Costco: Panasonic TH-42PZ80U 42" 1080p Plasma $899

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chameleoneel

Supreme [H]ardness
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At Costco is the TH-C42FD18 for $850. vga input, no dynamic contrast for the "1,000,000:1" contrast ratio. native is 20,000:1 *see post directly after this for a proper link*

TH-42PZ80U at Amazon for $850. dynamic for "1,000,000:1" native is 20,000:1

TH-42PZ85U at Amazon for $950. dynamic for "1,000,000:1" native is 30,000:1

The TH-42PZ80U can be had for the same price at Newegg and Vanns.com. Though I think the shipping costs more. The TH-42PZ85U could probably be gotten for a similar price at those places as well, but I haven't checked.

These will kick ass vs. an LCD.
 
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GonzoP said:
This is so true, nice find.
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+1. costco's return policy is nuts.

I also agree that in general, plasmas eat LCDs for breakfast, lunch and dinner when it comes to TV's. Its funny how many people dont realize this.

This is a good deal.
 
i work for that number you see hanging in the stores :) i will be your tech/warranty support

we are in the US!!!! OMG (florida) ... i hear that about 100 times a day "omg thank god your in the us!"
 
The only bad thing about this deal is its one of the newer Panasonic models with that horrible anti-glare filter. My dad has a Panasonic from the gen prior and the colors look much better. That new filter just kills it.

That said, it's still a great deal for anyone interested.
 
Man we live in crazy times. A name brand 42" 1080p plasma for $900. I knew these prices would eventually get here, but never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate them dropping this fast! Good find, OP.
 
i feel oled comming around the corner... i bet next christmas youll start seeing the first 42" oleds... probably for $5k but they are looking like they really will be the best picture you can get....
 
visionviper said:
The only bad thing about this deal is its one of the newer Panasonic models with that horrible anti-glare filter. My dad has a Panasonic from the gen prior and the colors look much better. That new filter just kills it.
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I would suggest anyone interested go take a look and judge for themselves. I have a Panasonic TH-42PZ77U (42 inch 1080p) that I purchased last year. I believe this is the first gen using an anti-glare filter.

If you ever watch tv during daytime hours (are you ready for some football?) and have windows/sunlight anywhere near the tv you might just want an anti-glare filter. Personally, I find glare very distracting and I am sooo glad I have the anti-glare model.
 
how is plasma compared to lcd compared to dlp compared to rear projection?

Are certain types better for DVD watching, video gaming, etc?
 
Hulk said:
how is plasma compared to lcd compared to dlp compared to rear projection?

Are certain types better for DVD watching, video gaming, etc?
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Def go check it out if youre considering it, all the burn in stuff people use to be paranoid over are basically non existent now. I picked a previous gen panasonic plasma up and fell asleep with it on sitting at a dvd menu and woke up 6 hours later and had image retention that fixed itself after about 3 minutes of watching tv the next day, but no longer burn in issues.

Also as far as quality plasma has it all over LCD, I cant express how much happier I am with this panel than the 50" Sony LCD we have downstairs. The blacks are truely black, and the colors in general are gorgeous in comparison. Games work great too I actually have my PS3 and 360 setup on my plasma just because I cant get near the downstairs tv and I love it. No burn in issues whatsoever and Ive had it about a year now. Check it out if youre even considering it, I can pretty much guarnatee youll be happy with it, lifespan has increased greatly on plasma's as well if im not mistaken.
 
For those just saying that Plasmas are better than LCDs, you have to compare models and usages.

In the cheaper plasmas, I MUCH preferred a good LCDs picture. Also it depends on your environment, I have a brighter viewing area where plasmas look muted and faint.

My Samsung LN46A550 LCD kicks ass compared to many of the plasmas out there and has a beautiful picture.
 
TVs are dropping like rocks. The market is flooded and people are starting to cut back on large purchases like electronics.
 
DPGX said:
Def go check it out if youre considering it, all the burn in stuff people use to be paranoid over are basically non existant now. I picked a previous gen panasonic plasma up and fell asleep with it on sitting at a dvd menu and woke up 6 hours later and had image retention that fixed itself after about 3 minutes of watching tv the next day, but no longer burn in issues.

Also as far as quality plasma has it all over LCD, I cant express how much happier I am with this panel than the 50" Sony LCD we have downstairs. The blacks are truely black, and the colors in general are gorgeous in comparison. Games work great too I actually have my PS3 and 360 setup on my plasma just because I cant get near the downstairs tv and I love it. No burn in issues whatsoever and Ive had it about a year now. Check it out if youre even considering it, I can pretty much guarnatee youll be happy with it, lifespan has increased greatly on plasma's as well if im not mistaken.
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I've had a similar experience leaving my plasma on all night with a static picture.
After watching TV the image retention was gone.
I have almost the same TV as the OP posted, its the european version (42PZ80B) without anti glare.
Agreed about the quality, an awesome TV !!
5 months in and zero issues using it on PC for 8hrs, TV/Video 8hrs a day.

