Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ80U
Manufacturer: Panasonic Part number: TH-46PZ80U
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 8 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' blog post
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- PRODUCT FEATURES: 46" class (46.0 " diagonal) widescreen VIERA plasma 1080p HDTV with anti-reflective filter Deep Color technology Game mode Built-in SD card slot/GalleryPlayer ready to view 3 HDMI inputs and VIERA link HDAVI control
Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/06/2009 |
 |  | In stock | as of 12/06/2009 |
CNET editors' blog post
By David Katzmaier, 03/11/08
Panasonic's flagship 850U series adds IPTV capability.
(Credit: Panasonic)
(Updated 08-28-2008) Panasonic's plasma HDTV lineup for 2008 includes five total series, each with multiple screen sizes but identical features within the series. In case you're wondering, we have reviewed four models so far, the TH-46PZ85U, TH-42PX80U, TH-50PZ800U and TH-50PZ850U. Most models detailed below are available now, although the larger 58- and 65-inch models in the 800U and 850U series (the other series max out at 50 inches) will ship in September.
The TH-PX80U includes the company's entry-level plasma models.
(Credit: Panasonic)
If our positive review of the 42-inch version is any indication, the PX80U series provides excellent bang for the buck. These two entry-level models are the only ones without 1080p resolution. Since we consider the benefits of that extra resolution nearly impossible to discern at this size, and since these models cost $400 (for the 42-incher) and $800 (for the 50-incher) less than their 1080p counterparts, we expect the TH-PX80U series to be extremely strong sellers, much like the company's bestselling TH-PX75U series from last year.
New for this year, Panasonic has added an improved antireflective screen, which is the same on all of its 2008 models. Gone is the anti-glare screen we liked so much on the '07 TH-PX77U and TH-PZ77U models; Panasonic claimed that focus groups preferred the antireflective screens over the antiglare versions, which were said to suffer in color fidelity due to their diffusing screens. According to our review, the new screen is very good at reducing reflections, although it can't compete with the anti-glare screens from 2007. The company also says that its latest panels are good for 100,000 hours before fading to half-brightness--that's up from 60,000 hours for last year's models. It was also eager to show off its panels' resistance to shock, dubbing the screens "Wiimote-proof" and bouncing a steel ball repeatedly against a demo panel.
An SD card slot is now standard now throughout the line along with three HDMI inputs and a Game mode said to minimize lag time between the controller and the on-screen action. These PX80U models boast a 15,000:1 contrast ratio as opposed to the 07s' 10,000:1 spec, and they do deliver excellent black level performance.
Models (estimated selling prices)
- Panasonic TH-42PX80U review ($999)
- Panasonic TH-50PX80U ($1,399)
Key features of the TH-PX80U series
- "720p" native resolution (42-inch: 1,24x768; 50-inch 1,366x768)
- 15,000:1 native contrast ratio
- Three HDMI inputs
- Anti-reflective screen
- SD card slot
- Game mode
The TH-PZ80U is the lowest-priced 1080p series in the lineup.
(Credit: Panasonic)
The least-expensive 1080p series of Panasonic plasmas is also the first to include a 46-inch screen size. Meant to compete directly with like-sized LCDs, it fits neatly between the 42- and 50-inch versions. The company also ups the contrast ratio ante, but that's about it for step-up extras compared to the baseline TH-PX80U series.
Models (estimated selling prices)
- Panasonic TH-42PZ80U ($1,299)
- Panasonic TH-46PZ80U ($1,699)
- Panasonic TH-50PZ80U ($1,999)
Step-up features of the TH-PZ80U series
- 1080p native resolution (1920x1080 on all sizes)
- 20,000:1 native contrast ratio
The TH-PZ85U series improves the contrast ratio and hides the speakers.
(Credit: Panasonic)
The step-up line of 1080p resolution plasmas costs about $200 extra in each screen size. For that scratch the biggest improvement comes in a 30,000:1 contrast ratio spec, and since that matches the more-expensive 800U and 850U models, we expect this 85U series to deliver Panasonic's best black levels for the buck. Our review of the 46-inch model found that indeed those black levels approached those of Pioneer's Kuro panels like the PDP-5080HD. The other big addition is a VGA-style PC input, and in this series the speakers are hidden along the bottom of the panel.
