Just curious, has anyone seen the operator manual for the 50PX50?

The 42PD50 has been out a while now, and . . .

Originally posted by iBleedGarnet
Can someone tell me what exactly a QAM tuner does? Thanks.

The ATSC digital television standard specifies different modulations, one for broadcast over-the-air (OTA, technically called VSB) and one for cable (QAM). (There might be a third for satellite, don't remember for sure.)

So a QAM tuner can receive HD and SD digital video over cable. Most digital cable signals are encrypted, however, so you would need a CableCard or a set-top box to decrypt them. Exceptions are so-called "clear QAM" signals, typically local stations, that can be received by a QAM tuner (like the one in the PD50) directly.

There's a lot of info at www.atsc.org about this if you're technically inclined and enjoy reading standards documents.

Originally posted by yobob


Yesterday, that would be Wednesday? Figures! :rolleyes: BTW, was this the Broadway BB or the northwest store?[/B]The NW store. Sorry about that!
Another ONE on Friday? Like as in ONE?????? :mad: I didn't mean they would have another one on Friday. Only that I could have ordered one in the box from the warehouse and got it by Friday. I just think they will order one on their own for display.
Note that the 25u display model at Sears (NW store) gets discounted on Friday. If you are interested - ask for 15% off of that price. That's what they offered me. It comes to about the same price as the 50u (if you don't have a 10% off coupon like I had :D).

Local CC in Philadelphia area has the 42PD50U in-store.

[MSRP ONLY]

Panasonic TH-42PD50U or TH-42PWD7UY?
First post here. Everyone's knowledge has been a big help and I have enjoyed reading everything for the past few weeks. I am ready to buy a plasma and want to tap into everyone's knowledge to make sure I am not missing something. TH-42PD50U or TH-42PWD7UY? I like the looks of the 7UY better but it seems to need a lot of extra stuff to meet my needs since it is just a monitor. My needs are some sort of speakers to use when the home theater system is not on, a table top stand, OTA HD tuner and enough inputs for satellite, DVD and Playstation at the best quality possible. Am I correct to believe that the TH-42PD50U will be the better value and have simpler setup? Will picture quality be similiar between the two? Am I forgetting to look at anything else? Visual Apex has a great price for the TH-42PWD7UY and stand but of course I will need a few more things. Vanns.com has the TH-42PD50U and they even said they will match their price from last weekend ($100 less) plus they have free shipping. Any of your opinions and suggestions would be most appreciated.

The PQ should be the same on either, given that either would be driven with comparable inputs.

If you want the tuner, stand, and speakers go with the PD50. There have been several posts here by people who have priced the "extras" that take the price up to, or beyond, that of the consumer model.

BTW, there is a post higher up from a disgruntled Vanns shopper. Read before you buy.

And the PD50U is ED while the PHD7UY is high def...

Originally posted by Hagendos
And the PD50U is ED while the PHD7UY is high def...

good catch. I did intend to type PWD7UY so I went ahead and edited my post.

another question. Can I simply hook up some basic speakers to the PWD7UY and control the volume throught the tv remote? Dish has hinted to me that I may qualify for a HD DVR and Tuner upgrade in October so I may hold out for HD until then so I wont need a tuner now. If I can do speakers and have enough quality inputs on the PWD7UY I may go with that. Plese help an amateur out here and let me know if I am missing any aspect of all of this.

Originally posted by PSchoolen
Can I simply hook up some basic speakers to the PWD7UY and control the volume throught the tv remote? Yes. It has a pair of 8w audio amplifiers built in.

Originally posted by Carey P
Yes. It has a pair of 8w audio amplifiers built in.

Just be sure your speakers are efficient.

8w isn't much, but you should be able to find some that will get you by. Exceptions abound, but as a general working rule of thumb, cheaper speakers without a lot of bass are the most likely to match up well with a low power amp like this.

Panasonic makes some specifically for the 7UYs, but they are a bit pricey for what they are.

Originally posted by PSchoolen
good catch. I did intend to type PWD7UY so I went ahead and edited my post.

another question. Can I simply hook up some basic speakers to the PWD7UY and control the volume throught the tv remote? Dish has hinted to me that I may qualify for a HD DVR and Tuner upgrade in October so I may hold out for HD until then so I wont need a tuner now. If I can do speakers and have enough quality inputs on the PWD7UY I may go with that. Plese help an amateur out here and let me know if I am missing any aspect of all of this.

I was recently in the same predicament as you and I chose the PWD7UY. If you are looking for speakers to hook up to they PWD7UY you might want to check out some of the Logitech computer speakers like the X-530's, X-620's, Z-640's (used) because the satellites are 7.4 watts and THX certified. Even though you can't use the whole 5.1 setup they are cheap, small and sound good.

Also, Newegg has a great deal on the PWD7UY with $.99 FedEx shipping. Good luck!

If the specs that I have read for the PD50 are correct, it has greater color depth and double the grayscale steps of the PWD7 ... and it has the sub-pixel control feature which supposedly smooths out the jaggies and reduces SDE ... How then, yobob, could the performance be "the same with either"??? People who have compared the PD50 directly with the PD25 are saying that the colors are much improved on the 50, and the PWD7 from what I have been able to tell is closer to the 25 in specification than to the 50. I posted the same question that PSchoolen asked on the FAQ thread but have not seen any responses yet. Apparently noone has had the opportunity to view the PD50 and the PWD7 side by each...sure hope I'm wrong and that several will tell me so !!!

Originally posted by tomboyter
If the specs that I have read for the PD50 are correct, it has greater color depth and double the grayscale steps of the PWD7 ... and it has the sub-pixel control feature which supposedly smooths out the jaggies and reduces SDE ... How then, yobob, could the performance be "the same with either"??? People who have compared the PD50 directly with the PD25 are saying that the colors are much improved on the 50, and the PWD7 from what I have been able to tell is closer to the 25 in specification than to the 50. I posted the same question that PSchoolen asked on the FAQ thread but have not seen any responses yet. Apparently noone has had the opportunity to view the PD50 and the PWD7 side by each...sure hope I'm wrong and that several will tell me so !!! I believe all of your assumptions are correct. Panasonic asserts improvements have been made to the glass & electronics of the 50U series PDPs.

"The new line builds upon the superior quality and reputation Panasonic has established in the flat-panel display arena with technologies such as sub-pixel control, which individually addresses the red, green and blue charges within one pixel, resulting in a 30% increase in horizontal resolution over previous models. The new panels are capable of reproducing a maximum of 8.6 billion colors, with thousands of gradations within the red, green and blue spectra, and the highest contrast ratio in the industry, to render an incredibly vivid picture with enhanced detail in dark scenes. Further advancements have been made in optimizing color purity with 3D color processing, and in ensuring outstanding picture quality in a wide range of ambient lighting conditions."

If true, we should anticipate these 8th generation displays will render a better picture than their 7th generation predecessors.

I think we get way to technical on this stuff sometimes (myself included). I almost decided to cancel my 50u when this forum was speculating as to whether or not the new EDTV had sub-pixel control. I decided to stick with the my pre-order and I have been thoroughly impressed with the unit (esp PQ).

A story to support my thoughts:
My Father in-law was in town this weekend (helping me run wires) and when I turned on the TV for him he just stared for about 30 seconds then he stepped back as if in disbelief. I proceeded to explained to him that this is an EDTV and that depending on who you talk to, that it doesn't deserve to be called HD. His response to that was "I don't know how you can get much better than that."

Of course this is the first time he has seen an improved definition TV in a home environment, but it still makes you wonder if we don't get too consumed with pixel peeping.

...makes you wonder if we don't get too consumed with pixel peeping.

As they liked to say in the 60's, right on! :)

Originally posted by tomboyter
If the specs that I have read for the PD50 are correct, it has greater color depth and double the grayscale steps of the PWD7 ... and it has the sub-pixel control feature which supposedly smooths out the jaggies and reduces SDE ... How then, yobob, could the performance be "the same with either"??? People who have compared the PD50 directly with the PD25 are saying that the colors are much improved on the 50, and the PWD7 from what I have been able to tell is closer to the 25 in specification than to the 50. I posted the same question that PSchoolen asked on the FAQ thread but have not seen any responses yet. Apparently noone has had the opportunity to view the PD50 and the PWD7 side by each...sure hope I'm wrong and that several will tell me so !!!

Subjective call.

First, the PD25 is a 6th generation panel. We still don't know for sure if the PD50 (ED) is truly 8th (as in the PX50 HDs), or merely 7th, as in the 7UY. If it turns out to be 7th, as many have speculated, the PQ difference will probably not be discernable. I, for one, hope it IS 8th!

So the PD50 PQ "should" be better than the PD25, as has been reported, but until we see the PD50 side-by-side with the WD7UY, as you said, we won't know for sure.

Maybe I should have said "similar" instead. :)

Originally posted by yobob
Subjective call.

First, the PD25 is a 6th generation panel. We still don't know for sure if the PD50 (ED) is truly 8th (as in the PX50 HDs), or merely 7th, as in the 7UY. If it turns out to be 7th, as many have speculated, the PQ difference will probably not be discernable. I, for one, hope it IS 8th!

So the PD50 PQ "should" be better than the PD25, as has been reported, but until we see the PD50 side-by-side with the WD7UY, as you said, we won't know for sure.

Maybe I should have said "similar" instead. :) Not that Best Buy can be considered the authoritative source... but these features they list on their web site for the TH-42PD50U indicate it is an 8th generation panel:

Mach Band Effect enhancer intensifies brightness, creating a sharper, more vivid picture

2,048 shades of gradation minimize the false contouring artifact, so colors appear smooth and natural; displays more than 8 billion colors

Motion-adaptive 3D Y/C digital comb filter delivers state-of-the-art detail and color enhancement

Other image enhancement technologies include video noise reduction, 3D color management, sub-pixel control and motion-pattern noise reduction

Originally posted by optivity
Not that Best Buy can be considered the authoritative source... but these features they list on their web site for the TH-42PD50U indicate it is an 8th generation panel:


Hi Op,

I noticed the BB website the other day myself, and it does make me hopeful. But what makes me a little bit skeptical still is that it doesn't entirely track with some of the past posts quoting Panasonic reps who stated that the PD50 does not have all this new stuff.

BTW, I just now checked the Pany site to see if they have posted any of the 50s sets. Nada. :rolleyes:

The early reports by the new owners makes me think (hope) those Pany reps were just not properly informed. When Pany finally posts the product literature on their site I will feel a lot more confident. And if I can ever get my eyeballs on one myself I will know for certain. I think.

Originally posted by yobob
I noticed the BB website the other day myself, and it does make me hopeful. But what makes me a little bit skeptical still is that it doesn't entirely track with some of the past posts quoting Panasonic reps who stated that the PD50 does not have all this new stuff.
think.

Well, several bits of circumstantial evidence, if not proof:

I don't think BB makes this stuff up, so presumably they have some Panasonic sales sheet
that says this.

The European analog version of the 50 (TH-42PA50E) is stated to be an 8G panel with sub-pixel controller (see http://www.produkte.panasonic.de -- you don't have to speak German, just plasma :-) (And it comes with a black bezel that many people would probably like better than the all-silver PD50U :-)

I've got a PD50 and there's definitely something going on at the color cell level if you look at white text on a black background. I could believe it's subpixel control. And I have yet to see any sign of posterization, so the number of gray levels is sufficient, even it it's not 2048.

I like it! :cool: And I AM hopeful.

FWIW, I referenced the German website when I e-mailed Panasonic several weeks ago asking them why I could buy a new 37" ED if I lived in Germany, but not if I live here.

I've gotten several automated replies since, all saying that they're working on an answer, but still nothing from a real person. If it ever comes, it will be interesting to learn what their logic is. If they're going to the trouble to manufacture them at all, why not make them available here as well. (Down from my soapbox)

BTW, it's the posts from new owners like you that make me most encouraged.

Still hoping beyond hope that we get the PA50s here in Canada, especially the 37. In the past we've gotten the NTSC-only variants, like the 42PA20, so I think there's just a chance. Also, I think the silver PD50 is an attempt to boost sales of the HD models, now that they're more affordable in the states; in Canada, though, the HDs are still well out of reach of the 'core demographic', so I'm hopeful they'll still be pushing the EDs.

Just my pipe dream... and wouldn't help you much, yobob, unless you're up for a visit.

I have purchased a 42PD25 from CC on March 14. I like the looks and the picture quality at present. I got to see the PD50 in BB today.

Now I am in a dilemma- whether to return the PD25 and get the PD50 before the 30 day period. Both me and my wife like the looks of the PD 25 but if I return it I will save $ 500 !


So my question for the owners of the PD50 is this- Have any of you been able to compare it directly to the PD25 after calibration. I will go ahead and buy the PD50 and return the PD25 if the image quality is better especially with SD.

Could the owners specifically comment on
1 red push orgreen push
2 green tint of shadows
3 jaggies with standard definition analog signals
4 Please also let me know if you see any banding on the horizontal grey ramp in the AVIA calibration disc - I did see some false contouring on a PBS HD program in the store- but again the set was poorly set up with a slight green tinge.

Thank you all for your input

Ram

Originally posted by NikeMan
Hi all,

I sent a message to a person I know at Comcast, they forwarded my question to a tech person there. They replied, "We encrypt all our digital channels"

They said it takes a set-top box or cable-card to get the digital channels. I doubt they would encrypt the digital channels here in Portland, OR but not in other regions.

Of course I saw the post today from david8613 that said he can pickup the digital channels without a cable-card so it is still very confusing

It is pretty funny. We have Comcast here in Denver and their own training manuals claim you have to subscribe to digital cable to get any HD. One of their trainers was in our store last week and reiterated this. I have the most basic cable package and I get all of the locals in HD with my Sony set with QAM tuner. What is unfortunate is that we have to train the public on this. When they call Comcast they get incorrect information. Lew

Originally posted by Lew Black
What is unfortunate is that we have to train the public on this. When they call Comcast they get incorrect information. Lew More like they get disinformation. There is no incentive for a cable provider to inform an existing or potential customer about programming they can get for "free!":rolleyes:

Why would they release a 37"500 in germany but not in the USA? Also are those models out already there? I hope the picture is better the 42"ph7uy! Thats my dilemma. I have 40.2" space available. Do you think QAM tuner would pick HD through a DishNet digital box without pay there ridiculous fee of $15.

One more Question? Is it just the panasonic's that are not able to control the aspect ratio of HD.

Looks like there is a new Panasonic web page for the 42PD50U. Do a search at the Panasonic site, and you'll find a page. I can't post a direct link, not enough posts.

At first glance, I don't see anything surprising. QAM is listed, but no CableCard, PIP, or SD slot.

OK, now I can post the link. (http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=89237&catGroupId=24973&displayTab=S&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfModel=TH-42PD50U&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs)

Can an owner post the true dimensions of the 42PD50. Some places have it at 46", some 42"


Thanks
JT

Panasonic site is down again. I guess they're doing more updates.

Are Direct TV users connecting via HDMI or Component and r u seeing a big difference in SD and HD by using HDMI...I'm a newbie so I hope I am making sense..Sometimes reading this forum can give you a headache ( in a good way) as there is so much info to digest.

