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Entered CNET Catalog: 09/03/2005
SKU: 0037988240876
Manufacturer: Panasonic
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Manufacturer description
When set up for portrait display, this 42-inch plasma display is similar in size and aspect ratio to a movie-size poster. Use it as a moving image poster. Or upgrade the system with a scheduling function that displays content according to the correct time zone, and use it as a digital signboard.Product summary
The good: Relatively inexpensive; reproduces deep blacks; solid video processing with 2:3 pull-down; independent memory per input; numerous picture controls; customizable inputs.
The bad: Doesn't include stand, speakers, or tuner; few included inputs; digital video input not standard; no aspect-ratio control with digital inputs; floating blacks.
The bottom line: The 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK is a great deal for the money, but only if you're comfortable adding inputs, you don't need a tuner, and you remember to buy a stand.
Average user rating: from 39 users
4.0 stars
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 02/22/2006
Although this plasma is suitable for wall-mounting, our review sample came with the rounded pedestal base, model TY-ST08K (pictured), which perfectly complements its simple style. If that's not your style, you can opt for the H-style base, model TY-ST07K; both bases cost about $175, and unfortunately, neither lets you tilt or swivel the panel. You can also choose to add a pair of TY-SP42P8WK speakers for around $250 online.
The included remote isn't backlit, but it does include individual input-selection buttons, as well as separate on and off codes. Both of these additions ease the task of programming automated control systems, such as whole-house entertainment packages or macro functions in universal remote controls. The Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK has a native resolution of 1,024x768. Technically, that's not enough to fully resolve 720p HDTV, but it's as high a native resolution as you'll see on most non-EDTV 42-inch plasmas. The Panasonic can handle just about any source, and all incoming signals, including standard TV, DVD, HDTV, and computers, are scaled to fit the available pixels.
As a professional model, this plasma doesn't come with any built-in tuner, so if you want to use it to watch TV, you'll have to hook up an external tuner, such as a cable or satellite box. The same is true of audio--since the monitor doesn't include built-in speakers, you'll have to add Panasonic's matching speakers or use a separate stereo or surround-sound system.
Convenience features include a rather versatile picture-in-picture mode, which can display any two inputs simultaneously. The inputs can be shown inset, like most PIP, or side by side equally, as well as in a picture-outside-picture configuration. Unfortunately, aspect-ratio control isn't available when viewing high-definition sources. When using other sources, options include Full, which stretches the picture evenly to fill the screen; Just, which stretches the sides of the picture to fill the screen; Normal, which properly displays a 4:3 picture; and Zoom, which crops the top and bottom of the picture to fill the screen.
Color-temperature controls include Normal, Cool, and Warm; Warm proved to be the closest to the 6,500K standard. There's also a user-menu color temperature fine-tuning control, which allowed us to calibrate the grayscale to even closer to the standard (see Performance). Other notable extras include adjustable gamma, horizontal, and vertical positioning and size, as well as numerous screensaver and power-saving options.
Connectivity is what you make of it with the TH-42PHD8UK, but the total of four possible inputs is significantly fewer than most competing consumer plasmas. To compensate, most users with lots of video sources will need to utilize some sort of external switching device, such as the dedicated A/V switch of an A/V receiver. The Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK comes standard with one nonremovable PC VGA input, one removable S-Video or composite input (only one can be used at a time), and one removable BNC-style component input that can also accept an RGBHV source. If you want to use the component or composite input with a standard DVD player or other source--that is, one with RCA outputs--you'll need inexpensive BNC-to-RCA adapters.
Except for the fixed VGA input, all of the inputs are built into removable boards that fit into three slots on the back of the monitor, so you can add or remove inputs at will. The Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK comes with two of the three removable slots filled and one empty. So, since the panel doesn't come with one, you'll have to add a board if you want a digital video input. Thankfully, Panasonic sells both DVI and HDMI boards, models TY-FB7HM respectively, for about $125 apiece. The Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK is among the best-performing plasmas we've seen. Deep, convincing blacks, tons of detail in dark portions of the picture, and an extremely accurate color temperature contribute to a highly satisfying picture.
One of our favorite torture tests from The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is chapter four, "The Breach of Deeping Wall." The Uruk Hai's assault of Helm's Deep comes to a head when one rather large Uruk Hai warrior runs, torch in hand, to detonate a bomb. Illuminated only by torchlight in the dark tunnel, every ghoulish feature of his face is visible, as well as the dark brickwork on the sides of the tunnel. Plasmas with less impressive black-level performance often obscure the warrior's face and can obliterate all detail from the brick walls.
With the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK in Cinema mode, its gamma set to 2.5, and the color temperature set to Normal, this Panasonic's color temperature was very accurate right out of the box. Darker material measured very close to the 6,500K standard, while brighter material showed a slight blue cast. After calibration, the color temperature got even better, measuring within 100K of the standard throughout the grayscale.
Color decoding was just as impressive; the panel showed no noticeable red or green error. On the other hand, the actual primary colors could have come closer to the HDTV standard. Blues were very close to the mark, whereas red was a tad too orange and green was significantly off.
As with most plasmas, this Panasonic also evinced some false contouring. In the beginning of the same scene from The Two Towers, as the camera pans across the troops standing on the wall, the mist that hangs in the sky broke down into stepped bands of dark gray. Thankfully, there wasn't much other noise. In dark areas of the picture, there were the usual colored specks inherent to all current plasmas, but from a viewing distance of about six feet, they weren't noticeable.
HD sources looked great on the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK. Watching NBA basketball on ABC-HD, the players' uniforms were vibrant and rich in color. And despite the panel's not-quite-HD pixel count, we could still easily see minute details, such as the thin lines of stitching in the uniforms and the fine texture in the fuzzy headbands worn by some of the players.
Geek box
| TEST | RESULT | SCORE |
| Before color temp (30/80) | 6,526/7,176K | Average |
| After color temp | 6,538/6,491K | Good |
| Before grayscale variation | +/- 443K | Good |
| After grayscale variation | +/- 96K | Good |
| Color of red (x/y) | 0.664/0.326 | Average |
| Color of green | 0.257/0.664 | Poor |
| Color of blue | 0.147/0.062 | Good |
| Overscan | 2.5 percent | Good |
| DC restoration | No stable pattern | Poor |
| 2:3 pull-down, 24fps | Yes | Good |
| Defeatable edge enhancement | Yes | Good |
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 User Rating: 
10/10
3.5 yrs later still one of the best buys I made
Pros: Still one of the best pictures, swear it looks better than the 1080p lcd's that are out there now. Simplicity of design with black frame and nothing else.
Cons: None, I would buy another Paasonic professional model if the need arises.
Review: Bought an HDMI card later. I am currently running this through a Yamaha 663bl home theatre amplifier. Looks great with a used PS3 I recently purchased, Still use this with my computer to play WOW and other games on. Watch over the air HDTV with TV tuner in PC.
Remember this is still a 720p tv, but Both PS3 and PC of mine play blu-ray amd both look flawless picture wise (this fact does not help Spiderman 1,2 or 3..but at least the effects look great)
buy a plasma not an LCD, your eyes will thank you later
Remember this is still a 720p tv, but Both PS3 and PC of mine play blu-ray amd both look flawless picture wise (this fact does not help Spiderman 1,2 or 3..but at least the effects look great)
buy a plasma not an LCD, your eyes will thank you later
User Rating: 
3/10
Great TV. Needed extensive repairs after 15 months
Pros: Great picture. Did everything I wanted
Cons: TV needed repair after warranty period at 15 months ($700). Then needed additional repairs at 18 months ($780). Had to replace TV since it wasn't cost effective to repair
Review: Great TV. Would buy again if it didn't need repairs. Advertised 600,00MTBF. I didn't get that.
User Rating: 
9/10
I did my research for months and went with this beauty!
Pros: Brilliance, Deep Blacks, Pure Whites, and everything in between! Clean lines, Super Thin Flat Black Bezel which matches most other A/V equipment, HDMI SLOT easy to install, 42' PC Monitor, BUY IT!!!!
Cons: Can't find any yet......sorry.
Review: My opinion is that I would purchase the 50' if you can afford it. Although the size of your room could dictate that decision as well. If your looking for a plasma to add to your home theater speaker system and finish off your A/V dream of a system, buy this set. I always do my research no matter what I purchase in my life. This set was perfect for my needs. I used the Panasonic low profile non-tilt mount. It looks great! I purchased the set from Tiger Direct in Miami, so I did not have to deal with shipping. BUY THIS SET!
User Rating: 9/10
Best valued TV without a doubt
Pros: Price, Size, HD Quality, Upgradeable
Cons: No initial HDMI or DVI Set-up, non-universal remote
Review: First thing I have to say when you are shopping for an "HD" television. The HD picture is pretty much going to wow you no matter what TV you look at. The key, though, in shopping for a TV is what the NON-HD picture looks like on the TV's you are shopping for. Remember, there are probably only a maximum of 25 channels of HD available through whoever you subscribe. If you only watch those channels, no worries.
Ok, so, I spent 4 months looking for a television. I decided I want either LCD or Plasma, obviously for the HD. When I discovered fast moving scenes (movies, sports) were not optimized on LCD, I gave up on that idea. Plasma it was. So I needed to figure out which brand and which size. 50 inches is huge, 60 inches is ginormous. I settled on either the 37 or 42. Figuring out the brand was easy: Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer, or Samsung and decided that Sony was no bologna but Panasonic was the originator in hot TV's.
I picked Panasonic after reading multiple positive reviews with few cons except for minor things. Sony also performed poorly when it came to pure black colors when I went to a few stores and looked for quality.
Now you ask, why did I choose the professional model and not the consumer model? I don't need speakers with my TV. If you are buying a plasma or lcd for 2K or more and you don't have a stereo system, don't bother buying the TV. The professional model, also, was upgradeable. This Panasonic comes with an empty slot in the back (you can put a number of slots to upgrade in there) and you can change the current slots you have.
Don't worry about no tuner being included, if you have a cable box you don't need it. Make sure you own or order the adapters for the RCA's to the Panasonic. The component hookups for Panasonic are custom size and standard RCA won't fit in the slot. They are cheap ($4 each at Best Buy). I was disappointed the TV didn't come with HDMI built in but as I said, you can upgrade the slot (the HDMI slot is tough to come by though, even online). The difference between HDMI and component HD is nominal though.
Another thing, this doesn't come with a stand or a wall mount so make sure you get either one. I bought the Panasonic stand for $150 on Ebay, good deal. The remote that comes with the TV will only work on the television, it doesn't have the ability to manage other devices.
finally, this TV gives me and friends who have been over hundreds of times, wow factor every time we watch something. If its nature, sports, movies, whatever. You are constantly appreciating this picture. This is the best $2K I ever spent and will never buy a different brand television.
Ok, so, I spent 4 months looking for a television. I decided I want either LCD or Plasma, obviously for the HD. When I discovered fast moving scenes (movies, sports) were not optimized on LCD, I gave up on that idea. Plasma it was. So I needed to figure out which brand and which size. 50 inches is huge, 60 inches is ginormous. I settled on either the 37 or 42. Figuring out the brand was easy: Panasonic, Sony, Pioneer, or Samsung and decided that Sony was no bologna but Panasonic was the originator in hot TV's.
I picked Panasonic after reading multiple positive reviews with few cons except for minor things. Sony also performed poorly when it came to pure black colors when I went to a few stores and looked for quality.
Now you ask, why did I choose the professional model and not the consumer model? I don't need speakers with my TV. If you are buying a plasma or lcd for 2K or more and you don't have a stereo system, don't bother buying the TV. The professional model, also, was upgradeable. This Panasonic comes with an empty slot in the back (you can put a number of slots to upgrade in there) and you can change the current slots you have.
Don't worry about no tuner being included, if you have a cable box you don't need it. Make sure you own or order the adapters for the RCA's to the Panasonic. The component hookups for Panasonic are custom size and standard RCA won't fit in the slot. They are cheap ($4 each at Best Buy). I was disappointed the TV didn't come with HDMI built in but as I said, you can upgrade the slot (the HDMI slot is tough to come by though, even online). The difference between HDMI and component HD is nominal though.
Another thing, this doesn't come with a stand or a wall mount so make sure you get either one. I bought the Panasonic stand for $150 on Ebay, good deal. The remote that comes with the TV will only work on the television, it doesn't have the ability to manage other devices.
finally, this TV gives me and friends who have been over hundreds of times, wow factor every time we watch something. If its nature, sports, movies, whatever. You are constantly appreciating this picture. This is the best $2K I ever spent and will never buy a different brand television.
User Rating: 
8/10
By far the best picture for the price
Pros: Picture Quaility is awesome, Custamization, Desgin
Cons: Must be profecient in A/V to enjoy the price benifit of this TV
Review: This TV is fantastic when it comes to picture quality from a digital source such as a DVD, PC, or Digital Cable. The design is sleek and simple that looks amazing when mounted on a wall especially without the speakers ( if you are not planning on mounting this on a wall or from a ceiling do not buy this TV )
I purchased this TV about a year ago when it first came out. I choose the PWD model ( the EDTV version of this model) because I lived in a dorm that had basic cable and there was very little necessity for HDTV, in fact most HDTV sources are 720p not 1080i which means this TV will be able to view most HD channels from your HD receiver.
