Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
Manufacturer: Panasonic
The home-theater concept keeps getting better! The Panasonic TH-50PZ800U 50" VIERA 1080p Plasma HDTV meets performance benchmarks for both standard and high-definition video, ensuring that all your sources will look their best. Movie fans will love THX Movie Mode, a picture preset that optimizes settings for watching movies on DVD, Blu-ray, and broadcast TV. THX enhancements close the gap between movie screen and TV screen. Progressive Scan Video Noise Reduction Digital Comb Filter - Motion Adaptive 3D-Y/C Color Purity Optimizer (3D Color Management) Sub-Pixel Controller Motion Pattern Noise Reduction Digital Cinema Reality 480 Hz Sub-field Drive 24p Playback (2 - 3) Deep Color x.v.Color Audio Speakers - Full-range x 2 (L, R) Audio Output - 20W (10% THD) (8 ohms, 70Hz-17kHz) Surround Sound VIERA Link Game Mode Pixel Shifter (Anti-Image Retention) Video Picture Memory English, Spanish, French On-Screen Display Languages V-Chip Program Lockout Built-In Closed Caption Decoder AR (Anti-Reflective) Filter Screen Coating Built-in Speaker and Pedestal Stand Inputs and Outputs - SD Card Slot, Composite Video, HDMI Rear Input, Front Input, 1 Analog Audio Rear Output, 6 Rear Input, 1 Front Input, 2 Component Video Rear Input, S-Video Rear Input, and Front Output Dimensions - Height 31.1 x Width 49.0 x Depth 3.7 / 33.2 x 49.0 x 15.2 with stand Weight - 83.8 pounds / 88.2 pounds with stand
Amazon.com Product Description--August 05, 2008:
With its 2008 Panasonic Viera Plasmas, Panasonic brings an astonishing 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio to the table. advanced pixel resolution and image-processing technology with the plasma TV's natural ability to beautifully reproduce fast moving images, so every detail is rendered with amazing clarity, and all the action is delivered with a high degree of fluidity.
What's New This Year?
- Super Contrast--native contrast ratios on the PZ85, PZ800 and PX 850 series are 30,000:1, double last year's 15,000:1.
- Dynamic contrast ratios are up to 1,000,000:1.
- new anti-reflective filter; lead-free "Tough Under Force" panel is resistant to impacts and scratches
- Built-in SD card slot with Photo Viewer/Gallery Player software
- x.v. Color and Deep Color (HDMI 1.3 features)
- 24p native reproduction
- Game Mode auto-adjusts image quality suitable to games and includes anti-image retention
- Viera Link is now compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems
- At least 3 HDMI inputs on all models (4 on PZ800 and PZ850 series)
- THX Certification on PZ800 and PZ850 series
Which Viera is Right For You?
Click here to see a comparison of step up features on each Viera series.One Sheet of Glass Design
Beautiful, elegant, and functional -- a single pane of glass covers the entire front of the television, including the bezel. This design reduces or eliminates the "halo" effect that can occur around lettering and logos with traditional 3-pane designs| | Amazing color reproductionThe incredible black reproduction of a Panasonic High-Definition Plasma TV results in impressive contrast and beautiful, natural colors. So you'll get warm, accurate skin tones, gorgeous greens, breathtaking blues and vivid reds. For color that's as rich and bold as life itself, look to a Panasonic Plasma TV. |
| | Consistent brightness from any angleA Panasonic Plasma combines anti-glare and anti-reflection technology with the natural light-emitting properties of plasma, to give you a super-wide viewing range with a crisp, beautiful image from almost any angle. |
 | Smooth, graceful motionWhen you're watching sports or movies with fast-motion graphics, you want a TV that can keep up with the action. With over 900 lines of moving picture, self-illuminating plasma displays eliminate afterimages in fast-action scenes. So whether you're watching a sporting event or an action-packed movie, you'll always get the most impressive viewing experience possible. |
 | 24p native reproductionMovies are shot at 24 frames per second. Unfortunately, TVs operating at 60Hz can only refresh 20 times per second, which means they must drop every fifth frame. With its 2008 Viera PZ85, PZ800, and PZ850 models, Panasonic introduces 24p native resolution, which means 24 frame per second movie content is reproduced frame for frame exactly, making for true-to-source smoothness of motion. |
 | 1,000,000:1 ContrastThe Panasonic's Real Black system (a pre-discharge suppression system) and improved panel production processes combine to reproduce outstanding blacks with superb contrast. Each image is richly expressive, from bright scense, like scorching desert landscapes, to dark cave scenes. Compare the image produced by conventional HDTV on the left to the Real Black image produced on the right |
 | More ColorsViera HDTVs support the xvYCC color profile (Extended YCC Colorimetry for Video Applications), or "x.v. color" for short. Standard RGB color space allows the display of a portion of the colors that are viewable to the human eye. The next generation "xvYCC" color space actually offers an available range of colors that exceeds what human eyes can recognize.
