Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850U
Manufacturer: Panasonic Part number: TH-50PZ850U
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- Editors' review
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- Bottom Line:
- The Panasonic TH-50PZ850U's color accuracy issues prevent it from topping the high-end plasma TV heap, but excellent picture quality and unique interactive features maintain its appeal.
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Where to buy
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| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 11/07/2009 |
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CNET editors' review
Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850U price range: $1,228.92 - $1,649.00
- Reviewed by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 07/01/2008
- Updated on:04/06/2009
The good: Reproduces deep black levels; relatively accurate color temperature and color decoding; excellent uniformity with little false contouring; relatively effective antireflective screen; can access YouTube videos, Picasa online photo sharing and other interactive features via Ethernet port; solid connectivity with four HDMI and one PC input; handsome styling with single-pane design.
The bad: Expensive; less accurate primary and secondary colors; blacks not quite as deep as some plasmas; optional 24p mode introduces flicker.
The bottom line: The Panasonic TH-50PZ850U's color accuracy issues prevent it from topping the high-end plasma TV heap, but excellent picture quality and unique interactive features maintain its appeal.
Editors' note: The rating on this review has been lowered because of changes in the competitive marketplace.
Ever since we gave the Panasonic TH-50PZ800U an Editors' Choice award as our favorite plasma HDTV so far, we've been bombarded by variations of the same question: "Is the more expensive TH-50PZ850U better?" After finally getting the chance to review the 850U, our answer is "no." The TH-50PZ850U is the company's flagship plasma, the most expensive in its lineup, but the less expensive 800U we tested delivered slightly better picture quality, mainly due to its superior color accuracy. Don't get us wrong; the 850U still put up a great picture, and some viewers may well appreciate its wider, albeit less accurate, color gamut. The flagship model's biggest step-up feature is Viera Cast, Panasonic's first attempt at connecting one of its TVs directly to the Internet, which currently allows the TV to display digital photos from Google's Picasa service, YouTube videos, and stocks and weather info. Problem is, we're not sure how many high-end HDTV shoppers care about viewing crud-quality YouTube videos on their beautiful HDTVs. In the end we think sticklers for picture quality will opt for the 800U series, and YouTube will not figure into the decision.
Design
The TH-50PZ850U looks exactly like the TH-50PZ800U with the exception of the coloring of its "lips" below the screen--dark gray on the 800 and black on the 850--so if you've read that review, feel free to skip down the page unless you like the feeling of deja vu.
In photos the television looks a lot like every other HDTV on the market: a glossy black rectangle. In person, however, it's a lot more striking and less glossy. In fact, the black frame around the screen isn't glossy at all; it's simply fronted by a big pane of glass that lends the panel a somewhat more-sophisticated look than a typical set, where the frame is raised a quarter-inch or so from the surface of the screen. Below the screen, the Panasonic's frame has what resembles a pair of pursed lips that protrude forward, bearing the logo and hiding a set of inputs behind a flip-down door.
The stand looks identical to the sloped number common to lower-end 2008 Panasonic plasmas like the TH-46PZ85U and the TH-42PX80U, but unlike those stands, this one swivels, courtesy of a lazy-Susan-like base hidden underneath. Including stand, the TH-50PZ850U measures 49.9 inches wide by 33.4 inches high by 15.3 inches deep and weighs 92.6 pounds; divested of stand its size shrinks to 49.9 by 31.2 by 4.1 inches and its weight to 81.6 pounds.
Panasonic's remote remains the same as last year, and we remain fans of its layout. The medium-length wand groups the distinct sets of right-size buttons in an easy-to-feel arrangement. Unlike the clicker included with the 800, the 850's clicker includes limited backlighting--just the channel, volume and keys to control other gear light up.
A familiar yellow-on-blue menu system leads to the television's setup functions, and although the graphics lack the panache of a Sony or a Samsung menu, navigation was intuitive enough. We liked that the company renamed its previously confusing "Normal" command to "Reset," which more accurately describes what it does to your picture settings.
Features
Like many flagship products, the TH-50PZ850U is a guinea pig for a new feature not found on less expensive models. In the case of the Samsung LN46A750, for example, that feature was interactive content, a sort of www-lite, and the Panasonic's Viera Cast, available only on the PZ850U series, could be described in the same way. The service currently allows you to view YouTube videos, photos uploaded to Google's Picasa photo sharing service, news and stock information courtesy of Bloomberg (although unlike the Samsung, there's no way to create a custom portfolio), and local weather. Panasonic says it will add more content in the future, and in the next year or two we expect to see some iteration of VieraCast migrate down to less expensive Panasonic TVs.
