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Panasonic Viera TH-PZ85 Series Plasma TV ( 42",46",50" ) Reviews Analysis

42" VIERA plasma TV - widescreen - 1080p (FullHD) - HDTV More product details

Panasonic Viera TH-PZ85 Series Plasma TV ( 42",46",50" )
alaSCORE 95

601 reviews

November, 2009

80 / 100

40 Experts

Product Age

old
new

91 / 100

561 Users

What people think about the Panasonic Viera TH-PZ85 Series Plasma TV ( 42",46",50" ): (BETA!)

We compute this summary by analyzing 601 reviews from across the web.

image quality

2

  • Freeview quality is lacking
  • fewer picture controls than many HDTVs
  • decent emulated surround sound quality and image frame creation
  • Some reflection
  • could have more picture options
  • Superb picture quality
  • lots of good image processing
  • Mostly terrific pictures, fair price considering the quality on offer, lots of good image processing
  • Great picture
  • Beautiful picture
  • Some reflection, could have more picture options, sound is sorta thin
  • Standard-definition picture, built in speakers and anti-reflection screen are adequate, but not great
  • Some small quality issues
  • Lacks some picture settings
  • I'm not a hardcore "videoholic" but from what I see this plasma delivers an excellent picture
  • Well worth a little heat for the quality of the picture
  • does not have an automatic picture aspect ratio feature just manual button
  • Picture quality features
  • This set does not produce a bright enough picture to my liking
  • reflection...but worth it
  • Would like more options for pitcure quality
  • I would have preferred this model have the picture-in-picture (pip
  • however, I would have preferred this model have the picture-in-picture (pip
  • Picture not too great on standard broadcast.No picture in picture.Power cord is only 6', so be aware if wall-mounting that you need to have an electric outlet nearby to avoid snaking down and up wall
  • Picture quality is great
  • Picture quality is great, especially in HDTV and Blu Ray...Picture mode menu is nice feature
  • picture
  • Excellent picture
  • Picture quality
  • The picture is great from every angle
  • Picture is particularly good
  • Picture is particularly good, especially if you have it calabrated for your home enviroment
  • Superb picture
  • Nice quality
  • Nice quality, clear
  • 3-dimensional quality to images
  • Picture quality is superb
  • Everyone says WOW!..What a picture
  • Picture Quality, Looks Nice, Price
  • Stunning Picture
  • GREAT PICTURE RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX WITH FEW ADJUSTMENTS
  • nice picture
  • and the picture quallity is outstanding
  • great picture quality
  • The picture quality will blow you away
  • Gorgeous picture
  • Excellent picture quality
  • Everyone knows that Panasonic is the leader in plasma TV quality but I had to see for myself
  • Picture is very good
  • Crisp clean picture and deep vibrant colors
  • and they've never come close to the stunning picture I get with this Panasonic Plasma
  • I'm currently using the proper "break in" settings to keep image retention to a minimum...but there hasn't been ANY
  • This tv has had absolutely no image retention at all
  • Phenomenal picture
  • Picture is amazing
  • really brings out the quality of the Xbox 360 games like Gears of War
  • really brings out the quality of the Xbox 360 games like Gears of War, Call of Duty and the new GTA
  • Fantastic picture
  • From the very minute I unpacked it and set it up I was amazed at the picture quality and ease of setup features
  • Picture is beautiful--all we had hoped for
  • The picture quality is the best I've seen on a TV in this price range
  • The image on the TV is very good
  • Incredible picture
  • easy menu but tons of ways to mess with picture quality
  • Incredible picture, easy menu but tons of ways to mess with picture quality
  • I'm a digital photographer so I'm used to messing with picture quality: you can fine tune it to your heart's content
  • This TV has a sharp picture
  • The picture is great and the colors are amazing
  • Best Picture Plasma TV in its class
  • Picture quality far exceeds all others
  • Picture Quality, Detail, and Color
  • Colors, picture quality, ease of operation
  • Great features, AMAZING picture quality, and the deepest blacks i've seen for the price
  • The picture look's almost 3D
  • Fantastic picture, easy to set up, great features
  • Picture Qaulity
  • Image quality at 1080p, mulitple HDMI inputs, superb color depth and clarity and works great with my Sony PS3 (80G)
  • The picture is very vivid
  • The picture is very vivid, and no burn in what so ever and i've been careless once or twice
  • Nice Picture, Easy Setup
  • Picture quality, sound and features
  • Picture quality, sound, sleek design
  • Solid picture & easy set up
  • Great Picture, Easy to work with
  • great picture even with standard def DVD's
  • Easy to set up, great picture even with standard def DVD's
  • Picture Quality, Price, Black Levels, Brightness
  • Picture Quality, Smooth Motion, Accurate Color
  • Picture quality, input jacks, clarity
  • Picture is simply the best
  • Quality
  • Quality, picture, ease of use, race ready
  • Picture is great
  • We are amazed at how clear the picture is
  • Great picture presets
  • sharp,stunning picture
  • Great picture quality, easy to set up
  • Excellent picture, 3hdmi, deep blacks
  • Picture quality, weight, size, sound, looks, inputs
  • Awesome picture
  • Beautiful Picture, Easy Setup
  • Picture quality, ease of use, sound,Panasonic name
  • Picture quality, response time, black levels
  • Great HD picture!, Great for gaming
  • Amazing picture quality and great black levels
  • Pristine image
  • Superb picture quality, a lot of inputs and outputs, sturdy, good price
  • Fantastic picture, especially in HD
  • Picture perfect
  • Outstandind picture
  • Picture quality is awesome
  • The outstanding picture quality
  • The outstanding picture quality, deep blacks, & audio are unsurpassed
  • Superb picture on factory settings
  • I tried to make some adjustments just to see if I could improve the picture but settled back on the factory settings
  • picture quality, ease of setup, options
  • Great HD picture
  • Awesome picture quality
  • This TV creates the best picture I have ever seen
  • outstanding picture quality
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price