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 | Deep ColorWhere x.v. color expands the available range of colors your HDTV can display, Deep Color increases the number of colors your HDTV can display within that range, for smoother transitions from color to color.
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Connectivity
Viera flat panel HDTVs interact with an array of high-definition devices and services, making it easy for consumers to access and enjoy content as never before. As of 2008, Viera Link is compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems.| Videos and stills recorded on SD cards can easily be viewed via the SD slots on Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc players and Viera HDTVs. | Viera Link means easy connectivity via HDMI cables. Finally, consumers can easily operate their Blu-Ray Disc players, DVD recorders and home theater systems with a single remote control device. |
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| Equipped with an RGB input terminal, VIERA can connect with your PC and serve as a large-screen monitor. | 4 HDMI inputs to connect all of your devices directly to your television. |
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 | Long LifePanasonic plasma panels are rated to last 100,000 hours, which is about 30 years of regular or 11 years of non-stop usage before the brightness of the display is halved. |
 | Get Full HD with Blu-Ray Disc PlayersA Panasonic 1080p plasma television is able to render 1920x1080 pixels, but standard DVDs have a resolution of just 720x480. Blu-ray discs output true 1080p High-Definition resolution and have a storage capacity ten times greater than standard DVDs, so no pixel gos to waste. |
Which is the Right Viera for You?
| Screen Size Measured Diagonally | 1080p Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels | Native Contrast Ratio | PC Input | THX Cert | 24p | Speakers | HDMI Inputs | One Sheet of Glass Design | Swivel Base | Shades of Gradation | H.264 Codec | Digital Cinema Color | Studio Reference Mode | Pro Setting Menu | Serial Port | Standard Features | |
| TH-42PX80U | 42 inches | 15,000:1 | 2 | 3 | 4,096 |
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| TH-50PX80U | 50 inches | 15,000:1 | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | ||||||||||||
| TH-42PZ80U | 42 inches |  | 20,000:1 | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | |||||||||||
| TH-46PZ80U | 46 inches | | 20,000:1 | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | |||||||||||
| TH-50PZ80U | 50 inches | | 20,000:1 | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | |||||||||||
| TH-42PZ85U | 42 inches | | 30,000:1 | | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | ||||||||||
| TH-46PZ85U | 46 inches | | 30,000:1 | | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | ||||||||||
| TH-50PZ85U | 50 inches | | 30,000:1 | | 2 | 3 | 4,096 | ||||||||||
| TH-42PZ800U | 42 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 4,096 | ||||||
| TH-46PZ800U | 46 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 4,096 | ||||||
| TH-50PZ800U | 50 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 4,096 | ||||||
| TH-58PZ800U | 58 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 4,096 | ||||||
| TH-46PZ850U | 46 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 5,120 | | | | | | |
| TH-50PZ850U | 50 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 5,120 | | | | | | |
| TH-58PZ850U | 58 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 5,120 | | | | | | |
| TH-65PZ850U | 65 inches | | 30,000:1 | | | | 4 | 4 | | | 5,120 | | | | | |
- 1920 x 1080 Resolution
- 1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks
- 5120 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction
- Viera LinK™ HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control
- GalleryPlayer® allows you to enjoy the world's finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV
Color: Black
Model: TH-50PZ800U
Fantastic!