We already tested Viera Cast extensively, as recorded in this blog post, so we won't go into it too much here except to say that, while it's cool to have that kind of stuff built-in, a cheap laptop hooked up to the TV itself can do a better job. If you really want YouTube on your TV without a PC or AppleTV, however, Viera Cast might be worth it to you.
Unlike the less expensive TH-50PZ800U, the flagship TH-50PZ850U is not THX certified. We're not exactly sure why, but we guess it has something to do with keeping prices down; perhaps the cost of including the THX license and Viera Cast would have driven the price into a place that, unlike Pioneer, Panasonic didn't want to go. It may also have to do with differing color gamuts (see Performance). Regardless, it's pretty confusing for a flagship product to lack a major picture quality feature that its step-down cousin includes.
The 850U does have a wider color gamut compared with the 800U, and in place of the THX mode there's a picture mode the company calls "Studio Reference." This model also features the ability to fine-tune the color temperature and a host of other picture parameters like gamma, courtesy of a "Pro Setting" picture menu that's only available when you select the "Custom" picture mode. Otherwise the feature set is basically identical to that of the TH-50PZ800U.
Naturally the high-end TH-50PZ850U has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, or 1080p, which is fast becoming a standard feature on all flat-panel HDTVs. As we've said before, however, the difference between 1080p and lower resolutions is difficult to discern, even at this relatively large screen size.
We appreciated the ability to adjust all of the five picture modes, including Studio Reference, and the fact that the Custom mode is independent per input. Additional picture controls include a color management option that we left off; a "C.A.T.S." mode that changes contrast on the fly and so should be left turned off; two species of noise reduction; and a black level control. There's also a "24p direct in" option that changes the set's refresh rate from 60Hz to 48Hz for compatibility with 1080p/24 signals; check out Performance for more details.
Panasonic also touts Game mode, which is little more than an easy way to select a particular input. A quick press of the "Game" button on the remote toggles between any of the inputs that have been labeled "Game" in the input naming menu. Pressing that button does not engage the Game picture mode (which is simply another collection of adjustable picture settings) nor does it affect video processing or lag time between controller and screen--although, to be fair, such modes on other HDTVs have little value as far as we can tell.
The TH-50PZ850U offers five aspect ratio controls for HD sources, more than most HDTVs on the market. There's also a setting called "HD Size 2" that allows the TV to display every pixel of 1080i and 1080p sources without overscan or scaling, and we recommend using it unless you notice interference along the extreme edges of the screen, which can occur on some HD sources. Unlike the 800U we tested, the 850U we received for this review had "HD Size 2" selected by default. A selection of five modes is also available for SD sources.
A new menu for 2008 deals with burn-in or, as the company calls it, "image retention." There's a pixel orbiter that moves the entire image gradually around the screen, along with an option to set the 4:3 mode to include gray bars to either side of the picture (as opposed to black, which cause image retention more easily than gray). On the off chance that the plasma retains an image, there's a scrolling bar that slides across the screen as a sort of eraser.
We would have liked to see an energy saver mode on this TV, but there is one extra that really helps ameliorate power consumption. When you first plug in and set up the TV, it asks you whether you're in a store or home environment. Choosing "home" engages the Standard picture preset by default across all of the inputs, which saves quite a bit of power over the Vivid preset. This savings is reflected in our Juice Box measurements below, where default was measured in Standard mode.
The Panasonic TH-50PZ850U lacks picture-in-picture, but it does include a thoughtful "Surf Mode" control, which can be set to restrict the TV's tuning options. You can set it to "all," "favorite," "digital only," or "analog only."
The jack pack of the TH-50PZ850U is as well-equipped as any high-end HDTV we've seen, starting with three HDMI jacks on the back panel and a fourth available out front. A VGA-style PC input is also onboard (1,366x760 maximum resolution), along with two component video inputs, an AV input with composite or S-Video, an RF input for antenna or cable, as well as an optical and an analog audio output. In addition to that last HDMI input, the front panel also sports a second AV input with composite and S-Video, as well as an SD card slot for displaying digital photos on the big screen. The 850U's card slot can also play back MPEG-2 and AVCHD video files, although we did not test this feature.
Naturally, the LAN port needs to connect to the Internet to use the Viera Cast functions. Unlike Samsung, Panasonic doesn't sell an official wireless adapter, although we were told that standard third-party adapters, such as wireless bridges, would work fine.
Performance
The Panasonic TH-50PZ850U can produce a superb picture, anchored by some of the deepest blacks we've seen, and while we do complain about its color accuracy compared with the HD standard, its color is still better than many high-end HDTVs on the market.
