Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wow! What a picture!, May 19, 2008
This is just an incredible set, I can't rave about it enough!
We did a ton of research on LCD Vs. Plasma and decided to go with Plasma because of the sharper picture quality and the fact that Plasma's are better at handling high speed images which comes in handy since I watch a lot of sports.
Like other reviewers have mentioned, last years model was among the highest rated Plasma's out there and although the reviews are just starting to come in this set seems to have picked up where last years models left off.
3 HDMI inputs allow you to hook up just about everything you could want without sacrificing quality and one of the many great features of this set is that it allows you to independently setup your picture quality for each input so you're not constantly adjusting settings when you switch inputs. Switching also couldn't be easier and you can customize the menu so you know that you're switching to Game, DVD, etc. instead of input 1, input 2, input 3, etc. You can even disable unused inputs so you're not scrolling through "dead" inputs when you're switching devices. The set also has 1 set of inputs in front which are also very convenient for a quick hookup.
For those that are worried about image burn in, this set has 2 other nice features not in last year's model (that I'm aware of) which is built in pixel shifting and a scrolling bar. Pixel shifting subtly adjusts the pixels (your eye won't pick this up) so an image doesn't get burned into the screen since the pixels don't remain static. This isn't foolproof but it does help reduce the chances. And what if you do ever get an image burned into the screen? Well, this set has a white scrolling bar you can run. This runs a white bar across the screen for up to 15 minutes that should eliminate any image that gets burned in.
On top of all the other features that I can rave about, the most important is the picture quality and I must say the image is GORGEOUS. I have HD through DirecTV and I am simply amazed at the quality of the picture, it's absolutely stunning! This set is in our living room and we do get sunlight in the room during the middle of the day and I see no glare, reflection, etc. Amy time of the day the picture is just incredible.
Of course do your research, go to some stores and take a look but I think anyone who gets this set will be absolutely floored by everything it offers and the truly incredible picture it gives. I really couldn't be happier having decided to purchase this set.
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52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for the money, but know what you're buying, May 29, 2008
I own the 2007 version of the TH-50pz80U, which was the TH-50pz77U. I'm very pleased with my plasma, and it was great value for the money. So I'm confident you'll have the same experience with this very slightly upgraded 2008 model (mainly, three HDMI inputs instead of two). However, the pz77U had been misrepresented in customer reviews, and I really didn't understand what I was buying. It's clear from reading these reviews that the same misunderstandings persist.
Many customer reviews say that this model is the new version of the model that got top marks from Consumer Reports last year. That isn't true. That last year's model was the TH-50pz700U. I was misled by similar customer reviews last year. If you want the 2008 version of that model, you will need the TH-50pz800U at 50% higher cost than the pz80U.
The online retailers describe all of the features of the most expensive Panasonic plasmas in the listing for every model, creating the impression that the least expensive models have all of the features of the most expensive models. Again, not true. Compared to this pz80U, the pz800U adds 30,000:1 native contrast ratio compared to the 20,000:1 of the pz80U, native 24p playback, a brand new panel construction ("one pane of glass"), display of 5,120 shades of gray vs. 4,096 for the 80U, and an upgraded speaker system.
Again, I'm pleased with my pz77U and probably wouldn't have paid to upgrade to the pz700U even if I had been given better information. But know what you're getting. I had the opportunity to see the pz77U and the pz700U side by side after the return period was over, and the pz700U was noticeably superior.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great TV and by far best bang for the buck!, April 28, 2008
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80U 50-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV
I've researched HDTVs for the past 3 weeks very intensely and shocked myself when I ended up with this Panasonic 50PZ80U. I told myself I would stay away from Plasma due to the stories of burn-in (image "burned" into the screen and faintly visible always, no matter what you are watching) and image retention (image is temporary "stuck" on the screen - slightly visible with anything you are watching, but fades after a short period of time)... It turns out that these things are really a thing of the past. Plasmas have really come a long way!
Trying not to ramble, I will get down to the good stuff for those considering this TV.
Pros:
-Unbeatable price for quality. I was looking at the new Samsung 52" 650A LCD for almost 1000$ more, but the picture quality on this Panasonic was better, especially standard definition TV (which is important since most stations are still SD!).
-The most amazing blacks ever! Watching shows like Cold Case are just amazing. Those black suits never looked sooo good. Any LCD was just crushed by this Panasonic's blacks.
-Very easy to get a good picture. This is a pro and a con, as it's easy to get a great picture, but there really aren't that many options to mess with. So, for those that like to get down to the nitty gritty with adjustments, this really doesn't have that. Those that like simple options that produce great picture will love this though.
-Anti-reflection is awesome on this TV. My partner and I just stared at it and she said over and over that she couldn't see any reflection from our windows in the living room, no matter how hard she tried to look for them. I agree with her :)
Cons:
-With the brightness high, you can start to see some very minor "noise" on the picture (little speckles), but you can only see these up close. Our couch is 10 ft from the TV and you cannot see this at all. Even up close, it is very very minor and may partially be due to the HD feed from our cable provider. I also think this may be due to the built in pixel mover to help remove any problems of burn-in and image retention that I mentioned earlier.
-No nitty gritty adjustments for the picture. This was the pro that I listed as well. Although picture quality (PQ) is great, some advance users like to reaaallly adjust things to make their TV best for them, but this TV really only has options like Picture, Brightness, Tint, Sharpness, and Color (with some other options like noise reduction and stuff).
-Stand is kind of cheap plastic. Although the stand works great for it's job, it does feel a little cheapy... it works fine though and it's not like people move their TV all over the place anyway. It almost seemed like an afterthought with Panasonic (like, "Whoops! Boss, we need a stand for this thing!" -- "Oh here, just slap this on there...").
All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase. (I bought mine from 6 Ave as they match prices from price grabber!). I was a little nervous has I hadn't looked them up before I jumped the gun, but after looking around and then actually getting my TV about 5 days after I ordered it in perfect shape, I could not be happier.
Consider this plasma for your next HDTV purchase. This is considered a mid-range priced HDTV and for the money will beat out any LCD at equal size. I was really an LCD only guy before this and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.
Oh and I hate giving things 5 stars as nothing is perfect, but this TV is definitely more than 4 stars... maybe 4.5 :)
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