Models (estimated selling prices)
- Panasonic TH-42PZ85U ($1,499)
- Panasonic TH-46PZ85U review ($1,899)
- Panasonic TH-50PZ85U ($2,199)
Step-up features of the TH-PZ85U series
- 30,000:1 native contrast ratio
- VGA-style PC input
- Hidden speakers
The THX-certified TH-PZ800U series incorporates a new one-sheet-of-glass design.
(Credit: Panasonic)This three-size series adds THX Display certification, which in our review of the 50-inch version meant exceedingly accurate color and an all-around superb image. Beyond THX, the 800U models also add one more HDMI input and the company also touts the 24p capability of these models, which supposedly allows them to display 1080p/24 sources without 2:3 pulldown, resulting in a smoother picture according to the company. According to our tests, however, this mode caused the image to flicker too much to be watchable.
Models
- Panasonic TH-42PZ800U ($2,299)
- Panasonic TH-46PZ800U ($2,799)
- Panasonic TH-50PZ800U review ($2,499)
- Panasonic TH-58PZ800U (Price TBD)
Step-up features of the TH-PZ800U series
- THX Display Certification
- 5,120 levels of gradation
- 24p native reproduction
- 4 HDMI inputs
Although it's the most expensive series of Panasonic plasmas announced so far in 2008, the TH-PZ850U lacks the THX Display certification of its step-down 800U brothers. Instead it adds Digital Cinema Color, which increases the color gamut to 120% of the HDTV color space. The company claims that the wider gamut makes the colors appear closer to digital cinema, but in our review of the 50-inch model we found that they weren't accurate by HD standards. Another big step-up comes in the form of an Ethernet jack on the back panel, allowing the 850U series to offer limited IPTV interactive services. In our tests we were able to use YouTube, the Picassa photo-sharing service, Bloomberg, and The Weather Channel on the TV itself.
Models
- Panasonic TH-46PZ850U ($2,499)
- Panasonic TH-50PZ850U review ($2,999)
- Panasonic TH-58PZ850U (Price TBD)
- Panasonic TH-65PZ850U (Price TBD)
Step-up features of the TH-PZ850U series
- Digital Cinema color
- IPTV capability
User reviews
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Unbelievable
by DAne7729 on January 25, 2009
Pros: Amazing picture clarity.
Ease of use nd set-up.
Love the SD slot!Cons: Haven't found any yet, other than everything should be in HD!!!!!
Summary: I would recommend this TV to anyone looking for a 1080p machine and hoping to stay under $1000.00. I picked this up 4 days ago at Nebraska Furniture Mart ...
Summary: I would recommend this TV to anyone looking for a 1080p machine and hoping to stay under $1000.00. I picked this up 4 days ago at Nebraska Furniture Mart for $969.99. Granted i am going from a 27" tube to this in our upstaris living room but what a TV. I am overly impressed with the clarity (and we are only running at 50% contrast for our first 200 hours as recommended) and refresh of this TV, i researched these things for 4 months before buying. I couldn't be happier!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great TV for the price
by smokin_Z28 on December 8, 2008
Pros: Awesome picture, 4 HDMI ports, lots of customization, watching Planet Earth on Blu Ray never looked so amazing
Cons: burn in.... not bad at all with this set, but i notice little things like that and every other plasma i have seen gets burn in regardless of what CNET or others say
Summary: I have the Panasonic TH-PZ80U series, which is a 42" 1080p Plasma and it looks absolutely amazing! With a PS3 connected to it via HDMI, this tv has much more ...
Summary: I have the Panasonic TH-PZ80U series, which is a 42" 1080p Plasma and it looks absolutely amazing! With a PS3 connected to it via HDMI, this tv has much more vivid color than my other Samsung 56" 1080p DLP tv. My only real gripe with it is screen burn in. It doesnt stand out a lot, but i'm one to notice little things like that(call it OCD), and up close you can see the burn in of my PS3 main menu. It is only noticeable when the screen is pitch black, and let me say it is BARELY noticeable, but its still there. Otherwise, this is a GREAT TV!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome!!!
by swisspiss666 on August 21, 2008
Pros: Looks amazing
Cons: none that I know of
Summary: This is the first plasma/HDTV that I've ever bought. I paid $1299.00 at Best Buy and it is F***ing Awesome. The speakers don't get too ...