With this said this TV takes a considerable amount of foresight before you purchase. For one with the BNC connectors in the back you?ll obviously need a component to BNC converter before you are able to even plug in a digital source. On top of this you?ll need to purchase a mount before the TV arrives so you have some place to put it. And finally be sure to read the manual for extra PIP options and basic usability of the product. Bottom line if you?re married or the only tech guru of the house, and nobody else is at your level of competency, you?ll have to give a literal training session to your friends and family on how to use the TV and all the components.
Is it worth it? Well yes if you?re intelligent and patient this TV?s quality to price ratio is outstanding ( which is what most consumers find important) Everyone who watched the TV was amazed by its clarity and sleek design. Its all been said before in the other reviews, its just important to note that you get what you pay for, and if the hassle of setting this TV up and operating it is to much then the extra $700 to $1000 for a ?normal? TV is well spent because you want to enjoy your purchase.
Bottom line; this is a great TV but only for those wiling to put in the time to get it functioning and live in an environment where everyone using the TV is competent enough to operate it.
I purchased this TV about a year ago when it first came out. I choose the PWD model ( the EDTV version of this model) because I lived in a dorm that had basic cable and there was very little necessity for HDTV, in fact most HDTV sources are 720p not 1080i which means this TV will be able to view most HD channels from your HD receiver.
With this said this TV takes a considerable amount of foresight before you purchase. For one with the BNC connectors in the back you?ll obviously need a component to BNC converter before you are able to even plug in a digital source. On top of this you?ll need to purchase a mount before the TV arrives so you have some place to put it. And finally be sure to read the manual for extra PIP options and basic usability of the product. Bottom line if you?re married or the only tech guru of the house, and nobody else is at your level of competency, you?ll have to give a literal training session to your friends and family on how to use the TV and all the components.
Is it worth it? Well yes if you?re intelligent and patient this TV?s quality to price ratio is outstanding ( which is what most consumers find important) Everyone who watched the TV was amazed by its clarity and sleek design. Its all been said before in the other reviews, its just important to note that you get what you pay for, and if the hassle of setting this TV up and operating it is to much then the extra $700 to $1000 for a ?normal? TV is well spent because you want to enjoy your purchase.
Bottom line; this is a great TV but only for those wiling to put in the time to get it functioning and live in an environment where everyone using the TV is competent enough to operate it.
User Rating: 9/10
That's a Beautiful Picture
Pros: Deep rich blacks, inexpensive, excellent Panasonic support, plain - black - sleek casing
Cons: Can't change aspect ratio with hd input, flickering black bars
Review: My Setup:
Digital HD Set Top Box (connected via HD input)
Pioneer DV-588A DVD Player (connected via component input)
Sony STR-SL7 Slim Design Reciever with 5.1
The ordering process:
Living in NYC I figured B&H would be a no brainer. I placed my order in Feb. and after two and half months of waiting all B&H could tell me was that Panasonic hadn't shipped them any. I cancelled my order, got my money back and ordered with PCConnection. I feared ordering such a large ticket item from an online seller but after reading reviews PCConnection stood out as having a reputation for excellent prices and reliable customer service. This was consistent with my experience. The Plasma arrived in less than two weeks of my order in perfect condition via a friendly local trucking service.
The Monitor:
As for the picture - it's gorgeous. You could lick it. It's only competition is from the much pricier Pioneer 43' and the consumer versions of the Panny.
That said, it's a monitor, not a tv, so heed the warnings regarding inputs. I recommend ordering the HD blade right along with the monitor. Version 8 (TY-FB8HM) of the blade (input terminal)is now available and despite the fact that they seem to be in short supply PCConnection once again came through for me and sent one within two weeks. Installing the blade takes 15 minutes and requires only a phillips head screwdriver.
Why it's a 9 and not a 10:
Im amazed that as far as I can tell no one has mentioned the flicker issues when the monitor is displaying bars. What happens is the monitor adjusts brightness for the whole screen so the bars illuminate and distract you from the viewing area. Panasonic has a customer support # specifically for professional monitor owners (awesome) so I called them. The tech had me adjust my black level and that helped but I wasn't satisfied. He then gave me the # of a local tech I could call. These are the guys that Panasonic has on retainer to help you over the phone or come to your place, so they know their stuff. I called the guy and before I could get the words out he knew my problem. He told me all the Panny plasmas have had this issue except for version 6 for some reason He had me go into the professional settings menu and turn on the letterbox option. He described it as a work around. It solved the problem but the monitor loses a half point for not either setting this as the default or including it in the troubleshooting section of the manual. For more help with this either do what I did or see here:
http://www.creath.net/plasma/faq.html
I'll subtract another half point because you can't change aspect ratio when using a digital input. This means you have to watch tv in 4x3 with the sides cut off unless it's being broadcast in a different format. Apparently this is a result of the fact that the monitor does not have a tuner.
Final Considerations:
Overall great value - especially for those who have speakers and enjoy fiddling with tech stuff.
Accessory Recommendation:
Pioneer DV-588A DVD Player (for now the HD DVD players are a waste of money)
Logitech Harmony 550 or 520 Universal Remote (expensive but worth it - replaced 5 remotes, easy to program, one button programming)
Sanus VMSA Flat Panel Plasma TV Wall Mount with Tilt&Swivel (great mount - worth the money)
Digital HD Set Top Box (connected via HD input)
Pioneer DV-588A DVD Player (connected via component input)
Sony STR-SL7 Slim Design Reciever with 5.1
The ordering process:
Living in NYC I figured B&H would be a no brainer. I placed my order in Feb. and after two and half months of waiting all B&H could tell me was that Panasonic hadn't shipped them any. I cancelled my order, got my money back and ordered with PCConnection. I feared ordering such a large ticket item from an online seller but after reading reviews PCConnection stood out as having a reputation for excellent prices and reliable customer service. This was consistent with my experience. The Plasma arrived in less than two weeks of my order in perfect condition via a friendly local trucking service.
The Monitor:
As for the picture - it's gorgeous. You could lick it. It's only competition is from the much pricier Pioneer 43' and the consumer versions of the Panny.
That said, it's a monitor, not a tv, so heed the warnings regarding inputs. I recommend ordering the HD blade right along with the monitor. Version 8 (TY-FB8HM) of the blade (input terminal)is now available and despite the fact that they seem to be in short supply PCConnection once again came through for me and sent one within two weeks. Installing the blade takes 15 minutes and requires only a phillips head screwdriver.
Why it's a 9 and not a 10:
Im amazed that as far as I can tell no one has mentioned the flicker issues when the monitor is displaying bars. What happens is the monitor adjusts brightness for the whole screen so the bars illuminate and distract you from the viewing area. Panasonic has a customer support # specifically for professional monitor owners (awesome) so I called them. The tech had me adjust my black level and that helped but I wasn't satisfied. He then gave me the # of a local tech I could call. These are the guys that Panasonic has on retainer to help you over the phone or come to your place, so they know their stuff. I called the guy and before I could get the words out he knew my problem. He told me all the Panny plasmas have had this issue except for version 6 for some reason He had me go into the professional settings menu and turn on the letterbox option. He described it as a work around. It solved the problem but the monitor loses a half point for not either setting this as the default or including it in the troubleshooting section of the manual. For more help with this either do what I did or see here:
http://www.creath.net/plasma/faq.html
I'll subtract another half point because you can't change aspect ratio when using a digital input. This means you have to watch tv in 4x3 with the sides cut off unless it's being broadcast in a different format. Apparently this is a result of the fact that the monitor does not have a tuner.
Final Considerations:
Overall great value - especially for those who have speakers and enjoy fiddling with tech stuff.
Accessory Recommendation:
Pioneer DV-588A DVD Player (for now the HD DVD players are a waste of money)
Logitech Harmony 550 or 520 Universal Remote (expensive but worth it - replaced 5 remotes, easy to program, one button programming)
Sanus VMSA Flat Panel Plasma TV Wall Mount with Tilt&Swivel (great mount - worth the money)
User Rating: 8/10
Better cables needed? Replies requested...
Pros: Price, Look
Cons: No stand, may need to invest in high quality cables??
Review: Sounds crazy - but I'm having issues with the picture quality. It's very pixilated; I'm seeing little boxes all over and all of the edges are fuzzy. Judging from the other reviews, it sounds like I need to invest in better cables? Can anyone provide additional input? I bought $60 cables (less than 4 feet) -- the tuner is from Comcast.
User Rating: 8/10
Excellent Value.
Pros: Like the Black "cabinetry" vs. the silver.
Cons: Unclear on how to set-up accessories.
Review: I like the EDTV all the way around. The only exception is the "clairty" surrounding how to set-up my DVD and VCR to be able to view on this TV. I have a DVR from Comcast and my VCR and DVD have the standard Red, Yellow and White connections. What do I need in order to make both of these work?
Overall this is an excellent picture quality EDTV plasma. Sound quality is very good too.
Overall this is an excellent picture quality EDTV plasma. Sound quality is very good too.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent TV especially for the price
Pros: Great HDTV quality, sharp picture.
Cons: Can't Find an HDMI card
Review: I agree with all of C-net review. Can't beat the picture quality for price. Real big problem is not the TV but the impossibility of obtaining an HDMI card so that I can go out and get a 720/1080 DVD player. Panasonic was really asleep at the switch in this area.
User Rating: 9/10
Wall Mounts
Pros: Very good looks
Cons: None so far that I have seen
Review: Hello,
I am looking to see if there are any recommendations on the type of wall mounts I should get for my Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
psminNJ
I am looking to see if there are any recommendations on the type of wall mounts I should get for my Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
psminNJ
User Rating: 9/10
Want to buy this but need HELP
Pros: HELP ME Please
Cons: Help Me PLEASE
Review: I've read all of the reviews and are still somewhat confused about cable and sound connectivity. I have a cable tuner and my cable company does provide some HDTV channels. I will purchase a sound system. What additional add on boards if any do I need to connect my cable tuner and my home theater system?
Thanks soooooo much
Thanks soooooo much
User Rating: 9/10
need help concerning the resolution for TH-42PHD8UK
Pros: Price, reviews
Cons: Is it true HD
Review: On Panasonic's web page they say the TH-42PHD8UK is 1080/60i, 1080/50i, 1080/24p, 1080/24sf, 1080/25p, 1080/30p, 720/60p, 720/50p, 480/60p, 480/60i signal compatibility. and it has 1,024 X 768 resolution.
I want to buy this TV but am worried that the resolution is not high enough for true HD. Any thoughts on this.
I want to buy this TV but am worried that the resolution is not high enough for true HD. Any thoughts on this.
User Rating: 8/10
Great Display...I have 5
Pros: Functionality, Expandability, Out of the box performance
Cons: Display cards somewhat difficult to get, addon speakers are flimsy
Review: I have a total of five of these displays. Two that are the 7 gen model (last year) and 3 8 gens (this year). Two of these 8 gen series plasmas are framed and can be purchased through Panasonic with this option should you desire. As many people have already commented about the quality and ease of use I'll list a few details about the optional accessories.
* The TV stand isn't worth the money they want for it. You purchase a wall mount and pay for labor for what the TV stand will cost. Since brick-mortar stores do not carry this model trying to get it bundled with your purchase might be difficult.
* The speakers for this TV are flimsy and don't have enough output. The rated input is 8W @ 6ohms. Put your money towards a decent AV receiver and speakers. The speakers are also help in place with double sided tape. This can come loose and fixing this is time consuming and annoying.
* The wireless module card works very well so long as your needs are simple. If you will be displaying animations in power point presentations, or showing live video stick with the VGA connector. The wireless card only supports 802.11b which does not offer enough throughput for these needs.
* Though you can add additional cards (HDMI, Wireless, DVI) you can only add so many of one card. Certain cards (as mentioned above) are limited to what slot you can actually install it in. For example, the wireless card can only be installed in Slot 1. The HDMI card can only be installed in slots 1 & 2. You'll need to think things through or use your AV receiver for video switching which is very common.
* The HDMI input (w/HDCP) doesn't jive with some DVD players. This is a common occurance with HD sets and you might have to try a few different models as each manufacturer implements HDCP in different ways. LG DVD players will not work with this TV via HDMI. Surprising my COX cable box will.
* The TV stand isn't worth the money they want for it. You purchase a wall mount and pay for labor for what the TV stand will cost. Since brick-mortar stores do not carry this model trying to get it bundled with your purchase might be difficult.
* The speakers for this TV are flimsy and don't have enough output. The rated input is 8W @ 6ohms. Put your money towards a decent AV receiver and speakers. The speakers are also help in place with double sided tape. This can come loose and fixing this is time consuming and annoying.
* The wireless module card works very well so long as your needs are simple. If you will be displaying animations in power point presentations, or showing live video stick with the VGA connector. The wireless card only supports 802.11b which does not offer enough throughput for these needs.
* Though you can add additional cards (HDMI, Wireless, DVI) you can only add so many of one card. Certain cards (as mentioned above) are limited to what slot you can actually install it in. For example, the wireless card can only be installed in Slot 1. The HDMI card can only be installed in slots 1 & 2. You'll need to think things through or use your AV receiver for video switching which is very common.
* The HDMI input (w/HDCP) doesn't jive with some DVD players. This is a common occurance with HD sets and you might have to try a few different models as each manufacturer implements HDCP in different ways. LG DVD players will not work with this TV via HDMI. Surprising my COX cable box will.
User Rating: 10/10
Outstanding picture quality, no tuner but use cable/satellte box.
