Panasonic Viera TH-50PX80U 50 Plasma TV - 50 - ATSC, NTSC - 16:9 - 1366 x 768 - Surround - HDTV
Panasonic
- TH-50PX80U
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Reviews
(20)
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I did research before buying and could not be happier. This TV has great picture quality and was a great value. I was worried about the shipping and possible damage. They called to arrange the delivery and there was no problem. The box was in pristine condition.
I struggled deciding between a 42-inch 1080p and 50-inch 720p. In the end, I decided that size matters more. I believe I made the right choice.
I run Direct TV HD in on a HDMI input and it looks fantastic.
The only possible con is that it only has one rear RCA video input. I wish it had one more. Not really a con, just be aware of what inputs you will need.
I struggled deciding between a 42-inch 1080p and 50-inch 720p. In the end, I decided that size matters more. I believe I made the right choice.
I run Direct TV HD in on a HDMI input and it looks fantastic.
The only possible con is that it only has one rear RCA video input. I wish it had one more. Not really a con, just be aware of what inputs you will need.
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Panasonic Viera TH-50PX80U 50-Inch 720p
I can not imagine a better picture than the one we are getting with the HD.
Assembly was easy but you do need two people.
Remote control is very intuitive. Hooked it originally for one week with standard Direct TV and was pleased but when the HD Satellite from Direct TV was installed I was totally blown away. Purchased for $800 from local retailer as substitute for set that was on sale but he was out of.
I can not imagine a better picture than the one we are getting with the HD.
Assembly was easy but you do need two people.
Remote control is very intuitive. Hooked it originally for one week with standard Direct TV and was pleased but when the HD Satellite from Direct TV was installed I was totally blown away. Purchased for $800 from local retailer as substitute for set that was on sale but he was out of.
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If you're looking for a 50 inch TV, don't let the 720p display scare you away from this TV. The picture is superb; great blacks and realistic fleshtones and other colors. There are lots of theoretical arguments for buying a 1080p and certainly the 1080p difference gains importance once you exceed the 50 inch threshold. But with TVs 50 inches and smaller, it's my belief that you won't see the difference between 1080 and 720, all else being equal.
I've only noticed one shortcoming: there are only two HDMI and only one composite video hookups on the back of the TV so if you have more than two HDMI accessories or more than one accessory with composite hookups (Wii and a VHS deck), you'll need to hook something up through the front. This is accomplished by dropping open a door which is rather unslightly. This won't be an issue for those who have a surround sound setup because they can then run everything through the receiver.
I recommend this TV to anyone who's looking for a TV this
I've only noticed one shortcoming: there are only two HDMI and only one composite video hookups on the back of the TV so if you have more than two HDMI accessories or more than one accessory with composite hookups (Wii and a VHS deck), you'll need to hook something up through the front. This is accomplished by dropping open a door which is rather unslightly. This won't be an issue for those who have a surround sound setup because they can then run everything through the receiver.
I recommend this TV to anyone who's looking for a TV this
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This TV is just great! The picture quality is superb, and the setup was extremely easy. I love the fact that it has a slot that reads SD cards. We can just take the SD card from our digital camera and watch the pictures on the big screen.
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I recently upgraded from a 27" Panasonic tube TV to this 50" 720p plasma screen TV. Wow! What an amazing piece of electronics!!!
I opted for the 720p instead of a 1080p unit for the following reasons:
1) I have a large collection of DVDs, and the main use for this screen will is for watching movies.
2) Since my collection is not hi-def, there was little reason to pay the nearly $1000 more for additional pixels/inch that I will not use.
3) The price dropped significantly on this unit in the weeks before Christmas, thus making it an even better buy!
4) You can see the picture clearly from nearly every angle - and that's important for my family since my wife often prefers to watch while she stands by the fireplace, and that vantage point gives her about a 75 degree angle of view - and it even looks great from there!
I had never owned a big-screen TV before, so I didn't really know what a difference the screen size and quality makes when watching anything. Even my wife, who watches movies
I opted for the 720p instead of a 1080p unit for the following reasons:
1) I have a large collection of DVDs, and the main use for this screen will is for watching movies.