Summary: This is the first plasma/HDTV that I've ever bought. I paid $1299.00 at Best Buy and it is F***ing Awesome. The speakers don't get too awful loud but I have a home theater system so I don't even use them. The picture is great, HD cable looks fantastic and my upconvet HD DVD player looks even better. Tons of inputs, 3 HDMI 2 componet, 2 coax cable, 2 composite and I can't remember if there is more. This TV is WELL worth the money!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Quality, and Price that you can't beat
by agh1962 on August 2, 2009
Pros: The Price was great, the piture quality is unbelivable, The controll of the colours is increadble for the price, nice look to the tv. It is a TV you would expect to pay hundreads of dollers more.
Cons: Some features like VGA PC connection not included, and some features on some of the Higher end pansonic modles it does not have, but neither to you need them.
Summary: There is nothing I do not like about this TV it is great price and fantastic quality the blacks are black and the colours are stunningly beautifull.
Summary: There is nothing I do not like about this TV it is great price and fantastic quality the blacks are black and the colours are stunningly beautifull.
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Amazing Picture Quality
by audiotool on July 2, 2009
Pros: Plasma technology at 46'. 3 HDMI
Cons: Power consumption
Summary: Love the picture it produces! Blu Ray and my TH46PZ80U perfect couple.
Summary: Love the picture it produces! Blu Ray and my TH46PZ80U perfect couple.
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Excellent buy, easy to operate, outstanding picture
by PATIO812 on April 21, 2009
Pros: Super clear picture, deep black levels, easy to adjust settings, excellent value.
Cons: Remote is good, just wish it was able to controll every componant.
Summary: If you get a good deal buy it, you will be pleased
Summary: If you get a good deal buy it, you will be pleased
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Wonderful TV and a great price
by jacobimh on March 13, 2009
Pros: 3 HDMI connections, with one in the front. Very clear picture. Easy to change from one device setting to another. Works well with over the air, cable, and game systems
Cons: Shiny black frame, reflection of light in room, base does not swivel (none are huge issues except for the reflective lights if your room has lighting directly in front of tv).
Summary: I love this TV. I got it on a price match from HH Gregg when Best Buy had it for $999. I passed on the service agreement, as they are ...
Summary: I love this TV. I got it on a price match from HH Gregg when Best Buy had it for $999. I passed on the service agreement, as they are pricey and these seem to have a good service record. I have my digital over the air outdoor antenna ($25 from monoprice.com) hooked up via coax,, my HD DVR Cox Cable box (no extra charge to upgrade to HD) hooked up via HDMI, my Nintendo Wii hooked up via component, my PS2 all hooked up via component, and my upconvert Phillips DVD player hooked up via HDMI. That leaves me with two composite connections free, and on the front an S-video, composite, and extra HDMI connection, which is great for a quick hookup of a device. Then I have the digital audio out connected into my stereo receiver and speakers. The speakers are not bad with the tv, but why not have surround sound with a receiver?
I even bought an s-video and composite audio cables to hook my 4 year old Dell inexpensive laptop up to the tv. It looks great, all things considered, and much better than my old non-HDTV. I even can watch a movie or tv show through hulu.com on this and it looks as good as my old tv quality.
I've got the tv set up on a swivel tv stand, with my devices and a center speaker all on the shelves below. All my cables are run and taped/wired to the tv and stand for a clean look. I even have my cable modem and wireless router in the tv stand. I have a set of wireless headphones (which I connect into the receiver when my wife goes to bed) on the side of the stand to use for watching the tv. Oh yes, my Wii wireless bar is taped on the top of the tv.
I have to admit, the over the air HD and the cable HD channels are amazing. I'm sure they could get better one day, and on a more expensive tv (or with Blu-Ray), a picture would be more amazing, but I want to stay home from work to watch this thing (I don't - gotta pay the bills). I'm not a big basketball fan, but I can't stop watching it. It looks like there is a piece of glass between you and the actual game, it is so amazing and clear.
I did not pay $250-500 to have someone calibrate it for me. I used any recent Disney Pixar DVD, which had a calibration program built in, and I think it looks pretty good.
I'd recommend this picture. Other than having to watch the lighting reflection (which isn't that hard to do), I love this over an LCD. No blur issues, no sitting at an angle and having a poor picture issues, and this is supposedly Wiimote proof, meaning a tough glass front.