FROM PANASONIC WEB SITE - TH-42PD50U:


Diagonal Screen Size (inches) 42

Aspect Ratio 16:9 (Widescreen)

HDTV Compatibility 480p (EDTV)

Tuners NTSC (Standard analog broadcasts)
ATSC/QAM (SDTV and HDTV broadcasts)

CableCARD Ready No

Native Resolution (Number of Pixels) 852 x 480

HDMI-HDCP Interface Yes

Photo Viewer No

Contrast Ratio Up to 4000:1

Mach Band Effect Enhancer Yes

On-Screen Display Languages English/Spanish/French

Pedestal Stand Included

Composite Video Output 1 rear output

Component Video Input [Y, PB(CB), PR(CR)] 2 rear inputs

Speakers 2 (16W, 6 ohms, 105Hz - 20kHz, 10% THD)

Pixel Pitch (H x V) 1.08 x 1.08 mm

Audio Input (for Component Video) 2

Surround Sound Yes

2-Tuner Picture-In-Picture No

P-I-P Scalable Size No

V-Chip Program Lockout Yes

Timers - Sleep/On/Off Yes

Built-In Closed Caption Decoder Yes

Dimensions (H x W x D) 27.5'' x 41.8'' x 3.8''

Weight 72.8 lbs


ALSO - TH-42PX50U:

TH-42PX50U 42" diagonal HDTV 720p Plasma TV ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners; 720p/1080i/480p/480i video in; CableCARD(TM) slot; 16:9 screen; contrast ratio up to 3000:1; HDMI, optical digital audio out; The Director Lighted Disc Home Theater remote.

Does anyone know if it is possible to add a small subwoofer to augment the sound of the built-in speakers of the PD50U? I have a bedroom application and would like to use the onboard speakers most of the time just to simplify matters for the Precious One, but I have a set of computer speakers of the 2.1 variety and would like to add the low end if there is a way ..... is there?

For those who have been trying to ascertain the differences between the 25U and the 50U, it is now possible to compare the feature set side by side on the Panasonic website. (Sort of. For some reason N/A is shown for a number of 25U features, though anyone who knows this set can fill in the blanks for themselves.)

The most frequently asked question which had not been previously addressed officially has now been answered: Panasonic says the 50U has an 8th generation panel.

Edit: Here's the link:

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelComparisonResults?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&catGroupId=24973&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs&items=70173|89237|

It is intersting to note that on the features overview for the 42pd50u that panasonic has erroneously posted the unit as having cable card and sd card capability. Kinda makes one wonder how accurate other information is?

So about how long does it usually take for industrial models to show up after the consumer ones? I really want to see if the half-life is still 60,000 or if it has improved any. 60,000 is enough, but more is always better.

Originally posted by rbrand
It is intersting to note that on the features overview for the 42pd50u that panasonic has erroneously posted the unit as having cable card and sd card capability. Kinda makes one wonder how accurate other information is?

They don't on the comparison link cited above.

Does 8th-generation imply sub-pixel control? Interesting that that hasn't yet been explicitly mentioned in any of the PD50 literature, unless I missed it. Given that they touted that as a 30% increase in resolution, you'd think they'd hype it if it was on the panel.

Originally posted by rbrand
It is intersting to note that on the features overview for the 42pd50u that panasonic has erroneously posted the unit as having cable card and sd card capability. Kinda makes one wonder how accurate other information is?

The Overview seems to be a general writup about all of the new plasmas. Some features may not apply to all models.

I also noticed that the power consumption is rated for 290W (the same as the 7UY). I thought it was confirmed to be 385W from the rear of the 42PD50.

Originally posted by PerryU
Does 8th-generation imply sub-pixel control? Interesting that that hasn't yet been explicitly mentioned in any of the PD50 literature, unless I missed it. Given that they touted that as a 30% increase in resolution, you'd think they'd hype it if it was on the panel.

Sub-pixel control is selectable on the Onyx. No such control is shown in the PD50U manual. I'd guess from that it isn't there. I also agree they'd hype it if it were.

Maybe the technology doesn't work on ED for some reason. More likely, its a marketing decision. If sub-pixel control actually does increase apparent resolution by 30%, horizontal resolution on an ED would be equivalent to 1108 pixels, or more than the 1024 pixels currently used on existing 42" HD plasmas.

At a time when they are trying to create more reasons for people to step up to the more profitable HD sets, blurring the distinction between the two would seem counterproductive.

Good points, Macfan... I really think you're right about the marketing optics.

Originally posted by hoodlum
I also noticed that the power consumption is rated for 290W (the same as the 7UY). I thought it was confirmed to be 385W from the rear of the 42PD50. It is 390W as stated on the back panel. Lets remember that the manual is posted on line for all to see. ;)

I decided to compare the power requirement for all of the 42" commercial and consumer displays. (these came from the operating manuals)

42PWD6UY 395W
42PWD7UY 290W

42PD25UP 395W
42PD50U 390W

42PX25UP 445W
42XVS30UP 357W

You can see that going from the 6th generation to the 7th generation panel showed a significant decrease in the power requirements for both the commercial ED and the consumer HD (Onyx used for comparison as PX50 specs not available). The ED panel is not using a new glass otherwise we would have seen a similar drop in the power requirements. It looks to me that the PD50 is still using the either 6th generation glass or 6th generation electronics as I am not sure if the power saving came from the glass change or the electronics change. Either way the 7UY ED display seems to be the better choice as it didn't carry over as much from the 6th generation display

Hoodlum, what you say would seem to make sense, with it being assumed that 6th gen. glass was used with "8th gen electronics." This would account for lower power w/o the cable card, and other changes such as sub-pixel control would seem to be elctronics changes. However, do you really think panasonic would feel comfortable labeling the pd50 as an 8th gen panel just based on new electronics?

Originally posted by hoodlum
...The ED panel is not using a new glass otherwise we would have seen a similar drop in the power requirements. It looks to me that the PD50 is still using the either 6th generation glass or 6th generation electronics as I am not sure if the power saving came from the glass change or the electronics change. Either way the 7UY ED display seems to be the better choice as it didn't carry over as much from the 6th generation display Not sure this deduction is entirely true. For example, the 7UY in general, has less consumer add-ons like the tuners and speakers (assumed to be running I'm sure in the PD50u). The most interesting thing is only a 5W difference between the 25u and 50u (no cable card or extra tuner?). If the glass makes a difference, there appears to be none between these models. I still say the picture looks better on the 50u for whatever reason. Though I had not seen them side by side, I spent much time with the 25u before I bought the 50u.

I understand questioning the glass generation based on the power consumption remaining unchaged. But, do the additional specs on the pd50 television compared to the 7y justify additional power consumption. For instance, more colors, wider gray scale. Just asking.

The Power Requirement dropped 105W from the 6uy to the 7uy and they had the same add-ons. We should have seen a similar drop with the PD50.

There was also a 90W drop from the PX25 to the Onyx with similar add-ons. Based on the Onyx, it looks like the 42PX50U will require less power than the 42PD50 which is the reverse of what should be happening since more pixels require more power.

The GSP Mall BB has on on display and it does look better than most plasmas in there.

I compared the PQ to the Sony HD 34" XBR CRT on the opposite side and to the Pio HD 5041? about 2 panels away (all in the same isle playing same loop).

Everything else equal and taking into account the non-perfect setup and lighting conditions, I was surprised by the vibrant colors and sharp contrast.
Definitely a WOW factor for an ED panel. The blacks were jet black, equal to the CRT and obviously darker than the Pio.
The Panny did not look at all washed out in the very lit isle and had an equal life like feel to the Pio (the Sony CRT lacked punch and depth).
SDE noticeable at about 7 feet (squinting hard and looking for it on bright background) and evident at 5. Panel looked like it was in torch mode (so were all the others).

The silver bezel is not reflective shiny but more like matted plastic silver (poor description, you have to see it to understand) and don't care for it. I thought the speaker under the screen gave it a balanced feel and will make it easy to fit in many entertainment centers.
No remote around so no comment.

FWIW, all the other ED and HD plasmas in the isle (LG, Sony, Phillips, Maxtent? and Pio) had poor PQ which made the ED Panny stand out even more.... I can assume only that it is done on purpose by management to push the new Panny.
I also asked the 3 floor guys some knowledge probing questions which quickly revealed they should be selling pizza instead of plasmas.

Since I am in the market for a 50", can't wait to see what the 50 HD model will look like when it comes out but boy was I tempted to buy this one on the spot (and it is priced to outsell all others).

IMHO don't buy anything in the 42" size until you see it.

Gman

Well, let me start by saying I am a proud owner of a 50u, so I am biased (of course). Anyway, there has always been alot of discussion about what generation this panel is. I was crazy-concerned about it because I had it on pre-order site-unseen, but then I got to see the unit one day before delivery. For me, the bottom line is that the 50u's picture is great (I am using tame words compared to what I would like to use). In fact, I am actually inclined to believe Panasonic when they say its 8th generation.

If you are considering the 50u the best thing you can do is go look at the unit (if you can).

Best regards...

OK guys after reading this forum for 6 months I finally took the plunge...I bought The PD50 Today @ PC Richard and got an unreal deal..I mean unreal..My Dirct TV TIVO DVR will be hooked up Tomorrow..


Anyone know tthe proper settings.(tuning)....that would help..


Thanks..The picture is awesome and the guy at PC Richard said the HD on this set looks better than some HD sets.

..

Needed to buy a ED plasma for a vacation / rental property and the local BB did not have the 42PD50 in stock. Ended up with a FEB05 build 42PA25 from SAM'S Club. IMHO a great deal at $800 less than the MSRP ($2499) for the new PD50!

ED and HD from Directv look great on the 42PA25 and it compares well to ED and HD from Comcast on my NEC 50XM4 at my home. ED actually looks better on the Panny.

Just thought I'd mention a weird occurance happened today with my PD50u. Note that most all my ATSC off-air stations come in at around 88 to 97% according to the signal strength meter (though I can't believe it, really). In any case, all channels were playing fine for the last several days.

But today I switched over from S-video 1 input (I use for all SD cable channels through the VCR) to TV input and found it said "Signal too weak" on 3 of my major DTV channels.

I checked them all on my other OTA tuner in my computer and they were all fine as usual. I checked the cable and connections. Nothing had changed. I finally had to do a re-scan of the off-air channels again in order to bring everything back! They all still register very high as usual too.

Good thing, because I was ready to return the set to BB tomorrow if the tuner was going out :(. Why should I have to re-scan channels? Has anyone ever seen this? I'll have to keep a close eye on this over the next few weeks.

Originally posted by jspirate
Well, let me start by saying I am a proud owner of a 50u, so I am biased (of course). Anyway, there has always been alot of discussion about what generation this panel is. I was crazy-concerned about it because I had it on pre-order site-unseen, but then I got to see the unit one day before delivery. For me, the bottom line is that the 50u's picture is great (I am using tame words compared to what I would like to use). In fact, I am actually inclined to believe Panasonic when they say its 8th generation.


Amen. I tried to find a PD25 to buy in mid-Feburary, but they were all gone in my area and so I settled for a Zenith. Fortunately (in retrospect!) the first one I got was DOA and the second developed a bad column after an hour of operation, so I exchanged it for a PD50.

I can't say for sure if the PD50 is better than the PD25, since I only saw the latter in the stores showing the HD loop. (Until you get it home and use it in your environment on the material you typically watch, you will never know how a plasma will perform for you.) Certainly the PD50 is 10x better than the Zenith in every regard (JUST mode is better, ZOOM mode is better, SD is better in general, gray levels are awesome.)

There seem to be a lot of people here who want to trash the PD50 for some reason. If you can't live without a Cablecard or PIP, it's obviously not a good choice. I'm totally satisfied with it. But whatever you do, get a Panasonic of some sort!

CareyP, ccdenger, jspirate,

How do you guys have your picture tuned?

Does anybody know if there's any way to find out if the px50 is going to have 3:2 pulldown, since the px25 strangely didn't have this important feature?

Originally posted by Tanvols
CareyP, ccdenger, jspirate,

How do you guys have your picture tuned? I change it almost daily, so I think you should set it to taste or to the program content you're watching. For SD or taped programs from S-Video input, I use the "cinema" setting and boost the sharpness and contrast a bit. I use Standard for my DTV off-air stuff using lower brightness and contrast settings (at least during break-in period, anyway).

I use the different video selections per input so that it remembers the settings when I switch back and forth. Don't know what I'll do when I use HDMI or Component inputs, as I am out of video settings to associate (unless I use Vivid!). Hopefully, one input will be similar enough to another so not to worry. That's how it is when you're limited on features :p.

Can any of the owners of the 50U tell me how quiet the unit is in operation? Does it have a fan or is it passively cooled? I find fan noises distracting so thats why I ask.

Originally posted by Casey Jones
Can any of the owners of the 50U tell me how quiet the unit is in operation? Does it have a fan or is it passively cooled? I find fan noises distracting so thats why I ask. No fan that I can tell. There is a slight buzzing noise if you put your ear right up to the back of the unit.

The Panasonic ED Models (Cons/Comm) don't have fans.

Originally posted by hoodlum
Napple,

The first page of this thread was based on an incorrect version of the Panasonic Release. Here is a link to the post describing the correct information.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?postid=5409693#post5409693

thanks... it just got updated :)

Originally posted by Carey P
Just thought I'd mention a weird occurance happened today with my PD50u. Note that most all my ATSC off-air stations come in at around 88 to 97% according to the signal strength meter (though I can't believe it, really). In any case, all channels were playing fine for the last several days.

But today I switched over from S-video 1 input (I use for all SD cable channels through the VCR) to TV input and found it said "Signal too weak" on 3 of my major DTV channels.

I checked them all on my other OTA tuner in my computer and they were all fine as usual. I checked the cable and connections. Nothing had changed. I finally had to do a re-scan of the off-air channels again in order to bring everything back! They all still register very high as usual too.

Good thing, because I was ready to return the set to BB tomorrow if the tuner was going out :(. Why should I have to re-scan channels? Has anyone ever seen this? I'll have to keep a close eye on this over the next few weeks.

I had this happen once and found it puzzling, too. In my case, it was only one station and I later learned it was performing maintenance.

I have discovered posts on my local OTA forum that suggest that others have this problem occasionally, often with STBs. Most of the time it is apparently related to something the stations do. (They are still testing/enhancing/fine tuning their equipment.) I have no idea why, but it seems to affect some tuners but not others. Re-scanning seems to be a standard recommended solution. From what I read, re-scanning would have solved my problem when it occurred. I think a temporary frequency shift was involved.

I don't know if there is a local channel forum for your area, but you might want to check. If there is, you can find out if others are having the same problem.

Originally posted by Macfan424
I had this happen once and found it puzzling, too. In my case, it was only one station and I later learned it was performing maintenance... but you might want to check. If there is, you can find out if others are having the same problem. Thanks. I actually manage our local reception forum, but I thought this might be specific to this set since there was nothing different as far as transmissions go as indicated by my other tuner. I wonder if this set's tuner is affected by station changes even when not viewing the channels and watching a different input altogether. :confused:
In any case, the program list still had the channel in memory and yet when accessed said too weak of a signal, while at the same time with my other tuner (on the other splitter output) said 88% strength and all was good. It also happened on 3 out of my 6 local channels at the same time. These are channels coming from different towers and/or transmitters (though located in same place). Very odd.

... I actually manage our local reception forum,

Opps... :rolleyes:

... the program list still had the channel in memory and yet when accessed said too weak of a signal, while at the same time with my other tuner (on the other splitter output) said 88% strength and all was good...

Assuming that I'm reading this right and you are talking about the set's internal tuner and signal strength display, that's exactly how mine registered, although only one station was involved. It went on for two days, then fixed itself, somehow.

This happened a week or two after I got my 42PD25U but hasn't since. Hope it works out equally well for you.

Originally posted by hoodlum
I decided to compare the power requirement for all of the 42" commercial and consumer displays...

42XVS30UP 357W

You can see that going from the 6th generation to the 7th generation panel showed a significant decrease in the power requirements for both the commercial ED and the consumer HD (Onyx used for comparison as PX50 specs not available). The ED panel is not using a new glass otherwise we would have seen a similar drop in the power requirements. It looks to me that the PD50 is still using the either 6th generation glass or 6th generation electronics as I am not sure if the power saving came from the glass change or the electronics change.

