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Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ80U 42" 1080p Plasma HDTV

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Brand: Panasonic
Category: CE

List Price: ~~$1,299.99~~
Buy New: $859.98
You Save: $440.01 (34%)

New (42) Used (1) from $1,049.52

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

28 reviews
Sales Rank: 2245

Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries: 2
Batteries Included: Yes
Display Size: 42
Shipping Weight (lbs): 86
Dimensions (in): 46.7 x 31.5 x 13.5
nv:Display Area: 42"
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Contrast Ratio: 20000:1
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Signal Compatibility: 1080p
Input Video Signal: ATSC
Input Video Signal: NTSC
Speakers: Yes
Inputs: S-Video
Inputs: Audio
Inputs: Component Video
Inputs: HDMI In
Inputs: SD Memory Card Slot
Inputs: Analog Audio Input
Outputs: Composite Video
Outputs: Analog Audio
Outputs: Digital Audio Out
Power Consumption: 573W
Power Source: 120VAC, 50/60Hz
Unit Dimensions (WxHxD): 41.3" x 26.7" x 3.7"

MPN: TH-42PZ80U
Model: TH-42PZ80U
UPC: 037988241972
EAN: 0037988241972
ASIN: B00142MUDS

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Features:

•	1920 x 1080 Resolution
•	1000000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio for the Brightest whites and darkest blacks
•	4096 Shades of Gradation for spectacular Color Reproduction
•	Viera LinK™ HDAVI Control lets you operate all of your home theater components by pressing a single button on your TV's remote control
•	GalleryPlayer allows you to enjoy the world's finest high definition art and photography on your Panasonic HD plasma TV

Accessories:

•	Belkin BG108000-04 Conserve 8-Outlet Surge Protector with Remote Switch (White)
•	Belkin PureAV AV22300-12 12-Foot HDMI-to-HDMI Audio Video Cable
•	Belkin PureAV AV21000-06 6-Foot Component Video Cable
•	Zircon 60369 Studsensor I65 Onestep Center Finding Stud Finder with "How To" Video Included
•	Belkin PureAV F9A833fc08 8-Outlet Isolator Home Theater Surge Protector (Gray/Silver)

What's New This Year?

Super Contrast--native contrast ratios on the PZ85, PZ800 and PX 850 series are 30,000:1, double last year's 15,000:1.
Dynamic contrast ratios are up to 1,000,000:1.
new anti-reflective filter; lead-free "Tough Under Force" panel is resistant to impacts and scratches
x.v. Color and Deep Color (HDMI 1.3 features)
Game Mode auto-adjusts image quality suitable to games and includes anti-image retention
Viera Link is now compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems
At least 3 HDMI inputs on all models (4 on PZ800 and PZ850 series)
THX Certification on PZ800 and PZ850 series

Which Viera is Right For You?

Click here to see a comparison of step up features on each Viera series.

Amazing color reproduction

The incredible black reproduction of a Panasonic High-Definition Plasma TV results in impressive contrast and beautiful, natural colors. So you'll get warm, accurate skin tones, gorgeous greens, breathtaking blues and vivid reds. For color that's as rich and bold as life itself, look to a Panasonic Plasma TV.

Consistent brightness from any angle

A Panasonic Plasma combines anti-glare and anti-reflection technology with the natural light-emitting properties of plasma, to give you a super-wide viewing range with a crisp, beautiful image from almost any angle.

Smooth, graceful motion

When you're watching sports or movies with fast-motion graphics, you want a TV that can keep up with the action. With over 900 lines of moving picture, self-illuminating plasma displays eliminate afterimages in fast-action scenes. So whether you're watching a sporting event or an action-packed movie, you'll always get the most impressive viewing experience possible.

1,000,000:1 Contrast

The Panasonic's Real Black system (a pre-discharge suppression system) and improved panel production processes combine to reproduce outstanding blacks with superb contrast. Each image is richly expressive, from bright scense, like scorching desert landscapes, to dark cave scenes. Compare the image produced by conventional HDTV on the left to the Real Black image produced on the right

More Colors

Viera HDTVs support the xvYCC color profile (Extended YCC Colorimetry for Video Applications), or "x.v. color" for short. Standard RGB color space allows the display of a portion of the colors that are viewable to the human eye. The next generation "xvYCC" color space actually offers an available range of colors that exceeds what human eyes can recognize.

Next-generation "xvYCC" color space supports 1.8 times as many colors as existing HDTV signals
Lets HDTVs display colors more accurately
Enables displays with more natural and vivid colors

Deep Color

Where x.v. color expands the available range of colors your HDTV can display, Deep Color increases the number of colors your HDTV can display within that range, for smoother transitions from color to color.