2) Since my collection is not hi-def, there was little reason to pay the nearly $1000 more for additional pixels/inch that I will not use.
3) The price dropped significantly on this unit in the weeks before Christmas, thus making it an even better buy!
4) You can see the picture clearly from nearly every angle - and that's important for my family since my wife often prefers to watch while she stands by the fireplace, and that vantage point gives her about a 75 degree angle of view - and it even looks great from there!
I had never owned a big-screen TV before, so I didn't really know what a difference the screen size and quality makes when watching anything. Even my wife, who watches movies
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For several months I spent much time doing research on HDTV's... and I have found that:
*Plasmas offer a natural, vivid color over LCD for less the price
*Panasonic and Pioneer are the leaders in plasma technology
*Plasmas have a much wider viewing angle, meaning you can sit anywhere in the room for the "ultimate viewing experience"
*As for 1080p, and 720p, it all really depends on two things. How big is the TV and how far away will you be from it? From what I've seen and heard, you cannot really discern the difference viewing from 6-8 feet away on a 50 inch TV or less. I have fooled friends and family by telling them it was 1080p... and they believed me without hesitation.
*Panasonic offers great values for great plasmas. They boast a 100,000 hour lifespan for their TV's... more than enough time until a newer model is sought after
*This particular one (TH-50PX80U) looks wonderful with any material. I use it most for Blu-ray, HD Televison, and Xbox 360. At 720p, you can still fill the
*Plasmas offer a natural, vivid color over LCD for less the price
*Panasonic and Pioneer are the leaders in plasma technology
*Plasmas have a much wider viewing angle, meaning you can sit anywhere in the room for the "ultimate viewing experience"
*As for 1080p, and 720p, it all really depends on two things. How big is the TV and how far away will you be from it? From what I've seen and heard, you cannot really discern the difference viewing from 6-8 feet away on a 50 inch TV or less. I have fooled friends and family by telling them it was 1080p... and they believed me without hesitation.
*Panasonic offers great values for great plasmas. They boast a 100,000 hour lifespan for their TV's... more than enough time until a newer model is sought after
*This particular one (TH-50PX80U) looks wonderful with any material. I use it most for Blu-ray, HD Televison, and Xbox 360. At 720p, you can still fill the
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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.
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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
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
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This is my 3rd flat panel tv, and by far the best in terms of picture clarity and features.
I have no complaints. The picture is vivid, crisp, and satisfying.
There are plenty of hdmi, component, and other inputs so no worries there. And they all work, unlike my westinghouse unit. The unit was easy to assemble (4 screws to the base) the online menus are easy to use, and the price here at amazon was better than at any store. Free delivery and no sales tax were a bonus.
I don't use blueray discs so 720p is fine. The $400 premium for 1080p wasn't worth it to me.
Hint: Use a premium credit card that doubles the warranty from 1 year to 2. Panasonic warranty service is in-home or mail in, your choice.
Very pleased with this tv so far.
I have no complaints. The picture is vivid, crisp, and satisfying.
There are plenty of hdmi, component, and other inputs so no worries there. And they all work, unlike my westinghouse unit. The unit was easy to assemble (4 screws to the base) the online menus are easy to use, and the price here at amazon was better than at any store. Free delivery and no sales tax were a bonus.
I don't use blueray discs so 720p is fine. The $400 premium for 1080p wasn't worth it to me.
Hint: Use a premium credit card that doubles the warranty from 1 year to 2. Panasonic warranty service is in-home or mail in, your choice.
Very pleased with this tv so far.
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Forget about 1080p - it just doesn't matter for a screen this size or smaller. The set actually has a 1080p processor, but a 720p display. I saw this one next to the 1080p model running off the same feed and this set looked better. If you see this in the store, do not go by the terrible picture you see. Their feeds are horrible, and the settings on the set are set to vivid (which is totally off for colors/brightnress, etc).
Go to avsforum dot com and search for the thread on this particular model. Several people have posted settings that make this TV pop.
