Customer Reviews

Panasonic PT-50LC13 50-Inch TheaterWide HDTV-Ready Projection LCD TV

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

Having researched a lot of HDTVs including DLP, Plasma etc., the Panasonic PT-50LC13 represents the best out of the lot out there!
Both from a quality and price perspective, it represents a great buy - purchased mine from Circuit City for $3000 and was delivered the next day (would NOT recommend buying from an online retailer even if it is $300 - $500 cheaper, since LCD TVs can have some bad pixels sometimes - this is a lot easier to exchange at your local supplier vs. dealing direct with Panasonic! Most online retailers - you canNOT do the exchange with them and have to deal with the manufacturer).
The TV itself is quite stunning to look at - a lot better than the Sony WEGA LCD which looks quite terrible at the base and the sony does not have RGB input either. It is a whole lot cheaper than a 50" plasma tv and does not suffer from the same problems as a plasma tv does.
Very easy to handle (compared to a regular CRT or projection or even a Plasma).
The depth is only 16 inches and tapers off sharply at the top. Does not suffer from a convergence problem like most projection TVs do.
Does not suffer from the Plasma TV burn - most Plasma TVs will last only 20,000 hrs and need to watch out for burn-in if you have constant bars at the side or at the top.
LCD TVs do not suffer from this.
Plasma TV - cannot be fixed if they have the burn-in.
LCD PTVs on the other hand can have a lamp burnout - but the good news is that the lamp can be replaced for around $300. The lamp usually lasts around 10,000 hours.

We sit around 6 feet away and the picture is quite stunning on HDTV.
Note however, if you just connect plain analog or even digital cable, you will be sorely disappointed - with the signal, not the TV :-).
DVDs look good - had to purchase a progressive scan DVD player just to make the pictures look good! Progressive scan DVD at 480p look great. However if the DVD is of poor quality, then the errors are magnified on the 50" screen!

The TV does 1080i and 720p very well on the DVI connector.
The RGB inputs work great - was even able to get my Dell Latitude laptop connected and working (most of the older laptops cannot connect with RGB to a LCD monitor).
THe BBE sound is nice as well - provides a much better surround sound experience. However, the auto volume correction does NOT work with BBE. Overall, having external speakers definitely makes the experience a lot better.
LCD TVs like Plasma TVs have a fan to cool the inside - but I did not hear the fan with normal and very low volume output. Only when the TV is off, I can hear the fan operating silently for some time before it switches off completely (after the lamp is cooled).

Pros:
- Looks extremely sleek - better than Sony wega LCDs!
- Lot cheaper than a 50" plasma and performs better over a longer period
- 2 sets of RGB inputs - one at side and one at back - this is great for laptop or computer connectivity. Imagine connecting the laptop to it and surfing from the couch with a wireless keyboard
- DVI / HDCP Input - for those who understand what this means, connecting the cable box via this connector provides the best possible connectivity (better than composite, better than RGB). Works great on Time Warner / Brighthouse HDTV cable box with DVI output.
- TV Comes with DVI cable
- Lots of composite and component inputs and digital audio out as well
- Remote looks and performs well (silver finish just like the TV) and is able to control the cable box as well if needed. We use the cable remote to control the TV instead.
Remote menus very easy to understand and operate.
- Offers quick aspect scaling from Normal 4:3 -> Full (extends the normal 4:3 screen to 16:9) -> Just (extends only the extreme sides so that people in the middle do not look abnormally fat!) -> Zoom (uniformly zooms out - but can lose the ticker at the bottom!). This aspect scaling works on the component, composite and the coax inputs.

Cons:
- Does not come with composite cables - but ask your cable provider - they usually provide one.
- Standard Cable (even just plain digital) looks just so-so. The size of the TV and the high resolution of the LCD display magnifies any deficiencies in the signal.
- DVI input does not seem to have closed captions - do not know if the problem is with the signal or with the TV
- BBE surround sound does NOT have auto volume correction
- takes around 30 sec - 1 min to startup after a cold start
- Lacks a built-in HD Tuner - but then most plasma TVs do not have it either and is a lot cheaper because of its absence!
- Cannot scale aspect on the Digital Input (DVI/HDCP) - I think this is a restriction on the signal as it is already 16:9 720p signal.
- Need to set the TV to Cinema mode otherwise the cable inputs on standard or digital look terrible! Make sure you do this, otherwise you will NOT have a good viewing experience! Wish Cinema mode is the default.