Pros: Picture is the best
Cons: None for me
Review:
User Rating: 9/10
Outstanding no-frills value
Pros: Outstanding picture, price
Cons: inability to control aspect ratio with HD inputs
Review: Bought this tv after researching here and elsewhere. I matched it with the Polk Surround Bar for a total of $2900. The combination blows away any TV I have seen.
Excellent picture (I use the component input).
Comcast requires a cable box to decode its digital and HD signal, therefore a built in tuner is of no use to me. The Polk speaker is far superior to any built in speakers that come with TVs. Thus this is a great choice and costs much less.
The only thing that keeps this from being a 10 is the inability to control aspect ratio on the HD channels. Because not all programming on the Comcast HD channel are in 16:9 format, we are stuck with the black bars or switching to the non-HD channel.
For anyone who uses a cable/satellite box and their own speakers, this is the way to go.
Excellent picture (I use the component input).
Comcast requires a cable box to decode its digital and HD signal, therefore a built in tuner is of no use to me. The Polk speaker is far superior to any built in speakers that come with TVs. Thus this is a great choice and costs much less.
The only thing that keeps this from being a 10 is the inability to control aspect ratio on the HD channels. Because not all programming on the Comcast HD channel are in 16:9 format, we are stuck with the black bars or switching to the non-HD channel.
For anyone who uses a cable/satellite box and their own speakers, this is the way to go.
User Rating: 10/10
Best Plasma
Pros: Worth the $$,
Cons: no cons at all
Review: I just got this plasma from a source here at cnet.com. Just like every one else I read and read for days until I found the mother of all. I got this plasma brand new for less than 2000 and free shipping. I got my Wall mount for 65 on eBay. You can?t go wrong with that. I watch a lot of SD and no HD yet. But for the price difference from an ED to an HD was very minimal like 400.00 differences. I really love it. I recommend this plasma for any one that is trying to save$$. I got all my accessories from eBay. I saved a lot by doing my homework.
User Rating: 9/10
Panasonic Rocks!
Pros: Picture quality
Cons: Nothing fancy
Review: This and all Panasonic products are the best bang for the money today. No matter what product you buy you get the right mixture of feature, reliability and value. I have a Pan. 3ccd camcorder, 15 year old 32" Tv, first generatin Dvd player and brand new 32" HD LCD and they are all reliable, well made and picture quality that rivals all other overpriced junk.
User Rating: 8/10
Looks great! Not sure about regular broadcasts yet.
Pros: Sleek, well priced
Cons: Regular broadcasts aren't as good as CRT
Review: This is more of a question than a review. I use DirecTV but will be switching to Comcast's HD package this week. The DirecTV box is connected at the moment through a S-video connection from a non-HD box. Regular broadcasts that looked fine on my old Sony WEGA look somewhat pixelated. Is this a function of non-HD channels or is it something that will be resolved when I get the new box that will be connected through component cables? I expect that the HD channels will be spectacular based on other reviews but I hope the non-HD channels look like they previously did (or better) on my regular TV. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Not sure if I need to adjust settings....help!!
User Rating: 8/10
Not a user but I need some guidance w/ Mediac Center PC
Pros: minimalist look. Plain and simple. for those that already have a speaker sys. and Sattelite/cable box, this HDTV is for you.
Cons: may look to plain to some people, no rotating stand, connections
Review: Hi. I'm no expert in this topic but, I have a Media Center PC and I would like to integrate this HDTV with it. I will be using this monitor both for work (mircrosoft office and adobe photo) and entertainment (HD sattelite broadcasts, DVD's movies, etc.). My objective is to have HD multi media in my bedroom controlled by my MC remote to browse photos, change sat. channells, etc.
Now this is what I found out so far. Thnx to "givemeaname", I have to buy a video card because MC cannot support HD. My current sattelite box has coaxial sattelite in, coaxial tv out and s video out. Ask service provider for a digital box? My pc only has two digital IEEE ports, don't have IEEE cables yet and according to the spec sheet, this HDTV does not have IEEE. I guess I will have to get this accesory as well. 4.1 speaker sys. Now for the remote, I understand I will need something called an "IR Blaster"? Don't know how it looks or how it works. Have I missed any critical ingredients to achieve my goal?
mark
Now this is what I found out so far. Thnx to "givemeaname", I have to buy a video card because MC cannot support HD. My current sattelite box has coaxial sattelite in, coaxial tv out and s video out. Ask service provider for a digital box? My pc only has two digital IEEE ports, don't have IEEE cables yet and according to the spec sheet, this HDTV does not have IEEE. I guess I will have to get this accesory as well. 4.1 speaker sys. Now for the remote, I understand I will need something called an "IR Blaster"? Don't know how it looks or how it works. Have I missed any critical ingredients to achieve my goal?
mark
User Rating: 9/10
Fantatic Monitor
Pros: Excellent Picture, Accurate colors
Cons: Too revealing on poor quality movies
Review: I've owned this monitor for 3 weeks and really love it. The picture quality is superb. DVD's have never looked better. Of course, HD is out of this world.
The only negative is that it's so revealing that on poor quality movies on HBO or Showtime, it shows every flaw. I can see tiny white speckles popping up randomly on the screen. This can be annoying. If anyone has a way to solve this issue, I would appreciate some suggestions.
Anyway, great monitor and highly recommended.
The only negative is that it's so revealing that on poor quality movies on HBO or Showtime, it shows every flaw. I can see tiny white speckles popping up randomly on the screen. This can be annoying. If anyone has a way to solve this issue, I would appreciate some suggestions.
Anyway, great monitor and highly recommended.
User Rating: 
2/10
This TV sucks
Pros: Big screen, pretty good sound
Cons: Terrible picture, can't handle fast images
Review: This TV looks OK with light colored movies that don't have any fast scenes. When you try to watch something with medium to dark colors, the picture looks grainy, sort of metallic, and completely lacks detail. Also, and this is the worst part, it freezes up when the scene is too fast. We were trying to watch the olympics and whenever the figures skaters did one of those fast turning jumps, that part of the screen got fuzzy or even froze so we completely missed what happened. Any action scenes are totally annoying to watch because of this. The image will suddenly freeze up with a million little squares every where and next thing you know you're on a different scene and you don't know what happened on the last one. Even something like the kids? movie Shark Tale was hard to watch because anytime the fish were swimming fast they got fuzzy. It is a total rip off. The only feature that makes this better than my little 20 inch tube TV is that it's bigger and flat. But that doesn't justify the 2K you have to pay for it. I am taking mine back today.
User Rating: 9/10
Outstanding picture quality, but where is the Audio output?
Pros: Outstanding picture quality.
Cons: No audio output.
Review: I've had the TV for about two weeks now and I have to say I'm loving my decision to buy it. The picture quality is even better than I thought, but this is my first HDTV so I really don't have any frame of reference for comparison.
I did a lot of research, and was aware of its limited inputs and no speakers (that's why I didn't include these in the cons above). But I did not realize that the TV has no audio output. This is especially troubling considering the TV doesn't come with speakers.
My dilema now is that I was planning on buying the HDMI terminal board, but the HDMI hookup runs audio & video through the same input. Therefore, I can't get audio on my plasma using the HDMI source unless my stereo has an HDMI input (which it doesn't) and an HDMI output or I buy the speakers for the TV.
Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions around this?
I did a lot of research, and was aware of its limited inputs and no speakers (that's why I didn't include these in the cons above). But I did not realize that the TV has no audio output. This is especially troubling considering the TV doesn't come with speakers.
My dilema now is that I was planning on buying the HDMI terminal board, but the HDMI hookup runs audio & video through the same input. Therefore, I can't get audio on my plasma using the HDMI source unless my stereo has an HDMI input (which it doesn't) and an HDMI output or I buy the speakers for the TV.
Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions around this?
User Rating: 8/10
Excellent buy
Pros: value for the $$$
Cons: remote, inputs, hard to find, rising prices
Review: Reasearched plasma TVs for a couple months. My main criteria was price and picture quality. Looked at the Costco brands, Pioneer 5060, and the Panny. In the end I think this is the best bang for the buck. I liked the Pioneer picture a little more, but, at nearly $1k over the Panny, I couldn't justify it.
Next item was finding an retailer. Turned to the web and checked with a few sites. Was discouraged at first since it was OOS and I would have had to pay sales tax and/or inflated shipping charges. About 2 days of internet surfing turned up PCConnection. No sales tax and reasonable shipping.
TV arrived on the promised date and in great condition.
Things I like...
1) Anything HD comes in great with this set via HDMI. A bit green at times, but, some tweaking ususally fixes this up quick.
2) No noise during normal operation.
3) Looks fantastic mounted on the wall. Gave me more living room real estate.
Things I don't...
1) Remote is terrible
2) if you use BNC adapters, the component cables peak out a bit so you should angle it a bit.
3) need to buy HDMI card
Next item was finding an retailer. Turned to the web and checked with a few sites. Was discouraged at first since it was OOS and I would have had to pay sales tax and/or inflated shipping charges. About 2 days of internet surfing turned up PCConnection. No sales tax and reasonable shipping.
TV arrived on the promised date and in great condition.
Things I like...
1) Anything HD comes in great with this set via HDMI. A bit green at times, but, some tweaking ususally fixes this up quick.
2) No noise during normal operation.
3) Looks fantastic mounted on the wall. Gave me more living room real estate.
Things I don't...
1) Remote is terrible
2) if you use BNC adapters, the component cables peak out a bit so you should angle it a bit.
3) need to buy HDMI card
User Rating: 9/10
Great buy with "Open Box" pricing
Pros: Great picture for HDTV signaling; solif construction; no noise
Cons: "Zoom" and "Just" are throwaway picture aspects;Would go for just an EDTV Panny if I only had SD TV signal
Review: I bought Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK from PC Connection as "Open Box" item for a little under $1700.
Monitor arrive undamaged and in original box (resealed with tape - looked like a Christmas return) with all original pieces. For the great savings, the "Open Box" was a good value, and what I saved on the monitor paid for the "extras" I got. I also ordered the monitor stand and F-RCA/M-BNC adapters needed for the standard boards included with the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK. I also signed up for in-home service warranty. These items plus shipping brought the total price up to just under PC Connection's list price for the TH-42PHD8UK alone.
For my use, with a Comcast HD service with the Motorola HD DVR set top box, this was an ideal monitor. I did not need a TV tuner or cheap built in speakers of a TV. I wanted a cabinet that I could later use as a "Picture Frame" TV (wall mounted). For this purpose, it?s a great buy. I have connected the component connector from my STB to the Panny as well as the composite. I am considering adding the HDMI board later (the STB also has this connection) but frankly the component connection produces a picture that looks great, so there is no hurry.
I also have my PC connected, and Guild Wars never looked better. Windows automatically recognized that the monitor could support up to 1600x12xx, but text and icons get progressively unreadable (too small) above a 1200x768 resolution.
The frame is sturdy and the handles are very helpful, but it does take two people to mount this monitor on the 20+ lb base.
The HD channels from Comcast are what make this monitor worthwhile. SD broadcast is fine, but I found it worked out best if I did not try to get both the Motorola STB AND the Panny to try to upconvert the SD signals (the STB can be set to just send through the SD signal, upconvert to ED or output something called "Stretch" (ED in 16:9 format). Anything but the SD signal from the STB seems to cause artifacts when the TH-42PHD8UK further upconverted to the various HD aspects. I found "Full" the best upconvert HD aspect for original SD signals.
The Panasonic upconvert/downconvert algorithms seem to be the best to my eye.
I run the speakers off the STB. Later I will add a Home Theater speaker system with DVD. (The STB has an optical connection for this purpose.)
So to the real question - does the picture give the WOW experience one would expect for the money? The answer for me (and everyone who has seen mine so far) is yes - a definite wow for HD signal with deep blacks, vibrant colors and great resolution of motion without strange artifacts. (The last may be due to the sports channels using 720p signaling).
A "pretty good" for SD signals upconverted to "Full" aspect, with "Good/Very Good" for SD signals converted to ED "Normal" aspect (the 4:3 of standard TVs with grey borders). I don't care for the "Zoom" or "Just" aspects. Either the screen is clipped at the bottom (Zoom) or I see the fishbowl effect others have reported about the "zoom" mode.
I am very please with my purchase and the value for my money. I credit the positive "Open Box" experience to PC Connection's refurbishing process.
If you get cable or satellite TV with a set top box converted, and HD programming, I would recommend this monitor. If you do not get HD service, you might want to check out one of the ED variants from Panasonic instead for a little less money.
If you decide, like I did, to save a little money by buying an "Open Box" or "Refurbished" system, be sure to buy from a reputable seller, and be careful about how it will affect the warranty.
Monitor arrive undamaged and in original box (resealed with tape - looked like a Christmas return) with all original pieces. For the great savings, the "Open Box" was a good value, and what I saved on the monitor paid for the "extras" I got. I also ordered the monitor stand and F-RCA/M-BNC adapters needed for the standard boards included with the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK. I also signed up for in-home service warranty. These items plus shipping brought the total price up to just under PC Connection's list price for the TH-42PHD8UK alone.
For my use, with a Comcast HD service with the Motorola HD DVR set top box, this was an ideal monitor. I did not need a TV tuner or cheap built in speakers of a TV. I wanted a cabinet that I could later use as a "Picture Frame" TV (wall mounted). For this purpose, it?s a great buy. I have connected the component connector from my STB to the Panny as well as the composite. I am considering adding the HDMI board later (the STB also has this connection) but frankly the component connection produces a picture that looks great, so there is no hurry.