Here's my take on my set with only 50 hours of break in (plasma sets get better with time - 100-200 hours is the break in period)
Pros:
1. Picture - HDTV is outstanding, DVDs are better, and I have yet to get Blu-Ray. Standard def tv is pretty good on this set, though once we added the HD channels to our cable package, we no longer watch any sd programming except the kids, who watch cartoons (and they look good on this set). Out of
Go to avsforum dot com and search for the thread on this particular model. Several people have posted settings that make this TV pop.
Here's my take on my set with only 50 hours of break in (plasma sets get better with time - 100-200 hours is the break in period)
Pros:
1. Picture - HDTV is outstanding, DVDs are better, and I have yet to get Blu-Ray. Standard def tv is pretty good on this set, though once we added the HD channels to our cable package, we no longer watch any sd programming except the kids, who watch cartoons (and they look good on this set). Out of
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This TV is great. I have HD channels on my cable and it seems that the signal is the weak link in resolution, not the TV. The resolution is great and I don't understand why people pay more for 1080 when 720p looks almost identical from four feet away.
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I've been thinking about getting a HDTV for some time now, but have been price-watching and comparing, afraid to make a commitment - confounded by the same worry that accompanies all large electronics purchases : What if the price drops immediately after I buy the TV? What if it's not so great as everyone else describes? Can I trust an online "deal"?
Because I consider myself as very picky about what I buy in terms of quality - but also frugal to some extent, I would endlessly walk around stores, to see if I could spot a winner at a reasonable price. One note of caution: Be wary about picking a TV merely based on its performance in a store. The lighting is rarely similar to that in your living room and the color, contrast and brightness are turned way up to grab your attention. The LCD TVs show better in brightly lit stores because their bright vivid displays attract but blow out the finer details. What drew my eye on two separate occasions (without first noticing the brand) was the Panasonic
Because I consider myself as very picky about what I buy in terms of quality - but also frugal to some extent, I would endlessly walk around stores, to see if I could spot a winner at a reasonable price. One note of caution: Be wary about picking a TV merely based on its performance in a store. The lighting is rarely similar to that in your living room and the color, contrast and brightness are turned way up to grab your attention. The LCD TVs show better in brightly lit stores because their bright vivid displays attract but blow out the finer details. What drew my eye on two separate occasions (without first noticing the brand) was the Panasonic
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I was initially was going to get a 42" or 46" 1080p tv, but after a couple tv returns I decided to go for the bigger set, even if it was "only" 768p (720p), and I am extremely happy I did. I watch blu-ray, hd cable, and xbox 360 and PS3 from 9 feet away and don't notice the detail difference between 1080p and 720p at my viewing distance. I was also worried about green fringing while gaming but it turns out this really isn't an issue at all (only notice it once in a blue moon, and it doesn't bother me at all), so for anyone who's heard of fringing, don't worry about it. The blacks and shading are top in it's class; if you need absolute black go for a Pioneer or the pz85u, but for a modestly priced set you won't get better blacks. The colors are great too; the most accurate mode with no video noise is "cinema". My settings are as follows: Picture: 85, Brightness: 49, Color: 39, Tint: +1, Sharpness 50, Color Management: Off, Black Level: light, Video NR: off, MPEG NR: off, Picture Mode: warm.
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This is my first HD TV purchase ever, so I made sure to do my homework. I spent days researching brands, plasmas v. LCDs, 720p v. 1080p resolutions, and 42" v. 50" screens. Friends and family kept telling me, "Get a LCD. Get a 1080p."
The fact is after combing through review after review from consumers and professional critics alike, it became evident that Panasonic is leading the way with plasma technology, and the years-old issues with these TVs (burn-in, heat, glare) are all but resolved. In fact, plasmas offer smoother motion, deeper blacks and wider viewing angles than their LCD rivals.
Screen size and resolution, I found, go hand-in-hand. The rule of thumb: 50" or less in screen size is not worth the extra $$ for 1080p. The increase in resolution only really becomes appreciable with screen sizes over 50". Too, one can only truly take advantage of 1080p with a Blu-ray DVD player. HD channels are sent at lower resolutions, though obviously much better than standard 480i.