I searched all over the web for reviews in considering the Sony and Panasonic 50" LCD's. It's seemed like Sony had a manufacturing problem with theirs, so I turned to the Panasonic. I was (and still am) concerned about the quality of the signal from my dish (Directv)as it is far inferior to the DVD, but found that if I just do as everyone said....Cinema mode, adjust the colors....it is at least okay. We turn it to the 4:3 mode with the bars on the side. I think it is, by far, the best mode to watch regular tv. Oh, and I do have an s video cable. You really do need to sit 7-10 feet away from the set or else it's really not very good. If we had a tight room, I might have gone with a 36" tv. I would say that if you plan on buying this to watch Friends and the like and do not have HDTV, you will be disappointed until HDTV catches up with us.

Watching movies on this is what I bought it for and it is incredible for that. INCREDIBLE!!! We watched Seabiscuit and Finding Nemo on it and it was flawless. We just use the TVs speakers now, but will purchase a home theater system, bit by bit, over time. I think the speakers are great. Loud, without much distortion. But...I am not an audiosnob.

I recommend the set with the idea that I know that I'm on the bleeding edge a little bit and hope that HDTV catches up with us sooner rather than later.

PS - After researching DVD players and seeing what I could find here in Puerto Rico, I bought the Toshiba SD 3900 DVD player for about $80 and it seems to drive the "flawless" picture on the Panasonic TV just fine. I planned on buying a $2-300 dvd player, but couldn't find the one I wanted here, so I just bought the Toshiba "for now"...and I may just stick with it.

The TV is very nice but if you want one be prepared to replace the very expensive bulbs frequently. I believe the company has completely overstated the rated life of the bulbs. They claim an average of 10,000 hours, but from my own experience, and from what I've read on the net, the reality is more likely 1,000-2,000 hours. Do the math and you'll see that this set is a very poor choice overall.

I normally don't review products, but I thought that in this case if I could prevent one poor, unsuspecting buyer from making a bad choice, it would be worth the effort.

3 strikes and you're out. After the bulb blew for the third time in less than a year, I forced Panasonic to give me a full refund. Be smarter - don't buy this piece of junk in the first place.

DO NOT BUY THE PANASONIC PT-50LC13 TV OR ANY TV FROM PANASONIC!!! I purchased my PT-50LC13 in March of 2004 and it has worked a total of 9 months! It has broke 5 times in one year!! I have had 3 bulbs go bad and a projection unti (this unit costs more than the TV does if it is not under warranty). And now, it is broken again. This time it is something different, maybe a balast. This has been the WORST piece of electronic equipment I have ever purchased! And the customer service (if you can call it service) is horrible!!! Each time the bulb blew out I waited anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months to get a new one. And the projection unit took over a month to order. 4 full months this TV sat unsed due to repair.

Panasonic DOES NOT CARE ABOUT IT'S CUSTOMERS!!! When you call, you can complain all you want, and they don't even appologize!!! They make statements like "we don't care if you buy a TV from us" and "you got the 1 year warranty for free when you bought the TV" They make no effert to make you feel like even putting up with them.

My unit is just about out of warranty and when it goes out after that, it will be put out on my curb for trash pickup!!! Because that is exactly what it is, TRASH!

If you are considering a Panasonic TV, DON'T!!! You can save yourself a lot of anger, frustration, and money by just choosing another product and getting that extended warranty from Bestbuy or Circuit City. Let them deal with the problems because Panasonic does not care about the little guy.

TV repair shop just picked up my set. Waited two weeks for action from Panasonic. Waited one more from repair shop to schedule pick up. What can I say about this set? I can't say what I want to!!! 3 blown projection lamps in 1.5 years. Panasonic would not send me another lamp (nor would I allow then to) until the ballast board is replaced. Yes, I did take the extended warranty, but the down time for this set has been excessive and irritating. It will be in the repair shop for at least another week. All parts have to be authorized by Panasonic or Circuit City, and then shipped. Probably third class mail!! If a new ballast board does not fix the problem, I have a boat that needs an anchor.

My tv was delivered 30 days ago and it has already broken!!! The bulb, which is suppossed to last 10,000 hours, has gone out. My husband did some research on-line and found lots of people complaining about this problem. The authorized repair facility is trying to find out from Panasonic if it's a problem with the bulb or a deeper problem with the tv. The picture is great and I would like to rate this a 5, but a $2700 tv that breaks after 30 days qualifies for a low score. In all fairness, I will update this once the problem is resolved. I just think we should have waited a year or two for them to resolve all issues before purchasing this item.
We ended up exchanging the tv because Panasonic couldn't give us a time frame on the bulb. The new one has been in place for a week and my husband is in love again. I'm reserving judgement for 30 days.

On 12-23-03, we purchased Panasonic LCD TV Model PT50LC13 from Circuit City, and paid $2,782.39 (after price adjustment) plus TV stand $299.97 plus tax $184.94 = Total 3,267.30.