A few points:

1) the 42" Onyx number of 357W is for the panel; the separate media electronics use an additional 46 watts.

2) My slightly educated guess (I'm an EE) is that the drive electronics, tuner, etc, account for no more than 10-15% of the overall system power in a plasma (but all of the standby)

3) Nearly all of the max power reductions would come from the glass, where the critical improvements the last few years are making more light from a given power per pixel.

4) The number of gradations and other improvements (and most if not all of subpixel control) are in the drive electronics, not the glass.

5) the maximum power requirements can be as much a regulatory thing as an actual measured power draw. To get UL, CE, and other regulatory approval, you have to state a doesn't-exceed maximum, but the actual maximum and average may be well below that. The Onyx 357 watts sounds like an actual measurement, the PD50 390 watts, not so much.

6) The PD50 is said to have an "eighth generation" panel. This might mean anything. It's as likely to be an ease of production/increased manufacturing yield improvement as reduced power, longer lifetime, etc, or it could be a mixture of all of those things, and it could mean something different for the 42" ED panel and any other. Barring technical details from Panasonic or somebody ripping their set apart to reverse-engineer it, it's tough to say. I'm not volunteering for the latter! :-)

Originally posted by Macfan424
Assuming that I'm reading this right and you are talking about the set's internal tuner and signal strength display, that's exactly how mine registered, although only one station was involved.Actually, I meant my other tuner registered 88% so I didn't see why the 50u was claiming it was weak. I re-scanned before I thought to check what the 50u was reading. I'll do this next time if there is one.

I can hardly believe what I just experienced at the BB in little Columbus, GA ... I went in there with little expectation of seeing either set, but wanting to compare the Panny PD50 with the brand new Sammy R4232. Neither set was on the floor, but Ryan took it upon himself to go into the back room and after some searching found BOTH OF THEM IN BOXES !! He proceeded to bring them both out and set them up side by side in the aisle, and we compared them to each other and to the previous year Sammy and the previous Panasonic.

Let me just say that I am not an expert nor a videophile, but PQ is the most important thing to me and I do know how to adjust a set to get the picture that I want. The most obvious thing..."Sub-Pixel Control" is most definitely NOT a marketing gimic...it is real, it is a marked improvement and it IS in the PD50! The first thing that we noticed about the Panny as it sat in the aisle, using the box as a base, was that the factory preset was in Vivid and the colors were definitely VIVID and bright and gorgeous. It was a standout picture without any adjustment whatsoever. The comparison with the Samsung 4231 (last years ED) right behind it was striking. It even had more snap than the PX25 a few feet away. Ryan let me put the remote together and adjust it to my hearts content, and I reduced the color saturation, the brightness and contrast and got what is to me a much more natural looking picture, especially the flesh tones and greens in the vegetation. He fed it a 1080i, 720p, and a 480i, and I couldn't tell just a whale of a lot of difference in any of the feeds (component cabling), but to my untrained eye the 1080i signal was a slight winner. By the way, Feb '05 build, Osaka, Japan.

In just a few minutes he appeared with another box, containing the new Sammy, and he pulled it out on its stand and set it up right beside the Panny (Mar '05 build, Mexico). The Samsung has a black, slightly shiny bezel that is about the same width as the silver bezel on the Panasonic (2"), and I must say that I preferred the black surround. The Sammy is an improvement on the 4231, in that you can see better black level, more contrast, more brightness, just a little more of everything. The 10,000:1 contrast ratio was not evident, but I was able to adjust the picture so that it looked VERY CLOSE to the Panasonic. I could not tell any difference from the 12 bit processing and the increased gray scale, although I'm sure that someone with the right material could demonstrate the difference. Both sets had a beautiful picture, however the Panasonic looked like a more natural color pallette to my eye, it was smoother, with more detail in both dark and light areas of the screen. I attribute a large part of this to the SUB-PIXEL CONTROL feature. It was obvious to everyone that the Panny looked smoother, more like the HD sets than the ED sets, and MUCH reduced SDE...I could see the SDE on the new Sammy quite easily at eight feet, but had to get within about six feet of the Panny to really notice it. To my eye the picture was so much better than the Sammy next to it that I may just have to live with the silver plastic. Congratulations Panasonic...the new PD50 has the best picture that I have yet seen on an ED plasma, and with the reduction in SDE I have no hesitation any longer about purchasing an ED plasma. And to BB in Columbus, and to Ryan and his fellow sales persons, thank you for the extra effort and for the great experience. To all of you, like me, who have been waiting for the next step in PQ, I hope that you get the opportunity to see the PD50.

This bodes very well for the PX50 and the PX500 which should benefit just as much from the SPC feature, for those of you who will be sitting closer to the screen than I will.

Tomboyter, I was also able to see the PD50. I viewed the PD25 several times over the last year, and I must say the PD50 is a great successor. I couldn't get further than 6-7 ft., but I agree about the SDE. Far less evident.

Another thing is that it "appears" larger than the PD25. I don't know if it's the speaker placement or just the single-color bezel, but the thing looks HUGE!

I'm still waiting on the 37" HD. Any word on when they'll be shipping out or in stores?

I Wish coscto carries this.. cant wait to exchange w/ VIZIO P42HDe :)

The PD50 is now at cc. They were to set-up today.

It now also is listed on Panasonic's website.

for those of you that own a PD50... can you give us the box dimensions?

I'm particularily interested in the box height, to see if i can transport the unit back to my place with my SUV.

Napple, I don't know the exact dimensions, but having taken the box off I can estimate that it is 50" wide, 18"deep and 34-36" tall. I think that most SUV's would be able to handle it, even something like the Acura MDX. I wish that I could be exact...sorry.

Originally posted by napple
for those of you that own a PD50... can you give us the box dimensions?


37" H, 50 " L, 21" W.

Originally posted by napple
for those of you that own a PD50... can you give us the box dimensions?

I'm particularily interested in the box height, to see if i can transport the unit back to my place with my SUV.

It's *much* bigger in the box than out, as you might imagine. I didn't stand a chance of getting it into my Grand Cherokee. The important measurement, vertical height, was 37+". I think otherwise it would have fit.

Since this is my first post (although I've been anally reading this forum for months prior to my purchase), I'll mention that the PD50, my first "really nice" TV, leaves me drooling in slack-jawed amazement at the picture. My brother-in-law was busting on me about how my Panny was smaller than his LCD RPTV, until I turned it on for him. He shut up immediately and hasn't said a word about it since.

Alright, new owners, let's see some pictures. ;)

plasmahouse HAS 37PX50U IN-STOCK

so has anyone figured out how to get into the service menu yet? i tried setting autoscan to cable and i couldn't get it to work. (i went to autoscan and selected cable, then pressed return, which brought up the menu question "change will be lost, continue?" then did the other steps, but no luck.

I just got my PD 50 from circuit city today and set up 4 hrs ago.
I am in a unique position of having lived with the PD25 for 15 days before I decided to exchange it for the PD50 and save approx 500 dollars!!

The pluses as compared to the PD 25
1 better performance on SD analog much less jaggies
2. grey scale ramp on Avia disc smoother than PD25- those extra shades do make a difference!!
3 PERFECT COLOUR DECODING- absolutely no green , or red push by using avia disc- allowing gorgeous colours out of the box.
4 zoom adjust is cool for SD - I can set it so that less of the heads get cut off and the channel logos at the bottom cant be seen ( I mostly watch in zoom mode)
5 No white crush at all- I had noticed it quite a bit in the PD25


Minuses
1 No one has figured out the access to service menu. The old approach does not work.
2 does not look as nice
3 Very annoying and slow menu system


All inall the picture quality is outstanding and definitly better than PD25 out of box.

As far as the question of the generation of glass- one thing is for sure the glass is much darker than the PD 25 making me assume that either the glass is a different generation or has different coatings

Even though I love the PQ of this TV as I have mentioned above I discoverd a wierd phenomenon.

When I had used my PD 25 with auto scan it found 3 HD channels - NBC, CBS, and PBS which I loved watching. I think these are the only OTA channels we get here in Buffalo.
When PD50 performed the auto scan- it found 3 HD channels which are generally encrypted- HDnet, HDmovies and ESPN HD. It did not detect the other three channels through cable.

Has any one else had this problem - if so is there a solution which does not involve taking the digital service from the cable company along with a STB ?

Originally posted by sm46
When PD50 performed the auto scan- ...it did not detect the other three channels through cable.

Has any one else had this problem - if so is there a solution which does not involve taking the digital service from the cable company along with a STB ?

The channel might not be displayed with the same number on the PD50 as it was on the PD25.

For example, for me PBS-HD is actually on 91-1, but I see it as 15-1 on the PD50 because of PSIP (the ATSC data that tells the TV how to display a channel name.) PSIP implementations appear to be different from station to station and how PSIP is interpreted seems different from TV to TV.

I assume you looked at all the digital channels in manual mode that were listed after your autoscan (the digital ones are of the form #-# instead of a single number.) The broadcast channels should have been identified by their station ID under "caption".

If that doesn't help, then there may be an error in the way the PD50 handles PSIP, or (more likely, I think) in the way your cable company handles rebroadcast of your local stations.

I asked this question in another thread but it was posted a while ago, and I got no response. Here it is again: I am ready to buy the 7uy commericail 42 ed, but I wonder if the difference between it and the newer PD50 would make the latter a better choice even though I dont need the tuner, speaker, stand, etc.

But how significant is the difference? Or is there a difference?

I've owned my 37pd25u for about 20 days now... i loved it.

BUT....

Today, i went to BB to check out the new pd50. They had one one sale... so me and my gf began to compare. I can say confidently say that the PD50 at 6 feet or more blew away EVERYTHING else in the store. It was brigter, more vivid... a DEFINATE improvement over the 25u. The only display that compared to it was a Pioneer 50."

Of course, given that it's an EDTV... if you look at it 4ft and closer, it's going to look inferior to the HDTVs next to it. The HDs have better detail (because it has more pixels) and looks smoother around the edges. However, the if you're at 6ft or more... the colors, the blacks, absolutely blows away everything else in it's class. Even my gf is blown away by the pic quality!

I'm returning my pd25 for the pd50!!!!!

I asked this question in another thread but it was posted a while ago, and I got no response. Here it is again: I am ready to buy the 7uy commercial 42 ed, but I wonder if the difference between it and the newer PD50 would make the latter a better choice even though I don't need the tuner, speaker, stand, etc.

To quote R. Harkness he has never seen a consumer model (even the onyx at 3X the price) that compares with the commercial model. If this is still true with the PD50 I do not know.

Originally posted by iBleedGarnet
Alright, new owners, let's see some pictures. ;)


I don't know if you saw this or not:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=505878&perpage=20&pagenumber=20

I now have it hanging on the wall. I will take some pictures tomorrow or Wednesday :)

Originally posted by sm46
Even though I love the PQ of this TV as I have mentioned above I discoverd a wierd phenomenon.

When I had used my PD 25 with auto scan it found 3 HD channels - NBC, CBS, and PBS which I loved watching. I think these are the only OTA channels we get here in Buffalo.
When PD50 performed the auto scan- it found 3 HD channels which are generally encrypted- HDnet, HDmovies and ESPN HD. It did not detect the other three channels through cable.

Has any one else had this problem - if so is there a solution which does not involve taking the digital service from the cable company along with a STB ? I also found that the Cable auto scan produced HD channel numbers that were not the same as the ones from the Comcast digital box (which I tried out once). I did however, receive all the locals they provided plus ESPN and In-demand preview. I did not need to subscribe to digital or have any boxes to get these unencrypted channels.

I have since re-scanned on Antenna to get OTA local DTV stations which gives me more HD selections than cable. I use my VCR to tune the analog stations from cable through S-video 1. Panasonic made a big mistake giving up the second RF input. But the picture makes up for it. :D

I was wondering if anyone had used their plasma as a center channel.

My reciever has one preamp out for the center channel for this purpose- but the TV has one input each for the left and right speakers.

Is there some sort of a splitter which can be used? I so where can I get it?

Does anyone have any info yet on availability for the new 50in pannys?

I've been Googling them daily and still haven't seen them in stock, but have begun noticing a couple of sites list them at a great price, more affordable than existing 50in panny consumer models.

Originally posted by sm46
I was wondering if anyone had used their plasma as a center channel.

My reciever has one preamp out for the center channel for this purpose- but the TV has one input each for the left and right speakers.

Is there some sort of a splitter which can be used? I so where can I get it? I was interested in the same thing eventually. However, I believe the audio L+R IN is for HDMI input only. You would have to be on HDMI Input for that to work. Otherwise, could use a switch box for the Component audio in connections. In any case, a Y splitter should work fine from your receiver to the L+R inputs.

Originally posted by sm46
I was wondering if anyone had used their plasma as a center channel.

My reciever has one preamp out for the center channel for this purpose- but the TV has one input each for the left and right speakers.

Is there some sort of a splitter which can be used? I so where can I get it?

I don't know why more manufacturers don't provide for this. (Sony does on its KE42M1.)

You could use a female to two male "Y" connector. It should be okay with external audio sources, but I doubt it would work with the internal tuner. I'm unaware of any way to use an external sound input together with the tuner.

Even if you succeeded, I suspect you'd create a bad feedback loop if you tried, as (on the 25U at least) the tuner feeds the TV's internal amp whenever the tuner is selected and the built-in speakers are active. Maybe there is a way to make it work (I'm an audio hobbyist, not an EE) but turn the volume way down if you try.

Again assuming the 50U is like the 25U in regard to feeding the internal and external amps simultaneously, a more likely workaround would be to use the built-in speakers "normally" with the tuner to provide the center channel while your receiver feeds the other 4.1 channels. Not pure center channel sound, but probably usable.

"Y" connectors are available anywhere interconnect cables are sold.

BTW, the following is from the Panasonic site

"Panel Type 8th Generation Plasma Panel"

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vModelDetail?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&itemId=89237&catGroupId=24973&displayTab=S&cacheProgram=11002&cachePartner=7000000000000005702&surfModel=TH-42PD50U&surfCategory=Plasma%20TVs

Does Panny has any plans similar to TH-42PA25U/P (without HDMI, Built-In ATSC/QAM Tuners and CableCARD Slot) for this new model?

for those in NYC area, i was able to confirm (over the phone) that CC at the Atlantic Center in downtown Brooklyn and at the Gateway shopping center both have the PD50 on display. haven't been for myself to see yet ... gotta wait till i get off work! :D

Just came back from the Pany site, re-read the pages on the 42PD50 (again).

Yes, it does state 8th generation. I don't think they could get away with fibbing on this. But does that also imply "subpixel control"?

I could NOT find any mention of SPC on the Pany site, although I've read the now-numerous posts by those who say the PQ is so much better it MUST have SPC.

I believe them, but wonder if it is due to the doubling of shades . . .

Still waiting to see it with my own eyes.

The BB webpage for it lists SPC as one of its features:

"Other image enhancement technologies include video noise reduction, 3D color management, sub-pixel control and motion-pattern noise reduction"

Don't know how trustworthy or accurate BB pages usually are though.

Guys, it didn't take me but a half a minute comparing the PD50 against the brand new Samsung R4232 to see that the PD50 DOES HAVE SPC...it is quite obvious both up close and at regular viewing distances. I don't need to see it written down, anyone can see it with their own eyes and it is a very real advance in PQ. Hope you get to see it for yourself before the sun goes down.

For those of you considering a Chief mount for the 50U, their tech support just called me (props to them!) with the proper custom bracket numbers:

Tilt mount: Pro 2053

Flat mount: PSM 2053.

Just noticed that Plasmaconcepts has dropped their price on the 42PD50U.