Lets HDTVs and other displays go from millions of colors to billions of colors
Eliminates on-screen color banding, for smooth tonal transitions and subtle gradations between colors
Enables increased contrast ratio
Can represent many times more shades of gray between black and white.

Connectivity

Viera flat panel HDTVs interact with an array of high-definition devices and services, making it easy for consumers to access and enjoy content as never before. As of 2008, Viera Link is compatible with Onkyo and Yamaha home theater systems.

Videos and stills recorded on SD cards can easily be viewed via the SD slots on Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc players and Viera HDTVs.	Viera Link means easy connectivity via HDMI cables. Finally, consumers can easily operate their Blu-Ray Disc players, DVD recorders and home theater systems with a single remote control device.


4 HDMI inputs to connect all of your devices directly to your television.

Long Life

Panasonic plasma panels are rated to last 100,000 hours, which is about 30 years of regular or 11 years of non-stop usage before the brightness of the display is halved.

Get Full HD with Blu-Ray Disc Players

A Panasonic 1080p plasma television is able to render 1920x1080 pixels, but standard DVDs have a resolution of just 720x480. Blu-ray discs output true 1080p High-Definition resolution and have a storage capacity ten times greater than standard DVDs, so no pixel gos to waste.

Which is the Right Viera for You?

	Screen Size Measured Diagonally	1080p Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels	Native Contrast Ratio	PC Input	THX Cert	24p	Speakers	HDMI Inputs	One Sheet of Glass Design	Swivel Base	Shades of Gradation	H.264 Codec	Digital Cinema Color	Studio Reference Mode	Pro Setting Menu	Serial Port	Standard Features
TH-42PX80U	42 inches		15,000:1				2	3			4,096						480 Hz Sub-field Drive Technology Anti-Reflective Filter Viera Link HDAVI Control Built-in SD Card Slot w/Photo Viewer Deep Color Technology x.v. Color 3D Color Mangement Sub-Pixel Controller Motion Pattern Noise Reduction Anti-Image Retention Mode Game Mode Scratch and Impact Rsistant Panel 100,000 Hours to Panel Half-Brightness (>30 years @ 8 hours/day) Lead-free Panel
TH-50PX80U	50 inches		15,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-42PZ80U	42 inches		20,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-46PZ80U	46 inches		20,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-50PZ80U	50 inches		20,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-42PZ85U	42 inches		30,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-46PZ85U	46 inches		30,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-50PZ85U	50 inches		30,000:1				2	3			4,096
TH-42PZ800U	42 inches		30,000:1				4	4			4,096
TH-46PZ800U	46 inches		30,000:1				4	4			4,096
TH-50PZ800U	50 inches		30,000:1				4	4			4,096
TH-58PZ800U	58 inches		30,000:1				4	4			4,096
TH-46PZ850U	46 inches		30,000:1				4	4			5,120
TH-50PZ850U	50 inches		30,000:1				4	4			5,120
TH-58PZ850U	58 inches		30,000:1				4	4			5,120
TH-65PZ850U	65 inches		30,000:1				4	4			5,120

Customer Reviews: Read 23 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

great tv fun to watch the movie cars on with grandson November 28, 2008
i bought this tv when my husband went hunting . he had no idea and when he came home he could not believe how wonderful this set is. it had great picture sound everything. highly recommend to all

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent TV With a Stunning Picture November 27, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I recently bought the 42PZ80U for $899 and I've been using it for about 2 months. I think it's an excellent buy even around $1000.

Picture:
I was a little skeptical of the virtue of plasma's over LCD's because, in those white-washed, warehouse stores, the difference in contrast looks to be negligable. I was wrong. This set produces outstanding blacks. I have another LCD in the house and I didn't know what I was missing. Contrast ratio on this set is very, very good. Blu-Rays on my PS3 look amazing. I just watched "The Incredible Hulk" and I was SHOCKED at how good it looked. It is unbelievable what this 1080p set can do with the right content. There is far more detail in 1080p than there is in 720p. In the short amount of time I've had the Viera, I've viewed almost everything I could: sports, news, sit-coms, dramas, HD, SD, Blu-rays, DVD's, video games, computer games, PC use. It crushes almost everything you throw at it with ease. (I say almost because of problems using it as a computer monitor, see below) Also, the screen itself is glossy, not matte like some LCD's. Personally, I've always prefered the deeper color and slightly more glarey picture of glossy screens over the more-washed out, less reflective matte screens. The Viera has an anti-reflictive coating (aparently) and it does help with glare a lot, at least compared to glossy laptop screens, and TV's I've seen. I have a window behind my seat and I really can't say I've been bothered by reflections at all.