Armed
The fact is after combing through review after review from consumers and professional critics alike, it became evident that Panasonic is leading the way with plasma technology, and the years-old issues with these TVs (burn-in, heat, glare) are all but resolved. In fact, plasmas offer smoother motion, deeper blacks and wider viewing angles than their LCD rivals.
Screen size and resolution, I found, go hand-in-hand. The rule of thumb: 50" or less in screen size is not worth the extra $$ for 1080p. The increase in resolution only really becomes appreciable with screen sizes over 50". Too, one can only truly take advantage of 1080p with a Blu-ray DVD player. HD channels are sent at lower resolutions, though obviously much better than standard 480i.
Armed
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I've had this TV for a little over a week and it's been great. I replaced an HD CRT (Sony 36" XBR) and was nervous that I wouldn't see the same picture quality. I chose plasma over LCD b/c I believe it provides a better picture (not so harsh or sterile - more lifelike) and I haven't been disappointed. DVDs and HD content are stunning, and, surprisingly, the SD content I watch (from Dish Network) ain't too bad, either.
I decided to save money by going 720p instead of 1080p and, at least until I have a Blu-Ray player, I am 100% satisfied with that decision: the 720p looks just great over a wide variety of sources (Dish, DVD, OTA HD).
The anti-reflective coating works, at least for me in my family room, as promised. In fact, we have a white ottoman about 8 feet from the TV and I noticed I could see its reflection in the bezel *around* the TV (shiny black plastic) but not on the TV itself.
Availability on this TV from Amazon comes and goes - I made sure to buy from them and wasn't disappointed.
I decided to save money by going 720p instead of 1080p and, at least until I have a Blu-Ray player, I am 100% satisfied with that decision: the 720p looks just great over a wide variety of sources (Dish, DVD, OTA HD).
The anti-reflective coating works, at least for me in my family room, as promised. In fact, we have a white ottoman about 8 feet from the TV and I noticed I could see its reflection in the bezel *around* the TV (shiny black plastic) but not on the TV itself.
Availability on this TV from Amazon comes and goes - I made sure to buy from them and wasn't disappointed.
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How do I feel about my new Panasonic 50px80u? I know the title of this review leaves that a little ambiguous, so let me clarify... I love it. This is my first big screen (moving from an Aquos 32") and I researched the heck out of this thing before I pulled the trigger.
I looked at Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Pioneer, and Vizio before settling on Panasonic as the perfect blend of performance and price. I wanted to go 50" or above, and I needed to spend somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000. Normally, I do most of my electronics shopping at Costco because they have the best return policy and their prices are normally competitive with online stores such as Amazon. But unfortunately, Costco is still selling the 50px77u and hasn't begun to sell the 50px80u, and I wasn't about to wait for months to get the big screen.
After looking online and trying to get reviews (cnet has been excruciatingly slow with this model) and seeing it in person at Circuit City, I decided that I had seen enough positive
I looked at Samsung, Sony, Sharp, Pioneer, and Vizio before settling on Panasonic as the perfect blend of performance and price. I wanted to go 50" or above, and I needed to spend somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000. Normally, I do most of my electronics shopping at Costco because they have the best return policy and their prices are normally competitive with online stores such as Amazon. But unfortunately, Costco is still selling the 50px77u and hasn't begun to sell the 50px80u, and I wasn't about to wait for months to get the big screen.
After looking online and trying to get reviews (cnet has been excruciatingly slow with this model) and seeing it in person at Circuit City, I decided that I had seen enough positive
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Few models I considered before purchasing this one were
Samsung 50 inch plasmas HT 5054 (1299 $), 5064 (1400$) the 56 inch LED DLP (1499$) and LG 5PCD 50 inch plasma( 1249$).
I am glad I chose this model as in terms of look and clarity , I doubt if any model in the market can beat this. My uncle has Sony XBR 52 inch LCD and this PLASMAS is as good as that. Even a microscope would find it hard to decipher the difference.