Originally posted by Macfan424
I had this happen once and found it puzzling, too. In my case, it was only one station and I later learned it was performing maintenance...I think I discovered when a re-scan is necessary on the PD50u.

Any time the power goes out! I had to kill the power to the set for a while and when I turned it back on, it claimed one station had too weak of a signal. I did check the signal strength meter this time and it said 88%, FWIW. The other OTA DTV stations were coming in OK. However, the time clock was a few minutes off and I'm not sure the signal strengths on the other channels were all that accurate.

I re-scanned the antenna input and checked again. All was well with all channels. The one that was weak before now said 77% (which is more like reality) and the time was now accurate (taken from the PSIP info).

So it seems the 50u does not retain channel info if signal is missing for a short period or TV power is disconnected. Don't know how long you can have power disconnected though. I had it off for several hours. This makes me want to get a UPS/conditioner for this set.

Originally posted by yobob
Just came back from the Pany site, re-read the pages on the 42PD50 (again).

Yes, it does state 8th generation. I don't think they could get away with fibbing on this...Oh yeah? They also state 290W, when it clearly says on the back panel 390W! :rolleyes:

Does anyone know if the commercial models that came out in october/november have sub-pixel control? They have excellent pictures, and have very similar specs to the new models, like 2048 shades, 3.87 billion colors, etc. Do you think this makes the new ed and hd panels surpass the commercial models in terms of picture quality and generation?

Once the 42PX50U Operating Manual becomes available we will see if there is any mention of the panel generation or sub-pixel control. If the 42PX50U mentions sub-pixel control as a user selectable feature then we can assume that the 42PD50U does not have sub-pixel control and is not using an 8th generation panel.

Originally posted by Carey P
Oh yeah? They also state 290W, when it clearly says on the back panel 390W! :rolleyes:

Wellllll, maybe there's a misprint on the back panel? ;)

Oh yeah, one more thing. I was actually waiting for the px50 partly for the extra features over the pd50, but in retrospect, it seems that the only extra feature will be the cable card. I doubt the px will have pip, 2 rf inputs, 3:2 pulldown OR independent memory settings. Is the only way to get these extra features to spring the extra money for the 500 models? Wow, this lack of features is sort of disheartening.

Any opinions on this plasma?

Originally posted by rekca1
Any opinions on this plasma?
Back up about ten pages and start reading there. Several members have seen them/purchased them/reported on them!

Good reading.

CC was $100 more than Plasmaconcepts, however with tax CC is less than PC with shipping. CC price may have been a sale. It also was less than BB.. Maybe there is a price-war between the two. The cost will probably go down even more in the next month.

Originally posted by yobob
Wellllll, maybe there's a misprint on the back panel? ;)

Or (more likely) the website?

Originally posted by Macfan424
Or (more likely) the website?

:cool:

Originally posted by wassim17
Oh yeah, one more thing. I was actually waiting for the px50 partly for the extra features over the pd50, but in retrospect, it seems that the only extra feature will be the cable card. I doubt the px will have pip, 2 rf inputs, 3:2 pulldown OR independent memory settings. Is the only way to get these extra features to spring the extra money for the 500 models? Wow, this lack of features is sort of disheartening. You forgot to mention the 640,128 additional pixels.;)

Originally posted by Carey P
I think I discovered when a re-scan is necessary on the PD50u.

Any time the power goes out!...

...This makes me want to get a UPS/conditioner for this set.

Same thing with the 25U, I think. It didn't have anything to do with the anomaly we discussed before, but after disconnecting the set all my tuner settings were gone. I've only done it once, so I can't confirm the cause.

I was playing with my antenna connections at the same time, however, so maybe it just didn't like having the antenna removed. I've been hoping that was the case.

I think it is the power, though. It was only off for 15 minutes or so, but when I turned the set back on I found I had wiped out favorite stations, clock and maybe some other settings, too, I don't remember anymore. Poor design, if it's true.

Thunderstorm season will be upon us soon, and with it, brief power outages. Like you, I may be in the market for a UPS if I'm going to have to reestablish all my settings every time one happens.

I have a couple of questions for the TH-42PD50U owners :
a) Do you know if the unit cann accept 120V / 220V power supply or is it only 120V / 50-60Hz ?
b) Also, do you know if PAL is supported ?

Most units I think support PAL and PAL-60 but I'd like to make sure .

BTW, I don't know if this panel has truly an 8th gen. panel but when compared to a few other 42" ED tv's , incl. HD-content, DVD & SD-channels , it looked awesome in a store (Mag. HiFi) .

Also, I know Panny's are great in displaying dark scenes etc. but how well does it perform in a room which has a bit of ambient lighting during the day ... "frosted glass" windows on far wall 10-15 ft behind the viewing area ?

Thanks.

The PC Richards in Carle Place,NY has a pd50u on display. looks great. Bright and clear. better than the onyx next to it, imho.
I thought how can that be if it is the same gen (7) and video features as the onyx, but reading that it is the 8th, it makes some sense.

Is there a difference between the TH42PD50U and the TH42PD50U/P? (other than a typo?) A google search on either brings up similar returns.

I pre-ordered the TH42PD50U/P from a travel rewards program but I am wondering if I made a mistake. I am DEFINITELY going to miss the 'Independent Input Memory' and 'Scalable PIP' that I thought I was going to get.

I'm disappointed that Panasonic has stripped a $2500 TV of such basic features. Maybe I should return/sell this unit and go w/ a commercial model?

If there was a Pwd8UY available right now, which had the Sub-pixel Control feature, I would order it tonight....there isn't, and it won't be out for months. Just enjoy the idea that you are getting the best picture currently available in an ED display. Just my humble opinion.

http://www.*******************.com/plasmatv/panasonic-th42pd50u.html
review on pd50u

Originally posted by w0mbat
Is there a difference between the TH42PD50U and the TH42PD50U/P? (other than a typo?) A google search on either brings up similar returns.

I pre-ordered the TH42PD50U/P from a travel rewards program but I am wondering if I made a mistake. I am DEFINITELY going to miss the 'Independent Input Memory' and 'Scalable PIP' that I thought I was going to get.

I'm disappointed that Panasonic has stripped a $2500 TV of such basic features. Maybe I should return/sell this unit and go w/ a commercial model?

The /P just means that the unit comes with a table stand.

My understanding is that the earlier consumer Pannys (e.g., PD25) didn't have "independent input memory" either. As for PIP, it was always clear to me that the PD50 didn't have PIP. If you want PIP, don't get a PD50.

Maybe you would be happier with a commercial model. I've never seen one, so I can't say anything about the picture quality relative to the PD50.

Oh, I saw 'em, pirate. Just want to see the set in a different setting. ;)


Originally posted by jspirate
I don't know if you saw this or not:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=505878&perpage=20&pagenumber=20

I now have it hanging on the wall. I will take some pictures tomorrow or Wednesday :)

Originally posted by Sheldon186
http://www.*******************.com/plasmatv/panasonic-th42pd50u.html
review on pd50u

This isn't a review, it's a marketing blurb with several errors (e.g., the PD50 doesn't have PIP.)

You forgot to mention the 640,128 additional pixels.;) Touche, optivity. That's the reason I'm going with the hd, as I'm hoping to sit close enough to it (6 feet or so) to get that immersive feel.

Originally posted by tomboyter
If there was a Pwd8UY available right now, which had the Sub-pixel Control feature, I would order it tonight....there isn't, and it won't be out for months. Just enjoy the idea that you are getting the best picture currently available in an ED display. Just my humble opinion.

You're prolly right ... I'm getting the thing for practically free anyway :D

I figure I'll be ready for one of those massive 100" SEDs in a few years and then I can get my PIP and all that other stuff ...

Similar story to previous post: The sales guy at BB here in Austin found one in the back this weekend and set it up for me. Three sales guys all commented on how good it looked, especially for an ED display. I think the PD50 is a winner. It's definitely the best ED plasma...great panasonic blacks and accuracy and now more vibrant and bright colors. I'm probably going to wait to see the PX50 due to cosmetics and the potential for a CRT like videophile kick butt plasma. It may come down to price though between the PD50 and PX50.

So are any of the new Panasonic 42" plasma's going have a "real" HD resolution of at least 1280X720? Or are they still going to be the 1024X768 pseudo-HD resolution with non-square pixels? Some the blurbs for the new models state the HD 42" is a "native" 720P relsolution.

Are there any new 42" plasmas on the horizon that have a native genuine HD resolution? I don't think I will buy a 42" plasma until this is the case.

Q. for the 42pd50u owners ... any comparison done with the pio 4312 from costco ?
Is the pd50u much better in terms of PQ , brightness ,etc. ?

Thanks.

Can someone state the difference between PD50 and 7UY glass? which is 7th vs. 8th generation? To me specs are very similar, specially the gradation level (2048)... not sure why they didn't do 4096 :(

But pixel size seems to be different between the two.

Can someone state the difference between PD50 and 7UY glass? which is 7th vs. 8th generation? To me specs are very similar, specially the gradation level (2048)... not sure why they didn't do 4096

But pixel size seems to be different between the two.

well the pwd7uy is 7th generation (hence the 7)

as for the pd50 it may either be 7th generation or 8th generation, on the release info given on all the models ending with 50, it states that these models use 8th generation. (could be a typo) if this is indeed the 8th generation, it will be the first time the consumer model has skipped a generation. (please correct me if i'm wrong)

i don't understand why you think pixel size differ between these two, both are edtv's with the same resolution. maybe you mean screen door effect? some people on the boards say that SDE is less apparent compared between the pd25 vs pd50, maybe that's what you're talking about?

Originally posted by alexb76
Can someone state the difference between PD50 and 7UY glass? which is 7th vs. 8th generation? To me specs are very similar, specially the gradation level (2048)... not sure why they didn't do 4096 :(

But pixel size seems to be different between the two.

Disclaimer: The following paragraphs contain nothing more than opinion :)

I mentioned this before, but I think its worth mentioning again. I had the pd50u on pre-order site-unseen. During that time I was following this forum very closely. These two factors caused me to be interested and maybe even concerned about what generation the pd50u is. My delivery date was scheduled for 3-25-05 and up until 3-23-05 it looked like I wasn’t going to have a chance to see the unit before delivery. Luckily, one of the BBs near me got one in and I took a look at it on 3-24-05. At first glance, the 50u looked better than everything that was with in comparison distance and after 30 minutes of messing with picture adjustments/playing with the remote, I left the store with no doubt what-so-ever. I had made the correct choice when I selected the 50u (relative to my needs of course).

My final take on the whole situation is that the picture quality trumps all my other concerns. Now that I have viewed it at home for a couple-three weeks, I am even more sold on the picture quality. If you are considering the 50u, I strongly encourage you to place more importance on physically viewing the unit as opposed to trying to figure out if it’s the latest generation or not. This is especially true if you are reading this forum in hopes of answering the generation question. From another perspective, it is quit possible that Panny messed up on there web site or that they are lying to us about the 50u’s generation, but who gives a rat’s butt? The picture is excellent and it appears to be better than the earlier Panny ED models, although I must admit that I have not seen it next to the commercial unit. So in the end, I am not sure I need to know if its 8th generation or not. That being said, $2500 is enough money to cause most people to require some specific comfort level. Each person has to reach his or her own comfort level. I can understand that.

Well done Pirate...I concur completely, and would only add that when you compare the PD25, or the Samusng ED's side by side with the PD50, it only takes a few seconds before you realize that something is going on with the PD50 that the others don't have. It is readily apparent. The picture just appears to have a higher resolution than the other ED's and the SDE is reduced...not reduced to zero, but it does allow you to get about three feet closer to the screen before you notice it. That tells me that it is the 8th gen panel. Now whether that means that the glass in gen 7 and the electronics are gen 8 I don't know. But as Pirate says, it don't matter what you call it if the goods are there, and Panasonic has delivered the goods.

One interesting difference between the TH-42PWD7UY and the 42PD50 seems to be the brightness and the number of colors. The industrial model is listed at over 8 Billion Colors (in line w/ the new NECs) while the commercial model is 'only' 1.8 Billion.

catalog2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ModelDetail?displayTab=O&storeId=11201&catalogId=13051&itemId=72960&catGroupId=14268&modelNo=TH-42PWD7UY&surfModel=TH-42PWD7UY

Oh yeah and according to Panasonic, the industrial model has PIP AND PC Input

Originally posted by Hawkwing
So are any of the new Panasonic 42" plasma's going have a "real" HD resolution of at least 1280X720?

It would be nice. But I doubt it.

That would have been pretty significant news IMO, and the posts would have been full of it.

But we don't have too much longer to wait to find out for sure. :)

Originally posted by w0mbat
One interesting difference between the TH-42PWD7UY and the 42PD50 seems to be the brightness and the number of colors. The industrial model is listed at over 8 Billion Colors (in line w/ the new NECs) while the commercial model is 'only' 1.8 Billion.

OTOH, the new Pany 42PD50 webpage states 2048 shades of gradation, same as the commercial model, and this should provide the same colors (?). BTW, I couldn't find any specific mention of number of colors on that page (unless I'm blind). :rolleyes:

Also, according to the website, the contrast ratio for both the commercial and new consumer 42" ED models is 4000:1. (Actually the 42PD50 page says "up to" 4000:1.)

Thanks to all the great info I am pulling the trigger on a 42PD50 on Thursday. I finally saw the unit and am very impressed, it takes alot more money to get better PQ. I am thinking it is not hard to wall mount the unit but the place I am getting from will deliver and mount for $50.00 Cheap insurance since my nephew is the only help I would have if I did it my self. This is the first A/V device my wife has ever been excited about and the first TV she ever got that was not a hand-me-down from my Home Theater setup:-)

Originally posted by NikeMan
Thanks to all the great info I am pulling the trigger on a 42PD50 on Thursday. I finally saw the unit and am very impressed, it takes alot more money to get better PQ. I am thinking it is not hard to wall mount the unit but the place I am getting from will deliver and mount for $50.00 Cheap insurance since my nephew is the only help I would have if I did it my self. This is the first A/V device my wife has ever been excited about and the first TV she ever got that was not a hand-me-down from my Home Theater setup:-)

Awesome Nike! Congrats! :cool:

And keep us posted.

Originally posted by yobob
OTOH, the new Pany 42PD50 webpage states 2048 shades of gradation, same as the commercial model, and this should provide the same colors (?). BTW, I couldn't find any specific mention of number of colors on that page (unless I'm blind). :rolleyes:

Also, according to the website, the contrast ratio for both the commercial and new consumer 42" ED models is 4000:1. (Actually the 42PD50 page says "up to" 4000:1.)

You're right. I noticed the similarity in gradation as well. I found the 1.8 Billion color claim on a retailer site that also claimed it had PIP and CableCard. Damn these marketers and their false specs!

HOPEFULLY (hopefully) when they get around to publishing the spec sheet (and make the .pdf available on-line) they will have the correct info!

Or is that still too much to ask? :D

I am trying to calibrate my settings and I have read a lot of posts on former Panny owners that are adjusting "input levels" to get true blacks and shading on blacks..

On the PD50 I only see the following settings:

Picture
Brightness
Color
Tint
Sharpness
Color temp


Where is the input level and gamma adjustments?

{Thanks to all the great info I am pulling the trigger on a 42PD50 on Thursday.}

Mine is being delivered Friday.

So it looks like we'll all have a lot to post about on Monday.

...Assuming I'm actually able to tear my eyes away from the screen by then.

Tanvols: I think you need to get into the service menu. Check out this section (http://216.180.241.242/~glaucob/forum/showthread.php?t=23) of BruZzi's Panasonic Plasma FAQ.

Enjoy...

Originally posted by sachinh
I have a couple of questions for the TH-42PD50U owners :
a) Do you know if the unit cann accept 120V / 220V power supply or is it only 120V / 50-60Hz ?
b) Also, do you know if PAL is supported ?


