, as a TV, this thing is great - but I always expect that from Panasonic.

5 Stars Very pleased.
We are very happy with our new TV. The image is awesome and size appropriate for us. It arrived promptly and we can't be happier!

5 Stars Awesome TV!!!
First of all, Holy Crap!! The picture on this tv is phenominal. I did a crazy amount of shopping and studying before I finally made my decision on this tv, and I'm glad I did. Plasma is way better than lcd and they happen to be less expensive. I am also impressed that this tv happens to be Energy Star qualified. Couldn't be happier.

5 Stars Unbeatable Value
First things first. Open the box and make sure the screen isn't cracked before you let the shipper leave and before you sign anything (shine a flashlight on it and any cracks will show up immediately). I learned that the hard way the first time I purchased this set (from another vendor). Also, I believe Amazon requires the shipper to unpack the TV, plug it in and verify that it is working before they leave although in my case the guy wanted to leave without doing this and I went ahead and let him.

There's not much to say about the set itself except that it looks fantastic. I'm watching movies and playing games in a completely dark room and the black level is excellent. You should do at least a basic calibration of the brightness and picture (contrast) settings using a calibration disk for optimal quality (there is a free one you can find on the AVSforum, or you can buy one).

As with all Plasmas, you have to watch out for image retention, but I haven't found that to be an issue at all. The instructions offer extremely conservative advice on breaking in the screen to avoid image retention (100 hours of full-screen viewing content with no black bars, sports or stock tickers or video games with fixed elements of any kinds, then another 900 hours of limited viewing of such content). Personally, I ran a break in program for 75 hours, started using the set for video games and movies (with black bars) and I just run the break-in program all night after any bad content. I'm now up to 200+ hours now and haven't seen a speck of image retention or burn in.

Highly recommended.

5 Stars PANNY PLASMA BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK
Went to BB to originally buy a 1080P 50 in Samsung Plasma or a 1080P 120Hz LG. Talked to the BB rep and they told me, "I would rather get a Panasonic 720P than a Samsung 1080Por LG 120HZ!" WHAT I THOUGHT!! Then she explained to me that the Panasonic has a 480Hz subfield drive, whereas the LCD's I was looking at were only 120Hz. She explained to me Plasmas have come along way and there's no issues with BURN INS and GHOSTS like the first gen Plasmas. Panny has an automatic orbiter and anti-image rention options set up to combat these issues!!!She showed me a calibrated Panasonic 720P and it BLEW the Samsung and LG AWAY!! But I was not set on buying 720P. I wanted the 1080P.

Left BB and came straight to Amazon.com (Amazon was almost 500 cheaper than BB, plus you pay no tax!!), however when I bought my TV they we didn't offer free shipping. I ended up buying [...] in August (best price I found on the internet)(EASY TRANSACTION, plus free shipping, no tax). NOw I see the Tv's alittle under 1500, but Football season was coming up and I wanted to see the new season in HD!!!

I still haven't gotten my plasma calibrated, waiting for a buddy from BB to do it for free (its been 2 months and I'm still waiting!! haha what a friend). TWO drawback ARE 1) I'm realizing I wish it had 4 HDMI inputs and 2 the sound is LACKING (I guess cause its only 20W's), i've decided to buy myself the Panasominc 960 HTIB for Christmas!!!

I have no issue with HEAT!!! I have no issue with GLARE!!! I have no issue with Ghosting or burning!!!

BUY IT especially since it has the 480Hz subfield drive and you can't beat the price at under [...]!!! It came out 8 months ago retailing for nearly a grand more!!!