1.5

  • expensive
  • Price could be lower but for quality its worth it
  • if you can afford it
  • But the price was really good
  • lower price point
  • fair price considering the quality on offer
  • Great polished looks at a mid-range LCD Price
  • Beautiful picture, Great polished looks at a mid-range LCD Price
  • Price
  • Price, picture, appearance, ease of use
  • 100 hour break in, slight red push, lower price point
  • Great picture and Price
  • Great Price
  • Stunning Picture, Great Price, amazing TV
  • for the money is the best plasma on market
  • Best picture I've seen for a TV this size at this price range
  • Price was exactly what i wanted, not a huge TV, but big enough for me and my room
  • Great price given size, inputs, quality and features
  • Terrific picture, required virtually no adjustment to get good colors, great viewing angle, great price
  • Best HDTV for the price by far
  • There is not a better TV for this price available right now
  • Blue Ray player is a plus with the purchase
  • I couldn't beat the price of the TV or the player
  • Hands down the best price anywhere
  • Hands down the best price anywhere, shipped on time and was delivered 2 days prior to ETA
  • Runs so much cooler than my in-laws Pioneer Elite and pic quality is comparable.I shopped 4 years for this TV and have viewed literally hundreds - CAN NOT BEAT THIS VALUE PERIOD
  • Newegg sold this TV for a great price with no tax and free shipping
  • Great Picture, Great Price, even my girlfriend commented on how good it looked and she's never into new technology
  • can't beat the price at Newegg as usual
  • Easy setup, can't beat the price at Newegg as usual
  • But as usual no store locally could match the $1499.99 price (and free shipping to boot
  • No need to buy the expensive ones
  • price was really good
  • Easy set-up, price was really good, great picture, and lots of hook-ups
  • Great price, great picture
  • not too expensive
  • good PQ, not too expensive
  • good price
  • Excellent picture, versatile inputs, good price
  • I doubt any other mid-priced 46" can compete
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screen

5

  • Would like it if I could label the on screen video inputs instead of using the few preselected labels
  • G11 Progressive 1080p HD Plasma Display Panel
  • Almost perfect to CRT blacks and excellent for gaming
  • I'm using this as an all in one device
  • AIT was great, they came right during their window unlike many others I have seen
  • One of the best pictures I have ever seen on a flat panel display
 
  • HD 1080p is amazing on this HUGE display
  • sound for a flat screen
  • Picture, ease of use, sound for a flat screen, appearance, runs cool
  • Display is stunning
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sound