The "U" stands for United States, which means it supports US standards, NTSC/ATSC AND 120V/50-60Hz.

I don't have a TH-42PD50U, but the TH-42PD25U does not support non-US standards and the TH-42PD50U owners manual says it doesn't either.

I am trying to calibrate my settings and I have read a lot of posts on former Panny owners that are adjusting "input levels" to get true blacks and shading on blacks..

i believe only the commercial models have input and gamma settings readily available. for consumer models you have to get into the service menu to change those settings.

beside that, roughly what settings do all the pd50 owners have so far? my calibration disc is coming in the mail, but just using my eye as of right now i'm using:

standard
picture: 20
brightness: 0
Color: -5 or -6
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 0
Color temp: normal

i'm surprised that i set contrast (picture so high) but i don't notice any white crush at this level. also, i notice a better grey scale with a warm color temp, but i just don't get pure whites unless i use normal color temp.

Originally posted by jspirate
Disclaimer: The following paragraphs contain nothing more than opinion :)

I mentioned this before, but I think its worth mentioning again. I had the pd50u on pre-order site-unseen. During that time I was following this forum very closely. These two factors caused me to be interested and maybe even concerned about what generation the pd50u is. My delivery date was scheduled for 3-25-05 and up until 3-23-05 it looked like I wasn’t going to have a chance to see the unit before delivery. Luckily, one of the BBs near me got one in and I took a look at it on 3-24-05. At first glance, the 50u looked better than everything that was with in comparison distance and after 30 minutes of messing with picture adjustments/playing with the remote, I left the store with no doubt what-so-ever. I had made the correct choice when I selected the 50u (relative to my needs of course).

My final take on the whole situation is that the picture quality trumps all my other concerns. Now that I have viewed it at home for a couple-three weeks, I am even more sold on the picture quality. If you are considering the 50u, I strongly encourage you to place more importance on physically viewing the unit as opposed to trying to figure out if it’s the latest generation or not. This is especially true if you are reading this forum in hopes of answering the generation question. From another perspective, it is quit possible that Panny messed up on there web site or that they are lying to us about the 50u’s generation, but who gives a rat’s butt? The picture is excellent and it appears to be better than the earlier Panny ED models, although I must admit that I have not seen it next to the commercial unit. So in the end, I am not sure I need to know if its 8th generation or not. That being said, $2500 is enough money to cause most people to require some specific comfort level. Each person has to reach his or her own comfort level. I can understand that.

Well, I have NO DOUBT that PD50U is better than any other commercial ED set out there and much better than 25U.

Question is: How does it compare to 7UY? As almost everyone knows that 7UY had a much better PQ than 25U.

So, should I pay the extra$$ for 50U versus 7UY? Apart from tuner and speakers... what's the main technological difference?

As I mentioned earlier, 7UY with 2048 gradation has trouble showing some dense fog scenes on Master and Commander and would love to see if 50U is any better...

Originally posted by alexb76
As I mentioned earlier, 7UY with 2048 gradation has trouble showing some dense fog scenes on Master and Commander and would love to see if 50U is any better...

Take a copy of the M&C DVD to your nearest showroom that has them in stock (BB, CC, ?), and twist their arm until they hook up a DVD player for you.

Then let the rest of know. :)

Originally posted by yobob
Take a copy of the M&C DVD to your nearest showroom that has them in stock (BB, CC, ?), and twist their arm until they hook up a DVD player for you.

Then let the rest of know. :)

Will do, but we haven't got any 50U in Canada yet... so waiting for first shipments to arrive.

Originally posted by Macfan424
The "U" stands for United States, which means it supports US standards, NTSC/ATSC AND 120V/50-60Hz.

I don't have a TH-42PD50U, but the TH-42PD25U does not support non-US standards and the TH-42PD50U owners manual says it doesn't either.

Pl. note I'm not concerned about the tuner (NTSC/ATSC) per se but more about if PAL video standard will be supported . Some US models do support PAL . For eg. the commercial model TH-42PHD7UY does support PAL and PAL-60 . (see brchure on panasonic site)

Theoretically , as long as the refresh frequency is supported (50-60 Hz) and the video signal is provided i.e. by an external tuner , I would guess that the PDP should be able to display the signal . However, I've read that there are some panels that don't handle PAL-60 so I thought it best to check .

As far as the power supply is concerned u'r probably right , since I've found only the NEC and the Fujitsu panels to support 100-240V and of course Dell .

The power supply is not a big concern since I can always buy a converter but the PAL standard support is a bit more important.

Any clarifications would be appreciated .
Thanks.

Originally posted by sachinh
Pl. note I'm not concerned about the tuner (NTSC/ATSC) per se but more about if PAL video standard will be supported . Some US models do support PAL . For eg. the commercial model TH-42PHD7UY does support PAL and PAL-60 . (see brchure on panasonic site)

Theoretically , as long as the refresh frequency is supported (50-60 Hz) and the video signal is provided i.e. by an external tuner , I would guess that the PDP should be able to display the signal . However, I've read that there are some panels that don't handle PAL-60 so I thought it best to check

Understood, but if the 50U does support PAL Panasonic went out of their way to hide that fact.

Not only the tuner, but the HDMI and Component video signal information published in the manual specifically lists 1080i, 720p, 480p (x720 and x640) and 480i as compatible signals from STB's and DVD players. No mention of 576i/p at all. (The 25U didn't accept 720p input through these connections either, even though, theoretically, it easily could have.)

here are my settings after one run through DVE:
standard
picture: 4
brightness: -5
Color: -3
Tint: 2
Sharpness: 6
Color temp: normal

Originally posted by vnguyen
i believe only the commercial models have input and gamma settings readily available. for consumer models you have to get into the service menu to change those settings.

beside that, roughly what settings do all the pd50 owners have so far? my calibration disc is coming in the mail, but just using my eye as of right now i'm using:

standard
picture: 20
brightness: 0
Color: -5 or -6
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 0
Color temp: normal

i'm surprised that i set contrast (picture so high) but i don't notice any white crush at this level. also, i notice a better grey scale with a warm color temp, but i just don't get pure whites unless i use normal color temp.

Originally posted by vnguyen
i believe only the commercial models have input and gamma settings readily available. for consumer models you have to get into the service menu to change those settings.Note: There is no known access to the service menu on the 50u as of yet. I'm hoping someone cracks the code soon :D.

Well I just found this on the web so it would appear that the 37HD is now available...

TH-37PX50U 37-IN HDTV PLASMA TV

Click for actual Image
Item Code TH37PX50U
Brand PANASONIC
Category 30" - 37" PLASMA DISPLAYS
Condition BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALED
Stock IN-STOCK, SHIPS 24-48 HOURS
Price $2679.99

Click to add to cart



3-YR IN HOME EXTENDED WARRANTY
3-YR - $399.99




IN HOME EXTENDED WARRANTIES
2-YR - $349.99
4-YR - $499.99



SCREEN DAMAGE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
2-YR - $169.99
3-YR - $199.99
5-YR - $239.99

BULB FAILURE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY
3-YR - $189.99


Click here for more info Click here for more info


Click here for more info Click here for more info
product detailed description
Panasonic TH-37PX50U is a 37 inch diagonal HD high definition plasma TV with integral ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners and CableCard slot.

With TH-37PX50U, Panasonic built upon their superior quality and reputation in flat-panel displays.

Sub-pixel control individually addresses the red, green and blue charges within one pixel, resulting in a 30% increase in horizontal resolution over previous models.

The new panels are capable of reproducing a maximum of 8.6 billion colors, with thousands of gradations within the red, green and blue spectra.

* Optimized color purity with 3D color processing.
* Outstanding picture quality in a wide range of lighting conditions.
* 720p/1080i/480p/480i video in.
* 16:9 screen.
* Contrast ratio up to 3000:1.
* HDMI.
* Optical digital audio out.
* Director Lighted Disc Home Theater remote.
* Quiet, power efficient.

Click here for more info

anyone able to comment on fan noise on the 50U?

Originally posted by rlm9622
anyone able to comment on fan noise on the 50U?

I don't think it has one... or if it does you can't hear it at all. I did notice a slight buzzing sound when I was hooking up some cables behind it, but that's all.

Originally posted by rlm9622
anyone able to comment on fan noise on the 50U?

Panasonic ED Consumer/Commercial Models don't have fans.

.

JSPirate,

Here are mine but I checked yours out and it was a little better..

standard
picture: 3
brightness: +1
Color: -5
Tint: -2
Sharpness: 2
Color temp: normal
Light backround

JT

I think it really depends on the input signal. For OTA DTV stations using the tuner I need a somewhat higher setting (for most channels):

standard
picture: 9
brightness: 3
Color: -5
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 9
Color temp: normal

I sometimes want to go even higher on Brightness and Contrast, but I'm still breaking it in.
For SD from S-Video input the settings are altogether different. I have not even tried DVD yet through Component or HDMI.

Originally posted by jl4069
Well I just found this on the web so it would appear that the 37HD is now available...

TH-37PX50U 37-IN HDTV PLASMA TV

Click for actual Image
Item Code TH37PX50U
Brand PANASONIC
Category 30" - 37" PLASMA DISPLAYS
Condition BRAND NEW FACTORY SEALED
Stock IN-STOCK, SHIPS 24-48 HOURS
Price $2679.99

Click to add to cart



3-YR IN HOME EXTENDED WARRANTY
3-YR - $399.99




IN HOME EXTENDED WARRANTIES
2-YR - $349.99
4-YR - $499.99



SCREEN DAMAGE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
2-YR - $169.99
3-YR - $199.99
5-YR - $239.99

BULB FAILURE REPLACEMENT WARRANTY
3-YR - $189.99


Click here for more info Click here for more info


Click here for more info Click here for more info
product detailed description
Panasonic TH-37PX50U is a 37 inch diagonal HD high definition plasma TV with integral ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuners and CableCard slot.

With TH-37PX50U, Panasonic built upon their superior quality and reputation in flat-panel displays.

Sub-pixel control individually addresses the red, green and blue charges within one pixel, resulting in a 30% increase in horizontal resolution over previous models.

The new panels are capable of reproducing a maximum of 8.6 billion colors, with thousands of gradations within the red, green and blue spectra.

* Optimized color purity with 3D color processing.
* Outstanding picture quality in a wide range of lighting conditions.
* 720p/1080i/480p/480i video in.
* 16:9 screen.
* Contrast ratio up to 3000:1.
* HDMI.
* Optical digital audio out.
* Director Lighted Disc Home Theater remote.
* Quiet, power efficient.

Click here for more info

is that from plasma house? I read a few reviews on them at pricegrabber that they claimed to have somethign in stock and it really wasnt. There are also alot of great reviews, but I'm guessing that its not really in stock.

BB showing in in warehouse 37px50

Originally posted by Carey P
I think it really depends on the input signal. For OTA DTV stations using the tuner I need a somewhat higher setting (for most channels):

standard
picture: 9
brightness: 3
Color: -5
Tint: 0
Sharpness: 9
Color temp: normal

I sometimes want to go even higher on Brightness and Contrast, but I'm still breaking it in.
For SD from S-Video input the settings are altogether different. I have not even tried DVD yet through Component or HDMI.

My settings are from DirectTV DVR using HDMI. I also was in a very dim lit room. Settings were adjusted to HD content.

I switched over to component to see if the picture would be better or worse also for SD and there was very little difference, HDMI was a little better..

In the afternoon my room is very well lit and my setting would have to change I assume.

I would be interested in settings for DVD player..
JT

Has anybody had a personal experience with Plasma house? They claim to have all the new Panny's in stock, but after reading a few dissatisfied reviews from Reseller Ratings, I'm a little weary.

Originally posted by tnguyen88
Has anybody had a personal experience with Plasma house? They claim to have all the new Panny's in stock, but after reading a few dissatisfied reviews from Reseller Ratings, I'm a little weary. It is interesting that Plasma House claims to have the TH-50PX500U in stock but Panasonic states this PDP will not be available until June. While I'm confident Plasma House will be glad to accept your order (and payment) right now, I'm not too optimistic they can ship any PX50/500Us prior to Panasonic's release date(s).

Originally posted by optivity
It is interesting that Plasma House claims to have the TH-50PX500U in stock but Panasonic states this PDP will not be available until June. While I'm confident Plasma House will be glad to accept your order (and payment) right now, I'm not too optimistic they can ship any PX50/500Us prior to Panasonic's release date(s).


exactly - i woudnt do business with them even when they finally do have them in stock just because of that, can't trust them

Anyone heard when we can expect the release of the PX50U?

Originally posted by davjos
Anyone heard when we can expect the release of the PX50U? TV Track (http://www.tvtrack.com/2005/02/03/panasonic-pdp/) provides a succinct list of the 50/500U series PDPs which include release dates. This information was provided by Panasonic in January during CES 2005. As far as I know nothing has changed regarding the dates when these PDPs will be available.

Originally posted by BruZZi
Panasonic ED Consumer/Commercial Models don't have fans.

.

My TH42PD25 does. Only comes on when I use the OTA and QAM tuners for a long period of time. Virtually silent.

Originally posted by Tanvols
JSPirate,

Here are mine but I checked yours out and it was a little better..

standard
picture: 3
brightness: +1
Color: -5
Tint: -2
Sharpness: 2
Color temp: normal
Light backround

JT

I think these numbers depend on your setup to some extent. Also, I still have some tweaking to do. I think the colors are great, but I want to optimize my greys and blacks. This is where I think I could use the help of a professional, but I doubt I will hire one. I want to make a few more passes with DVE (only one pass so far). My dark grey/blacks are almost to black and sometimes I wonder if I can't do better. I think that plasmas are limited in this area, but dark greys and close to black colors seem to get represented as black. its kind of like overexposed whites in a photo. All the detail is lost. In short, I suspect I will be tweeking the picture and brightness settings some more.

If anyone see the PX50U...let me know...supposed to be out this month.

As for 7UY vs the PD50: I have not seen the 7UY in person, but there are many posts and reviews that lead me to believe that the PD50 is brighter and more vibrant. Every previous generation (prior to PD50) consumer panasonic display I have seen looked great but seemed to lack the vibrant punch. Many people have purchased the NEC over the 7UY for this very reason (from what I recall). Many people have bought the Sony for this reason...and even consumer reports (who we all agree is clueless) preferred the Sony.

I like the looks of the 7UY much better, but am convinced the PD50 is a better display for my use (family room with lots of windows).

Originally posted by optivity
TV Track provides a succinct list of the 50/500U series PDPs which include release dates. This information was provided by Panasonic in January during CES 2005. As far as I know nothing has changed regarding the dates when these PDPs will be available.

"These PDPs support 8.6 billion colors and have very high contrast ratios for vivid colors even during dark scenes. The picture is further enhanced through 3D color processing which provides increased color purity."

Well, thats good to know. So, the 50U officially does have 8.6 Billion Colors just like the Industrial version. I think I'm going to stop nitpicking and be happy that I've got a great plasma for a very good price.

The only fly in this ointment is that it wont be delivered till NEXT MONTH!!!! :(

Oh well, I can spend that time rearranging the living room and buying some more DVDs to "christen" the new TV.

i did make a trip to the CC at the Gateway shopping center (exit 15 on the Belt) and they do have a PD50 on display. even with their reallyu crappy setup and the horrible calibration of ALL their TVs, the PD50 still clearly looks better than every other set on display.

i'll most likely get one very soon. PC Richard has what looks to be a very competitive price on these.

