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 enlarge | Brand: Panasonic
Category: CE
Buy New: Too low to display
New (31)
Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Batteries: 2
Batteries Included: Yes
Display Size: 42
Shipping Weight (lbs): 86
Dimensions (in): 47.2 x 31.5 x 13
MPN: TH-42PZ85U
Model: TH-42PZ85U
UPC: 037988241835
EAN: 0037988241835
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 AWESOME PLASMA HDTV April 3, 2008
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
Panasonic does it again! This model 85U is awesome. I'm very happy with this Flatscreen. I'm running satellite TV and the HD is incredible. I have friends with cable, no comparison. Easy set-up, instructions very clear, Panasonic rocks! So does Amazon, I purchased this unit from Amazon, with free shipping[White Glove Service], it's the only way to go. No need to worry about heading out to the store, trying to fit it in your vehicle, the delivery is prompt, are very careful unloading, assemble and put it in place[my case, in an Armoire].
Panasonic offers a 24hr Tech support, I needed some audio advise, They were very helpful and friendly.I would, without a doubt, recommend this model to any one!
Delighted, thrilled, beyond my wildest hopes April 14, 2008
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
Spent four months researching & shopping before deciding this model would give me all the TV I could want with minimal compromise and a reasonable price. I shopped the big-box stores and relied on friends' and family's feedback to get a broad understanding of the HD technology (LCD, DLP RP, Plasma) out there. Then I got serious with the details of the different platforms and finally focused on a brand after deciding that a plasma was for me. Panasonic clinched it when I saw the online reviews of this new model (their last year's model pz700 was Consumer Reports' top pick) and when I read that Pioneer was going to rely on Panasonic for their panels in future models. Then Amazon got the price right (don't wait for the pz800) and though I was hesitant to make this kind of a purchase online, I finally pulled the trigger and boy am I happy.
Amazon was terrific. Ordered it Sunday night with an articulating wall-mount (Sanus - works great), a Logitech Harmony One universal remote and a Panasonic HDMI Cable. Everything started arriving Tuesday and - at last! - on Friday the TV arrived (no special shipping selected for anything!)
I first set it up with the table stand, no problem. Hooked it to my HD DVR cable box and in no time was enjoying a picture that really pleases. No compromises with this set. Color fidelity is awesome - humans look human. The PGA Masters tournament was simply breathtaking. Edge detail is incredible - none of the jaggies or noisy lines I see on my sister's cheapo Vizio LCD. I don't know what that other guy is smoking, contrast and black levels are phenomenal. Playoff Hockey reveals no blurry fast-motion images - another LCD drawback. I can stand at an 89-degree angle to a head-on view and still see a perfect picture. Fortunately, my articulating mount obviates this . As for calibration, I'll get around to it using the HD Essentials DVD and the service level controls eventually, but right now I'm very happy with the "Cinema" mode and some minor customizations of this mode (changed color temp from "warm" to "normal" and adjusted the color level down to "+24"). This TV is simply stunning, and I was afraid that 42" would be too big in my relatively small room but with 1080 its no problem (six feet viewing distance).
The set's speakers are fine, sound quality for regular TV viewing is excellent. For movies and music, I use a more robust 5.1 system.
If there's a better picture to be found, I don't want it. I'm thrilled and expect I'll be very satisfied for years to come. Three cheers for Amazon & Panasonic.
 Low Contrast April 12, 2008
14 out of 31 found this review helpful
The contrast is better than any LCD except for the Toshiba LCD's such as the 47 inch model.
Panasonic claims a million to 1 dynamic contrast ratio, unfortunately it's pure marketing hype. The dynamic contrast fails to correct the black level on my analog cable channels, and provides no black level adjustment for over the air HD channels. The picture appears washed out on many of those channels and my Toshiba 32 inch LCD has no problems adjusting the contrast. There's now way to adjust dynamic contrast. The menu doesn't even list it. The sharpness is also bad especially on cable channels. The Toshiba handles that without a problem. Compare the two models and you'll see a huge difference. I also owned 40 inch Sony 40v3000, and the contrast was abysmal on that set.
Blu-ray movies look acceptable because they're pre-optimized and don't require dynamic contrast that much.
Watching Sports? This TV Handles Fast-Motion Well May 23, 2008
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Like so many, I have taken plenty of time researching HDTV in hopes of spending my money wisely.
I wanted a TV that would handle the fast-motion of sports without annoying digital artifacts and motion-blur.
It's not easy. It's difficult to compare models when companies use different words and descriptions for their features and specs and every time you think you have found the right model, you find a negative write-up somewhere on the internet and it makes you re-think your choice.
After lots of research, it's my belief that right now, plasma in most cases, handles fast-motion better than LCD.
I sit about 7-8 ft from the TV and don't have any window issues that could impact glare or reflection. The 42" set is excellent from this distance. Don't make the mistake of buying too small a screen for your room. Viewing distances for wide-screen TVs are different from the viewing distances for the 27" and 32" CRTs that many of us have been used to. I have read many reviews from people who wish they had bought a larger screen. If you are sitting 11-to-12 feet away, you won't get the full value of an HDTV without going to a larger screen than 42".
I decided to go with the Panasonic TH-42PZ85U. At 7-8 ft, I have found the picture to be sharp and detailed and I have observed no motion-blur while watching baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer games. I have had it for 2-weeks and have no complaints.
It's just one person's opinion but don't be scared off by plasma. "image retention" or "burn-in" is no longer the issue with plasma that it once was.
As with all mid-priced HDTVs, you will find watching standard television to be a letdown from what you are used to on tube televisions, but if you watch HD channels and enjoy sports, you should check out this TV.
Excellent !! April 1, 2008
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I will have to agree with the previous comments by Pascal. Have owned a 37" Sony Wega Plasma from 2005 and and a 46" LCD Sharp LC46D62U. This Panasonic is the best picture I have seen yet. Turned it on with basic cable, let the QAM tuner search for all digital channels, and this TV was rocking. The march madness games looked amazing in HD.
I changed the preset settings to Game (PS3) and Vivid (TV) and the quality was excellent. No motion blur what-so-ever which was very annoying on the Sharp (one of my main reasons for choosing plasma). Bluray movies are very crisp. Been wanting to get a Panasonic for years after seeing all of the good reviews and glad I did. The price was finally right for a brand new full hd plasma. Oh ya, ordered from 6th avenue through amazon, tv arrived in no time, no issues.
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