As we mentioned above, the TH-50PZ850U offers a Studio Reference mode that, as expected, turned out to deliver the most-accurate out-of-the-box picture. We ended up calibrating the set's grayscale in Custom mode, however, since it was the only one that allowed any tweaking of white balance. In the end we were able to improve color temperature and color accuracy a bit, although most of our other settings were similar to studio reference. Check out our full picture settings for details.
For our comparison and image quality tests we lined the TH-50PZ850U up next to its 800U brother, along with the Samsung PN50A650 and the Pioneer PDP-5080HD, all three 50-inch plasmas. We also threw in the Samsung LN52A650 to represent LCDs. (Before you ask, no, we haven't received our review sample of the Pioneer PDP-5020FD yet, so we couldn't use it to compare. Naturally we'll try to hang onto these Panasonic panels long enough to use them in a comparison during the PDP-5020FD review.) For our main round we treated ourselves to Gattaca on Blu-ray, courtesy of our reference Sony PlayStation 3.
Black level: The Panasonic TH-50PZ850U exhibited the one of the deepest shades of black we've ever witnessed on any display. The letterbox bars above and below the film, along with shadows and blackness in dark scenes, such as when Vincent and Jerome go out in the middle of the night to watch the rockets lift off, appeared inky and true. Compared with the other displays in the room, only the Pioneer mustered a deeper shade of black, and just barely; the 850U was even the tiniest bit deeper than the 800U, although there's no way we could have differentiated if the displays weren't side-by-side; and of course the two Samsung displays were lighter. Shadow detail, such as the edge of Vincent's hair, the folds in Jerome's jacket, and the details around their silhouettes against the night sky, looked natural, with the appropriately shallow rise from black to lighter shadows.
Color accuracy: Panasonic makes a big deal about the Digital Cinema Color on the 850U series, and color is the most noticeable difference between its picture and that of the 800U. The primary and secondary color points of the 800U hew very closely to the HDTV standard, and so its color is technically very accurate, while the color points of the 850U are not. Like many displays, its color gamut is wider than the HD standard, so the red blood in the centrifuge, for example, looks even redder and deeper on the 850U than on the 800U. Greens, such as the forest and shrubs that are visible when the janitorial crew is motored into the compound, looked both greener and seemingly a bit yellower to our eyes on the 850U. We switched off the Digital Cinema Color mode and the two displays came closer to one another, but there was still a pretty noticeable difference. Our measurements for the Geek Box below were taken with the more-accurate (again, compared to the HD standard) Off position for that mode.
An argument can be made that the wider color gamut on the 850 looks better, but that's largely subjective. Our goal, as always, is to evaluate color accuracy, in this case compared with the HD standard, and by that definition the 800U, along with the two Samsung displays in our comparison, were a good deal more accurate than the 850U.
Other areas of the Panasonic's color performance were very good. The 850's relatively linear grayscale was apparent in skin tones, such as Irene's face at the beach house, appeared natural if a tiny bit redder than the reference 800U. Color decoding wasn't at fault--it was basically right on; instead it was the very slightly reddish grayscale in mid-dark areas. Colors near black stayed quite accurate otherwise, however.
Video processing: Panasonic built the same 48Hz refresh rate option we complained about on the 800U into the 850U, and our complaints still apply. When fed a 1080p/24 source, the set flickers quite noticeably, especially in the brightest areas. The flicker is not subtle -- to the point why we wonder why Panasonic even included this mode at all. Needless to say, despite the fact that refreshing the screen in an even multiple of 24 did seem to smooth the characteristic 2:3 pulldown "hitch," we preferred watching the set in standard 60Hz mode.
As expected from any 1080p flat-panel, the 850U resolved every detail of 1080 resolution sources, although as always we had a very difficult time seeing any difference between this 1080p display and the same-size 1,366x768 Pioneer. Like many HDTVs we've tested, the Panasonic failed to properly deinterlace 1080i film-based material, despite its "3:2 pulldown" setting being set to "on." It actually failed this test worse than the 800U did, showing more artifacts in test patterns and more moire and breakup, for example, in the seats during the test disc's pan around Raymond James stadium as well as the grille of the RV from Chapter 6 of Ghost Rider. This failure isn't a huge deal however; for example, we didn't notice any deinterlacing artifacts when watching Gattaca in 1080i.
We complained about ineffective noise reduction in our review of the TH-46PX85U, but as with the 800U, the 850U's image was quite clean and not plagued by excessive noise, even with NR turned off.