Buy/More Info

When it comes to Color depth, the Plasma screen offers the most vivid color and contrast than virtually any flat-panel TV. Panasonic 1080p capable plasmas match the most advanced Pixel Resolution and image-processing technology with an ability to beautifully reproduce fast-moving images. So every detail is rendered with amazing clarity, and all the action is delivered with unbelievable fluidity. 1080p also delivers amazing color reproduction resulting in impressive contrast and beautiful, natural colors. What you get is warm, accurate skin tones, deep blacks, gorgeous greens, breathtaking blues and vivid reds for color that's as rich and bold as life itself. GalleryPlayer allows you to enjoy the world's finest High Definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV. Use the free GalleryPlayer Software to purchase and Download the images you like, and then play them on your Panasonic HDTV right from your PC. Sign-up is easy and free. Plus, you get a free collection of high definition images to enjoy right away in your home or office. Share your JPEG photos taken with a Lumix or any SD-compatible Digital-Camera on your Panasonic plasma using the built-in SD card slot. Simply insert the SD card, which is about the size of a postage stamp, into the SD slot on the TV and enjoy a photo slideshow with Photo Viewer. For added convenience, EZ Sync HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your Home Theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control. 16 - 9 (Widescreen) Aspect Ratio G11 Progressive 1080p HD Plasma Display Panel Type Motion Adaptive 3D-Y/C Digital Comb Filter Two Full-range (L,R) Speakers, 20Watt (10% THD)(8ohms, 70Hz-17kHz) Integrated ATSC Tuners ATSC / QAM / NTSC Receiving System SD Card Slot, Photo Viewer Input Ports - 3 x HDMI (1 Front), Analog 2 x Audio Input (for HDMI), 3x Composite Video (1 Front), 2 x S-Video (1 Front), Audio Input (1 Front) (for Video), 1

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Great Picture, Trouble With Volume Control
This is our first plasma tv, and we love the high def. We do not use separate speakers, just the ones built into tv. The volume varies wildly from between stations. The volume will be fine on one station, and when we switch channels the volume is just blaring. Since we switch bet channels during commercials, this is a real distraction. We have a cable box that must be used with hdtv and must use remote f/cable co, not tv remote. Don't know if this is the cause. Haven't seen many other comments here on volume control, so not sure if it is tv and other posters haven't encountered because they use separate speakers, or it has to do with remote used from cable company. Certainly would rate much higher if speakers and volume control worked better.

UPDATE: I contacted Panasonic and they resolved the problem quickly and professionally over the phone. Just needed an adjustment to the audio on the tv so that tv and cable box would coincide. I've had such bad customer service for other products I almost didn't call them, but very pleased with customer service. Would increase stars to 4 or 5 now.

5 Stars Best Bang for your Buck! Awesome HDTV
I bought the TV as an upgrade from my 26" Sharp Aquos. I did a lot of research and came to one conclusion; Panasonic will be my best bang for my buck and it had a series of consistent great reviews from a range of models (80O, 80OU, 85O, 85OU, etc) on various websites like amazon and cnet. Lets just say the Pani blew the Sharp out of the water. This TV is comparable to, and maybe even better in picture quality than my parents 42" Fujitsu Plasma that is 3-4yrs old that cost them way more. I use the TV predominantly for watching sports and playing video games. The black levels and HD quality is immaculate. It's almost as if I'm receiving a new signal from Direct TV, that's how noticeably better the picture is. I have the color's turned down below 50 as recommended for the first 80-100 hours, and the picture is still amazing.

Sports in HD are flawless with no motion lag as I experienced with my LCD, and video game play is smooth with crisp colors. I have a Wii and Xbox 360, both look stunning. The TV has now drawn me towards a Blue Ray player purchase which will probably a PS3. Another great feature of the TV is the 3 HDMI and 3 Component inputs. My 3 will be full: Xbox 360, Direct TV box, and a soon to be PS3. The Wii only has Component which worked out great.

The TV itself looks great too. The solid black frame, and very sturdy stand. Although, the only downfall is that the stand is not a swivel like on most LCD's, but I plan for a wall mount anyways. The built in speakers are decent... I had the TV temporarily in my bed room, and the they were more than sufficient. But realistically, any kind of speaker system would be better. Couple great features; 1) TV is compatible with Yamaha or Onkyo theater systems. 2) As a review here has already mentioned, the set comes with some display "reset" patterns to cure most burn-in issues you might face.

A final recommendation from a review I read here on Amazon and from what I've read at the Panasonic website is to break in your TV correctly. I'm a big fan of treating electronic's with.... lets say respect. A few quick tips for new plasma owners and to increase longevity and picture quality:

- Keep the Picture (contrast) and Brightness levels under 50 for the first 100 hrs. This helps the phosphors become "tempered" and in turn not so easily susceptible to bun-in and image retention. As I said, I've yet to experience either.

- Watch everything in Just mode (full screen) for the first 100 hrs for the same reasons listed above

- After the first 100 hrs you can turn things up & start watching things in letterbox, here are some recommended levels someone on amazon posted:

Picture: +70

Brightness: +48

Color: +44

Tint: -3

Sharpness: 0

Color temp: Warm

Color mgmt: Off

x.v.Color: Off

C.A.T.S.: Off

*I know this sounds a bit ridiculous or a bit much, but it will be worth it in the end.