Being on a tight budget, and wanting a good deal, I am very pleased. -
Glad I chose This model - Great TV for the price
by jbutt_mcse on October 5, 2008
Pros: Easy setup, Great contrast.
Cons: Would like more control in the menu's. Some service options only available in US Screen seems to give off a lot of heat. Price difference between Canada and US does not accurateky reflect differences in currencies
Summary: I haven't hooked this unit up to a game console yet. I watch movies and sports so I wasnted to avoid atifacting on an LCD screen. Price between this ...
Summary: I haven't hooked this unit up to a game console yet. I watch movies and sports so I wasnted to avoid atifacting on an LCD screen. Price between this and the same size 120Hz LCDs appears to be the same. I couldn't get the 85 model in my town so this is a good compromise.
0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Panasonic
- Part number: TH-46PZ80U
- Description: PRODUCT FEATURES: 46" class (46.0 " diagonal) widescreen VIERA plasma 1080p HDTV with anti-reflective filter Deep Color technology Game mode Built-in SD card slot/GalleryPlayer ready to view 3 HDMI inputs and VIERA link HDAVI control
General
- Series VIERA
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal Size 46 in - Widescreen
- Dimensions & Weight Details Panel without stand - 45.7 in x 3.7 in x 29.4 in x 77.2 lbs
Display
- Technology Plasma (PDP)
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display Format 1080p
- Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
- Image Contrast Ratio 20000:1
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio 1000000:1
- Widescreen Modes Full, Just, Zoom, Conventional 4:3
- Color Temperature Control Yes
- Progressive Scan Progressive scanning (line doubling)
- Display Menu Language French, English, Spanish
- Comb Filter 3D-Y/C digital
- V-Chip Control Yes
TV Tuner
- Tuner Qty 1x analog, 1x digital
- Digital TV Tuner QAM, ATSC
- Analog TV Tuner NTSC
Video Features
- Video Interface HDMI, S-Video, Component, Composite
- HDTV Ready Yes
- Analog Video Input Signals NTSC
- Input Video Formats 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p
- Closed Caption Capability Yes
Audio System
- Speaker(s) 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Built-in - 10 Watt
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Surround Mode Yes
- Response Bandwidth 70 - 17000 Hz
- Output Power / Total 20 Watt
Connections
- Connector Type 2 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Front, 2 x Audio line-in ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Front, 1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 1 x S-Video input ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Front, 1 x Audio line-in - Rear, 1 x Audio line-in - Front, 2 x Component video input ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x Audio line-out ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x Digital audio output (optical) - Rear
- Slot Provided 1 x SD Memory Card
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Functionality Digital photo playback
Memory Card Reader
- Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Stands & Mounts
- Stand Included Yes
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
- Power AC 120 V
- Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.2
- Power Consumption Operational 628 Watt
Sustainability
- Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 4.9
Product series
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Plasma TV, 46 in, 1000000:1, 20000:1, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Plasma TV, 42 in, 1000000:1, 20000:1, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
Accessories
- dreamGEAR Dreamline video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33543214)19.58
- XtremeMac XtremeHD video / audio cable - HDMI - 6.6 ft (32416821)17.63
- XtremeMac XtremeHD - video / audio cable - 13 ft (33870762)29.95
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 6.6 ft (31482671)32.00
- ViewSonic ViewMate Cable Collection - video / audio cable - 10 ft (31482685)34.00
- ADCOM GFR-700 (31966032)1266.10 - 1588.00
- Adcom GFR-700HD (32082704)1836.39 - 2899.99
- Denon AVR-1707 (31987322)
- Denon AVR-1907 (31987323)
- Denon AVR-1910 (black) (33650441)548.00 - 549.99
- URC Universal Remote Professional Line MX-810 (32912039)260.00 - 399.95
- URC Universal Remote Control MX-900 (32552106)399.99 - 449.95
- URC Professional Line MX-850 - universal remote control (32092938)409.99
- URC Professional Line MX-450 - universal remote control (33639921)249.95
- URC Home Theater Master MX-3000 - universal remote control (31337842)1099.99
Manufacturer info
- Panasonic
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Panasonic products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.panasonic.com/
- Address:
One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094 - Phone: 800/662-3537