Sound:
First of all, I didn't expect much of anything from a flat-screen. I have a (rather modest) home theater system and I know better than to expect built-in speakers to compete with a sound system. That said... the speakers are terrific! The sound is full (plenty of bass) and it gets LOUD without distorting. In "Hulk" explosions were booming, ricocheting bullets were crystal clear, and it wasn't even at half-volume. I won't be giving up my dedicated surround system for movies and parties and such, but most of the time I'll be comfortably relying on the Panasonic's speakers.

Features:
Well, the on screen menu is very good. Not exceptionally pretty or groundbreaking, but it's better than any of the TV's I've had in the past (except that the useless "Vierra Link" is first up on the menu). The remote, functionally, is not bad, but it is pretty ugly, and a TV at this level should have a universal remote. I would have liked picture-in-picture, but no-one in this class has PIP, so I won't fault it there. SD card slot is a nice feature, but it doesn't pan or fade or anything, so I'll stick to Windows Media Center if I want a slide-show. I also give points for including an input button on the front of the TV with the standard CH, VOL, so you don't have to find the remote every time you want to switch between cable and Playstation. Also, a front HDMI input is nice but I have major problems with the back inputs (again, see below).

Other:
I bought this TV partially for use as a computer monitor, since I'm paying for a 1920x1080 screen. It doesn't have a VGA input, which is a bummer for most people who want to use it with their laptop. I don't mind since my desktop will work with a DVI-HDMI cable. Kinda. First of all, this set isn't exactly pixel-perfect. I assume this is an issue generic to plasmas of any brand, but small text is slightly blurred and difficult to read. It's not that big of a deal since color is more accurate than an LCD for programs like Photoshop. The bigger and more unforgivable problem is with the inputs. The second day I had the TV, it wouldn't turn on and the power LED kept blinking. I thought it was broken. A little internet research told me that the back two HDMI ports don't work with computers: if you try to power-on the TV while the computer is already on and plugged in, something in the TV keeps it from turning on. You have to a: plug it in the front port (obnoxious and unsightly) or b: buy an HDMI repeater/extender. (This information was gathered from an internet forum). I'm probably going to buy the repeater, as I currently have it plugged in on the front of the TV and I hate it. This is absurd and inexcusable. Just be warned about these issues if you want to use it as a monitor.

Also, plasmas are generally more power hungry than LCD's. I don't have a wattage meter or anything but according to tests I've read, this set is on par with most 42" LCD's and has a very low standby power rating. Excellent work, Panasonic.

I know I went into great detail over the flaws, but overall, I'm extremely happy with my purchase and continually impressed by the picture I get. Excluding those really needing a computer monitor, I would recommend the Panasonic 42PZ80U to anyone.

3 out of 5 stars

Great Picture, Trouble With Volume Control November 18, 2008
11 out of 13 found this review helpful

This is our first plasma tv, and we love the high def. We do not use separate speakers, just the ones built into tv. The volume varies wildly from between stations. The volume will be fine on one station, and when we switch channels the volume is just blaring. Since we switch bet channels during commercials, this is a real distraction. We have a cable box that must be used with hdtv and must use remote f/cable co, not tv remote. Don't know if this is the cause. Haven't seen many other comments here on volume control, so not sure if it is tv and other posters haven't encountered because they use separate speakers, or it has to do with remote used from cable company. Certainly would rate much higher if speakers and volume control worked better.
UPDATE: I contacted Panasonic and they resolved the problem quickly and professionally over the phone. Just needed an adjustment to the audio on the tv so that tv and cable box would coincide. I've had such bad customer service for other products I almost didn't call them, but very pleased with customer service. Would increase stars to 4 or 5 now.

5 out of 5 stars

Love at First Sight November 4, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Is it possible to fall in love in under a week? I did -- with this TV. Surely I'm smitten because I'm new to this wonderful world of High Definition. But, after lots of research and going back and forth between all my options, I'm convinced I made the right choice.

Of course, the first decision to be made by anyone making the leap to High Def is whether to go plasma or LCD. To my eye, the plasma produces more natural images. Even in the big-box retail centers, the plasmas consistently looked better. The fact that this TV was going into my basement family room (plasmas have the edge in darker areas) secured my decision to go plasma.

But which plasma? There certainly aren't as many plasma choices as there are LCD sets out there. That made things a little easier. But should I go 720p or 1080p? I finally narrowed my choices down to several Panasonic and Samsung models that were conveniently displayed near each other in my local Circuit City store.