CC finally has the 50u on their site, specs are incomplete/incorrect but their price is pretty good at this minute. Also they have some inventory in local stores. Online pricing for this unit is all over the place, some sites even have it higher than MSRP. Old Mike

Originally posted by jspirate
I think these numbers depend on your setup to some extent. Also, I still have some tweaking to do. I think the colors are great, but I want to optimize my greys and blacks. This is where I think I could use the help of a professional, but I doubt I will hire one. I want to make a few more passes with DVE (only one pass so far). My dark grey/blacks are almost to black and sometimes I wonder if I can't do better. I think that plasmas are limited in this area, but dark greys and close to black colors seem to get represented as black. its kind of like overexposed whites in a photo. All the detail is lost. In short, I suspect I will be tweeking the picture and brightness settings some more.

Sounds good..let me know what changes u make and I will do the same. I do plan on having different settings for HD, SD and DVD..Do u plan on running DVE for all 3?

Try the "light" background over the "dark" it seems to bring out more detail and make greys more grey than black..tell me what u think

Also, some changes can be done in the service menu..if we can access it.

JT

42PD50:

So in a nutshell, people are disappointed about the stripping of some features (notably CableCard) from the 42PD25, but the excellent PQ, improvement in speaker sound, and good pricing make up for it.

I have been following this thread with some interest. BB has the pd50u in stock, and if you buy online they are throwing in free shipping, and a free Harmony Remote (they claim a $149.00 value), and 15% off mounting accessories. Details on their website.

Personally, I had decided on the 42px25u/p, but now have decided to wait on the px50u (or maybe the 500u) . But for those of you interested in the pd50u, this seems like a good deal from a reputable seller.

Darren

Originally posted by jrock65
42PD50:

So in a nutshell, people are disappointed about the stripping of some features (notably CableCard) from the 42PD25, but the excellent PQ, improvement in speaker sound, and good pricing make up for it.

But not all is bliss:

www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=527822

In the midst of numerous positive posts, this seems to be an anomoly. OTOH, there's no such thing as too much info for prospective buyers, of whom I am (still) one. :)

Originally posted by Macfan424
Understood, but if the 50U does support PAL Panasonic went out of their way to hide that fact.

Not only the tuner, but the HDMI and Component video signal information published in the manual specifically lists 1080i, 720p, 480p (x720 and x640) and 480i as compatible signals from STB's and DVD players. No mention of 576i/p at all. (The 25U didn't accept 720p input through these connections either, even though, theoretically, it easily could have.)

Thats true , there's no mention of the unit handling 576i/p anywhere in the manual/brochure . Guess I was hoping that they may have just "forgotten" about this and not printed the info. since most people here in the US probably don't care about PAL :)
Hey , one can hope ;)

It just seems like most models don't indicate video standard support which is a shame since NEC,Fujitsu do mention this . Guess I have to settle for the DVDO scaler if I really need the PAL signal . The cheapest scaler adds 500 bucks and I don't know how effective the offboard scaler is .
It sucks that the built-in scaler on a PDP can't handle an additional resolution ... can't imagine the additional electronic circuitry needed , if at all , is that much more in terms of cost . :mad:

Thanks for your input, Macfan.

Originally posted by sachinh
... Guess I have to settle for the DVDO scaler if I really need the PAL signal . The cheapest scaler adds 500 bucks and I don't know how effective the offboard scaler is .
It sucks that the built-in scaler on a PDP can't handle an additional resolution ... can't imagine the additional electronic circuitry needed , if at all , is that much more in terms of cost .


I agree that it can't cost much to include the circuitry, but, since Panasonic stripped out virtually all "extraneous" circuits from the PD50U (PIP, VGA, etc.), the rarely used (in the US) 576 capability wouldn't have had much chance of surviving even if it had been in the previous iterations. :(

I have a DVDO iScan Ultra, which is excellent at what it does, and is available for under $400. Unfortunately, while it accepts 576i/p, I don't think it converts it to 480i/p. I think it just converts 576i to 576p, as it is a de-interlacer, not really a scaler.

I believe the iScan HD does scale 576 signals to something the PD50U will accept (1080i, if not 480p), but I've never seen one for anywhere near $500. :(

Good luck with your quest.

Originally posted by Sheldon186
BB showing in in warehouse 37px50

I couldn't find at BB on web. Have I misunderstood?

Originally posted by rbrand
I couldn't find at BB on web. Have I misunderstood?

It is not listed on the website. If you go into your local store, they can look it up and see what is in their local warehouse. I did that last weekend. They actually had one of the not-yet-released models showing in their product listing (I don't recall which) but could not bring up any pricing or specs on it.

Originally posted by jrock65
42PD50:

So in a nutshell, people are disappointed about the stripping of some features (notably CableCard) from the 42PD25, but the excellent PQ, improvement in speaker sound, and good pricing make up for it.

you got it.

Assuming picture quality was equal, i would take the pd25u hands down. But when i saw the pd50 a couple of days ago... it absoletly blew me away. I had to get it. And the price point is very nice!

Just got a call from my brother in Louisiana. (He knows I am in the market). He found a link on Techbargains for Circuit City selling the pd25U at fire sale prices. They also have the pd50u with a discount (surprising for a new unit). Obviously can't post the prices here.

How about that wall mount pic, JSPirate?

Originally posted by Solderbot
How about that wall mount pic, JSPirate?


Here ya go... its not my best photography, but I did promise to get some pics up and I have been kinda busy. So, this will have to do for now.

http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/19096855-O.jpg

http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/19096857-O.jpg

Wow, what a lucky kid. Is that his play-room where you setup this plasma?

Originally posted by DarrenK
Just got a call from my brother in Louisiana. (He knows I am in the market). He found a link on Techbargains for Circuit City selling the pd25U at fire sale prices. They also have the pd50u with a discount (surprising for a new unit). Obviously can't post the prices here.

I just got a Feb05 build pa25u at Sams Club for $400 less than the CC close out.

Originally posted by wassim17
Wow, what a lucky kid. Is that his play-room where you setup this plasma?

Well, its kind of a multi-media/multi-purpose room. We have two computers, the plasma and a bunch of my son's toys in there. It fits our lifestyle because we seem to spend a lot of time either on the computer(s) or watching TV. In my case, I often watch TV while computing. Anyway, its keeps the family together in one room :)

I did not use the words "sub pixel count" in my e-mail request, never-the-less, here is Panny's response:

Dear MR JSPIRATE,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The model TH42PD50U does not have a sub pixel count or a cable card slot.

We hope this information is helpful to you.

Thank You,
Panasonic Consumer Support

Pirate, you own one and I am certain that you compared it to other ED plasmas, do you think that the SDE is less noticeable, that the edges of text are sharper and clearer ? Doesn't it appear to have a higher resolution than the other ED's?

jspirate,

I'm impressed that you mounted it so low. There is no way I would put it that low with my kids in the house. What mount did you use? How did you run the wires? Did you have access to the other side of the wall? Conduit to the closet? Curious. Thanks.

Originally posted by tomboyter
Pirate, you own one and I am certain that you compared it to other ED plasmas, do you think that the SDE is less noticeable, that the edges of text are sharper and clearer ? Doesn't it appear to have a higher resolution than the other ED's?

Disclaimer: I am fairly new to DPD. The 50u is my first plasma and I am still learning as I go. As a result, all I can do is offer uneducated opinion.


Ok, here is my response... Well, I do think the picture is better than the other EDs I looked at and I think the 50u is a great value. I am not comfortable saying that the 50u is the best ED out there (or anything like that), but I will say that now that its in my house I do not want to exchange it for any other ED model. I am not saying this because I don’t want the hassle. I am saying this because I like the picture. (SDE, color, contrast etc...). In fact, I am still surprised at the PQ. My viewing habits change a fair amount. One minute I am on the floor with my son watching Shark Tales from 4 feet away and then the next I am kicked back on the couch (or a chair) at anywhere from 8 – 12 feet. I can see the SD at 4 feet, but it doesn’t really distract me. I have to look for it at 5 – 6 feet, but I can still see it at 6 feet when I look AND the right content is being displayed (large area of light color). Both conditions muct be met for ME to see the SD at 6 ft.

So, in my opinion if SDE is important to you then I would not use this unit at inside of 5.5 feet. However, that’s a subjective call and I will admit that for me, SDE is just not that big a deal. I am not sure why it is mentioned so much in these forums because its present on just about every SD CRT out there (in some form or another). So, if you are going from a big SD CRT to a 42 inch plasma you just might see an improvement in this area. If you are going from a HD CRT to a plasma, then the ED SDE might be objectionable to you. I really think its all relative and people should consider what they currently have and what they are going to. In my opinion, that is at least as important as trying to get the unit with the best SDE performance.

jspirate - Thanks for posting the pic. I gotta say, it looks much better on the wall than it does on a stand. Very clean.

jspirate:
Thanks for sharing the setup pic as well. I am jealous...:-)

Hey jspirate,

Nice wall mounting job. Can you give me some details? I'll be getting mine next month and I want to mount it on the side of my stairwell (storage space behind so lots of room to pull wires and stuff).

Specifically, looking for things like which mount did you use? Was it DIY? Any deviations from standard mounting methods?

I've seen the excellent Wall Mount thread started by Rich so I kinda have an idea. Just wanted to get your thoughts on mounting this particular model.

TIA

w0mbat

I have been researching the 42PWD7UY and 42PD50U as possible plasma purchases and have found this thread extremely useful. There has been a lot of question as to what generation panel is being used in certain models. The following part numbers and prices for the display panels were taken from the Panasonic parts web site:

TH-42PD50U Part# MD42S08A1J $1383.56
TH-42PD25U Part# MD42S06B1J $1842.08
TH-42PWD7UY Part# MD42S07A1J $2064.38

These part numbers seem to indicate that each model uses a different display panel. Possibly the 6, 7, or 8 in each number indicates the generation.

One question, is anyone sure the PD50U does not use 3:2 pulldown? I know it's not mentioned in the literature or owners manual.

Originally posted by JCJ
I just got a Feb05 build pa25u at Sams Club for $400 less than the CC close out.

Okay, but it is not the same model. It seems to be lacking the ATSC tuner (built in Hi-Def) and the cable card slot, from what I can tell. I don't claim to be extremely familiar with all the permutations from model to model, but that is what I was able to gleen from one of the few remianing sites detailing the pa25u.

So we don't really know whether or not the 42PD50 has sub-pixel controller?

Apparently, it's not a feature that you can turn on or off. According to Panasonic, the 65XVS30 has the sub-pixel controller, but there is nothing in the manual that says that you can turn it on or off. In fact, the manual does not even mention it.

http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/ces_2005/product.asp

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/TH65XVS30U.PDF

Originally posted by jrock65
So we don't really know whether or not the 42PD50 has sub-pixel controller?


I think some of you guys are getting a little obsessed with this. It's not explicitly stated on the Panasonic web site or in the manual. It was in the CES 2005 blurb. There's some visual evidence that it's being done if you look at the screen from 1 foot away, but I couldn't be positive without spending hours looking at test patterns.

I think the picture is great compared to other ED plasmas I've seen, but given the wild variability of image settings and sources in the stores, it's hard to do a valid comparison without bringing more than one set home and playing with them.

At the end of the day, it's the picture that matters, not the technobabble. I agonized for months about which technology to pick, and then which plasma to pick, and I am totally satisfied with the PD50, but your milage may vary.

Maybe the service menu will clarify this, if anyone can figure out how to access it. I spent a few minutes trying last night, but couldn't.

ok returned my samsung SP-P4251... twice- first the digital PCB died at 40 days and a pixel stuck, then the replacement posterized horribly and was not able to be suitably corrected even by an ISA cert. tech...

throughout the returns process CC (specifically, the manager and the CS rep.) was awesome (despite being beyond 30 days), now i'll be getting a 50u in 4 days... yeehaw, they gave me free delivery (not making me do the rebate), they are also now taking 10% (not just for me but anyone who calls CC, mind you this is in addition to the current online rebates) which makes the price insanely low (below that of CC's price on the 25u)... i debated on the sony 42m1 (which was very impressive looking) but at more than a grand over the 50u, i decide to trust those of you who have purchased/seen the 50u and go with the panny...

the kicker is, after all of this i still have $500 on a gift card and (hopefully) a much better plasma than i started with 2 months ago...

PM me for specific numbers...

I was discussing sub-pixel control on another forum with someone, and he suggested that it was similar to microsoft clear type (http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ClearTypeInfo.mspx) technology. The interesting thing is that this version seems to help significantly with minute details such as on-screen font of fixed-pixel displays, but it was not necessary for it to address improvements in graphics that would be important for a tv.

Originally posted by AVWannaBe
jspirate,

I'm impressed that you mounted it so low. There is no way I would put it that low with my kids in the house. What mount did you use? How did you run the wires? Did you have access to the other side of the wall? Conduit to the closet? Curious. Thanks.

Well, my wife is not so impressed. In fact, she was flat out mad at me for mounting it so low, but sometimes you got stand-up for what you want. Heh, I guess that’s a different subject for a different thread. Anyway, someday my son could make me regret the low mount job and I can tell you I thought long and hard about mounting height. In fact, from the second I bought the unit I wanted to mount it low. I was going to mount it high because of my wife’s wishes and the possibility of my son damaging it, but in the end I went with my true preference. That doesn’t make it a good decision, but that is where my greatest comfort level is.

As far as wires go... I got kind of lucky. The room is on the second floor and my original plan was to run the wires through the back of the sheet-rock, up into the attic, and back down behind the sheet-rock in the closet. This was doable and I purchased 25-foot cables in preparation for the task, but I ended up doing things differently. While getting power into the closet, I discovered that the HVAC dead air space was right next to the closet (see drawing of room below). So, everything got a whole lot easier. In fact, I just cut a small hole behind where the plasma was to be mounted and a small hole in the closet. The closet hole was the size of an “old work” electrical box and the hole behind the plasma unit was made with a 2.25 inch drill bit/hole cutter. I used a grommet to pretty things up behind the DLP and then modified both an "old work" box and a coverplate for the closet (see pic below). With the holes in place I used a wire snake/fish to pull the wires through from one side to the other. For electricity I just measured where the outlet was in Room 1 and then cut a hole in the closet so that I could stick some romex through from the closet to Room 1 to make the connection. The last part was running the coax for the incoming cable signal. For this I went up into the attic and used my wire snake/fish to get to the hole I cut for the other AV wires (closet). I then pulled the coax up to the attic where the cableman had installed a splitter. Luckily for me this was all done through the HVAC dead air space.

For wall mounting I used the Sanus VMPL2s because it has a mounting depth of 1.25 inches. In hindsight, I would have liked 1.5 inches. The power cord on the 50 is bent almost 90 degrees and bumping into the back to the 50u. As a result, the unit isn't perfectly parallel to the wall (its darn close though). The Sanus fit the 50u perfectly and mounting it took me about 25 minutes, but you do need an extra pair of hands to hang the DPD on the mount.

Pics of “old work” box and plate:
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/18667122-O.jpg
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/18667121-L.jpg

Drawing of the room:
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/19137046-L.jpg

I'm trying to make a decision between the 42PD50U and the 42PWD7UY for my mom in Oregon. I currently have the 42PWD7UY setup with a DVD player and PC only. I'm really happy with the picture. It was my first plasma and I'm so happy I bought this just wish I had another $2000 at the time for the HD7UY! I have looked between the stats and I know she'll be happy with either model.

She has:

-comcast cable(basic service) with no cable box (only VHS deck)
-DVD player over component
-Home stereo system so no real need for the speakers on the PD50U

circuit City is offering the PD50U online for about $100 more than a 7UY shipped with a table stand so the price is about the same.

So I'm thinking the PD50U is a better deal for her because she won't need to buy a cable tuner ( I saw an HD one for $250 at crutchfield).