I also have my PC connected, and Guild Wars never looked better. Windows automatically recognized that the monitor could support up to 1600x12xx, but text and icons get progressively unreadable (too small) above a 1200x768 resolution.
The frame is sturdy and the handles are very helpful, but it does take two people to mount this monitor on the 20+ lb base.
The HD channels from Comcast are what make this monitor worthwhile. SD broadcast is fine, but I found it worked out best if I did not try to get both the Motorola STB AND the Panny to try to upconvert the SD signals (the STB can be set to just send through the SD signal, upconvert to ED or output something called "Stretch" (ED in 16:9 format). Anything but the SD signal from the STB seems to cause artifacts when the TH-42PHD8UK further upconverted to the various HD aspects. I found "Full" the best upconvert HD aspect for original SD signals.
The Panasonic upconvert/downconvert algorithms seem to be the best to my eye.
I run the speakers off the STB. Later I will add a Home Theater speaker system with DVD. (The STB has an optical connection for this purpose.)
So to the real question - does the picture give the WOW experience one would expect for the money? The answer for me (and everyone who has seen mine so far) is yes - a definite wow for HD signal with deep blacks, vibrant colors and great resolution of motion without strange artifacts. (The last may be due to the sports channels using 720p signaling).
A "pretty good" for SD signals upconverted to "Full" aspect, with "Good/Very Good" for SD signals converted to ED "Normal" aspect (the 4:3 of standard TVs with grey borders). I don't care for the "Zoom" or "Just" aspects. Either the screen is clipped at the bottom (Zoom) or I see the fishbowl effect others have reported about the "zoom" mode.
I am very please with my purchase and the value for my money. I credit the positive "Open Box" experience to PC Connection's refurbishing process.
If you get cable or satellite TV with a set top box converted, and HD programming, I would recommend this monitor. If you do not get HD service, you might want to check out one of the ED variants from Panasonic instead for a little less money.
If you decide, like I did, to save a little money by buying an "Open Box" or "Refurbished" system, be sure to buy from a reputable seller, and be careful about how it will affect the warranty.
User Rating: 9/10
Happy With This TV
Pros: Just what everyone else has said, great picture!
Cons: Can't really think of any except the lack of an HDMI board
Review: I think most of what can be said about this TV has already been done so. Read the reviews! Lots of good information there. I just wanted to comment on some of the issues folks have noticed.
Non HD Picture Quality - I've been very pleased with the non HD picture quality. The quality is as good as anything else I've seen including my previous CRT Sony.
Fan Noise I haven't noticed it at all. Yea, if you walk up to the set and put your ear to it, you can hear it. And you notice it when the set first powers on. After that, it's quiet.
Burn In - I "borrowed" the following from Markhan because it was burried in a comment and good info: "THERE IS A BREAK-IN Period for these sets--500 hours. I visited with the Panasonic techs and they advise NOT to use the dynamic setting early in the life of the TV. Also, I set my timer to turn on the white scroll bar every morning for twenty minutes. They recommend this to "even out" pixel light when the set is new and burning brightest. Also, make sure the wobble setting is ON and if you're really interested in babying the new set, turn the peak limit on as well."
Black Shift - Haven't noticed it yet but I've only been watching for 24 hours.
One piece of advice I would give is to understand the outputs on the current equipment (DVD, cable box, etc.) that you plan to use with the TV up front. That way you can be sure if and the type of additional board you will need.
Price - Got my TV through Dell. Yup Dell. Paid $2430 for TV, tax, shipping, stand and HDMI board. Few people seem to know that you can order just about anything through Dell's business division. You just need to know exactly what you want. Find your lowest price on the internet and call Dell and they can usually match or beat it. At least this way you get to deal with someone you know is reputable. They may ask you for a business name. You can just take your last name and add "Inc." to it. Note that there may also be lead-times involved. The stand and HDMI board shipped pretty quickly but there was a 10 day lead-time on the TV (they told me this up front). In comparison, Circuit City is offering the consumer version (42PX50U) for $3850 right now, not including tax.
Good Luck!
Non HD Picture Quality - I've been very pleased with the non HD picture quality. The quality is as good as anything else I've seen including my previous CRT Sony.
Fan Noise I haven't noticed it at all. Yea, if you walk up to the set and put your ear to it, you can hear it. And you notice it when the set first powers on. After that, it's quiet.
Burn In - I "borrowed" the following from Markhan because it was burried in a comment and good info: "THERE IS A BREAK-IN Period for these sets--500 hours. I visited with the Panasonic techs and they advise NOT to use the dynamic setting early in the life of the TV. Also, I set my timer to turn on the white scroll bar every morning for twenty minutes. They recommend this to "even out" pixel light when the set is new and burning brightest. Also, make sure the wobble setting is ON and if you're really interested in babying the new set, turn the peak limit on as well."
Black Shift - Haven't noticed it yet but I've only been watching for 24 hours.
One piece of advice I would give is to understand the outputs on the current equipment (DVD, cable box, etc.) that you plan to use with the TV up front. That way you can be sure if and the type of additional board you will need.
Price - Got my TV through Dell. Yup Dell. Paid $2430 for TV, tax, shipping, stand and HDMI board. Few people seem to know that you can order just about anything through Dell's business division. You just need to know exactly what you want. Find your lowest price on the internet and call Dell and they can usually match or beat it. At least this way you get to deal with someone you know is reputable. They may ask you for a business name. You can just take your last name and add "Inc." to it. Note that there may also be lead-times involved. The stand and HDMI board shipped pretty quickly but there was a 10 day lead-time on the TV (they told me this up front). In comparison, Circuit City is offering the consumer version (42PX50U) for $3850 right now, not including tax.
Good Luck!
User Rating: 8/10
Is this possible
Pros: the price is shocking
Cons: shadiness of the store
Review: Can someone PLEASE take a look at this link:
http://www.intelec4sale.citymaker.com/page/page/2740043.htm
I think this price is WAY too cheap, and it sounds very sketchy. Has anyone heard of this place?
http://www.intelec4sale.citymaker.com/page/page/2740043.htm
I think this price is WAY too cheap, and it sounds very sketchy. Has anyone heard of this place?
User Rating: 9/10
--- Five Things You Should Know ---
Pros: Stunning Picture, Design and Value
Cons: Input Add-ons + Stand = Potential for Misleading Price
Review: I have had this plasma for the past 2 weeks and since I used CNET a great deal in trying to select a product, I wanted to contribute back to the community.
I would definitly recommend this monitor to anyone. However, here are the new things I have learned since ownership that aren't as widely published, but may be useful to know.
1) I wondered how non-HDTV signals were going to look on this monitor before I purchased, and yes, well, I can confirm that there is a definite difference. I would say that the picture quality is about 20% poorer when switching from DVD (not HD I know, I know, but are still stunningly displayed by the way) to regular TV signals. That difference is enough to note, but perhaps not enough to really worry about. The difference on this monitor is definitly noticable at about 6 feet away from the screen, and diminishes the further away you get. But its still enough to bug me so that I am now looking at an HD satellite feed.
2) Its a small point, but some forum arguments note that you can at times bargain for a commercial version to rather close to the same price as this monitor's total cost of ownership once you include the neccessary (for me anyways) HDMI input and the TV stand, which may make this monitor not quite as real of a bargain. I believe this monitor is still cheaper from my research, I would just recommend your own price shopping.
3) Dont worry about the difficulty of installing the input add-ons. My HDMI input slid in so easily I didn't at first think it actually went in properly - it didn't "click" or anything. It went in so easy I was convinced I was going to have to take it back off of the stand and re-do it once I plugged something in, expecting it not to work, but it was fine. Anyone who can work a screw driver can do it.
4) I live at 4000 feet elevation, and the device has no noise - humming, buzzing, anything. I can confirm that according to the specs, there is a fan on the device, but Ill be darned if I've ever heard it. Nor will you for normal use. If you watch TV without volume and with your ear a half an inch off the back of the monitor, then yes, you will likely hear something. For the rest of us, dont worry about it, that to me is the most nit-picky complaint I have read that doesn't fit.
5) Speaking of very nit-picky, power consumption is widely incorrectly published for this monitor versus what is in the owner's manual. It is frequently noted that this monitor has a 275 Watt Maximum power consumption rating, but that is actually for the WD model, not the HD - which is at 337 for the 8th gen model according to the owner's manual. I dont think that will influence most, but I just dont like incorrect info published.
Thats about it for potentially new things that haven't already been posted. I agree with the positive reviews , and as stated, I love this TV and would buy it again in a second, and wouldn't have a hard time betting that you will agree if you decide to get this model as well.
I would definitly recommend this monitor to anyone. However, here are the new things I have learned since ownership that aren't as widely published, but may be useful to know.
1) I wondered how non-HDTV signals were going to look on this monitor before I purchased, and yes, well, I can confirm that there is a definite difference. I would say that the picture quality is about 20% poorer when switching from DVD (not HD I know, I know, but are still stunningly displayed by the way) to regular TV signals. That difference is enough to note, but perhaps not enough to really worry about. The difference on this monitor is definitly noticable at about 6 feet away from the screen, and diminishes the further away you get. But its still enough to bug me so that I am now looking at an HD satellite feed.
2) Its a small point, but some forum arguments note that you can at times bargain for a commercial version to rather close to the same price as this monitor's total cost of ownership once you include the neccessary (for me anyways) HDMI input and the TV stand, which may make this monitor not quite as real of a bargain. I believe this monitor is still cheaper from my research, I would just recommend your own price shopping.
3) Dont worry about the difficulty of installing the input add-ons. My HDMI input slid in so easily I didn't at first think it actually went in properly - it didn't "click" or anything. It went in so easy I was convinced I was going to have to take it back off of the stand and re-do it once I plugged something in, expecting it not to work, but it was fine. Anyone who can work a screw driver can do it.
4) I live at 4000 feet elevation, and the device has no noise - humming, buzzing, anything. I can confirm that according to the specs, there is a fan on the device, but Ill be darned if I've ever heard it. Nor will you for normal use. If you watch TV without volume and with your ear a half an inch off the back of the monitor, then yes, you will likely hear something. For the rest of us, dont worry about it, that to me is the most nit-picky complaint I have read that doesn't fit.
5) Speaking of very nit-picky, power consumption is widely incorrectly published for this monitor versus what is in the owner's manual. It is frequently noted that this monitor has a 275 Watt Maximum power consumption rating, but that is actually for the WD model, not the HD - which is at 337 for the 8th gen model according to the owner's manual. I dont think that will influence most, but I just dont like incorrect info published.
Thats about it for potentially new things that haven't already been posted. I agree with the positive reviews , and as stated, I love this TV and would buy it again in a second, and wouldn't have a hard time betting that you will agree if you decide to get this model as well.
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome! Happy with this purchse!
Pros: Awesome picture quality/color. Good price for non-consumer plasma.
Cons: BNC connections only.
Review: Wow! Great picture even if only connected to a S-video cable. HDTV is super! Digital channels are great! Regular stations just don't match HDTV and Digital of course. I don't hear any fan. It's quiet. And it's not shiny and finished liked the consumer models, but for me that's okay. Would recommend this plasma. Purchase from visualapex.com. Came on time and it was shipped double boxed.
Updated
Purchased DVI card. Connected the DVI card to the HD cable box's HDMI output. Awesome picture! Cable box switches automatically to the different signals and the card has no problems doing it. Buy this card, you won't regret it!
Purchased DVI card. Connected the DVI card to the HD cable box's HDMI output. Awesome picture! Cable box switches automatically to the different signals and the card has no problems doing it. Buy this card, you won't regret it!
User Rating: 9/10
Outstanding HDTV! Couldn't be happier with it!!
Pros: Superior picture quality. Very solid construction and sleek design.
Cons: On screen menus too small to read from a distance. HDMI not standard, must add on.
Review: This TV is an excellent choice! I researched and struggled over what to get for months before finally deciding on this Panasonic Industrial model. Picture quality, as widely reviewed (not only on CNET, but other sources as well) is absolutely amazing. I have spent hours and hours in Best Buy, Circuit City, Fry's, and other showrooms simply looking at HDTV's. After trying to make myself like LCD's and DLP sets, I would always return to the Plasma's with their superior black level performance and sharp, bright picture. The Panasonic consumer models were always good performers, and so I was confident with the brand. But the real rub here is there are no consumer type stores where you can go view an actual 42PHD8UK or similar. But after reading all the great reviews and seeing the consumer brands, I felt pretty confident.
I really like the styling of this model as well. This was one of the few 42" plasmas which would actually fit in a cabinet we are using. But beyond that, the thin frame, and all black, simple design without add on speakers, controls, etc. (some controls are on the bottom of the frame, out of site) is very elegant. Also, I can't help but notice this panel is very rugged and solid. No flimsy plastic which easily torque?s and creeks when you move it, or week hinges and access panels. The frame is very solid and just seems like this panel will last a long time. Expandable card slots are all metal and very solid.
The only thing I didn't like was having to add an HDMI card. I understand the purchase only what you need concept with this model which makes sense, but I just hated having to pay more for HDMI when it is such a common requirement these days. But, the overall concept remains. Why pay for tuners, speakers, etc. when you don?t need them? Also, the onscreen menus for seeing picture controls, etc. are a little small and the fonts are not bold enough. Actually find myself getting up from where I sit about 14 ft. away and walking closer to the screen when making adjustments so I can easily read them.