Plasma cell half life of modern plasmas is 60,000 to 100,000hrs, better than a CRT!
http://www.repairfaq.org/sam/crtfaq.htm
"The brightness half-life of a CRT is usually about 10-15 K hours of on time independent of what is being displayed on the screen. "
 
Grentz said:
For those just saying that Plasmas are better than LCDs, you have to compare models and usages.

In the cheaper plasmas, I MUCH preferred a good LCDs picture. Also it depends on your environment, I have a brighter viewing area where plasmas look muted and faint.

My Samsung LN46A550 LCD kicks ass compared to many of the plasmas out there and has a beautiful picture.
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However this plasma is made by panasonic and if Im not mistaken they are currently the industry leaders in quality plasma's. I believe Pioneer started using them actually?

Anyways Panasonic plasma's kick ass, thats all I really have to say from my own experience, Im not comparing it to a cheap LCD by any means either, I had a 32" Samsung panel upstairs prior to this and its a good step up from what that was, and the Samsung was a nice panel. LCD's have come a long way but Panasonic Plasma's are gorgeous.
 
DPGX said:
Def go check it out if youre considering it, all the burn in stuff people use to be paranoid over are basically non existant now. I picked a previous gen panasonic plasma up and fell asleep with it on sitting at a dvd menu and woke up 6 hours later and had image retention that fixed itself after about 3 minutes of watching tv the next day, but no longer burn in issues.
Click to expand...

That's impressive, but I've seen burn-in in albeit cheap LCDs and I worry about burn-in on a new shiny plasma. I've also fallen asleep in front my TV :D

I'm definitely tempted, but what about 120Hz? Is this feature worth it?
 
hardware_failure said:
+1. costco's return policy is nuts.

I also agree that in general, plasmas eat LCDs for breakfast, lunch and dinner when it comes to TV's. Its funny how many people dont realize this.

This is a good deal.
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People see this when the price is in their salary range. Then their vision magically clears. ;)

DPGX said:
However this plasma is made by panasonic and if Im not mistaken they are currently the industry leaders in quality plasma's. I believe Pioneer started using them actually?

Anyways Panasonic plasma's kick ass, thats all I really have to say from my own experience, Im not comparing it to a cheap LCD by any means either, I had a 32" Samsung panel upstairs prior to this and its a good step up from what that was, and the Samsung was a nice panel. LCD's have come a long way but Panasonic Plasma's are gorgeous.
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Pioneer is the industry leader in quality, but I would say Panasonic's latest is a very close rival. I think Sharp was going to be the manufacturer of future Pioneers.
 
KENNYB said:
...I'm definitely tempted, but what about 120Hz? Is this feature worth it?
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120Hz is an internal feature, this TV will not take a 120Hz signal.
It is used to make watching video smoother.

The very latest TVs have true 120Hz but they cost quite a lot more.
If you are a hardcore FPS gamer (aka twitch shooter), true 120Hz on a large TV will make you dribble but you need some serious hardware to get that on many modern games unless you drop the quality a lot.
Its good for things like turning round fast and not missing a distant attacker because the frame was missing.
You dont miss as much.
 
As I understand it, the 120Hz feature relates to LCDs, not plasma. Older LCDs ran at 60Hz. One of the common complains with these was something called "motion blur". Fast action, such as ball movement in sports, would look blurred or it might appear as the ball showed up on the screen several times. Some people notice it, other don't. To combat this issue, LCD manufacturers introduced models running at 120 Hz. That should help, but I have heard some people claim it does not completely resolve the issue.


If you want to research TVs, I suggest browsing these forums http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/. There is alot of info there and no shortage of opinions :)
 
Grentz said:
For those just saying that Plasmas are better than LCDs, you have to compare models and usages.

In the cheaper plasmas, I MUCH preferred a good LCDs picture. Also it depends on your environment, I have a brighter viewing area where plasmas look muted and faint.

My Samsung LN46A550 LCD kicks ass compared to many of the plasmas out there and has a beautiful picture.
Click to expand...

This is no cheap model. This is one of Panasonic's higher 42 inch models. Panasonic is only second to Pioneer and their Kuro line of plasmas (Kuro is a Japanese word for black. fitting name ;)).

I really don't need this TV, but gawd do I want it. I've got Panasonic's best LCD from 2007, but the temptation of this is hard to ignore...
 
I bought this TV 2 days ago at Circuit City. I got it down to $929 before tax with a 7% discount code.
I am pleased with it.
I am currently running the break-in slideshow.
 
chameleoneel said:
This is no cheap model. This is one of Panasonic's higher 42 inch models. Panasonic is only second to Pioneer and their Kuro line of plasmas (Kuro is a Japanese word for black. fitting name ;)).