The only reason I'm hesitant to buy it is I'm thinking home entertainment boxes are the future with high speed fiber optic connections that will allow streaming HD content right to the box. I live in CA and they are finishing up installation of some serious bandwidth (like 5M download/3M upload) in the next few months. Will the HDMI connection be adequate for connectioning the PD50U to a media box? MY 15pin RGB connector on the 7UY is a no-brainer for connecting to a media center and I can switch out the blades to DVI etc. What do think, is the HDMI an interface that can connect with multimedia boxes that are being built I thought most DVI and HDMI connections don't interface well with PCs?

Thanks, Mark

Originally posted by jspirate
... In fact, I just cut a small hole behind where the plasma was to be mounted and a small hole in the closet. The closet hole was the size of an “old work” electrical box and the hole behind the plasma unit was made with a 2.25 inch drill bit/hole cutter. I used a grommet to pretty things up behind the DLP and then modified both an "old work" box and a coverplate for the closet (see pic below). ...For wall mounting I used the Sanus VMPL2s because it has a mounting depth of 1.25 inches. In hindsight, I would have liked 1.5 inches. The power cord on the 50 is bent almost 90 degrees and bumping into the back to the 50u. As a result, the unit isn't perfectly parallel to the wall (its darn close though). The Sanus fit the 50u perfectly and mounting it took me about 25 minutes, but you do need an extra pair of hands to hang the DPD on the mount.I'm about to get the same mount as yours today and am ready to cut some holes...

I have a couple of questions: Are you saying you fed the AC cord from the plasma straight through the same hole as the other wires over to the closet? Or did you mount an outlet behind the plasma? Could the hole have been placed better to clear the problem with the 90° bend?

Why didn't you use the same grommet idea for the closet, or was it just for cosmetics?

Also- Were you able to connect the cables after it is hung or you need to connect them first and have someone pull them through the wall as you get closer and actually hang the unit? Thanks.

Originally posted by Carey P
I'm about to get the same mount as yours today and am ready to cut some holes...

I have a couple of questions: Are you saying you fed the AC cord from the plasma straight through the same hole as the other wires over to the closet? Or did you mount an outlet behind the plasma? Could the hole have been placed better to clear the problem with the 90° bend?

Why didn't you use the same grommet idea for the closet, or was it just for cosmetics? Thanks.


The AC cord is connected to a Leviton in-wall surge protector which is behind the 50u.

As far as the grommet goes... there are two reasons:
1. The grommet was not very sturdy and my wire pulls were more significant in the closet because of the coax cable coming from the attic.

2. I made a mistake when measuring for the electrical connection and I already had an electrical outlet box size hole in the closet. Hehe, I guess in all honesty item no. 1 doesn't apply :p

Originally posted by jspirate
The AC cord is connected to a Leviton in-wall surge protector which is behind the 50u.

As far as the grommet goes... there are two reasons:
1. The grommet was not very sturdy and my wire pulls were more significant in the closet because of the coax cable coming from the attic.

2. I made a mistake when measuring for the electrical connection and I already had an electrical outlet box size hole in the closet. Hehe, I guess in all honesty item no. 1 doesn't apply :p Thanks for the info. You probably read my post before I added the last Q. Did you have to connect all the cables before mounting due to the slim mount? Also, were you able to find the surge protector outlet at a local B&M?

brunoflipper, I sent you a PM.

Originally posted by Carey P
Thanks for the info. You probably read my post before I added the last Q. Did you have to connect all the cables before mounting due to the slim mount? Also, were you able to find the surge protector outlet at a local B&M?

Yeah, all the cables had to be connected before the unit was hung on the mount.

I could not find the surge protector at a B&M. I ended up mail ordering it online.

jspirate: notch a hole in the drywall, that should fix the power connector planarity issue...just kidding. I'm surprised they don't have a lower profile connector to the display. Is there a particular 1.5" mount that you would recommend instead?

I had a chance to see the TH-42PD50U yesterday and was suitably impressed. It looked wonderful! On this forum and elsewhere I keep seeing the assertion that the "consumer" models of pannies are one generation behind the "commercial" models. Therefore, can one simply assume that the PQ of the present reasonably comparable and available "commercial" model, the TH-42PWD7UY, will be the same as the 42PD50U? Since I can't find a place to actually view the 42-PWD7UY, I would like someone in the know to answer this question to help me make up my mind. Thanks,

Orcasite

Originally posted by Orcasite
I had a chance to see the TH-42PD50U yesterday and was suitably impressed. It looked wonderful! On this forum and elsewhere I keep seeing the assertion that the "consumer" models of pannies are one generation behind the "commercial" models. Therefore, can one simply assume that the PQ of the present reasonably comparable and available "commercial" model, the TH-42PWD7UY, will be the same as the 42PD50U? Since I can't find a place to actually view the 42-PWD7UY, I would like someone in the know to answer this question to help me make up my mind. Thanks,

Orcasite

The 25U was one generation behind the 7uy. The 50U should be equal or slightly better than the 7UY. The 7UY was released in October 2004.

Maybe there is a 7uy owner who will take a look at the 50U and comment.

JCPZero

I own the PA model from Costco, but haven't opened the box becuase my new house is not yet complete. So I've been awaiting the 50u's arrival anxiously...

Today, at CC in Naperville IL, I was fortuneate enough to see the 25U and 50U side by side. They had not yet taken down the 25U. Stroke of luck.

I know all about how settings are different etc etc. Here is my impression.

50U silver bezel is the biggest difference. It makes the 50U look bigger. The black inner screen of the 25U for some optical illusion just looks smaller. I asked two others standing nearby, everyone agreed 50U appeared larger.

SDE is the same. Sorry, but I stood from 1ft to 15ft from these and as I moved in, there is not noticible improvement in the 50U over the 25U. They both showed SDE at about 3-4 feet and in.

First bullet point on new sales card where price is listed said "8th Generation Glass" clear as a bell.

And most importantly, yes, the picture on the 50U just seemed better/richer/whatever. I have to agree with most everyone else, it just seemed better overall when viewed side by side. I turned down the "Picture" setting, left "Brightness at 0, and still think the 50U was nicer.

I will be returning the 25U to Costco this weekend. Didn't open it, so I don't feel bad. This is what I hoped for, hedged my bet, hoped for best and Panasonic has rewarded me.

I will flat wall mount with my soon to be ordered TSS-750 from Infinity. They look great against the silver bezel.

By the way, I will be buying this at CC for way below MSRP. If interested PM me.

Good luck all and thanks to everyone for their advice and opinions. AVSforum rocks.

Nice thread. I have narrowed my choice one of the following: PD50U, PA25U or PD25U. A couple of weeks ago, I had settled on the PA25U, but the prices of these three models have since levelled - almost equal now. I am definately buying one this weekend - moving next week.

My use and requirements:
1. Getting Comcast Cable HD (comcast set top)
2. HDMI or DVI input for cable
3. Component input for Progressive Scan DVD player
4. Composite input for VCR
5. Input for game console
6. Using Sony receiver for audio

All 3 seem to meet the input requirements. A few users have reported an annoyance with input memory on some Panny models - something about having to unplug and replug cables (don't recall exactly). I do not think this will be tolerable.

Ok, with all of the above said, any clear winners or is it literally a toss up? Thanks.

I have a quick question regarding the new Panasonic models. I'm pretty sure that the PD50U has a single HDMI input but how many HDMI inputs are there going to be on the PX50 and PX500? The reason I ask is that I'm interested in connecting an HTPC and since neither the PD50U or PX50 have an RGB or DVI input, I'm hoping that the possiblity exists to for the PX50 to have a second HDMI input that could be used as the input for a PC with a DVI - HDMI cable? I realize that the specs for the PX500 state that it will have a PC input. Anyone have any idea?

Thanks,

Drivie

Hey pokinpo, the clear-cut winner of those three for various reasons, most notably picture quality, is the pd50u. Also, the tuner over the pa25 (although you're using your cable stb). For the features you need, the 50u is fine, those people were talking about trying to use a cable input and a antenna input at the same time, because the 25u's have 2 rf inputs and the 50u has just one. But, it seems as though you wont even need one of these rf inputs, so that shouldn't concern you.

I finally hung my 50u! Took some blood sweat and tears to get all the cables through the wall but I wanted all the inputs covered for the future. I didn't manage to get them all pulled through enough since it was so tight while I was hanging the unit. I'll have to get more help for that some other time. I also I think it's a tad too high by a couple of inches :rolleyes: At least there's plenty of room left for adjustment with the Sanus mount. I may even want to use the 5° tilt option.

You can see I have the VCR on a bench for now. All the unused cables are laying undernieth. Obviously, I still need to find an equipment rack of sorts. I just wanted to show my temporary setup for now since people were screaming for wall mount shots. Enjoy.

PD50u on the Wall (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prometheus5/Img_0113SM.jpg)

Carey P:
what bracket do you use? It looks like there is no gap between the plasma and the wall!!. Beautiful setup

Originally posted by Carey P
I finally hung my 50u! Took some blood sweat and tears to get all the cables through the wall but I wanted all the inputs covered for the future. I didn't manage to get them all pulled through enough since it was so tight while I was hanging the unit. I'll have to get more help for that some other time. I also I think it's a tad too high by a couple of inches :rolleyes: At least there's plenty of room left for adjustment with the Sanus mount. I may even want to use the 5° tilt option.

You can see I have the VCR on a bench for now. All the unused cables are laying undernieth. Obviously, I still need to find an equipment rack of sorts. I just wanted to show my temporary setup for now since people were screaming for wall mount shots. Enjoy.

PD50u on the Wall (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prometheus5/Img_0113SM.jpg)

cute dog!

Originally posted by napple
cute dog! My cat is BIGGER than that dog...:D

BTW... nice job hanging your plasma, beautiful wall...

Carey P,

I sent you a PM. Did you get it?

BTW, the mount job looks great :)

tvauthority has posted an expected 4/17 release date for the PX50U, has anyone seen anything sooner than this?

jspirate,

Yes, thanks. I got your PM. I ended up puting the AC cable through the wall and out the same hole as the other cables. Then I plug it into surge suppressor plugstrip. I may rework things later on.

Optivity,

Thanks. My other dog is bigger :D

plasma-user,

It's the Sanus VMPL2S Low Profile Mount (S=silver). It's the same one jspirate uses. It only allows 1 1/4" from wall to back. The "no gap" look is an optical illusion since you can't see the shadow from the flash. I may take another shot without flash to show the real look.

Originally posted by pokinpo
Nice thread. I have narrowed my choice one of the following: PD50U, PA25U or PD25U. A couple of weeks ago, I had settled on the PA25U, but the prices of these three models have since levelled - almost equal now. I am definately buying one this weekend - moving next week.

My use and requirements:
1. Getting Comcast Cable HD (comcast set top)
2. HDMI or DVI input for cable
3. Component input for Progressive Scan DVD player
4. Composite input for VCR
5. Input for game console
6. Using Sony receiver for audio

All 3 seem to meet the input requirements. A few users have reported an annoyance with input memory on some Panny models - something about having to unplug and replug cables (don't recall exactly). I do not think this will be tolerable.

Ok, with all of the above said, any clear winners or is it literally a toss up? Thanks.

No clear cut winners in my opinion, though I'm sure many will argue to the contrary. Much of this is based on necessarily subjective impressions of picture quality, something no one else can judge for you. (I'm delighted with my PD25U's PQ and addicted to its PIP, which I would be reluctant to give up.)

However, without a compelling reason to do otherwise (e.g., desire for PIP, Cable Card, front inputs, etc.), go for the 50U. It has fewer features, but offers newer technology. If the PD25U and the PA25U are the same price and you want one of them, the PD is a no brainer as it is essentially the same as a PA with extra features (most notably a ATSC tuner) which you may not use now, but might wish you had in the future.

The only drawback to the 50U for you might be your game console requirement. If you mean you need easy access to connect and disconnect your console, the lack of front inputs on the 50U would be a drawback. Since you are using a STB and don't seem to care about cable card, all will provide more than adequate inputs for your other listed requirements.

The cable plug/unplug issue should not affect anything you apparently want to do. As far as I recall, it only affects those who need two antenna inputs (the 50U has only one).

The "input memory" issue is common to many brands, and is the same on all three models you are considering. It simply means that your picture memory settings are the same for all inputs, which is what most buyers prefer. Posters/readers of this forum are much more concerned about such matters than the public at large, and most of us would prefer to be able to design custom settings for each input.

Originally posted by Macfan424
The "input memory" issue is common to many brands, and is the same on all three models you are considering. It simply means that your picture memory settings are the same for all inputs, which is what most buyers prefer.Just want to point out that it (the PD50u at least and I'm sure the 25u as well) will remember a specific Picture mode setup for each Input. For Example, you can use VIVID set up the way you like for Video IN 1/2, STANDARD for TV Tuner, CINEMA for Component 1/2. On the 25u you also have an extra Picture mode to play with called AUTO.

I know of no problem disconnecting power or cables and losing settings, except for an occasional loss of DTV channels requiring a rescan. However, I have not pinned this down, as I just had no problems forgetting anything after disconnecting power and cables for several hours while hanging the unit yesterday.:)

The first shot shows the real look of the mounted 50u without flash. The second is a close up of one side showing the mount. Note, the unit was slid over to the right to better center on wall, so the mount shows more on this side than normal.

Mounting Without Flash (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prometheus5/Img_0117SM.jpg)
Sanus Mount Close-Up (http://mywebpages.comcast.net/prometheus5/SanusLowProfile.jpg)

Originally posted by Carey P
Just want to point out that it (the PD50u at least and I'm sure the 25u as well) will remember a specific Picture mode setup for each Input. For Example, you can use VIVID set up the way you like for Video IN 1/2, STANDARD for TV Tuner, CINEMA for Component 1/2. On the 25u you also have an extra Picture mode to play with called AUTO.


Just confirming that this is true of the 25U as well.

I know of no problem disconnecting power or cables and losing settings, except for an occasional loss of DTV channels requiring a rescan. However, I have not pinned this down, as I just had no problems forgetting anything after disconnecting power and cables for several hours while hanging the unit yesterday.:)

Well, that's encouraging! Maybe T-storm season won't be an annoyance after all! :D

Your set-up looks great, BTW. Congratulations!

Fry`s in Anaheim has pd50 on display.

Thanks Macfan & Wassim...and others.
Good points on the 50u. I can certainly do without the cablecard and rear inputs will be ok for the game console. So, it looks like I am edging toward the 50u.

Originally posted by jspirate
Well, my wife is not so impressed. In fact, she was flat out mad at me for mounting it so low, but sometimes you got stand-up for what you want. Pics of “old work” box and plate:
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/18667122-O.jpg
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/18667121-L.jpg

Drawing of the room:
http://jspirate.smugmug.com/photos/19137046-L.jpg

jspirate,

Can u tell me WHY you have mounted the unit so low? Is it for aesthetic reasons or viewing? In either case, to me, haning it higher is a much better option...

Originally posted by alexb76
jspirate,

Can u tell me WHY you have mounted the unit so low? Is it for aesthetic reasons or viewing? In either case, to me, haning it higher is a much better option...

Well, I kind of explained it in an earlier thread. It was for two reasons:
1. Ergonomically our neck/head are most comfortable looking down at an angle of about 5 degrees
2. My sons like to sit on the floor to watch TV and I sometimes sit with them

Here is the quote from the earlier thread where I talked about is some:


Originally posted by AVWannaBe
jspirate,

I'm impressed that you mounted it so low. There is no way I would put it that low with my kids in the house. What mount did you use? How did you run the wires? Did you have access to the other side of the wall? Conduit to the closet? Curious. Thanks.