5

  • the sound is a little tinny but
  • sound is sorta thin
  • surround sound
  • Also, the speakers are kinda lame, but if u have surround sound there is no need for TV sound anyway
  • The image controls are adequate, and so its the sound, but I find myself yearning for more control
  • half-decent sound
  • Picture and sound
  • ok sound
  • sound
  • good sound (but I use a separate audio system
  • If you are really into quality sound you are going to need a surround sound system cuz this TV won't give you what you want as far as sound goes
  • I recommend investing in surround sound
  • if you can afford it, I recommend investing in surround sound
  • Surround sound with this TV will blow you away
  • Sound Could be Better
  • Sound sucks
  • Sound sucks, even from optical out
  • Sound could be louder
  • Sound is OK, maybe 3 or 4 stars, but could be better
  • The picture is amazing with my xbox360 pushing full 1080p and the sound is clear and loud enough to hear in my noisy house
  • Sound is very good considering how tiny the speakers are, but I image anyone in the market for a TV like this has some type of home theater
  • sound is great even from standard speakers
  • Fantastic picture, sound is great even from standard speakers
  • beyond extrodinary picture and sound
  • Great Picture, Sound
  • sound and features
  • Great picture, sound, and in/outputs
  • The sound is also excellent
  • Sound is what I think real good for a TV
  • sound quality
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black level

0.5

  • Black levels not up to Panasonic's usual standards
  • Not the luxurious black levels we've enjoyed from other Pana plasmas
  • Glossy black finish stays dirty
  • The black plastic frame shows finger prints and reflects room light
  • black still not as deep as Kuros
  • > Excellent blacks with no black level fluctuation in [Cinema
  • The Panasonic TH-46PZ85U can produce one of the deepest shades of black we've ever tested
  • Black levels
  • Black levels, clarity and showing motion
  • The black levels are sick
  • black still not as deep as Kuros, green ghosting affect
  • black picture - not the best or deepest (like my pioneer kuro 50HD80)
  • black levels and white levels
  • Sharpness, 3-dimensional quality to images, naturalness of colors, excellent brightness, black levels and white levels
  • nice black bevel
  • Great picture, nice black bevel, ok sound, lots of inputs, looks nice on wall
  • Amazing Black Levels
  • impressive black levels(simply the best)
  • black levels great
  • it looks amazing, black levels great, inputs great, super bright for a plasma
  • Great picture and black levels
  • The black levels are extremely deep
  • I read many reviews and this TV was at the top for black levels and picture without spending twice as much on a Pioneer
  • no motion blur, black levels, colors
  • Great black levels
  • Great black levels, great price
  • Excellent black levels and picture
  • Deep black levels
  • Deep black levels, Accurate color, Pristine image
  • Unbelievable black levels - on par with top rated Pioneer models
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menu

0.5

  • > No white balance control in user menu to calibrate greyscale
  • doesn't work as well as we'd like it to, > Cannot deinterlace film-based content properly, > No white balance control in user menu to calibrate greyscale
  • menu could be a bit better
  • hard to find hour life counter, menu could be a bit better
  • too much yellow and red but can easy tone down with picture settings
  • especially in HDTV and Blu Ray...Picture mode menu is nice feature
  • very easy menu system
  • Great picture, less glare than the samsung models, very easy menu system
  • a really nice menu and it looks beautiful
  • It has plenty of HDMI outputs, a really nice menu and it looks beautiful
  • Reds/yellows need to be tuned down for most channels
  • The menu
  • The menu, while being all I really need, leaves me wanting more
  • excellent menu options
  • Slim design, beautiful picture, great price,excellent menu options, auto screen shutoff, more
  • menu control options
  • hands down great picture
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build quality

5

  • Build
  • Build, finish and spec are all on the money
  • build, finish and specification are all on the money
  • The base stand that comes with the TV is sturdy but I chose to wall mount
  • sturdy
 

glare

5

  • You have to deal with some glare, but the amount was the same as the semi-matte Samsung LCD that I returned
  • lots of glare in the day
  • lots of glare in the day, heats up
  • No anti glare
  • Some glare if you have it in a room full of light
  • brilliant sound
  • less glare than the samsung models
  • brilliant colors
  • Gorgeous picture, brilliant colors, good sound (but I use a separate audio system
  • and the anti-glare screen is icing on the cake
 
  • This TV has a sharp picture, great colors, plenty of inputs for me, and the anti-glare screen is icing on the cake
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product quality

