Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U user reviews

Pros Very easy set up, very good picture, the right size for most rooms, just looks really good and doesn't cost very much.

Cons It isn't 1080p, but so what?

Summary You don't need 1080p at this size. Let me say that again. You don't need 1080p at this size. Unless you squint or wear special glasses you won't notice the difference so why pay for the difference? That's what this TV is all about, getting a really good picture for a really good price by not wasting money on resolution or other features you don't need.

Set up was very simple. Everything connects to the TV and the TV sends an audio out to the surround sound receiver (get one if you don't have one). Much simpler than setting up surround sound with an older TV that lacks connectivity. It took just a few minutes, lliterally. Took me longer to stand there and convince myself I was done than to connect everything. Just seemed impossible.

If there's more bag for the buck in a flat screen, I couldn't find it. If you feel the need to brag to your buddies about your 1080p screen then spend the money, or better yet, get different friends.

Pros This level of quality for this price is hard to beat.

Cons There are better TV's out there*

Summary *With exorbitant prices for minimal returns.

After researching various publications and material (1) and through personal observation (2), I was convinced that this set would provide the maximum quality for a reasonable price. There are certainly better quality Plasmas out there (Pioneer), but these come with price premiums that do not justify what I found to be relatively minimal differences in quality. Perhaps I am not as discerning or observant as others, but as a long time PC gamer, I would like to think I have a reasonable eye for good image quality. If you are in the market for a 42" television, and would be comfortable around the $1000 range, you will be hard pressed to find a set with the same value provided by the TH-42PX80U.

As an aside, I was very happy with ordering through Amazon. I got the set for 984, no tax, free white glove delivery. The set came 6 days later; two delivery guys brought it inside, unboxed it, helped attach the stand, and made sure the TV was working before I signed for it.

Note: I believe this TV should be rated a 9 (perhaps slightly higher), but have submitted a 10 due to irrational logic of previous voters (A damaged TV could be one of the few Panasonic sent out, due to damage during delivery, or any number of other potentially damaging activities. Voting down a product based on one bad experience demonstrates an absurd sense of logic and statistical knowledge.

1 - AVS Forum, CNet, ARS Technica, Consumer Reports

2 - Via Circuit City, Best Buy, etc.

Pros uniform picture quality throughout the screen, wide viewing angle, bright picture even in a well lit room, price!

Cons none so far

Summary from a guy who likes tvs (have lcd micro display, 2 lcd flat panels, an older crt and this being the second plasma) - i'd say panasonic gives the best value for the money. researched consumer reports and cnet before purchasing and am very happy with the purchase. for the price we bought it for, this is the best tv! we compare the picture quality to the lcds we have and the plasmas seem to have more lifelike colors, much more uniform picture quality, the widest viewing angles.
this 11th generation plasma also seem brighter, lighter and consume less energy. it also dosen't seem to get very hot. overall, very happy with the television!

Pros Excellent price - the set is very affordable even in a tanking economy. The ability to use an HDMI input from my Mac Mini PVR at 720p or 1080i. A decent number of inputs on the back panel. The remote is extremely simple (also a con). Ease of setup

Cons Only 1 F connector for antenna input. Control over color balance is limited. The Stand does not swivel. The remote is only for the TV (or other panasonic devices).

Summary I looked at several 37 and 40 inch LCDs. All the other sets I compared the Panasonic to were roughly equal in terms of picture quality, and features. But those other sets were also more expensive - even for the 720p units. And being LCD sets - they each had potential limitations in terms of motion blur. I choose this set for it's price, performance, and the fact that it would fit in my entertainment center ... and just barely fit. I picked up my Panasonic at Fry's for $650.

The review by CNET was very helpful in my review process. One item that concerned me was the trouble they had connecting the unit to a computer via HDMI. That is the exact application that I planned to use. I use my Mac Mini as a PVR, running Elgato's EyeTV software. I wanted the higher resolution that a digital connection over HDMI would provide rather than the S-Video connection I had been using. I was very pleased when the HDMI connected Mac displayed a beautiful picture on the Panasonic. And its the main reason I choose to return to the CNET site and write a review. I don't know what kind of computer they were using - nor what kind of video card. But in my experience - this setup works and works well. In fact - I might have returned the Panasonic if it failed.

I was also concerned about how this display would do in our living room - which has several large windows including one which is directly opposite and 30 feet from the display. But, the Panasonic does a pretty good job of reducing glare. While it's not 100% effective - the TV does reflect much of the light from that window - it is not a problem.

From the review - there was a link to a page that describe the settings for this TV that CNET found to be the best. Those settings must be for a previous rev of firmware for the product. I was unable to match the setup that CNET provided. Most of the options are the same - but a couple were not available. I am using the Custom picture mode. But as I remember, the tint function in the main menu, and the black level in the sub menu were not available on my set.

Evidently - all HDTVs are moving to a single antenna connector. In the past - most sets provided two connections. That allowed the user to connect an antenna for HD Over-The-Air broadcasts and another connection for a cable service. With just one connector - you have to use just one service. I choose to connect my Panasonic to an antenna for local HD OTA broadcasts. I am using my VCR to handle the cable tuning functions - bringing that signal into the Panasonic via the S-Video input on the rear panel.

This is an excellent TV that I would recommend to anyone seeking an affordable HDTV with a great picture!!!! It may not have all the bells and whistles that some sets have - but it doesn't cost $3000 either. I have not noticed any of the negative effects mentioned in the CNET review. The picture quality is EXCELLENT!!!