Out of the box I did observe a slight red push on some channels, but then realized it was preset to "dynamic" mode with the contrast turned all the way up. Back this down to around 50% or so in ?standard? or use ?cinema? mode, and the colors are as close to perfect as I have seen anywhere, while still very bright and vibrant. I also believe the black levels are better than my old 32" CRT TV. The resolution is fantastic and with the true HDTV sources, you really feel like you are looking through a window.
Finally have to give a plug for visualapex.com. They were awesome! You can call and ask questions, they are very helpful, absolutely no pressuring for added accessories, extended warranty etc. Order was shipped same day and they do have a return policy for units which might arrive damaged. First rate operation with great prices. Since the 42PHD8UK is pretty much only available to be shipped to you rather than in stores, this is an important consideration.
I really like the styling of this model as well. This was one of the few 42" plasmas which would actually fit in a cabinet we are using. But beyond that, the thin frame, and all black, simple design without add on speakers, controls, etc. (some controls are on the bottom of the frame, out of site) is very elegant. Also, I can't help but notice this panel is very rugged and solid. No flimsy plastic which easily torque?s and creeks when you move it, or week hinges and access panels. The frame is very solid and just seems like this panel will last a long time. Expandable card slots are all metal and very solid.
The only thing I didn't like was having to add an HDMI card. I understand the purchase only what you need concept with this model which makes sense, but I just hated having to pay more for HDMI when it is such a common requirement these days. But, the overall concept remains. Why pay for tuners, speakers, etc. when you don?t need them? Also, the onscreen menus for seeing picture controls, etc. are a little small and the fonts are not bold enough. Actually find myself getting up from where I sit about 14 ft. away and walking closer to the screen when making adjustments so I can easily read them.
Out of the box I did observe a slight red push on some channels, but then realized it was preset to "dynamic" mode with the contrast turned all the way up. Back this down to around 50% or so in ?standard? or use ?cinema? mode, and the colors are as close to perfect as I have seen anywhere, while still very bright and vibrant. I also believe the black levels are better than my old 32" CRT TV. The resolution is fantastic and with the true HDTV sources, you really feel like you are looking through a window.
Finally have to give a plug for visualapex.com. They were awesome! You can call and ask questions, they are very helpful, absolutely no pressuring for added accessories, extended warranty etc. Order was shipped same day and they do have a return policy for units which might arrive damaged. First rate operation with great prices. Since the 42PHD8UK is pretty much only available to be shipped to you rather than in stores, this is an important consideration.
User Rating: 9/10
Is this TV 1080p or 1080i?
Pros: Affordable TV with top of line picture quality
Cons: Forced to buy accessories. Comes with nothing.
Review: Is this TV 1080p. I just bought it and now am having second thoughts because I hear is only 1080i and in the future, everthing will be 1080p.
User Rating: 9/10
As good a flat panel picture as we found anywhere
Pros: Sharp, quiet, versatile performer
Cons: None yet encountered in everyday use
Review: Spectacular picture (in daylight and at night, from any angle and with input from either DVD player or HD cable box. The Panasonic appeared to have best rendering of human faces, compared with neighboring sets at several stores where itÕs stepbrother (the Panasonic TH-42PX50U) was on display.
Quiet and cool. Plasmas have a reputation for using a lot of power and generating a lot of heat, thus, requiring noisy fans. The power consumption of this model is listed as 337 W compares with other plasmas, but, even when weÕve had the monitor on for 7 or 8 hours, there is no more heat felt at the back and top than I can recall from regular TVs IÕve had. You can put your hand on the top, where the most heat dissipates, and it just feels like a mild hand warmer. As for noise, I have to lean over the top and put my ear close to the ventilation holes to hear what sounds like, if itÕs a fan, an incredibly quiet one. Even with sound on the home theater system muted, none of us can hear it, while standing a foot in front of the unit.
ItÕs also been said about plasmas (when comparing them to LCDs) that the typical shiny surface will produce distracting reflections in bright lighting. Even when the afternoon sun is behind us (and sunlight is coming through the row of windows right behind the couch) we see only minor signs of it on the screen. IÕm watching ESPN now, with the back door open and the blinds on those windows drawn up. When the screen is totally black I can see a low reflection. When thereÕs a picture on the screen, I see none.? I didnÕt check a lot of websites for an outlet from which to make the purchase. DTV City had an informative website and was highly rated by another website specializing in reviewing plasma displays. The sales people were low-keyed and willing (and able) to answer all my questions, during several preliminary inquiries, without pushing to sell it to me. The price of $2399 was not the lowest, but they also added a two-year in-home warranty for free (through Nov 1) and reasonable prices for delivery and third-party installation, so the bottom line came out lower on this website than others I compared. It cost $60 extra to specify an exact delivery day, so I shaved $60 off the total delivery price by opting for ÒcurbsideÓ rather than Òinto-the-houseÓ drop-off. It turned out not to matter, since it was a warm, sunny day and the delivery guy not only patiently took me through the detailed inspection that DTV City specifies but then said: ÒLetÕs bring it inside before we uncover the unit to check the screen.Ó
We had ordered a Peerless Tilt/Swivel stand for $299 and I had been supplied with the telephone number of a local Audio-Visual equipment installer to assemble the stand, attach the display to it, and set up the cables from the HD-DVR Comcast box, a Kenwood receiver/tuner and the DVD. Finding the assigned installer unpredictable and, in the end, impossible to reach, I and my family assembled the stand, attached the monitor to it, and figured out where all the cables went to and from. It took us about three or four hours, with a dinner break, but we were also hooking up a Kenwood HTB-S620DV Fineline Wireless Home Theater System -- keep in mind that this is only a monitor...you can buy matching speakers that attach on the side, but we had to fit it into a 41-inch wide space and itÕs 40 inches wide without the speakers. There is no tuner in it, so you canÕt just plug the cable pin into it and get a picture. You need a video-powered source (cable box) and a sound source.
IÕve never seen a widescreen that doesnÕt stretch the picture horizontally in some broadcasts or DVDs. This oneÕs ÒJustÓ and ÒZoomÓ settings, however, fill the screen (we like the ÒJust AspectÓ best) with a great picture. Zoom cuts out less than other Zooms we have used, while the ÒJustÓ settingÕs widening is as good (non-distorting) as any we can see on the displays at Best Buy and similar stores, plus it enhances display of basic Comcast stations.
The CNET editors did not review this specific model, but listed some negatives for its 50-inch big brother: ÒDoes not include a stand, a tuner, or speakers; sparse input selection; doesn't include a digital input; cannot change aspect ratios with HDTV sources; floats blacks.Ó If you want a stand, instead of wall mount, consider the Peerless Tilt/Swivel. Being able to easily swing the set around lets us watch it from either the kitchen or the family room. As for Òno tuner or speakersÓ, IÕm not sure IÕd categorize that as a ÒconÓ for a monitor -- thatÕs what a monitor is...like a monitor youÕd get for your computer, you wouldnÕt say itÕs a negative that you canÕt plug it directly into your cable modem box and surf the net because you have to buy the computer to put between the two. If you have a cable box for HD, that tuner will be overriding your TV tuner anyway. As for speakers, why get a display like this and then listen to the little speakers youÕd get built into a full-featured (monitor, tuner, and speakers) unit? We picked up a Kenwood HTB-S620DV Fineline Wireless Home Theater System for $439.99 from J&R. It shipped the day we ordered it and provides more surround sound than we thought we could get from a system that eliminates running wires to the rear speakers. The Kenwood system comes equipped with a single-disc DVD player with Progressive Scan Digital quality. The wireless transmitter/receiver provides full Surround to any corner of the room. Active EQ and Dolby Sound (along with six speakers, including a subwoofer) create as much deep and rich sound experience as the typical family room can usefully contain.As for CNETÕs Ò doesn't include a digital inputÓ, IÕd say that both a pro and con. Yes, you have to buy the HDMI or DVI input board, but that gives you the option of matching your monitor to your specific setup. For example, the Motorola dual tuner we received from Comcast comes with a DVI connection, so we could order the optional DVI board instead of the more common HDMI (which then would have required a converter). Finally, IÕm not sure if the 50-inch unit that CNET reviewed differs from our 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK, but we can change aspect ratios with HDTV sources. We can do it easily by pressing the Aspect button on the remote. Each press cycles to the next of the aspect ratios -- Zoom, Normal (for 4:3 picture), Full, Just (displays 4:3 picture at full screen size but with justification algorithms in effect), Panasonic Auto (used to handle a mix of 16:9 and 4:3 programming, acting similar to Just mode).
The whole family continues to be wowed by how the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK renders TV shows, HD movies coming through a Comcast cable box, and widescreen DVDs.
Quiet and cool. Plasmas have a reputation for using a lot of power and generating a lot of heat, thus, requiring noisy fans. The power consumption of this model is listed as 337 W compares with other plasmas, but, even when weÕve had the monitor on for 7 or 8 hours, there is no more heat felt at the back and top than I can recall from regular TVs IÕve had. You can put your hand on the top, where the most heat dissipates, and it just feels like a mild hand warmer. As for noise, I have to lean over the top and put my ear close to the ventilation holes to hear what sounds like, if itÕs a fan, an incredibly quiet one. Even with sound on the home theater system muted, none of us can hear it, while standing a foot in front of the unit.
ItÕs also been said about plasmas (when comparing them to LCDs) that the typical shiny surface will produce distracting reflections in bright lighting. Even when the afternoon sun is behind us (and sunlight is coming through the row of windows right behind the couch) we see only minor signs of it on the screen. IÕm watching ESPN now, with the back door open and the blinds on those windows drawn up. When the screen is totally black I can see a low reflection. When thereÕs a picture on the screen, I see none.? I didnÕt check a lot of websites for an outlet from which to make the purchase. DTV City had an informative website and was highly rated by another website specializing in reviewing plasma displays. The sales people were low-keyed and willing (and able) to answer all my questions, during several preliminary inquiries, without pushing to sell it to me. The price of $2399 was not the lowest, but they also added a two-year in-home warranty for free (through Nov 1) and reasonable prices for delivery and third-party installation, so the bottom line came out lower on this website than others I compared. It cost $60 extra to specify an exact delivery day, so I shaved $60 off the total delivery price by opting for ÒcurbsideÓ rather than Òinto-the-houseÓ drop-off. It turned out not to matter, since it was a warm, sunny day and the delivery guy not only patiently took me through the detailed inspection that DTV City specifies but then said: ÒLetÕs bring it inside before we uncover the unit to check the screen.Ó
We had ordered a Peerless Tilt/Swivel stand for $299 and I had been supplied with the telephone number of a local Audio-Visual equipment installer to assemble the stand, attach the display to it, and set up the cables from the HD-DVR Comcast box, a Kenwood receiver/tuner and the DVD. Finding the assigned installer unpredictable and, in the end, impossible to reach, I and my family assembled the stand, attached the monitor to it, and figured out where all the cables went to and from. It took us about three or four hours, with a dinner break, but we were also hooking up a Kenwood HTB-S620DV Fineline Wireless Home Theater System -- keep in mind that this is only a monitor...you can buy matching speakers that attach on the side, but we had to fit it into a 41-inch wide space and itÕs 40 inches wide without the speakers. There is no tuner in it, so you canÕt just plug the cable pin into it and get a picture. You need a video-powered source (cable box) and a sound source.
IÕve never seen a widescreen that doesnÕt stretch the picture horizontally in some broadcasts or DVDs. This oneÕs ÒJustÓ and ÒZoomÓ settings, however, fill the screen (we like the ÒJust AspectÓ best) with a great picture. Zoom cuts out less than other Zooms we have used, while the ÒJustÓ settingÕs widening is as good (non-distorting) as any we can see on the displays at Best Buy and similar stores, plus it enhances display of basic Comcast stations.
The CNET editors did not review this specific model, but listed some negatives for its 50-inch big brother: ÒDoes not include a stand, a tuner, or speakers; sparse input selection; doesn't include a digital input; cannot change aspect ratios with HDTV sources; floats blacks.Ó If you want a stand, instead of wall mount, consider the Peerless Tilt/Swivel. Being able to easily swing the set around lets us watch it from either the kitchen or the family room. As for Òno tuner or speakersÓ, IÕm not sure IÕd categorize that as a ÒconÓ for a monitor -- thatÕs what a monitor is...like a monitor youÕd get for your computer, you wouldnÕt say itÕs a negative that you canÕt plug it directly into your cable modem box and surf the net because you have to buy the computer to put between the two. If you have a cable box for HD, that tuner will be overriding your TV tuner anyway. As for speakers, why get a display like this and then listen to the little speakers youÕd get built into a full-featured (monitor, tuner, and speakers) unit? We picked up a Kenwood HTB-S620DV Fineline Wireless Home Theater System for $439.99 from J&R. It shipped the day we ordered it and provides more surround sound than we thought we could get from a system that eliminates running wires to the rear speakers. The Kenwood system comes equipped with a single-disc DVD player with Progressive Scan Digital quality. The wireless transmitter/receiver provides full Surround to any corner of the room. Active EQ and Dolby Sound (along with six speakers, including a subwoofer) create as much deep and rich sound experience as the typical family room can usefully contain.As for CNETÕs Ò doesn't include a digital inputÓ, IÕd say that both a pro and con. Yes, you have to buy the HDMI or DVI input board, but that gives you the option of matching your monitor to your specific setup. For example, the Motorola dual tuner we received from Comcast comes with a DVI connection, so we could order the optional DVI board instead of the more common HDMI (which then would have required a converter). Finally, IÕm not sure if the 50-inch unit that CNET reviewed differs from our 42-inch Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK, but we can change aspect ratios with HDTV sources. We can do it easily by pressing the Aspect button on the remote. Each press cycles to the next of the aspect ratios -- Zoom, Normal (for 4:3 picture), Full, Just (displays 4:3 picture at full screen size but with justification algorithms in effect), Panasonic Auto (used to handle a mix of 16:9 and 4:3 programming, acting similar to Just mode).