Uniformity: As with nearly all plasmas we've tested, the TH-50PZ850U's image remained perfectly uniform across the screen, and viewing angles were superb, with none of the drop-off in contrast or color accuracy typical of LCD. As with the 800U, the 850U introduced very little false contouring.
Bright lighting: According to their spec sheets both the 800U and the 850U have the same antireflective screen, and all told we couldn't see any difference between them. Neither did quite as good a job of attenuating glare from daylight when we opened the blackout shades in our test lab, and objects reflected in the screen appeared a bit brighter and thus more distracting on the Panasonics than on the Pioneer. That said, the screen on the Panasonic was much better at dealing with reflections than many plasmas we've seen, including the Samsung PN50A650, and also significantly better than the Samsung LCD.
Standard-definition: With lower-quality sources, the TH-50PZ850U performed about average. It didn't quite resolve every detail of the DVD format, according to the resolution chart on the HQV DVD, and as a result details in the bridge and grass from that disc looked a bit softer than the other displays in our test. On the other hand, the Panasonic did a fine job of removing jaggies from diagonal lines and a waving American flag, and its 2:3 pulldown detection kicked in effectively, if not quite as quickly as some sets we've tested. Its noise reduction performed well with low-quality material too, cleaning up the motes in skies and sunsets as well as the Pioneer, albeit not quite as well as the Samsung LCD.
PC: As with most Panasonic HDTVs we've tested, the 850U's analog VGA input has a maximum resolution that doesn't match the native resolution of the display--an issue that's pretty disappointing on a TV this expensive. The maximum accepted resolution of 1,360x768 looked OK, with the expected softness in text and other onscreen objects, although we missed having an "auto-adjust" feature to center the image properly; we had to use the manual controls to do that. HDMI was a different story, with the display achieving the full resolution of 1,920x1,080 and rendering text and other areas as perfectly as we expected, so naturally we recommend that people connecting PCs to this TV go digital.
| TEST | RESULT | SCORE |
| Before color temp (20/80) | 6198/6933 | Good |
| After color temp | 6349/6545 | Good |
| Before grayscale variation | +/- 259K | Good |
| After grayscale variation | +/- 100K | Average |
| Color of red (x/y) | 0.658/0.329 | Average |
| Color of green | 0.275/0.644 | Average |
| Color of blue | 0.149/0.055 | Good |
| Overscan | 0.0% | Good |
| Defeatable edge enhancement | Y | Good |
| 480i 2:3 pull-down, 24 fps | Y | Good |
| 1080i video resolution | Pass | Good |
| 1080i film resolution | Fail | Poor |
| Panasonic TH-50PZ850U | Picture settings | ||
| Default | Calibrated | Power Save | |
| Picture on (watts) | 163.8 | 284.36 | N/A |
| Picture on (watts/sq. inch) | 0.15 | 0.27 | N/A |
| Standby (watts) | 0.46 | 0.46 | N/A |
| Cost per year | $50.98 | $88.30 | |
 | |||
| Score (considering size) | Good | ||
| Score (overall) | Good | ||
User reviews
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Increased Colour Gamut+Studio Reference = PZ800TXH KILLER
by Megaloma on July 6, 2008
Pros: Jaw dropping picture in Studio Reference mode, all the picture tweaks you'd ever use, deep, rich sound for flat panel speakers, viera cast a nice, currently gimmicky bonus.
Cons: $500 premium a little high for essentially increased colour gamut and viera cast that is of little value at this time.
Summary: I was so shocked by cnet's rating of the Panasonic TH50PZ850U, that I had to write my first cnet review after spending a with each tv. I purchsed the ...
Summary: I was so shocked by cnet's rating of the Panasonic TH50PZ850U, that I had to write my first cnet review after spending a with each tv. I purchsed the TH50PZ800U THX model of this plasma at a summer sale for a $500 discount. The tv had hands down the best looking image compared to all the tv's in store such as the sony xbr4 and the samsung toc. I was seriously considering the xbr4 since fall of 07 to replace my samsung 1080i capable crt. After purchasing a PS3 a couple months later, I was set on finding a tv that addressed the issues that kept me clinging to my crt: black blacks levels, high contrast ratio, colour accuracy, long panel life with no burn issues.
The xbr4 impressed me with its colour accuracy, deep blacks (for an lcd) and improved speed via 120hz processing. I knew the THX panasonic plasma was coming and would have deeper blacks, naturally faster speed and I was waiting to see how the colours would compare. I was glad I waited for the thx enabled panasonic. It completely trumped the image of xbr4 and the price discount had me sold. I enjoyed the tv for a week with an assortment of bluray movies, games, dvds and my imac through a dvi to hdmi adapter. Everything looked amazing in thx mode with a few minor modifications. If you own an intel imac, I strongly recommend a dvi to hdmi adapter and the mac dvi adapter. For about $50 of cable, you'll get a picture so clear and vivid, that it switched me to a wireless keyboard setup to do virtually all my computing through the tv. You'll save some dollars compared to apple tv and won't be limited by apple tv interface.
