Panasonic's New 1080p Plasma reviewed!

[Audioholics]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/panasonic-1080p-plasma.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 100px; HEIGHT: 100px" alt=[panasonic1080p] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/panasonic1080p_th.jpg" align=left border=0></A>I’ve had a chance to review a number of 720p displays in recent months. They have, for the most part, all been very good. But there has always been this itch… the 1080 itch I call it. Will it look that much better? Will it be that much better? With a 50” screen, I’ve often heard people say that you can’t tell the difference. Maybe that’s true, but personally, I want to see for myself.

[Read the Review]

Review by Tom Andry

 

[stratman]

Great review, though I'm not surprised, I'm probably Panasonic's biggest fan on this site, I love their plasma units, I've yet to see blacks as pure as these units in the same price range. Bang for your buck, excellent quality and reliability are some of the reasons Panasonic is the largest producer of plasmas in the world.

 

[goodman]

Panasonic also has a 58" 1080p plasma, the TH-58PX600U, $4,800, that is top-rated among plasmas in the March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports.
Panasonics seem to last forever. My ex-wife had a Panasonic CRT that lasted over 20 years, and I still use a 40" CRT RPTV that I bought in 1987 (not in my theater, of course) that has never been repaired, though the tubes are fading.

 

[Duffinator]

Panasonic also has a 58" 1080p plasma, the TH-58PX600U, $4,800, that is top-rated among plasmas in the March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports.
Panasonics seem to last forever. My ex-wife had a Panasonic CRT that lasted over 20 years, and I still use a 40" CRT RPTV that I bought in 1987 (not in my theater, of course) that has never been repaired, though the tubes are fading.

That set is only 720P. I don't think the 1080P is out yet but when it is I'll be seriously considering it.

 

[goodman]

Panasonic also has a 58" 1080p plasma, the TH-58PX600U, $4,800, that is top-rated among plasmas in the March 2007 issue of Consumer Reports.
Panasonics seem to last forever. My ex-wife had a Panasonic CRT that lasted over 20 years, and I still use a 40" CRT RPTV that I bought in 1987 (not in my theater, of course) that has never been repaired, though the tubes are fading.

It is only 720p, but still top-rated. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

[goodman]

I don't think the 1080P is out yet but when it is I'll be seriously considering it.

That would be awesome. A 58" 1080p plasma!

 

[zoran]

That would be awesome. A 58" 1080p plasma!

when $3000

 

[ivseenbetter]

I recently purchased the 720p version of this 50" TV and it is without a doubt the best purchase I have made for home theater. Excellent picture. Of course, I keep telling myself that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 720p from the distance I sit from the TV. I guess I will have to wait and see how long I can fight that nagging bug.

 

[Bigsilvs]

Did I read this review right, no HDMI INPUT?

 

[Tom Andry]

With all these industrial plasmas, to have HDMI you need to purchase a separate blade. They usually cost around $200 if I remember correctly.

 

[ivseenbetter]

When I was hunting around for a blade for mine I found a couple for $100 but you can easily get them for $150.

 

[moverton]

Missing the point

You guys (the reviewers) keep getting the input situation backwards in my opinion. The fact that it has modular inputs is a huge benifit, not a "con". yes, it would be nice if they dropped in the hdmi input for free but you can add one for $100 if needed. If you don't need it you save the $100. The alternative you seem to prefer is to throw all kinds of stuff into these tv's that nobody ever uses and have the consumer pay for it all. The same goes for the lack of a tuner. 99% people won't use a built in tuner in a high def tv, yet 99% people pay for one anyway.
Also, you can add any other combination of inputs you want. Other brands your just stuck if you need something else or two of something they thought you needed one of.
Finally, I think the dvi is compatible with hdmi outputs. You just need an different cable, so I'm not sure even this is an issue at all. If I remember correctly, that is exactly how mine is hooked up (hdmi from cable box -> dvi input on tv).

Generally, I think you guys miss the point of this tv (or at least explain it badly). for an audio/video enthusiast it is a perfect setup.

• No ugly built in speakers that you have to look at and not use.
• No unused electronics that you pay for and don't use.
• Flexibility to hook up in any way you want.
• All money spent on picture quality

 

[MDS]

The alternative you seem to prefer is to throw all kinds of stuff into these tv's that nobody ever uses and have the consumer pay for it all.

I agree in principle but it isn't accurate to say that 99% of the people will never use features like a built-in tuner or speakers. It's only those of us that are into HT that don't have a need for them; the majority of people actually want speakers in their TV and need all of those extra inputs.

I wish you could configure a TV only the way you want it. I'd get a 'monitor' with no speakers, no tuner, no analog audio inputs, and only a few component video and HDMI inputs.

Same goes for receivers. I could care less about 50 DSP modes, 6 composite and s-video inputs, or phono inputs yet every receiver has them all to accomodate every possible need. The irony is that as you go higher in the model line, you get MORE useless inputs and 'features' you won't ever use.

 

[moverton]

I agree in principle but it isn't accurate to say that 99% of the people will never use features like a built-in tuner or speakers. It's only those of us that are into HT that don't have a need for them; the majority of people actually want speakers in their TV and need all of those extra inputs.

99% of all users won't use the tuner.
I agree that more will use the speakers (fools .

I wish you could configure a TV only the way you want it. I'd get a 'monitor' with no speakers, no tuner, no analog audio inputs, and only a few component video and HDMI inputs.

That's a pretty good description of the commercial panny actually.

Same goes for receivers. I could care less about 50 DSP modes, 6 composite and s-video inputs, or phono inputs yet every receiver has them all to accomodate every possible need. The irony is that as you go higher in the model line, you get MORE useless inputs and 'features' you won't ever use.

Right on.

 

[JimOfOakCreek]

For $6K It Ought To Be Good

$6K is too much money for a TV. I bought a 42" 1080P Westinghouse LCD. Although not perfect, it's an awesome and detailed display.

 

[gtaylor0]

I agree that more will use the speakers (fools .


I don't know about the "fools" part. When I watch most TV I don't turn on my home theater; for just plain old sound I don't need the my HT speakers and subs running, and it's a waste of electricity, to boot. Even certain, older, non-movie DVD's sound fine - even better - coming from the TV than the HT; in those cases it would be overkill to fire up the whole system. I absolutely appreciate my Sony's LCD's speakers, although I have to say the Panny we're talking about here looks sweet without them.