I've been very happy with this 50 inch Panasonic. The THX setting provides a practically perfect picture and is excellent except when there is a ton of daylight in the room. I think the sound quality is pretty terrific also. Great for movies and sports. The TV this replaced, that I moved upstairs, was a 2007 42 inch Panasonic. And this is head and shoulders above that set which I thought was pretty awesome before this one arrived. Two thumbs way up.
Every bit as good as I knew it would be...
I did a lot of research so I already knew I was getting a great tv. This is my first HDTV and it is just great. I connected a PS3 and surround system and played my only blu ray movie, Ironman. Wow, I spent 2 hours with my mouth hanging open. Better experience than a movie theater in my opinion. Dish Network will be installed this weekend, looking forward to that. THX mode and 24p settings are great for movies. You may wish to turn off the C.A.T.S. setting. It made the picture much too dark.
Some people are reporting excellent "white glove" delivery and some are not. "White glove" sounds like something special. My delivery was anything but special. After several days I called Pilot to ask about the tv. They said they had it and they may be in my area next week they will call to set an appointment. Next week came and went with no call. I checked the tracking number and it said that the tv was delivered. So I called again and was told the tv was delivered. Then they said it was given to another trucking company, I should call them. So I called them. They said the tv was delivered. Then they said it was given to yet another shipping company, I should call them. So I called them. You already know what they said. Then they decided they actually did have the tv and could bring it tomorrow. I actually no longer wanted the tv at this point, I was getting a little upset. What saved the day was the two friendly, experienced professional delivery guys that brought the tv to my house. The box was in perfect condition, they brought it into the house, took it out of the box, and set it where I wanted. I got lucky. This delivery service should not be touted as something special if they cannot make it special for everyone. I am very disappointed with Amazon and I always start with Amazon when I am planning a purchase.
Make no mistake though. This tv is awesome! Don't hesitate to get one.
Great television poor white glove setup
The panasonic television was shipped and delevered in a very timely manner. The picture is fantastic and the menu options are easy to follow and the setup was not to complicated. The television was delivered under the "white glove" program and this servce was short of what I expected. The delivery man brought the television into the house and exposed just enough of the tv to be able to plug it in and turn on. Once this was done he left. I then had to finish unpacking the tv and connecting it to the cable box. I notified Amazon about what happened and they apologized for this shortfall and refunded me the cost of the service. I was very happy with Amazon's attitude and will continue to do business with them.Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ800U 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
Better then expected
I consider myself and audio/video guy. I come from front projection TV viewing and used two different DLP projectors before this. The trade off was simple, smaller screen for a brighter and more vibrant picture even in the light. I think it was worth it. I went from 85" down to 50" but I have been very happy. I looked at a lot of LCD's and Plasma TV's and Plasma is really where the future is, LCD's just can't give you the same movie type feel that Plasma can. No matter how many Mhz they add, 120, 240. Whatever it is it still looks artificial. Not to mention the deeper blacks you get with a Plasma. I am still blown away by the quality of the picture once I got this setup. The THX mode is almost dead on with its settings, little needs to be changed. My only complaint with this TV is the optical pass through on the back of the TV does not pass through a Dolby Digital signal. It only passes through Stereo.. Come on Panasonic release a firmware update to pass through DD and DTS!!! Other then that, this TV is well worth the money.
Worth every penny - fantastic picture
After reading all the reviews and checking out Consumer Reports we decided on purchasing this set. We had heard that the picture at home wouldn't be as good as the one in the store. This was NOT the case. If anything the picture at home is better. The only adjustment we have made is to turn on the THX setting. We did not have it calibrated although the salesman has promised to do so. Frankly the picture is so good it may not be necessary. Our only complaint is that our cable provider has fewer than 60 HD channels so our viewing is limited to those and the BluRay disks. The Rose Parade was spectacular - every flower seemed to jump out at us and the colors were true. My husband has watched every football game possible and it's almost like being at the stadium. BluRay movies blow us away with the color and clarity. Even "regular" DVDs are clearer than we expected. We bought this with a Panasonic BluRay player. We recommend this set very highly!
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