After a week with the pz800, the salesman from the store told me the 850's were in at that I should have a look. Both tv's were setup side by side with thx set to my modified preferences on the 800 and the studio reference mode on the pz850. The panels were running planet earth's pole to pole disc and the 850's increased colour gamut was apparent through the subtle colour details that could not be seen in the 800. The arctic ice colours have finer green and blue details (the snow and ice just have extra sparkle), additional colour range can be seen in the feathers of the birds of paradise (greater black detail also) and the rich red hues of the seasonal forrest transitions shots are absolutely breathtaking on the 850. The THX panel in direct comparison looked muted to me. I paid the sales price difference and left with the new tv.
After a week with the 850, I have no regrets about the $500 upgrade cost. The extra 'pop' in the colours is worth the price even if the colour accuracy may not be a 100% accurate in testing, they are far more appealing. I can see what cnet was going for in their custom setting for the 850 as it appears more like the thx mode of 800, though very comparable to the studio reference (you can't exactly duplicate thx mode on the 850 through the pro settings). Basically, between the studio ref and pro settings, you have the choice between the thx modes extreme accuracy and the high colour pop of the studio reference. Would have been nice if panasonic include the thx mode in the 850 though. Overall the difference between the two for movie like sunshine on bluray is that both will treat you to an amazing, colour accurate image, but on the 850 you will 'feel' it.
If price point is not a major issue for you, I recommend the 850 over 800 hands down. After a week with each tv, I feel comfortable that the 850 with its higher colour gamut will still keep me satisfied when the xbr8 and the kuro/panasonic plasma come out over the next year. Maybe in a another the year, the fun but pointless viera cast will have some uses that are not apparent now. Panasonic, please at least offer more customizable weather (major US cities only), stock info (more customization of the main view and more currency/commodity price tracking options would be nice), and choice of major news sources.
If you have the chance, compare the thx to the studio reference in store with some high def media you are familiar with (the difference is even noticeable in the Vivid setting most stores use). I did and I feel more confident that the 850's image production will age better as media is produced that actually takes direct advantage of the higher colour gamut. Extreme colour accuracy be damed, treat your self to the most breathtaking image you've ever seen in a consumer television.21 out of 21 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Exceptional Plasma - best picture ever!
by ssuther1 on November 17, 2008
Pros: Extremely well designed/built plasma was easy to get going - new features like internet TV, photo albums and stock info are solid. Panasonic scaler does amazing job - even the quality of YouTube videos are surprising, given their low bitrate.
Cons: Heavy - requires a solid wall mount. Remote has only a few lit keys. Currently lacks ability to add Canadian locations for internet weather info. Wish it had TV Guide Onscreen like the Sony sets.
Summary: Panasonic has done a remarkable job with the PZ850 plasma models. We purchased the 58 inch and since this was our 4th large 1080 TV, we knew what we were ...
Summary: Panasonic has done a remarkable job with the PZ850 plasma models. We purchased the 58 inch and since this was our 4th large 1080 TV, we knew what we were seeking.
Our first 1080 set was the original 45" Sharp 1080 LCD which is still going strong, and does remarkably well, even now in a brightly lit sunroom after 4 years. Our second 1080 was a very large DLP-based Toshiba projection set purchased roughly 3 years ago and more recently, our 3rd 1080 purchase was a Toshiba LCD (w/ Samsung panel).
We like the way the Toshiba DLP handles grey scale in dark scenes - visitors often commented on how the TV was able to bring out so much more detail in shadows than their sets... movies like Star Wars or Mission Impossible with darker scenes really came alive on the DLP. Toshiba's LCD also did a surprising job of shadows as well, something we noticed that many LG's and Sony's still can't handle. In fact, many of the latest Sony's we saw seemed to take all shadow areas and turn them to black - a nice black, but void of any picture detail. The older Sharp lacks such deep blacks, but also rendered shadow detail well when set up properly in a darkened room. It's a noisy set though, as is the DLP... fan noise is noticible in movies such as Phantom of the Opera. Also, the Sharp was no match for the DLP when it came to action and sports - motion blur makes it hard to follow the puck!
So when looking for the best display for our home theatre, we wanted a set that could: 1) truly render shadow detail, not crushing them to black; 2) operate very quietly; 3) clearly display motion; and 4) render natural tones smoothly while delivering a sharp picture.