My final comment is that, I highly recommend using Amazon. This was my first purchase from here after hearing nothing but great things from friends and family. The purchase was flawless, I knew what I was getting, since I researched and even went to stores like Bestbuy to see the TV. They use a distribution company for delivery, and they call you with a 4-hour time window before they deliver the TV. They also unpack it so that you can inspect for damage and also turn it on to verify that it works - if anything is wrong they take it right back. None the less, I am thoroughly satisfied with the product, service, and purchase from amazon.

5 Stars Great Buy, great set
Have had the set for about 6 months. It is an extraordinary buy at its new price, and gives a picture as good to my eyes as my buddy's 3 year old Pioneer Elite 40 inch plasma. It does far better in reproducing motion than any LCD I've seen, and has good sound, color balance, and contrast. The locking powercord feature works well. Unless one gets a really good Blu-Ray player, the resolution of this set is quite adequate. I use a top-end Arcam upsampling DVD player with this, and the results are quite filmlike. I have never seen any chroma issues. Before I bought this, I was a diehard Sony CRT guy, but I have to say Panasonic really seems to be hitting lots of plasma home runs. GREAT Set!

5 Stars Love at First Sight
Is it possible to fall in love in under a week? I did -- with this TV. Surely I'm smitten because I'm new to this wonderful world of High Definition. But, after lots of research and going back and forth between all my options, I'm convinced I made the right choice.

Of course, the first decision to be made by anyone making the leap to High Def is whether to go plasma or LCD. To my eye, the plasma produces more natural images. Even in the big-box retail centers, the plasmas consistently looked better. The fact that this TV was going into my basement family room (plasmas have the edge in darker areas) secured my decision to go plasma.

But which plasma? There certainly aren't as many plasma choices as there are LCD sets out there. That made things a little easier. But should I go 720p or 1080p? I finally narrowed my choices down to several Panasonic and Samsung models that were conveniently displayed near each other in my local Circuit City store.

I really could discern little difference in the picture quality among them. But the store is the last place to expect your new love-to-be to perform. You need to get her into your man cave. So it was with a certain degree of uncertainty that I made my final decision.

I was ready to go with a Samsung 720p, which was a couple hundred dollars cheaper. But I opted for the TH-42PZ80U. The Panasonic was always at the top of my short list, but I felt I really did not need the extra resolution, considering that there is no cable content yet that broadcasts in 1080p and that I don't have a Blu-Ray player.

But the salesman convinced me to go with the Panasonic because of its good reputation for quality and to get ahead of the technological curve. For a couple hundred bucks, this made sense. And, deep down, it's what I wanted to hear.

While the regular digital channels are nothing special, I intend to use this TV almost solely for Hi-Def and DVDs. The 1080i signals broadcast by Comcast are stunning. Moreover, the DVDs I play on my Toshiba XDE-500 upconverting DVD player I bought recently look wonderful when upconverting to the TV's 1080p (24 Frame) resolution.

The contrast on this set is out-of-this world. The colors are so lifelike and easily tweaked. Of course, make sure you use HDMI connections to get the most out of any HD set you buy.

Like any case of love, it's easy to be taken in by dazzling looks and quick responsiveness. That said, I suspect that I will have a long and lasting relationship with my Panasonic. I just hope my wife understands.

5 Stars Excellent Picture, Excellent Value
This is an excellent television for both new users of flat panel HDTV technology and the experienced customers. The display is very vivid and the TV has all the amenities (Save one to be mentioned shortly) that one could want in a television.

Pros: 3 HDMI slots, 2 Composite HDTV connections, 2 standard A/V connections, and S-Video. SD card slot for viewing photos from a digital camera directly on the unit, great for parties. Excellent for the top of the line video game consoles with it's game mode.

Cons: If you are inexperienced with plasma TVs, image retention can be an issue. Always observe proper measures to avoid plasma image retention. Don't leave the channel tuned to a digital weather channel or any other channel or video game that features graphics that stay on the screen in the same location for extended periods. That said, the TV does include some anti-retention features (pixel orbiting, scrolling white bar). No headphone jack for quiet listening, it's only a minor thing, not surprising that it got overlooked. The S-Video jack is tied in to A/V 1, as opposed to having a separate input, meaning if you use S-Video, you have one less A/V input. The screen can be quite dark at times using the default settings, but brightens up considerably when manual adjustments are made (I think that has more to do with it being a plasma TV than the actual TV itself, plasma TVs are notoriously darker than LCD).