The whole family continues to be wowed by how the Panasonic TH-42PHD8UK renders TV shows, HD movies coming through a Comcast cable box, and widescreen DVDs.
Updated
Started with a $2399 price tag for this unit (DTV City threw in a two-year in-house warranty for that price). Add delivery charge and a DVI or HDMI connector board, some cables to connect our sound system, DVD< and cable box...and we had a fantastic large screen setup (as large as made sense for our family room, where people sit at various angles, about 9 or 10 feet away...sometimes 12 to 15, if we're at the kitchen table). Heat is only warm to the touch at top vents after 6 straight hours...you could leave your hand there and not feel you have to pull it away. Quiet...I have to lean over the top and put my ear near the top vents to notice a whisper-level fan. I can watch a DVD movie, with a ballgame shown picture-in-picture and switch the ballgame to the larger screen if something exciting is happening.
Started with a $2399 price tag for this unit (DTV City threw in a two-year in-house warranty for that price). Add delivery charge and a DVI or HDMI connector board, some cables to connect our sound system, DVD< and cable box...and we had a fantastic large screen setup (as large as made sense for our family room, where people sit at various angles, about 9 or 10 feet away...sometimes 12 to 15, if we're at the kitchen table). Heat is only warm to the touch at top vents after 6 straight hours...you could leave your hand there and not feel you have to pull it away. Quiet...I have to lean over the top and put my ear near the top vents to notice a whisper-level fan. I can watch a DVD movie, with a ballgame shown picture-in-picture and switch the ballgame to the larger screen if something exciting is happening.
Updated
We have had no problems using this display everyday for two months. The "aspects" button allows us to cycyle through what Panansonic calls "full display" (what you typically see on display in a sports bar - whole picture stretched horizontally to fill screen); "just" (Panasonic's feature which keeps actors/players in center of screen normal and unstretched and you only notice "full" type stretching at the margins; and "zoom," which fills screen with the largest non-stretched (i.e., normal" view, with a slight loss of edge detail) picture (unlike the DVD zoom feature we were used to on our old TVs, this zoom loses very little of the full picture in return for a movie-like image that gives the impression of viewing a larger than 42-inch screen). Also, a friend, an engineer who works for a company that does research development of improvements to plasma and other flat-panel displays, read the comment (posted in response to the "fanless, I don't think so" comment) about a "Break-in" period. His response was that, while all those cautious methods would, technically, yield the best picture for the longest time, nonetheless, if you ignored all that advice and used the brightest and most color-saturated "dynamic" setting right from day 1, you'd only notice a slight decline in picture quality after -- at the soonest -- about 10 years of everyday heavy usage. I don't think I've kept any set as my primary "TV" for that long.
We have had no problems using this display everyday for two months. The "aspects" button allows us to cycyle through what Panansonic calls "full display" (what you typically see on display in a sports bar - whole picture stretched horizontally to fill screen); "just" (Panasonic's feature which keeps actors/players in center of screen normal and unstretched and you only notice "full" type stretching at the margins; and "zoom," which fills screen with the largest non-stretched (i.e., normal" view, with a slight loss of edge detail) picture (unlike the DVD zoom feature we were used to on our old TVs, this zoom loses very little of the full picture in return for a movie-like image that gives the impression of viewing a larger than 42-inch screen). Also, a friend, an engineer who works for a company that does research development of improvements to plasma and other flat-panel displays, read the comment (posted in response to the "fanless, I don't think so" comment) about a "Break-in" period. His response was that, while all those cautious methods would, technically, yield the best picture for the longest time, nonetheless, if you ignored all that advice and used the brightest and most color-saturated "dynamic" setting right from day 1, you'd only notice a slight decline in picture quality after -- at the soonest -- about 10 years of everyday heavy usage. I don't think I've kept any set as my primary "TV" for that long.
Updated
The "POS/SIZE" button + the "Aspect" button = full and accurate picture. Press "Aspect" until you have selected the "Full" screen choice. Then press the "POS/SIZE" button. Using the large round selector at the top of the remote (with the four dircetional arrows), press the down arrow until you select "V Size". Then press the right arrow as far as it will go. You will have stretched the picture vertically and eliminated the "short, fat people" distortion that "Full" can produce. To further fine tune the picture, wait a few seconds, then press the up arrow to fo to "H Size". Press the left arrow about 3 to 6 times and you'll end up with the picture (no cropping, as with Zoom, which is a pretty good choice, usually), but without the stretched out look of "Full" Aspect or the side distortion of "Just" Aspect.
The "POS/SIZE" button + the "Aspect" button = full and accurate picture. Press "Aspect" until you have selected the "Full" screen choice. Then press the "POS/SIZE" button. Using the large round selector at the top of the remote (with the four dircetional arrows), press the down arrow until you select "V Size". Then press the right arrow as far as it will go. You will have stretched the picture vertically and eliminated the "short, fat people" distortion that "Full" can produce. To further fine tune the picture, wait a few seconds, then press the up arrow to fo to "H Size". Press the left arrow about 3 to 6 times and you'll end up with the picture (no cropping, as with Zoom, which is a pretty good choice, usually), but without the stretched out look of "Full" Aspect or the side distortion of "Just" Aspect.
User Rating: 9/10
Get this TV!!!
Pros: No uneccessary parts, awesome picture, great price
Cons: Buying extra HDMI boards, actually inserting them was no big deal. No in home service, I really wanted to buy a TV from a local reatiler to take advatnage of the repair in the home process. Instead
Review: I did a ton of reasearch before getting this unit from BestBuyPlasma. I looked at all of the offerings from Best Buy (retail store) and Circuit City. They could not touch the Panasonic for price and quality, besides they all inlcuded stupid speakers and a tuner that I was never going to use.
The set looks great hanging there on the wall (I did have to spend several long hours fishing cable.) with clean simple lines.
I ordered two HDMI boards from eCost for about $123 each. DO NOT ORDER THE HDMI BOARDS FROM BestBuyPlasma!!!! BestBuyPlasma had a nice price on the TV and thier web site states thier poilcy is to have low prices but the HDMI boards are priced at $100 over the MSRP from the Panasonic web site. Just goes to show it pays to shop around.
Setup:
I have one HDMI from my Comcast Motorola HD DVR cable box and the other from a Samsung P-50 HTIB. I plan on hooking up a PC to the unit so that I can do Picture in Picture with web content (my footbal fantasy leauge) and TV.
I live in the Denver CO area and the plasma produces no buzzing noise.
I really wanted to buy a TV from a local retailer to take advatnage of the repair in the home process. Instead if it breaks I will have to ship it to somewhere in CA, so it better not break. Do yourself a favor and buy this TV. I think buying the HDMI boards is a good idea, you will not want to mess around with it once you mount it on the wall. You will not find a better TV for the price.
The set looks great hanging there on the wall (I did have to spend several long hours fishing cable.) with clean simple lines.
I ordered two HDMI boards from eCost for about $123 each. DO NOT ORDER THE HDMI BOARDS FROM BestBuyPlasma!!!! BestBuyPlasma had a nice price on the TV and thier web site states thier poilcy is to have low prices but the HDMI boards are priced at $100 over the MSRP from the Panasonic web site. Just goes to show it pays to shop around.
Setup:
I have one HDMI from my Comcast Motorola HD DVR cable box and the other from a Samsung P-50 HTIB. I plan on hooking up a PC to the unit so that I can do Picture in Picture with web content (my footbal fantasy leauge) and TV.
I live in the Denver CO area and the plasma produces no buzzing noise.
I really wanted to buy a TV from a local retailer to take advatnage of the repair in the home process. Instead if it breaks I will have to ship it to somewhere in CA, so it better not break. Do yourself a favor and buy this TV. I think buying the HDMI boards is a good idea, you will not want to mess around with it once you mount it on the wall. You will not find a better TV for the price.
User Rating: 9/10
configuring question
Pros: i can almost afford it
Cons: why not a digital receiver board?
Review: Is the panasonic HDMI board (TY-FB7HM)compatible with the Humax HFA100 HDTV Tuner HDMI output?
Note Panasonic brochure says "Standards compliance HDMI ver.1.1 Compatible video 525/60p, 625/50p, 750/60p, 750/50p, 1125/60i,
format 1125/50i, VGA60"
Humax says: "Selectable Resolution Output (1080i, 720p,480/i)"
None of these numbers match up? If i cant use the Humax HDMI output with the Pannny unit, is there a HDTV tuner with HDMI out that is compatible?
I havent purchased yet - so my rating is like a defense contractor marketing person, married for five years and hasn't consumated the marriage. He just sits on the edge of the bed and tells her how great its going to be!
Note Panasonic brochure says "Standards compliance HDMI ver.1.1 Compatible video 525/60p, 625/50p, 750/60p, 750/50p, 1125/60i,
format 1125/50i, VGA60"
Humax says: "Selectable Resolution Output (1080i, 720p,480/i)"
None of these numbers match up? If i cant use the Humax HDMI output with the Pannny unit, is there a HDTV tuner with HDMI out that is compatible?
I havent purchased yet - so my rating is like a defense contractor marketing person, married for five years and hasn't consumated the marriage. He just sits on the edge of the bed and tells her how great its going to be!
User Rating: 10/10
What do You need From a HDTV?
Pros: Picture quality,Price
Cons: I can`t see!!
Review: "Flesh tones are extremely accurate"
"Dark Scenes detailing are superb"
With a new dealer price of sub $2500 the for the new TH-42PHD8UK it is the best buy in the HDTV market. It think it is the best buy in the high definition TV market ? period including LCD, CRT, DLP - everything.
"Dark Scenes detailing are superb"
With a new dealer price of sub $2500 the for the new TH-42PHD8UK it is the best buy in the HDTV market. It think it is the best buy in the high definition TV market ? period including LCD, CRT, DLP - everything.
User Rating: 8/10
Perfect for geeks and the value-obsessed
Pros: Truly great picture; solid cabinet; beautifully minimalist
Cons: Deep blacks become subltly, unexpectedly brighter, then darker again
Review: While in shipping, my TH-42PHD8UK took a hit to the back, side of the cabinet, leaving a superficial dent in the metal. My TH-42PHD8UK still works fine, which has impressed me mightily. This truly must be an industrial model and not a consumer product.
(On that note, I'm afraid I cannot recommend Butterfly Photo as a place to buy this TV: it took many e-mails and phone calls from me to finally get them to give me the *correct* shipper and tracking number, only to have the plasma sent to New York state rather than Massachusetts, the state where I live... I finally got the TV, but with superficial damage, from having been in the shipping pipeline for so long.)
I'm also comforted to see the phrase "made in Japan" on the case, as opposed to "made in China" or "made in Korea". It makes me think of my KitchenAid mixer that's still made in the USA, despite most KitchenAid products being made in China: Panasonic must want to still make its flagship products closer to home, rather than farming the work out.
The picture is gorgeous on this TV, and I suppose my monster cables were a wise purchase: another reviewer noted that his low quality cables really degraded the picture.
As another reviewer noted, if you are particularly picky about picture quality, and cherish deep, rich blacks, you'll notice the plasma "cheating" every so often, by turning the blacks a bit grayer to presumably hit some "high note" that is elsewhere on the screen. If you want to see this black/grey shift in action, watch The Godfather on DVD, and you'll really see this plasma doing its black/grey shifting thing, in its attempts to bring you the best picture possible.
As a fan of deep, rich blacks, I wish this wouldn't happen (I'd rather the screen sacrifice brightness to preserve blackness), but that's the only criticism I have of the picture. And I should note that a room-full of other people watching The Godfather on this TV with me didn't notice the shifting at all. The blacks are still better than most tube TVs I've seen, and the color balance and crispness of the picture are breathtaking.
This plasma screen comes with nothing, which you will hate if you seek one-step setup, but which you will absolutely adore if you are a geek or a value seeker. When you buy this plasma screen, you will have to buy a stand for it, and you will likely want to invest in extra input cards and some pricey cables. To my mind, it's all worth it. And I'm so, so glad that there are no ridiculous clock-radio speakers on this plasma, and no silly cable tuner. And thank, you, Panasonic, for making the cabinet graphite black, instead of the cheesy silver that is making a comeback in consumer electronics. I've already got a stereo, and I've already got a cable box. This plasma screen takes care of the picture, and assumes you've got the gear to take care of everything else.
(On that note, I'm afraid I cannot recommend Butterfly Photo as a place to buy this TV: it took many e-mails and phone calls from me to finally get them to give me the *correct* shipper and tracking number, only to have the plasma sent to New York state rather than Massachusetts, the state where I live... I finally got the TV, but with superficial damage, from having been in the shipping pipeline for so long.)
I'm also comforted to see the phrase "made in Japan" on the case, as opposed to "made in China" or "made in Korea". It makes me think of my KitchenAid mixer that's still made in the USA, despite most KitchenAid products being made in China: Panasonic must want to still make its flagship products closer to home, rather than farming the work out.
The picture is gorgeous on this TV, and I suppose my monster cables were a wise purchase: another reviewer noted that his low quality cables really degraded the picture.