5

  • finish and spec are all on the money
  • finish and specification are all on the money
  • Finish
  • Blacks, Finish
 

resolution

5

  • Max Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • When hooking PC up to TV thru VGA could only get 1280X1024 max resolution but when using HDMI cable got full resolution 1920X1080
  • VGA resolution limited
  • Possible speaker issues, VGA resolution limited
  • > Full HD 1920x1080 native resolution delivers exquisite high-def detail
  • mode, > Full HD 1920x1080 native resolution delivers exquisite high-def detail, > Handles 1080p/24 video signal without telecine judder
  • 1080p resolution
  • great resolution
 

portability

0.5

  • can switch on to wap in your pocket
  • can switch on to wap in your pocket,freezing if worked to hard
  • But I am in a low light setting, watch movies a lot and play xbox360 games so I went with the Plasma
  • TV is heavy
  • It's a little heavy
  • weight
  • It's a little heavy, but not a detraction
  • sometimes glares if in a room with natural light
 
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size

1.5

  • occasionally some red colours look a little orange
  • Intelligent Frame Creation can cause artefacts if not used sparingly, occasionally some red colours look a little orange
  • bit big but ok
  • Base is too large
  • Base is too large, frame and base show fingerprints (especially with children)
  • large
  • Great picture and size of the money
  • Little to no ghosting or double-image while playing games and movies are SMOOTH
  • The size is perfect for our family room, not too big and not too small
  • He has a large room with lots of window and needed something very bright and non-reflective
  • green a little bright
  • draws a little more power than most TVs this size
  • Lacks some picture settings, draws a little more power than most TVs this size
  • it's too big and that is great
  • Little Reflection
  • Little Reflection, but after time you don't notice it
  • Skin tones could be a little more accurate
  • The stand is a little difficult to fit on the bottom.  Slightly akward
  • Set-Up is a little complicated
  • This TV has good size and has a great picture
  • Picture at any angle and any distance
  • size
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design

0.5

  • Boring design
  • Overall design won't work well in every home
  • and sleek styling
  • looks nice on wall
  • Looks Nice
  • it looks amazing
  • and the TV's configuration was very easy
 
  • Picture is very good, and the TV's configuration was very easy
  • Frame looks perfect
  • Football looks like your at the game
  • nice looking
  • Regular cable looks great
  • HD cable looks better than a DVD
  • Regular cable looks great, HD cable looks better than a DVD
  • the blacks are very dark without looking washed out
  • The image on the TV is very good, the blacks are very dark without looking washed out
  • Picture looks amazing
  • stylish appearance
  • After asking questions and really looking at the TV screens I was sure that 1080p plasma was the way to go and Panasonic was highly recommended also
  • I spent a month looking at and reading reviews on TV's and i have to say...i love this TV
  • Slim design
  • Simplistic design
  • Simplistic design, Stunning HD, Great picture presets
  • Standard Tv looks fine
  • looks great on the wall
  • Picture at any angle and any distance, Standard Tv looks fine, looks great on the wall
  • looks
  • Awesome picture, 3D reality, sounds, looks, Price, Slim Design
  • Excellent looking picture
  • Sleek design
  • solid styling
  • HD-DVD and Bluray looks amazing and pictures are super crisp
  • Even standard TV looks good
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battery

5

  • I have heard that it is necessary to "break-in" a plasma TV for 100-200 hours
  • Not at all convenient if you work normal hours
  • battery life ok if used properly
 

video

5

  • Overscan with 720p video sources
  • No 1080p input with VGA or component video ports
  • Not as many video ajstments
  • hdmi video connected to HDMI ports 1 or 2 freaked me out
  • Not sure if this is the case with all video cards/PC's
  • > Handles 1080p/24 video signal without telecine judder
  • With newer video cards (ATI 3870
  • With newer video cards (ATI 3870,4870
  • Two are on the back and the third one is on the left side of the TV so it is easy to get to (HDMI 3 is for video games
  • Video mode (HDMI 3
  • I need to adjust the color a little more using my DVD essentials video
  • The video inputs on the back of the TV will not work with video gaming systems
  • The video inputs on the back of the TV will not work with video gaming systems, ie PS2, Wii
  • PC video input not widescreen
  • 2 component video inputs
  • 1 S-video input
  • Huge, 50" screen, Great color, 30,000:1 Contrast Ratio, 3 HDMI inputs, 2 component video inputs, 1 S-video input
  • Fast response time for video gaming
  • loads of additional s-video
  • This T.v has Three HDMI inputs,loads of additional s-video, coaxal, and other necessary inputs
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