Overall, the pros far outweigh the cons, and the TV is an excellent value to boot. Congrats to Panasonic for yet another year of quality flat panel TVs.

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Panasonic with the introduction of its flagship PZ850 series, previewed the industry?s first IP enabled television. Building upon the market and critical success of Panasonic?s previous Plasma models, the 2008 PZ850 series includes a number of step-up features that will further strengthen Panasonic?s leadership position.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great TV
All,

This is a great tv and I am not going to spend time on different aspects of this tv. Go to [.....] and read full review. However,I would like to report one thing as all buyers who buy Panasonic 850 series with Viera cast feature would need. I do not have Ethernet connection close to where I have installed tv. I have bought Apple Airport Express and configured it with home wireless network successfully. I am sure there are other solutions but this is something I can say with confidence that it works! Here is the link, [.........]

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The PZ800 series meets the THX Certified Display specifications, signifying the highest standards of performance and quality. The PZ800 Plasma televisions feature an improved native contrast ratio of 30,000:1; Game Mode; VIERA Link; a PC Input, four HDMI connections and an all new one sheet of glass design concept.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Panasonic 50- Inch Plasma
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

I have always enjoyed Panasonic products. Now I know that they also make a really impressive plasma TV. I thought my 46 Inch Samsung LCD was great until I recently bought this Panasonic 50 Inch plasma. The picture on this TV is crisp and the sound is great! It was well worth the money. Hats-off to Panasonic. I think Samsung really has some serious competition from Panasonic.

3 Stars TV is Good, AntOnline is not.
I am very happy with this TV. Features are exactly what is advertised. However, I am not happy with AntOnline's delivery service. They attempted delivery using a 48 ft semi and were unable to even approach my house. The shipper called me and said they couldn't stop on my road b/c their truck was too big. I was forced to drive 50 miles to pick up the TV from their warehouse, as AntOnline did nothing to help resolve the issue. I've asked for shipping charge back and have received nothing. I don't recommend buying from them if you live in a residential area.

5 Stars Best TV for the money!
I'll keep it simple. Good price. Great Delivery. Outstanding TV. Beautiful picture. Impressive sound! This is the one you want.

5 Stars no problems with shipping
Cannot say anything about the TV yet, we just got it today. Wanted to let people know that my shipping experience with CEVA, about which many people complained, was excellent. I placed an order on Monday, the TV arrived on Friday, and the shippers even took it out of the box, assembled the base, and put it on my media center.

3 Stars Not terrible, but not great.
Perhaps I purchased this monitor expecting too much, but I am disappointed with my selection.

First of all, the Viera with the picture off looks very good. This bad boy has a sleek design and it's shiny frame looks very impressive. It's definitely a high end hdtv...until you turn it on. I don't know where to begin with my disappointment. I got a good deal on it, so the price is not what left me less then satisfied. The display itself is very overrated. It is difficult to get a crisp picture on this unit, and the THX mode that critics praise seems to leave a lot of pictures hazy and cloudy. I'm sure replicating "true blacks" is what a lot of video-philes loved about this set, but even the blacks seem more gray then truly black.

I also read that the sound the set produces is above average. However, when I actually do use the sound that my Panasonic delivers, it sounds painful to my ears. I am not one that buys a television for it's audio qualities, but I am sending out a warning to those that might.

Beyond the less-than-satisfactory qualities that I have mentioned above, my biggest qualm is with the reflective screen attached to the unit. My two biggest concerns while purchasing a plasma were burn-in (which to it's marketing department's credit, Panasonic has convinced me is not a big deal) and reflectivity. The reflection off the front of the tv does not seem to be a huge deal. It's a bit distracting, but overall it is not a deal breaker. HOWEVER, the reflection from INSIDE the tv is what I find incomprehensible for a modern-day television. From most angles (anything not directly in front of the tv), I notice a double image, or reflection, of the original picture. Maybe this is my fault because it's normal for plasma displays, but I find it utterly ridiculous that a modern day television that prides itself on viewing angles considers this to be par for the course. How can a tv actually deliver a "crisp" picture when everything it displays has a "ghost" behind it? Once again, I find this insulting to my intelligence.

I'm sure my review will be ripped to shreds by all of those that consider this unit to be a work of art. I don't have any credentials to back up my opinions. I'm just an ordinary guy on his third hdtv, and I find it fairly disappointing for all the hype this Panny has received. It's not the worse set in the world, but it's far from delivering on the hype that it has received.

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