Since we were placing this in a basement media room, we weren't concerned about reflections, so we could consider any plasma and the Samsung LCD's which also have glossy screens, in addition to traditional anti-glare LCD's from Toshiba, Sony, etc.
After viewing a large number of competitive products (including the new LED LCD's), we found the Panasonic PZ850's were top in every category and justified it's elevated price point (fully $1000+ more than the similar sized Samsung Plasma, for example). The settings enable you to refine the picture beyond what's possible with other displays but likewise, you can also accidentally soften it (by tunring on various unnecessary video NR modes) or distort the colors.
Our older son initially liked the Samsung plasma TVs in Best Buy better, since they were set up with more vibrant color - but after watching more carefully, we could see that the natural color of the Panasonic was not only easier on the eyes, but also brought out so much more in darker scenes. Many competitive sets were able to deliver good color, but strangly, when trying to adjust settings for BOTH good colour and shadow detail AND overall picture sharpness, a grainy texture would appear - it seemed that with many sets, one could only get two out of three... natural color, shadow detail, sharpness - not so with the Panasonic which could deliver all three.
Besides the fact that this plasma seems to run so cool (in comparison with friend's plasma), for us, the icing on the cake was the Internet capabilities of the PZ850 series. Its fun to watch a couple of YouTube videos when waiting for a network program to start, and the link with the stock market is also well executed. The ease with which you can watch your online photo albums in 1080p is another bonus and we're curious what else will be delivered to the PZ850's through this simple Web interface in the future - we'd vote for access to Internet Radio stations and an enhanced TV Guide function as we miss the TV Guide Onscreen found in our Toshiba and Sharp sets! (Note to Panasonic: We'd even pay something for the ability to get customised TV Guide listings, and almost bought the Sony for it's excellent TV Guide!)
Lastly, if you're not going to hook up a 7.1 channel audio system, definitely listen to this set. Our amplifier wasn't working when we first set up the PZ850 so we simply used its internal speakers - wow - although we can't even see them, they are the best TV speakers we've ever heard. With volume set up to about 65% of it's range, we could clearly hear the 3D sound effects filling our home theatre and still wonder how Panasonic managed to get such sound quality without apparent speakers! Obviously, not true 7.1 channel sound, but far better then what we would have thought possible.
A truly exceptional plasma, which with 100,000 hour expected life (according to Panasonic), we hope to enjoy for many years! Solidly recommended.6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Awesome, well-rounded TV
by rickallen81 on September 19, 2008
Pros: Deep blacks, vivid colors, great HD picture over cable and Blu Ray, TONS of picture tweaks, sleek single-pane frame, thinner and lighter than last years model.
Cons: Softened non HD picture, somewhat softened HD pictures on some channels (probably due to bandwidth rather than the TV), flicker from 24p Blu-ray on bright scenes (in darker movies it looks amazing!)
Summary: First off, this is a beautiful TV. The single-pane of glass that fronts the TV makes for a very sleek look. Setup was a breeze. I was able to unbox ...
Summary: First off, this is a beautiful TV. The single-pane of glass that fronts the TV makes for a very sleek look. Setup was a breeze. I was able to unbox it, set up the stand and mount it within 20 minutes without anyone to help. There is a lazy susan swivel in the base that made cable hookup simple. After doing a few setup items (setting HD to size 2, turning on the noise reduction features, etc.) I was ready to go. Studio Reference is a great picture setting to default to. It is a great feature to have. I have a friend with the PZ800 and I prefer the studio ref to the THX setting. Not by a ton, but I prefer it nonetheless.
There are tons of adjustments available to tweak the picture. I am a constant fiddler so I like having the ability to do it, but I found myself coming back to the Studio Ref preset time and time again.
I have to the TV hooked up to a Panasonic BD30 Blu ray player. After setting it to output 24p, I decided to see how apparent the flicker was. In bright scenes, it is rather blinding, almost like a TV screen in an old movie at high frequency. It really is only noticeable in the brighter sections of the picture, so darker scenes still look fantastically smooth and natural. Even without the 24p output, Blu ray looks amazing with a very crisp, detailed picture. I really was amazed at the wideness of the color gamut. I feel like I was missing out on a range of colors my old TV just couldn't produce.
I do not have the TV hooked up to the internet, so I can't comment on the Viera Cast features. It didn't enter into my decision to buy the TV, and I don't plan on using it.
Overall, this is an amazing TV. Panasonic continues to have my vote as one of the best TV makers, period. Highly recommended.