I really don't need this TV, but gawd do I want it. I've got Panasonic's best LCD from 2007, but the temptation of this is hard to ignore...
Click to expand...

Kuro's are gorgeous. But considering you can get 2 Panasonics with BluRay players for the same $$ as one Kuro its an easy sell for Panasonic
 
[H]ocusPocus;1033254287 said:
As I understand it, the 120Hz feature relates to LCDs, not plasma. Older LCDs ran at 60Hz. One of the common complains with these was something called "motion blur". Fast action, such as ball movement in sports, would look blurred or it might appear as the ball showed up on the screen several times. Some people notice it, other don't. To combat this issue, LCD manufacturers introduced models running at 120 Hz. That should help, but I have heard some people claim it does not completely resolve the issue.


If you want to research TVs, I suggest browsing these forums http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/. There is alot of info there and no shortage of opinions :)
Click to expand...

That's not actually the problem - 120Hz LCDs were introduced because 24p, 30p and 60p all divide evenly into 120 (5:5 pull down, 4:4 and 2:2). With a 60Hz panel 24p need 3:2 pull down and some people notice a kind of skipping effect because some frames are repeated more than others (this is generally only noticeable on sweeping pans). The triple ball problem you are talking about is actually more of an issue with 120Hz TVs because most have an internal processor that tries to interpolate inbetween frames rather than just repeating the same one 4 times in a row for a 30p source. The problem with this is that they are just guessing so sometimes you get artifacts like extra balls. Blurring and ghosting are not really related to how the processor deals with incoming data that doesn't match the refresh rate of the panel. Plasmas can have the same problem if the processor has the same issues. The reason that no one ever really talks about 120Hz plasma is that most have much higher subfield drives (I believe the Panasonic in this thread has a 480Hz subfield drive) and can accept a variety of input signals and convert them into the proper output for the panel.
 
Just some info: This year's Pioneers are manufactured by Pioneer. Next year they will be using Panny glass, but will use Pioneer electronics.

From what I've seen (8th gen 60" Kuro downstairs and a 46" 85Z Panny upstairs) the Pioneers are incredible, but the Panny is a very good TV and at 900 bux, you really can't beat this with a stick.





 
SatTech said:
Just some info: This year's Pioneers are manufactured by Pioneer. Next year they will be using Panny glass, but will use Pioneer electronics.

From what I've seen (8th gen 60" Kuro downstairs and a 46" 85Z Panny upstairs) the Pioneers are incredible, but the Panny is a very good TV and at 900 bux, you really can't beat this with a stick.





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Yeah its like comparing a Lambo and a Nissan GTR. Pretty dam close and then you look at the price tag
 
GonzoP said:
That's right Panasonic is 480Hz
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So this is x8 as good as a 60Hz LCD :)

I'm tempted, but the television is saying how we are going into a recession and how cats and dogs will be doing it in the streets. Maybe it isn't a good time to buy a TV, but I'm definitely tempted.

The only knock I see is the TV not accepted a 1080p source via VGA, only HDMI. Any other problems?
 
KENNYB said:
So this is x8 as good as a 60Hz LCD :)

I'm tempted, but the television is saying how we are going into a recession and how cats and dogs will be doing it in the streets. Maybe it isn't a good time to buy a TV, but I'm definitely tempted.

The only knock I see is the TV not accepted a 1080p source via VGA, only HDMI. Any other problems?
Click to expand...

The 480Hz refers to the 480Hz subfield drive, not the refresh rate.
See post #25 for a better description.

I am not aware of any issues not already brought up in this thread.
 
Nenu said:
The 480Hz refers to the 480Hz subfield drive, not the refresh rate.
See post #25 for a better description.

I am not aware of any issues not already brought up in this thread.
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Yeah I know about the subfield. I saw a similar model today at a local Costco. I think this thread's title is wrong. Looking on Panasonic's website this model is a TH-C42FD18.
 
This tv's picture quality will beat most LCDs. Simple as that. Go ahead and say it runs a little hotter and use more electricity then lcds but those aren't a factor for me. Picture quality is everything when watching tv and movies. This is a great price. I myself got this for around $750 after tax from CC and love it.
 
Does anyone know Costco's return policy for monitors? I know their TV's have a 90 day return window, but this is a monitor so not quite a TV set. Thanks
 
KENNYB said:
Yeah I know about the subfield. I saw a similar model today at a local Costco. I think this thread's title is wrong. Looking on Panasonic's website this model is a TH-C42FD18.
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Ahh, yes you are right. Their specs are very very similar and I didn't pick up on it. My original post is now changed and so is the title.
 
I saw a 50 inch version of this TV today and I was supremely tempted to buy one on the spot. I didn't buy it because I couldn't fit it into my car. When I got home I read additional reviews and saw videos on youtube showing the green ghost issue. I know it's intrinsic to plasma TVs, but since this TV will also see a lot of PS3 and 360 action, how bad is this problem on the Panny's?
 
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