I really could discern little difference in the picture quality among them. But the store is the last place to expect your new love-to-be to perform. You need to get her into your man cave. So it was with a certain degree of uncertainty that I made my final decision.

I was ready to go with a Samsung 720p, which was a couple hundred dollars cheaper. But I opted for the TH-42PZ80U. The Panasonic was always at the top of my short list, but I felt I really did not need the extra resolution, considering that there is no cable content yet that broadcasts in 1080p and that I don't have a Blu-Ray player.

But the salesman convinced me to go with the Panasonic because of its good reputation for quality and to get ahead of the technological curve. For a couple hundred bucks, this made sense. And, deep down, it's what I wanted to hear.

While the regular digital channels are nothing special, I intend to use this TV almost solely for Hi-Def and DVDs. The 1080i signals broadcast by Comcast are stunning. Moreover, the DVDs I play on my Toshiba XDE-500 upconverting DVD player I bought recently look wonderful when upconverting to the TV's 1080p (24 Frame) resolution.

The contrast on this set is out-of-this world. The colors are so lifelike and easily tweaked. Of course, make sure you use HDMI connections to get the most out of any HD set you buy.

Like any case of love, it's easy to be taken in by dazzling looks and quick responsiveness. That said, I suspect that I will have a long and lasting relationship with my Panasonic. I just hope my wife understands.

5 out of 5 stars

Best Bang for your Buck! Awesome HDTV October 21, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I bought the TV as an upgrade from my 26" Sharp Aquos. I did a lot of research and came to one conclusion; Panasonic will be my best bang for my buck and it had a series of consistent great reviews from a range of models (80O, 80OU, 85O, 85OU, etc) on various websites like amazon and cnet. Lets just say the Pani blew the Sharp out of the water. This TV is comparable to, and maybe even better in picture quality than my parents 42" Fujitsu Plasma that is 3-4yrs old that cost them way more. I use the TV predominantly for watching sports and playing video games. The black levels and HD quality is immaculate. It's almost as if I'm receiving a new signal from Direct TV, that's how noticeably better the picture is. I have the color's turned down below 50 as recommended for the first 80-100 hours, and the picture is still amazing.

Sports in HD are flawless with no motion lag as I experienced with my LCD, and video game play is smooth with crisp colors. I have a Wii and Xbox 360, both look stunning. The TV has now drawn me towards a Blue Ray player purchase which will probably a PS3. Another great feature of the TV is the 3 HDMI and 3 Component inputs. My 3 will be full: Xbox 360, Direct TV box, and a soon to be PS3. The Wii only has Component which worked out great.

The TV itself looks great too. The solid black frame, and very sturdy stand. Although, the only downfall is that the stand is not a swivel like on most LCD's, but I plan for a wall mount anyways. The built in speakers are decent... I had the TV temporarily in my bed room, and the they were more than sufficient. But realistically, any kind of speaker system would be better. Couple great features; 1) TV is compatible with Yamaha or Onkyo theater systems. 2) As a review here has already mentioned, the set comes with some display "reset" patterns to cure most burn-in issues you might face.

A final recommendation from a review I read here on Amazon and from what I've read at the Panasonic website is to break in your TV correctly. I'm a big fan of treating electronic's with.... lets say respect. A few quick tips for new plasma owners and to increase longevity and picture quality:

- Keep the Picture (contrast) and Brightness levels under 50 for the first 100 hrs. This helps the phosphors become "tempered" and in turn not so easily susceptible to bun-in and image retention. As I said, I've yet to experience either.
- Watch everything in Just mode (full screen) for the first 100 hrs for the same reasons listed above
- After the first 100 hrs you can turn things up & start watching things in letterbox, here are some recommended levels someone on amazon posted:
Picture: +70
Brightness: +48
Color: +44
Tint: -3
Sharpness: 0
Color temp: Warm
Color mgmt: Off
x.v.Color: Off
C.A.T.S.: Off

*I know this sounds a bit ridiculous or a bit much, but it will be worth it in the end.

My final comment is that, I highly recommend using Amazon. This was my first purchase from here after hearing nothing but great things from friends and family. The purchase was flawless, I knew what I was getting, since I researched and even went to stores like Bestbuy to see the TV. They use a distribution company for delivery, and they call you with a 4-hour time window before they deliver the TV. They also unpack it so that you can inspect for damage and also turn it on to verify that it works - if anything is wrong they take it right back. None the less, I am thoroughly satisfied with the product, service, and purchase from amazon.