P.S. I ordered it direct from Panasonic on Monday, had it by Friday. Quick shipping, good service.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A Great HDTV
by johnnydk on March 29, 2009
Pros: This HDTV got both high quality image and superior sound. I recommend you go take a look at great site I found http://www.squidoo.com/best-hdtv It lists many cheap and best deals on HDTV of 2009.
Cons: It plasma TV so there tends to be glare when watching it during day times.
Summary: As an electronic sales I think it is overall a good HDTV.
Summary: As an electronic sales I think it is overall a good HDTV.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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A beautiful TV
by txpackerfan on January 1, 2009
Pros: The TV looks amazing even when it is turned off. It is extremely easy to set-up. I use the studio reference setting for the picture and it is great. I also like the internet hook-up.
Cons: There's nothing I don't like. I think it is an amazing TV and worth everything I paid for it.
Summary: This is my first HDTV. It is a huge upgrade over my 15 year old 27" TV. So saying the picture is amazing really isn't saying much; I think ...
Summary: This is my first HDTV. It is a huge upgrade over my 15 year old 27" TV. So saying the picture is amazing really isn't saying much; I think I would say the same thing about almost any high end HDTV I bought. The TV looks awesome even when shut off. I have no problems with glare even though I have it in a room with lots of windows. If the TV is off, I can see reflections on the screen. When I turn it on, they are still there but you really have to focus deep in the screen to actually see the reflection. If you are focused on the program you are watching, you can't even see the glare.
I also considered a Sony XBR LCD TV, but the pictures on LCDs don't look realistic. They just don't pop out like they do on a Plasma. Panasonic always gets great reviews here and at Consumer Reports so I new that was the brand I wanted. I decided on the 850 over the 800 mainly because of the internet connection. I didn't notice a picture difference between the 800 and 850. Plus I like that I have more control of the picture on the 850. I find that I always just leave it on Studio Reference. I also liked the internet connection. I know the internet content on the TV is limited now, but I'm sure this content will really open up in the future. Plus it is nice to get firmware updates over the internet which is something I already have done. If you buy it online like I did, you typically can get a really good deal on it and it will only be a few hundred dollars more than the 800. If you shop at any high end electronic stores (not BB or CC), you also will find that they don't carry the 800 because it is not the flagship model.
All in all this is a great TV and I love it.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The PZ850U has a stellar picture.
by gozags on August 4, 2008
Pros: Gorgeous colors, deep blacks, picture is very customizable.
Cons: Not cheap...However, it's a very solid plasma.
Summary: Read Megaloma's review.
Summary: Read Megaloma's review.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great TV espfor HD Movies
by wisedrdave on April 27, 2009
Pros: Great overall picture esp for movies. Softer picture with great color rendition. Good value. Nice styling. Plenty of inputs. Great stand alone sound with decent bass if not using with home theater set up. The best TV on the market for movies!
Cons: None. Surprised at CNET's review. Most professional video sites with actual high tech testing parameters rated this as the best TV available in early 2009 in a toss up with Pioneer Kuro which costs thousands more.
Summary: Did a lot of research on this one. Already have 3 Samsung LCDs including very nice LN46A750. The LCDs have very bright sharp pictures whcih of course can be tweaked ...
Summary: Did a lot of research on this one. Already have 3 Samsung LCDs including very nice LN46A750. The LCDs have very bright sharp pictures whcih of course can be tweaked with black level and myriad other adjustments. I bought this Panasonic plasma specifically for viewing HD movies in 1080p, Blu-Ray and with Vudu movie STB service. Wow! With picture set to "Studio Reference" mode movies are beautiful with amazing color reproduction in particular. Paired with home theater set up and feels like you're at the movies.The picture is less bright and contrasted than LCD which tend to be more stark and bright-good for sports and general viewing but IMO this plasma is the way to go for movie viewing especially. Attractive design. Had no glare issues. The front panel with access to inputs hidden behind door very nice convenience feature. No more fumbling around back of TV to plug in game, video cam, SD card, etc. This is a tremendous value at current prices. Most professional sites have judged this TV to be on par with Pioneer Kuro which costs thousands more for similar picture. Buy it and never leave home again to go to the movies!
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I love this TV
by FireUpChips on April 6, 2009
Pros: Everything about this TV is great
Cons: a little bit Pricey
Summary: If you are looking for a 50 inch TV this is a great one
Summary: If you are looking for a 50 inch TV this is a great one
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Do not buy this TV!!!
by sandpig on July 29, 2008
Pros: It worked ok for only four weeks.
Cons: The Plasma Tube went out in only 4 weeks!