This is as good as it gets ! I bought mine for 1419 from Amazon. They raised the price to 1519 the next day :)
Pros :- Excellent picture , SD card slot , Not too heavy ( I had Philips 42 inch Plasma which was twice as heavy), great looks (black glossy frame), very good set of inputs , nice intuitive remote, Excellent SD picture as well infact some channels look as good as HD !!
Cons :- No PIP , No glow on the remote buttons.
In spite of these minor cons, I am very very happy. I would end up buying it again given a choice. :)
Samsung 50 inch plasmas HT 5054 (1299 $), 5064 (1400$) the 56 inch LED DLP (1499$) and LG 5PCD 50 inch plasma( 1249$).
I am glad I chose this model as in terms of look and clarity , I doubt if any model in the market can beat this. My uncle has Sony XBR 52 inch LCD and this PLASMAS is as good as that. Even a microscope would find it hard to decipher the difference.
This is as good as it gets ! I bought mine for 1419 from Amazon. They raised the price to 1519 the next day :)
Pros :- Excellent picture , SD card slot , Not too heavy ( I had Philips 42 inch Plasma which was twice as heavy), great looks (black glossy frame), very good set of inputs , nice intuitive remote, Excellent SD picture as well infact some channels look as good as HD !!
Cons :- No PIP , No glow on the remote buttons.
In spite of these minor cons, I am very very happy. I would end up buying it again given a choice. :)
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Great monitor for the money. I'm totally loving it. I'm particularly impressed with the high contrast, the front glass (I have a 2 year old with applesauce and stuff all over the place) and the attention to detail with the number of imputs in the front and back. Great box, great buy. It also feels really sturdy. I almost bought the TH-50PX75U, the model right before this and it was well worth the money to step up just a bit.
I get the feeling my next tv will also be a Panasonic. Very impressed for the price.
I get the feeling my next tv will also be a Panasonic. Very impressed for the price.
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This is the 3rd plasma that I ordered from Panasonic, and this technology never let me down. I love this product! I have it hooked up to my DirecTV satellite and tested the picture quality with the regular signal and HD signal. With both signals, the pictures is crisp and clear from watching about 4 feet away from the screen and everything is the same at 8 feet away. This plasma is 720p native resolution and it is great. So unless you have a small room where you need a 1080p native resolution, that is if you are watching very close and ruin your eyes at the same time, you really don't need a 1080p resolution. So save yourself some big bucks by getting the 720p instead of 1080p. Buy yourself some good recliners and of course the flat panel tv stand or wall mount instead, because you gonna need them.
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Just bought this tv over the weekend. The picture is great, the colors are vibrant and clear and the sound is wonderful!
This is a 720p tv, so it isn't as clear as the higher-end 1080p units. I can see the pixelation when I'm about 4' from the tv, but farther than that, it fades away.
Standard definition cable tv is definitely serviceable. The colors are nice, balance, etc., but as expected a little blurry (from content). Definitely not going to keep me from watching standard def programs I like, but noticeably not as sharp (not the tv's fault, I suppose).
The exterior is understated with a glossy black frame (approximately 2" wide) around the screen. A foldaway cover hides front HDMI, component and SD card inputs, and there are two HDMI, svideo, component inputs (plus more I can't recall) in the back. The speakers are located below the screen. Setting the surround mode to on really fills the room with sound.
The viewing angle is quite wide. I can clearly see the picture well
This is a 720p tv, so it isn't as clear as the higher-end 1080p units. I can see the pixelation when I'm about 4' from the tv, but farther than that, it fades away.
Standard definition cable tv is definitely serviceable. The colors are nice, balance, etc., but as expected a little blurry (from content). Definitely not going to keep me from watching standard def programs I like, but noticeably not as sharp (not the tv's fault, I suppose).
The exterior is understated with a glossy black frame (approximately 2" wide) around the screen. A foldaway cover hides front HDMI, component and SD card inputs, and there are two HDMI, svideo, component inputs (plus more I can't recall) in the back. The speakers are located below the screen. Setting the surround mode to on really fills the room with sound.
The viewing angle is quite wide. I can clearly see the picture well
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