As another reviewer noted, if you are particularly picky about picture quality, and cherish deep, rich blacks, you'll notice the plasma "cheating" every so often, by turning the blacks a bit grayer to presumably hit some "high note" that is elsewhere on the screen. If you want to see this black/grey shift in action, watch The Godfather on DVD, and you'll really see this plasma doing its black/grey shifting thing, in its attempts to bring you the best picture possible.
As a fan of deep, rich blacks, I wish this wouldn't happen (I'd rather the screen sacrifice brightness to preserve blackness), but that's the only criticism I have of the picture. And I should note that a room-full of other people watching The Godfather on this TV with me didn't notice the shifting at all. The blacks are still better than most tube TVs I've seen, and the color balance and crispness of the picture are breathtaking.
This plasma screen comes with nothing, which you will hate if you seek one-step setup, but which you will absolutely adore if you are a geek or a value seeker. When you buy this plasma screen, you will have to buy a stand for it, and you will likely want to invest in extra input cards and some pricey cables. To my mind, it's all worth it. And I'm so, so glad that there are no ridiculous clock-radio speakers on this plasma, and no silly cable tuner. And thank, you, Panasonic, for making the cabinet graphite black, instead of the cheesy silver that is making a comeback in consumer electronics. I've already got a stereo, and I've already got a cable box. This plasma screen takes care of the picture, and assumes you've got the gear to take care of everything else.
User Rating: 8/10
Great monitor for the money!
Pros: Excellent picture, flexible inputs, clean ergonomics
Cons: Black level shifting, no in-home warranty
Review: This monitor was delivered to my home a couple of weeks ago. We're still in the process of setting up the TV room (no couch...yikes!), so it hasn't gotten a lot of use yet, but I've seen enough to pass on my opinions.
I'm not a trained video expert, but I've been watching tv for years. My current tv is a Toshiba RP CRT with HD DirecTV. I've set up the new plasma with an HD DirecTiVo. I bought an optional DVI blade for the monitor, and run the TiVo HDMI output to the DVI input. Currently, the sound is through my old NHT bookshelf speakers driven by the internal amp on the plasma.
It is important to note that this "TV" is really a "monitor", 'cause it doesn't have any sort of internal tuner for television broadcast. You can't just plug in your cable or an antenna. Any signal must be processed through an external box (cable/satellite/computer/DVD/etc.) and passed to the display through cables. It also does not come with a wall mount or stand.
The picture is great, even on standard definition broadcasts. The TiVo doesn't have a "native" output option, so I generally just have it upscale everything to 1080i, although I can also set it to output 480i/p for SD stuff. Either way, the SD looks acceptible. It's better than the Toshiba's picture with SD input (it's a 16:9 display, too), but the standard definition picture doesn't justify dropping this much money on a TV. I generally watch 4:3 format stuff in "full" mode, or have it stretched by the TiVo. I tried to use Panasonic's "just" mode, which does less stretching in the middle of the picture to minimize visible distortion. Ouch! I've read lots of posts where people really seem to love "just" mode, but it makes me ill. It's like watching tv through a fishbowl, with weird distortion and zooming. It's possible that the effect is increased by the "rectangular" pixels used on the 42" and 37" HD displays, versus the "square" pixels used on the 50"+ displays, but I honestly don't know. My Toshiba has a similar mode, which works great, but the Panasonic plasma just doesn't pull it off well.
The HD picture, though, simply blows away my Toshiba RP CRT, which also claims to be an HDTV. No comparison. Much richer and deeper images. It's simply fantastic. The display handles HD content(from HBO/Showtime/etc) flawlessly, and HD sports broadcasts are stunning. And then I get sad because I have to go back to the SD content that dominates the airwaves these days. Thankfully more and more stuff is being shot in HD, but the vast majority of cable/sat/OTA stuff is low res.
Per the recommendations of several on-line reviewers, as well as Panasonic itself, I'm taking it easy on the panel for the first 100 hours or so. I turned the contrast ("picture") way down, along with brightness, so I can't be sure the picture's as good as it's going to get. Once I've broken past the 100hr mark, I'll use an Avia or DVE disc to calibrate the display. Even if it doesn't get better, though, it's still the best money I've ever spent on a display.
I have several friends with Samsung DLP displays, and my parents have a new Sony Wega LCoS tv, so those are the modern displays that I can compare this to. And, honestly, they all look great to me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them (that I've seen). The deciding factors for me were price (see below), picture quality, Panasonic's reputation for good price-performance, and the ability to hang this display on the wall in my small viewing area.
As for ED vs. HD, I've only really checked out ED panels at Best Buy, etc. One thing I've noticed, though, is that my Best Buy has a whole wall/room set up with RP/DLP/LCoS tv's, but (mysteriously), the plasmas are found down several aisles. I can't be sure, but I'd put money down that this is because the difference between ED and HD is most visible at less than 8'-10', especially in the 42" and 50" ranges. So the 5' wide aisles really accentuate the lower resolution on the ED sets. Beyond that distance, they pretty much look the same (this is based largely on my research and not so much personal observation). My room is small, so I spent a little extra on the HD version. If you're more than 8' from your 42" display, I'd strongly recommend looking at an ED (such as the TH-42PWD8UK).
Panasonic's commercial panels come with plenty of inputs and a good look-and-feel to them. It's a thin black bezel with NO buttons/controls on the front panel. The buttons are on the bottom edge, and the only things visible on the bezel are a silver "panasonic" logo and the green/red power LED. Once I get the install cleaned up, it will approach the "painting on the wall" look that I was shooting for...much better than the cluttered look of many panels out there with buttons, labels, speakers, etc. to mess it all up.
As for inputs, even the stripped down standard configuration is okay for many applications, with some caveats. If you have old-schools inputs, such as an SD TiVo or a VHS player, the panel has an S-video and composite video inputs. For current sources, there is a component input, but you'll need cables with BNC connectors (it's a type that twists onto the panel) or RCA-BNC adapters ($4/ea at Radio Shack). There is also a VGA input that can be set to accept RGB (computer) or Component signals. To use that input with your cable box or DVD, you just need to buy a component-VGA cable. Then there are also two empty slots available to plug in Panasonics optional input boards. You can buy these boards ("blades") with component inputs (RCA or BNC), a DVI input w/an audio-in mini-jack, and/or an HDMI audio/video input. The DVI and HDMI inputs have the added benefit of supporting 4096 gradations vs. 2048 through component. Be aware that the current HDMI board (the "7" series) will work with this panel, but apparently won't support the 4096 levels...but the "8" series isn't available in the US yet. The current DVI board supports the increased levels, which allows for smoother gradations with less "banding" between colors. At least that's the theory. I can't claim that I would know the difference, but the DVI board is cheaper than the HDMI board, so I figured it was win-win. Note that DVI and HDMI are related standards, so boxes with HDMI output can connect to a DVI input through an adapter (and vice-versa, at least for video).
The only negative that I've seen so far is a strange black-level shifting that occurs during tv viewing (I haven't hooked up a DVD source yet, so I can't comment on that). It's kind of hard to describe, but in some scenes, you can see the blacks in the picture become "grayer" (for lack of a better turn). It's most obvious in any letterboxing on the screen, but can be seen across the whole picture. I almost hate to mention it, 'cause I think it's something most people won't notice until they know to look for it. I will say that I've seen the same thing on my Toshiba RP CRT for years, so either I'm sensitive to it, it supposed to happen, or there's something wrong with my eyes. It may very well be the poor "DC restoration" CNet notes on some of the other Panasonic plasmas (42px25, I think, is one of them). It may also be something designed into the plasma for burn-in protection or image correction or whatever. I simply don't know.
Also, while this monitor does have a one-year warranty from Panasonic, it looks like in-home service is limited to Canadian purchasers on their commercial models. That's a bummer. I recommend buying the plasma with a credit card like AmEx that will double the manufacturer's warranty, and I recommend against extended warranties. That's based on personal experience and the conventional wisdom that electronics will break in the first year or the fifth year (and later), but tend to be pretty stable in the 2nd and 3rd years. And I figure that any product which consistently returns the largest profit to the seller (yes...warranties) can't be that great a deal for the consumer.
I bought this monitor from VisualApex.com for $2084. Don't forget the optional mount/stand and any input blades you may need. The VA people were fantastic, and the unit shipped in record time. Shipping was a little expensive, but the lack of sales tax compensated nicely. Shipping included the Peerless flat wall mount and the Panasonic DVI blade, which shipped separately from the monitor. This was my first experience with VA, but I've found them to be well thought of on AVSForum.com (an excellent source for plasma and HDTV info), and now I wouldn't think of buying anywhere else, even for less money.
eBay is by far the best source for cables that I've found. Keep in mind that I believe that any reasonably built cable will do the job, and that high priced cables are for suckers. But that is just one non-audio/non-videophile opinion.
I'm not a trained video expert, but I've been watching tv for years. My current tv is a Toshiba RP CRT with HD DirecTV. I've set up the new plasma with an HD DirecTiVo. I bought an optional DVI blade for the monitor, and run the TiVo HDMI output to the DVI input. Currently, the sound is through my old NHT bookshelf speakers driven by the internal amp on the plasma.
It is important to note that this "TV" is really a "monitor", 'cause it doesn't have any sort of internal tuner for television broadcast. You can't just plug in your cable or an antenna. Any signal must be processed through an external box (cable/satellite/computer/DVD/etc.) and passed to the display through cables. It also does not come with a wall mount or stand.
The picture is great, even on standard definition broadcasts. The TiVo doesn't have a "native" output option, so I generally just have it upscale everything to 1080i, although I can also set it to output 480i/p for SD stuff. Either way, the SD looks acceptible. It's better than the Toshiba's picture with SD input (it's a 16:9 display, too), but the standard definition picture doesn't justify dropping this much money on a TV. I generally watch 4:3 format stuff in "full" mode, or have it stretched by the TiVo. I tried to use Panasonic's "just" mode, which does less stretching in the middle of the picture to minimize visible distortion. Ouch! I've read lots of posts where people really seem to love "just" mode, but it makes me ill. It's like watching tv through a fishbowl, with weird distortion and zooming. It's possible that the effect is increased by the "rectangular" pixels used on the 42" and 37" HD displays, versus the "square" pixels used on the 50"+ displays, but I honestly don't know. My Toshiba has a similar mode, which works great, but the Panasonic plasma just doesn't pull it off well.
The HD picture, though, simply blows away my Toshiba RP CRT, which also claims to be an HDTV. No comparison. Much richer and deeper images. It's simply fantastic. The display handles HD content(from HBO/Showtime/etc) flawlessly, and HD sports broadcasts are stunning. And then I get sad because I have to go back to the SD content that dominates the airwaves these days. Thankfully more and more stuff is being shot in HD, but the vast majority of cable/sat/OTA stuff is low res.
Per the recommendations of several on-line reviewers, as well as Panasonic itself, I'm taking it easy on the panel for the first 100 hours or so. I turned the contrast ("picture") way down, along with brightness, so I can't be sure the picture's as good as it's going to get. Once I've broken past the 100hr mark, I'll use an Avia or DVE disc to calibrate the display. Even if it doesn't get better, though, it's still the best money I've ever spent on a display.
I have several friends with Samsung DLP displays, and my parents have a new Sony Wega LCoS tv, so those are the modern displays that I can compare this to. And, honestly, they all look great to me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend any of them (that I've seen). The deciding factors for me were price (see below), picture quality, Panasonic's reputation for good price-performance, and the ability to hang this display on the wall in my small viewing area.
As for ED vs. HD, I've only really checked out ED panels at Best Buy, etc. One thing I've noticed, though, is that my Best Buy has a whole wall/room set up with RP/DLP/LCoS tv's, but (mysteriously), the plasmas are found down several aisles. I can't be sure, but I'd put money down that this is because the difference between ED and HD is most visible at less than 8'-10', especially in the 42" and 50" ranges. So the 5' wide aisles really accentuate the lower resolution on the ED sets. Beyond that distance, they pretty much look the same (this is based largely on my research and not so much personal observation). My room is small, so I spent a little extra on the HD version. If you're more than 8' from your 42" display, I'd strongly recommend looking at an ED (such as the TH-42PWD8UK).
Panasonic's commercial panels come with plenty of inputs and a good look-and-feel to them. It's a thin black bezel with NO buttons/controls on the front panel. The buttons are on the bottom edge, and the only things visible on the bezel are a silver "panasonic" logo and the green/red power LED. Once I get the install cleaned up, it will approach the "painting on the wall" look that I was shooting for...much better than the cluttered look of many panels out there with buttons, labels, speakers, etc. to mess it all up.
As for inputs, even the stripped down standard configuration is okay for many applications, with some caveats. If you have old-schools inputs, such as an SD TiVo or a VHS player, the panel has an S-video and composite video inputs. For current sources, there is a component input, but you'll need cables with BNC connectors (it's a type that twists onto the panel) or RCA-BNC adapters ($4/ea at Radio Shack). There is also a VGA input that can be set to accept RGB (computer) or Component signals. To use that input with your cable box or DVD, you just need to buy a component-VGA cable. Then there are also two empty slots available to plug in Panasonics optional input boards. You can buy these boards ("blades") with component inputs (RCA or BNC), a DVI input w/an audio-in mini-jack, and/or an HDMI audio/video input. The DVI and HDMI inputs have the added benefit of supporting 4096 gradations vs. 2048 through component. Be aware that the current HDMI board (the "7" series) will work with this panel, but apparently won't support the 4096 levels...but the "8" series isn't available in the US yet. The current DVI board supports the increased levels, which allows for smoother gradations with less "banding" between colors. At least that's the theory. I can't claim that I would know the difference, but the DVI board is cheaper than the HDMI board, so I figured it was win-win. Note that DVI and HDMI are related standards, so boxes with HDMI output can connect to a DVI input through an adapter (and vice-versa, at least for video).