Two months later on 2-29-04, the TV was dead. Under the manufacturer's warranty, all the internal components (unit, PC board, lamp, cable) were replaced. Total Cost: $2,654.14.

One year and 4 months later on 6-22-05 (that is 1 year and 6 months after purchase), the TV was dead again for the second time. The lamp was replaced and the ballast was repaired. Total Cost: $605.26. Since it happened after the manufacturer's 1-year warranty had expired, we had to pay the cost.

Six months later in 12-2005 (that is 2 years after purchase) the TV is dead again for the third time. We have been told that it would cost about $500.00 to have it repaired.

First, we thought that it was just our luck with that particular TV. We have recently checked the reviews on the internet for this model, and we were surprised to find out that we are just one of the many victims.

There is even an online petition for this specific model at

http://www.petitiononline.com/panbulb/

Although Panasonic states that the lamp bulb last about 10,000 hours, according to the reviews and our experience, it only lasts a few hundred hours, and the ballast also doesn't last very long.

Having to have a brand new Panasonic LCD TV repaired and having to pay a few hundred dollars every few months is simply unacceptable. This model has design flaws and should be recalled.

First, I need to disclose a bit of my the back-story regarding how I came into this TV. About 4 years or so ago I bought this second-hand as a gift to myself for a new job that I'd gotten. The LCD's hadn't yet become an industry standard, and the CRT's were already obsolete. Rear projection DLP was really the best option out there at the time. So after shopping classified ads for awhile, I eventually came across this model from Panasonic and I jumped at it. I bought it for a SONG compared to what other similar pieces were selling for at the time. It didn't have HDMI inputs (which was something that really gave me a little pause), but in the end the picture quality with component cables was still able to support a 1080i picture (which was what I wanted) ... so I was in.

As for the TV, the picture is really pretty nice! It has a good viewing range, is easy to operate, has an SD slot for your digital camera media, and the picture quality is solid! In THAT respect, I really don't have anything to complain about at all and have been pretty happy with its performance ... when its working. This leads me to my next point, the one where I tell you that I'm on my third replacement lamp. They're easy to replace and (thankfully) the price of the lamp has come down quite a bit, but the simple fact that I've spent over $300 in maintenance for this thing is REALLY irritating. At first I was saying to myself "I bought this used, it kind of comes with the territory." After doing this three times though and reading that this is a common problem in this line, I can tell you I still feel justified in complaining about the toilet-bowl level reliability. A product THIS NEW, regardless of WHAT it is, should NOT need to have this much time and trouble extended in simply keeping it working.

If you decide to bite on this particular model, buy it with an extra lamp and housing to guarantee its shelf-life in your entertainment center. I PROMISE you'll need it. The funny part is, if you can come across one cheap enough (and that shouldn't be tough given the frustration level associated with it) I can't even necessarily tell you it's a "bad deal." When it's working (and that is NOT the "given" you'd expect it to be) the picture quality IS really nice! Be absolutely warned though, you'll be an expert in TV repair after a few years ...

I guess I got lucky. I got the BB service contract on my set when I bought it. I would never buy any tech over $1000 without an extended svc contract, especially new models or 'fragile' tech like HDTV's and laptops.

The bulb ignitor circuit board in my set died during the first year I owned it. The svc contract covered it so it was just the aggravation of waiting for the parts to be available and arrive. Later I decided to get rid of a small dot I had noticed on the set in the upper left quadrant. It had been there all along, I just decided I'd try to get the dot fixed while the svc contract was still going strong. The svc contractor played process of elimination trying to get rid of the spot. He ended up replacing the projector/light engine, the screens(twice), and the bulb. Anyway I got bascially a whole new set other than the housing, and its been going strong for a long time now. I've owned the set about 2.5 yrs I think.

To me its been a great set but I had the guts replaced almost entirely as it turned out.

I agree with other people who have said to wait until the red flashing light is off before turning the set on again. When you turn the set off, it goes into a cooldown sequence for the bulb.

update ----

Well my 2nd bulb died much earlier than I had anticipated. There seems to be validity to the short bulb life issue after all. I still think the cooldown procedure can hurt the ballast part, but the bulb life itself is ridiculous. I use my computer alot so I don't even have the tv on that much other than watching a few late night shows, and a few times a week watching a few movies.
I'm going to see if my BB contract will cover the bulb at the very least. I'm going to try to push for a replacement set from BB or a refund of my purchase price from Panasonic if I can. I've read enough reviews to see that $300 on a bulb every 7 to 10 months is the norm and unacceptable. I may have to sign up on the lawsuit as well. I will see what satisfaction I can get.