Summary: I have requested a replacement TV from Panasonic and they only gave me the run around for 2 weeks. They said they want to replace the tube, but it will ...
Summary: I have requested a replacement TV from Panasonic and they only gave me the run around for 2 weeks. They said they want to replace the tube, but it will not happen till August, 2008. Panasonic Concierge service never calls me back. A new Plasma tube is a whole new TV in itself (they last 100,000 hours, not 4 weeks). Do not buy this product, WARNING!!!
2 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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The picture of this tv are to red
by alexpm94 on September 6, 2008
Pros: She haves a godd black level, the price of this tv was low for 50 inches
Cons: THE PICTURE OF THIS TV ARE TO RED, THE FACES ARE RED
Summary: I WILL NOT LIKE THIS TV, PANASONIC YOU FAIL
Summary: I WILL NOT LIKE THIS TV, PANASONIC YOU FAIL
0 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Panasonic
- Part number: TH-50PZ850U
- Description: The Panasonic VIERA HDTV PZ850 series introduces an exciting feature called VIERA Cast. VIERA Cast is a web menu that's built into the television, letting you enjoy great online entertainment like YouTube videos and your digital photos on Picasa web albums, all with just a click of a button - no PCs or external boxes are required. You can also get instant weather updates as well as the financial information from Bloomberg television. Best of all, the VIERA Cast menu will self-update as soon as great online content becomes available. Share the online entertainment fun with friends and family on a large screen HDTV! With the VIERA PZ850 series, you'll get everything you need for a top-notch movie experience at home. Superb motion-picture resolution, super deep contrast ratios, and digital cinema color technology all combine to provide an incredible viewing experience. The VIERA PZ850 series provides the easy solution for enjoying HD home movies recorded on your camcorder's SD card. Simply remove the SD card from the camcorder, insert into the PZ850's built-in SD card slot, and begin watching your videos with vivid colors and superb motion-image expression - no extra cables or connections required. The VIERA PZ850 with its built-in HD photo viewer provides the ultimate digital photo viewing experience. Simply insert an SD card to display photos on the large screen. Photos are much more fun when you can view them on a large HDTV screen with family and friends in Full HD.
General
- Series VIERA
- Product type Plasma TV
- Diagonal Size 50 in - Widescreen
Display
- Technology Plasma (PDP)
- Resolution 1920 x 1080
- Display Format 1080p (FullHD)
- Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
- Image Contrast Ratio 30000:1
- Dynamic Contrast Ratio 1000000:1
- Additional Features Viera Cast technology, SD memory card slot, Digital Cinema Color Re-Mastering technology
Video Features
- Video Interface HDMI
- HDTV Ready Yes
- Analog Video Input Signals NTSC
Audio System
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Audio Controls Balance, Bass, Treble
Connections
- Connector Type 4 x HDMI ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ), 1 x Serial ( 9 pin D-Sub ), 1 x VGA input ( 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) )
- Slot Provided 1 x SD Memory Card
- PC Interface VGA (HD-15)
Network & Internet Multimedia
- Functionality Digital photo playback, Digital video playback
- Supported Video Formats H.264
Memory Card Reader
- Supported Flash Memory Cards SD Memory Card
Remote Control
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
Power
- Power Device Power supply - Internal
- Power Consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.2
- Power Consumption Operational 307
Sustainability
- CNET Labs: Operational power consumption 163.8 Watt
- CNET Labs: Calibrated power consumption 284.36 Watt
- CNET Labs: Power consumption Stand by / Sleep 0.46 Watt
- CNET Labs: Estimated Annual Energy Cost 35.78 US Dollars
- Greenpeace policy rating (Sept 2009) 4.9
Product series
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Plasma TV, 46 in, 1000000:1, 30000:1, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Plasma TV, 50 in, 1000000:1, 30000:1, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
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Manufacturer: Panasonic
Specs: Plasma TV, 58 in, 1000000:1, 30000:1, 1920 x 1080, 16:9
Accessories
- dreamGEAR Dreamline video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33543214)27.49
- XtremeMac XtremeHD video / audio cable - HDMI - 6.6 ft (32416821)10.77 - 15.27
- 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
- VIZIO VMAX1000 - video / audio cable - HDMI - 6 ft (33397373)32.00
- URC Universal Remote Professional Line MX-810 (32912039)260.00 - 399.95
- URC Universal Remote Control MX-900 (32552106)449.95 - 460.99
- URC Professional Line MX-850 - universal remote control (32092938)439.99
- URC Professional Line MX-450 - universal remote control (33639921)249.95
- URC Home Theater Master MX-3000 - universal remote control (31337842)610.62 - 989.95
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