My response:
Well, my wife is not so impressed. In fact, she was flat out mad at me for mounting it so low, but sometimes you got stand-up for what you want. Heh, I guess that�s a different subject for a different thread. Anyway, someday my son could make me regret the low mount job and I can tell you I thought long and hard about mounting height. In fact, from the second I bought the unit I wanted to mount it low. I was going to mount it high because of my wife�s wishes and the possibility of my son damaging it, but in the end I went with my true preference. That doesn�t make it a good decision, but that is where my greatest comfort level is.

In the end there is no correct height at which to hang your DPD. Its a matter of personal preference.

Best regards :)

Well I went to CC to look at the 50u again also tried to get the extra 10% off that some people inidcated that they would give you. They were willing to go an extra 5%. I could not decide, so I just happened to pass buy my local non chain up scace B&M and stopped in. Talked to the owner and they just happened to get in a shipment of 15 42pd25's he gave me a price below CC blowout price so I bought one, they also provide and extra year on the warranty. I think they still have about 11 left. They said that the shipment just appeared out of the blue they have not had any for over 3 months. These are December 04 build date.
The store is Ed's TV in Montgomeryville pa on route 309, north west of Philly/
Old Mike

I'm chomping at the bit for the th-42px50u to arrive. I'm finally going to
break down.

I almost bought a 7UY until I read about the s-video problems documented
by jhanson and black level changing problems in other discussions.

Thread 479574 -- Problems with Panasonic 7UY Series
Thread 473893 -- Pan TH-42PHD7UY Black level changing

(Sorry, I'm not yet permitted to post URLs to these other threads).

Has anyone tried to reproduce these problems with their new
th-42pd50u?

If any pd50u owner's have good (or bad) news to share after reviewing
these threads, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Ok, all done - got the 50u today. Also, got the 3-yr in-home warranty and some other stuff. They matched CC's current online discounted price and their price match to any other store will continue for another 60 days. I would not get to view it until delivered to the new house in about a week from now.

A few notes:
As previously mentioned by someone else, the 50u does seem larger that the 25u.

With the store's HD setup and at over 5 feet away, I really could not notice a difference between the 50u and other adjacent HD sets - which cost twice as much. Within 5 feet, screening is perceptible - but nothing unusually.

The 50u does not have a cablecard slot. (I will not be using this because two-way communication will be needed for comcast's on-demand).

Just waiting now.... Thanks.

i got 50u and i dont see any cable slot in the back

ive had my plasma for a week now.....sucks coz im still using analog cable. i cant wait to subscribe to Dish Network and get their HD channels.

Originally posted by jspirate
Well, I kind of explained it in an earlier thread. It was for two reasons:
1. Ergonomically our neck/head are most comfortable looking down at an angle of about 5 degrees
2. My sons like to sit on the floor to watch TV and I sometimes sit with them

Here is the quote from the earlier thread where I talked about is some:


Interesting... I thought having it right on the line of sight was best... but if you sit on the floor, then that explains it, since if you sit on a couch, then ur unit is way too low, but you know what's best for u...

Originally posted by pokinpo
They matched CC's current online discounted price and their price match to any other store will continue for another 60 days. Who's they?
The 50u does have a cablecard slot in the rear...Where exactly? I don't see one on mine.
Thanks.

Sorry guys - the sales guys lied (it was wall-mounted, so I did not see it). Anyway, two of them told me it had a cablecard slot - one even emphasized it was on the rear - not the side.

Good thing I do not need it or I would have returned it. Panasonic's site just confirm that it does not have one.

Editted previous post as well.

I do not remember the forum rules. Can I post store name and price?

No, you can't name price, just store name.

Ok,
I bought from Tweeters in Rockville, Maryland.

Originally posted by jspirate

In the end there is no correct height at which to hang your DPD. Its a matter of personal preference.


which is why so many movie theaters are set up this way...

I have purchased the TH-42PD50U
42" Diagonal Plasma TV with Built-In ATSC/QAM/NTSC Tuners and Up to 4000:1 Contrast Ratio. Just waiting for it to be delivered.

Question i have is: with only 1 coax connector how can you connect cable tv and roof top antenna to it? Ihave no cable box and don't want one. I do have an rca dtc 100 i can use for OTA hd but shouldn't need to use it as this set has built in hdtv tuner, correct. then the other concern would be if i did need to use the dtc 100, i have it connected with an old style monitor cable with bnc to rca adapters coming out of the vga port on the dtc 100. this has been the best picture quality setup for me. (rgbhv) will the new panny accept this type of connection? i am concerned due to the specs saying it is not pc compatable.


thanks for any and all feedback.

p.s. this unit is for the wife in the bedroom watching mostly sd cable and dvd, but i would like to watch ota hd when i go to bed. I still have 55 mitsubishi ws rptv and sharp 12000 pj for my viewing needs.

I have purchased the TH-42PD50U
42" Diagonal Plasma TV with Built-In ATSC/QAM/NTSC Tuners and Up to 4000:1 Contrast Ratio. Just waiting for it to be delivered.

Question i have is: with only 1 coax connector how can you connect cable tv and roof top antenna to it? Ihave no cable box and don't want one. I do have an rca dtc 100 i can use for OTA hd but shouldn't need to use it as this set has built in hdtv tuner, correct. then the other concern would be if i did need to use the dtc 100, i have it connected with an old style monitor cable with bnc to rca adapters coming out of the vga port on the dtc 100. this has been the best picture quality setup for me. (rgbhv) will the new panny accept this type of connection? i am concerned due to the specs saying it is not pc compatable.


thanks for any and all feedback.

p.s. this unit is for the wife in the bedroom watching mostly sd cable and dvd, but i would like to watch ota hd when i go to bed. I still have 55 mitsubishi ws rptv and sharp 12000 pj for my viewing needs.

Threads Merged!

Dave

Went to CC yesterday and checked out the 42pd50u, Excellent PSP. I really couldn't tell a difference in HD content with the pioneer. Actually i thought it looked better. Anyway. i went to verify size so that i can figure out if I need the 37 of 42 PX50u. I was getting the 37 but think ill go with the 42 and modify my entertainment center with some costum mounting instead of the rabbit ear stand. how do i post pictures of the entertainment center pics. Before, After. Im off to preorder the 42PX50U @ CC with pricematch of SHENTECH.com They show warehouse stock. delivery in 10 days. PEACE.

Originally posted by schmendrick
Question i have is: with only 1 coax connector how can you connect cable tv and roof top antenna to it? Ihave no cable box and don't want one. I do have an rca dtc 100 i can use for OTA hd but shouldn't need to use it as this set has built in hdtv tuner, correct. then the other concern would be if i did need to use the dtc 100, i have it connected with an old style monitor cable with bnc to rca adapters coming out of the vga port on the dtc 100. this has been the best picture quality setup for me. (rgbhv) will the new panny accept this type of connection? i am concerned due to the specs saying it is not pc compatable.


thanks for any and all feedback.

p.s. this unit is for the wife in the bedroom watching mostly sd cable and dvd, but i would like to watch ota hd when i go to bed. I still have 55 mitsubishi ws rptv and sharp 12000 pj for my viewing needs. It will be fine for SD cable and DVD. If you want to use the internal ATSC tuner for OTA, you will need to re-scan all channels each time you switch from cable to antenna. A bit painful since you have no choice but to scan all analog channels to get the digital as well. You can't just manual add channels, only turn them on or off in the edit menu after scanning.

So basically if you want antenna channels and SD cable at same time, you'll want to use a separate tuner for one of them, either through the S-video input or Component. The 50u does not accept RGB. That said, you can maybe get a transcoder for RGBHV to Component. Of course, if you have all local HD channels on cable, there would be no need for the roof antenna (except that it might offer a slightly better picture due to less compression). Good luck.

Originally posted by alexb76
Interesting... I thought having it right on the line of sight was best... but if you sit on the floor, then that explains it, since if you sit on a couch, then ur unit is way too low, but you know what's best for u...

Actually, the least amount of stress is at an angle lower than 5 degrees (to center), but that applies more to things that are up close (like a computer monitor). It all goes back to anatomy and such. There use to be a time when humans didn't use computers and most of our activities were outdoors doing the survival thing. As such, one of the theories has it that we needed to look at the ground out in front of us at about 20 - 30 feet as we traveled (by foot of course). This this downward angle was part of our make-up and the theory claims that this reduced stress from the upper back up through the eyes.

Anyway, there is oodles of ergonomically (esp. computer stuff) related stuff on the internet. Just do a search on ergonomics. The reason I am in tune with it is because its a decent part of how I make my living :)

This is what the CDC says about computer monitors:
MONITOR
Once the chair and work surface height are properly adjusted, the computer monitor should be placed so the top of the screen is at or just below eye level when seated in an upright position.
http://www.cdc.gov/od/ohs/Ergonomics/compergo.htm#MONITOR

When you do the trig on a monitor that is 20 inches away as opposed to a DPD that is 10 feet away, you end up with a pretty low mounting height.

The one catch here is that we don't spend long hours in front of our DPD so the downward angle is not as important, but technically it should be the the most comfortable when the top of the DPD is below the eye level.

All that being said, the best place to mount your plasma is where you want to mount it :)

Sorry for the re-post but I want to make sure I can get an answer ...
Originally posted by GmanAVS
My boss wants a HD plasma for his bedroom armoire (spelling?) which is exactly 40' and 7/16 wide.
TH-37PX25U does not fit nor does the TH-37PD25U

Does anyone know the dimensions of the new TH-37PX50U, specifically the exact total width?

Viewing distance is 9 ft so I recommended the TH-37PWD7UY but he is against it (adamintly) because
a) he wants HD no matter what I do to explain he will not see the SDE (even brought him to the local BB and CC to prove my point)
b) he wants cablecard slot (for Cablevision IO Digital)
c) he is technically retarded (his words, not mine) and wants to be able to plug his gear in (DVD, PS2, Coax-cable, and VCR) and forget about it.

Help, anyone?
Technowizard, you have any info?
thanks,
gman

Originally posted by GmanAVS
Sorry for the re-post but I want to make sure I can get an answer ...

have you looked into 37" LCDs?

Just got the new panny 42ed. I had bought a 5th gen panny ed (commercial) 2 years ago (also based on reviews on AVS) and was thrilled with the quality. I was close to getting the new 50" pio, but the reviews in this thread plus a trip to the local store swayed me. I just do not think FOR ME that the 50" pio is worth 2 of the new EDTVs (it is exactly 2x the price online, almost 3x at the store). NEC's were tempting, but sight unseen - not for me. 7UY's were tempting, but factor in the $$$ for the stand, hdmi card. The fact it has speakers and tuner that I may some day use is a bonus.

Funny thing though - I am extremely hard pressed to say the picture quality of the new one is perceptably better the 5th generation. The just mode - yes hands down. But viewing HD & DVD content... cannot see it.

Thanks to everyone for posting their comments - very helpful!!

...Peter

Am I correct that the 50U uses a type of pixel orbiter to avoid image retention and burn in? If not can any tell me what is built in and if its user controlled or automatic.

Any availability info yet on the 50 inch models yet? I've seen a couple of internet sites that claim they are already available, in stock and ready to ship, but I find that hard to believe.

Originally posted by napple
have you looked into 37" LCDs?
The viewing will be predominently HD sports broadcasts.
The 3 top LCDs we saw suffered (all) from motion artifacts and jagges edges. (we viewed 15 min of NCAA quartefinals on CBSHD at Harvey Electronics fed by Dish).
LCDs are ruled out.

Just bought a 50u and am very pleased, except for the lack of screen resize on the OTA tuner if the DTV station broadcasts a larger resolution pix with boarders already filled in.

In Boston, all of the local stations broadcast in digital, but some send 16:9 and fill in the left and right sides with black instead of just sending 4:3 when they are sourcing 4:3 material. The 50u refuses to resize this.

I do not think the stations doing this move around the borders, so I am guessing there is some slightly added burn-in issue due to this problem. Luckily, I will likely not watch these sources frequently.

The guy at anderson's offered to sell it to me for $$$$ the new 50U that is. Is that good or is there better deals?

[MSRP ONLY- Please keep your post to Technical issues]

Originally posted by pgrokkos
Any availability info yet on the 50 inch models yet? I've seen a couple of internet sites that claim they are already available, in stock and ready to ship, but I find that hard to believe.

I'm also interested. ;)

I'm all set to buy the hd px50u once it's out. However, I've been trying to decide between the 42 and the 50. I've been almost decided on the 42 inch but I'm wondering whether I'm gonna want something bigger after having it for a while. I'm probably not going to be able to upgrade for about 7-8 years, although I realize that in a couple of years, I can get a much bigger set for the amount I'm buying the smaller one today. Price is somewhat of an issue. My seating distance is probably going to be pretty flexible, I'll arrange it so I can have an immersive experience with either size, like 6-10 feet. What do you guys think?

Just got the 42PD50U today. My HD OTA Antenna is shipping now. I am somewhat disapointed by the SD PQ I am getting via DirecTivo. My DirecTivo only has S Video, not Component outputs. Would a DirecTivo with Component Outputs do much in improving the PQ? A regular HD DirecTV receiver isn't out of the picture, but a HD DirecTivo is due to the price. I really hate to give up my Tivo functionality! Any suggestions?

Originally posted by wassim17
I'm all set to buy the hd px50u once it's out. However, I've been trying to decide between the 42 and the 50. I've been almost decided on the 42 inch but I'm wondering whether I'm gonna want something bigger after having it for a while. I'm probably not going to be able to upgrade for about 7-8 years, although I realize that in a couple of years, I can get a much bigger set for the amount I'm buying the smaller one today. Price is somewhat of an issue. My seating distance is probably going to be pretty flexible, I'll arrange it so I can have an immersive experience with either size, like 6-10 feet. What do you guys think? Being "good" American consumers we all know... "BIGGER is always better!!!" (except when it comes to the size of my ever expanding waistline). But seriously... If you have an opportunity to acquire a 50" panel, I say go for it. IMO to obtain an in-home cinematic "immersive experience," while being seated approximately 12 feet away from your PDP, requires at least a 50" panel. History tells me that going from a 19" --> 27" --> 36" TV reveals that initially the next screen size seemed big by comparison of what I was accustomed to, but after a while the TV does not have that BIG-screen look & feel. Therefore, I'm not inclined to spend ~$4K for another "small" 42" TV.

Originally posted by rbkessler
Just got the 42PD50U today. My HD OTA Antenna is shipping now. I am somewhat disapointed by the SD PQ I am getting via DirecTivo. My DirecTivo only has S Video, not Component outputs. Would a DirecTivo with Component Outputs do much in improving the PQ? A regular HD DirecTV receiver isn't out of the picture, but a HD DirecTivo is due to the price. I really hate to give up my Tivo functionality! Any suggestions?

After reading and comparing a lot of plasma tv's, I decided to give a shot to 42PD50U. I went to CC and compare to other plasma. In HD feed this tv was as good as any other. Really beautiful PQ. So as always, I asked to see it in SD. And here my impression started to decline.
I asked sale rep if they can PM to ecost.com and surprisingly they did. I could not resist the price and purchased it.
I should mention that I'm getting digital feed from Dish Network.
It was delivered to my home next morning. And here is my opinion.
If you get only SD then you really should stay away from Plasma tv. I know that people recommend Pioneer brand, but in my opinion these guys just can't handle a not HD feed from both Sat or Cable companies. You definitely need HD signal to enjoy full potential of these units.
My old Toshiba CRT handles PQ much better than 42PD50U.(both analog cable and digital feed)
So for me its not worth to invest $$$$ into plasma and not get all benefit of it. I know that HD package is an option but It comes with heavy $$$ monthly fees.
I tried to play with Picture menu but could not get it any better.
Also when watching Shrek on DVD, I noticed that his face was too green and all yellow colors were too greenish.
Sadly I'll return this unit.
But again if you get HD feed this is an excellent TV