The only negative that I've seen so far is a strange black-level shifting that occurs during tv viewing (I haven't hooked up a DVD source yet, so I can't comment on that). It's kind of hard to describe, but in some scenes, you can see the blacks in the picture become "grayer" (for lack of a better turn). It's most obvious in any letterboxing on the screen, but can be seen across the whole picture. I almost hate to mention it, 'cause I think it's something most people won't notice until they know to look for it. I will say that I've seen the same thing on my Toshiba RP CRT for years, so either I'm sensitive to it, it supposed to happen, or there's something wrong with my eyes. It may very well be the poor "DC restoration" CNet notes on some of the other Panasonic plasmas (42px25, I think, is one of them). It may also be something designed into the plasma for burn-in protection or image correction or whatever. I simply don't know.
Also, while this monitor does have a one-year warranty from Panasonic, it looks like in-home service is limited to Canadian purchasers on their commercial models. That's a bummer. I recommend buying the plasma with a credit card like AmEx that will double the manufacturer's warranty, and I recommend against extended warranties. That's based on personal experience and the conventional wisdom that electronics will break in the first year or the fifth year (and later), but tend to be pretty stable in the 2nd and 3rd years. And I figure that any product which consistently returns the largest profit to the seller (yes...warranties) can't be that great a deal for the consumer.
I bought this monitor from VisualApex.com for $2084. Don't forget the optional mount/stand and any input blades you may need. The VA people were fantastic, and the unit shipped in record time. Shipping was a little expensive, but the lack of sales tax compensated nicely. Shipping included the Peerless flat wall mount and the Panasonic DVI blade, which shipped separately from the monitor. This was my first experience with VA, but I've found them to be well thought of on AVSForum.com (an excellent source for plasma and HDTV info), and now I wouldn't think of buying anywhere else, even for less money.
eBay is by far the best source for cables that I've found. Keep in mind that I believe that any reasonably built cable will do the job, and that high priced cables are for suckers. But that is just one non-audio/non-videophile opinion.
User Rating: 9/10
UnMatched Picture Quality
Pros: You can't beat the picture.
Cons: no hdmi input
Review: I watched Prison Break in HD on this television and i could see every pore on the actors faces. I have never been more inside a video game since wolfenstein. I played Half Life 2 on this thing I had to put on the lights. This 8uk replaced the 7 series and it definatly does it justice. There isnt a better TV out there. I saw this TV at best buy for like $5500 and then went home and searched. I got it from rapidplasma.com for over 2 grand less and i got the extended arm wall mount and I havent been happier. To summerize this tv in one word: Astounding!
User Rating: 
7/10
Fanless? I don't think so...
Pros: Picture quality, price, quiet
Cons: Limited input bay, yes it does have a fan, cheesy remote
Review: Just bought this one new after returning my W4200HD "bug zapper" due to a clearly audible buzzing sound emanating from the power supply while the set was displaying mostly whites. Settled on the TH-42PH8UK because every review lauded the picture and the quiet operation. One of the reviews even stated "could not hear the unit running at all. Not even from a foot away. Easily the best in the market."
Baloney!
For starters, the picture is not that much better than the W4200HD, at least not to my terribly discerning eyes. If anything, the "dynamic" setting that the TV comes with out of the box produces a pronounced reddish hue on the S-video port. I am still waiting for my BNC-RCA adapaters, so the component input may look better. My take is that most brand-name plasmas are like $40-50 bottles of wine. Heluva lot better than two-buck-Chuck, but unless you stick your nose in glasses for a living, you will like most any bottle in that price range.
Second, when the sound is muted there is a clear electronic buzz originating in the exact same area as the W4200HD. If I had to take a guess, I would say that this is a HV transformer. You can also hear it when the sound is on, though it is definitely not as pronounced as on the W4200HD. It is not annoying, but I can DEFINITELY hear the buzz from 8 feet away unless the sound is jacked up.
Third, this thing ain't fanless. When you first turn on the TV, you can CLEARLY hear the fan spinning up, very much like the sound you hear when you first turn on a desktop PC. If you stand by the TV you can also feel the cool breeze in the intake area of the back grill (next to the power inlet), as well as the hot air being forced out on the top. It may not be a real fan, allowing Panasonic to claim "fanless", but it sure sounds like one. I have emailed Panasonic to ask about this, gave them my serial number to check into it, will post an update once I hear from them.
Fourth, the remote is CHEESY. I mean REALLY cheesy. It is desitned for the garbage bin as soon as I teach my universal remote the few functions it does not have.
Finally, the aspect ratio control leaves something to be desired. "Normal" is fine, but it it shows 4:3 programming with white bars at the edges, which I do not like. Zoom cus out too much of the picture, but this is not specific to the panasonic. Full is an interesting beast. It dispalys 4:3 full screen, but true HDTV programming has black bars on top and bottom of the screen. Just has a similar effect, I like the idea, except that it messes up true HDTV with the black bars. "Panasonic Auto" works great with HDTV signals, but displays 4:3 with black bars on the side. In an ideal world, Panasonic Auto would be displaying 4:3 programs as JUST, and HDTV in native format.
Bottom line is, don't believe all the hype. I like the set because it is reasonably priced and does not make me pay for worthless additions, such as speakers and cable / over-the-air HDTV tuners. I wish they would take the PIP part out and throw in a second component video input, instead of making their customers pay $100 for it. Who the heck needs PIP with digital cable? Like anyone in their right mind would pay $15 for a 2nd cable box, just so they could get PIP. Oh, I forgot, this set is supposed to be "professional"
Baloney!
For starters, the picture is not that much better than the W4200HD, at least not to my terribly discerning eyes. If anything, the "dynamic" setting that the TV comes with out of the box produces a pronounced reddish hue on the S-video port. I am still waiting for my BNC-RCA adapaters, so the component input may look better. My take is that most brand-name plasmas are like $40-50 bottles of wine. Heluva lot better than two-buck-Chuck, but unless you stick your nose in glasses for a living, you will like most any bottle in that price range.
Second, when the sound is muted there is a clear electronic buzz originating in the exact same area as the W4200HD. If I had to take a guess, I would say that this is a HV transformer. You can also hear it when the sound is on, though it is definitely not as pronounced as on the W4200HD. It is not annoying, but I can DEFINITELY hear the buzz from 8 feet away unless the sound is jacked up.
Third, this thing ain't fanless. When you first turn on the TV, you can CLEARLY hear the fan spinning up, very much like the sound you hear when you first turn on a desktop PC. If you stand by the TV you can also feel the cool breeze in the intake area of the back grill (next to the power inlet), as well as the hot air being forced out on the top. It may not be a real fan, allowing Panasonic to claim "fanless", but it sure sounds like one. I have emailed Panasonic to ask about this, gave them my serial number to check into it, will post an update once I hear from them.
Fourth, the remote is CHEESY. I mean REALLY cheesy. It is desitned for the garbage bin as soon as I teach my universal remote the few functions it does not have.
Finally, the aspect ratio control leaves something to be desired. "Normal" is fine, but it it shows 4:3 programming with white bars at the edges, which I do not like. Zoom cus out too much of the picture, but this is not specific to the panasonic. Full is an interesting beast. It dispalys 4:3 full screen, but true HDTV programming has black bars on top and bottom of the screen. Just has a similar effect, I like the idea, except that it messes up true HDTV with the black bars. "Panasonic Auto" works great with HDTV signals, but displays 4:3 with black bars on the side. In an ideal world, Panasonic Auto would be displaying 4:3 programs as JUST, and HDTV in native format.
Bottom line is, don't believe all the hype. I like the set because it is reasonably priced and does not make me pay for worthless additions, such as speakers and cable / over-the-air HDTV tuners. I wish they would take the PIP part out and throw in a second component video input, instead of making their customers pay $100 for it. Who the heck needs PIP with digital cable? Like anyone in their right mind would pay $15 for a 2nd cable box, just so they could get PIP. Oh, I forgot, this set is supposed to be "professional"
Updated
Finally heard back from Panasonic tech support. They bounced me around a bit, but finally a service engineer was able to confirm that only the ED plasmas are fan-free. The higher power consumption of the HD sets requires not one but two fans, but the sets use "noise reduction" technology. Therefore the claim about "Fanless quiet operation" at the URL below is an official lie, I wonder if I can get a class action lawsuit out of this
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=94538&catGroupId=14624&modelNo=TH-42PHD8UK&surfModel=TH-42PHD8UK
I would like to retract my previous comment about poor aspect ratio control. When using the S-Video input, one has to set the 4:3 normalization setting correctly, and everything works just fine.
After using the TV for a while, i would give it a slightly higher grade, probably 8. Now only if I did not have to spend $200 on cables and feedthroughs to hang it on my wall...
Finally heard back from Panasonic tech support. They bounced me around a bit, but finally a service engineer was able to confirm that only the ED plasmas are fan-free. The higher power consumption of the HD sets requires not one but two fans, but the sets use "noise reduction" technology. Therefore the claim about "Fanless quiet operation" at the URL below is an official lie, I wonder if I can get a class action lawsuit out of this
http://catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=94538&catGroupId=14624&modelNo=TH-42PHD8UK&surfModel=TH-42PHD8UK
I would like to retract my previous comment about poor aspect ratio control. When using the S-Video input, one has to set the 4:3 normalization setting correctly, and everything works just fine.
After using the TV for a while, i would give it a slightly higher grade, probably 8. Now only if I did not have to spend $200 on cables and feedthroughs to hang it on my wall...
User Rating: 9/10
Truly Outstanding
Pros: Clarity of image, versatility, ease of use are all outstanding
Cons: Should include a standard HDMI hookup
Review: To get this good a picture and just barely tip over the 2000.00 mark is truly a find. The first night, my wife spent her time remarking at the gorgeous color, while I concentrated on the high image quality. I spent a month educating myself in plasma television and spoke to over 25 different companies and almost that many technical people. When one buys real estate, the word is location, location, location. In plasma, the word is picture quality, picture quality, picture quality--not connectivity, style, tuners, speakers, etc. OK, these aren't inconsequential and must, of course, meet your needs, but they mean nothing if the picture doesn't deliver. Think about it before you buy: If you have home theatre sound, a cablebox with tuner (for 4.95 a month my cable company furnishes me with a two-tuner DVR with hard drive and they take care of it. Why pay for a television well-equipped with things I don't need).
So anyway, I considered all the input from LCD fans, Pioneer fans, other brand fans, and decided that because we aren't video gamers and have no need for PC hookups, AND because our application is always for movies, DVD's or occasional broadcast television in the evenings, plasma was the clear choice. DO get the optional HDMI board and an upconverting DVD player. The board installs easily and delivers outstanding. The Samsung DVD-VR325 delivers outstanding results with its unbelieveable versality and upconverting technology. You won't do better on price or features-plays, records, upconverts, front panel connections, VCR & DVD.
Finally, I dealt with Mike Anastasio at PCConnection.com. What a great experience with this person and this company--fast, courteous service, clear communication, outstanding prices/advice, and shipping at the speed of sound. Example: The monitor arrived and I discovered that I still needed to purchase a pedestal stand. Called at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday and the stand was at my door in 42 hours--and no I did not pay a premium for faster delivery! Keep in mind that you can't get this monitor at retail stores, so mail order is your best option. I was a bit nervous about that, but these folks made it a pleasure. Best of all, it's not a "drop ship and good luck" situation. For 30 days, if anything goes wrong, PC sends a replacement right away--thjen warranty kicks in. One thing, please note that Panasonic WILL NOT service this unit in home because its an industrial product. You'll have to take it to an authorized service center. And finally, note that this 8th generation monitor is BETTER than the 7th generation product in Pansonic's current 42" consumer plasma televisions.
So anyway, I considered all the input from LCD fans, Pioneer fans, other brand fans, and decided that because we aren't video gamers and have no need for PC hookups, AND because our application is always for movies, DVD's or occasional broadcast television in the evenings, plasma was the clear choice. DO get the optional HDMI board and an upconverting DVD player. The board installs easily and delivers outstanding. The Samsung DVD-VR325 delivers outstanding results with its unbelieveable versality and upconverting technology. You won't do better on price or features-plays, records, upconverts, front panel connections, VCR & DVD.
Finally, I dealt with Mike Anastasio at PCConnection.com. What a great experience with this person and this company--fast, courteous service, clear communication, outstanding prices/advice, and shipping at the speed of sound. Example: The monitor arrived and I discovered that I still needed to purchase a pedestal stand. Called at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday and the stand was at my door in 42 hours--and no I did not pay a premium for faster delivery! Keep in mind that you can't get this monitor at retail stores, so mail order is your best option. I was a bit nervous about that, but these folks made it a pleasure. Best of all, it's not a "drop ship and good luck" situation. For 30 days, if anything goes wrong, PC sends a replacement right away--thjen warranty kicks in. One thing, please note that Panasonic WILL NOT service this unit in home because its an industrial product. You'll have to take it to an authorized service center. And finally, note that this 8th generation monitor is BETTER than the 7th generation product in Pansonic's current 42" consumer plasma televisions.
