Well I FINALLY found a note in the manual under the `connections diagram'..it stated that component cannot be used for video if there is a component using a HDMI input.....makes no sense for it to be set up that way...now I'll HAVE to buy another HDMI cable 2day.That doesn't sound right - the Component inputs should work fine even when both HDMI inputs are being used by other components. I'm using both of my HDMI inputs and both of my Component inputs and they all work fine.

Now if you have an HDMI cable plugged into the back of the SA8300HD then it's Component Output is disabled. But you said that your only HDMI cable is connected to your HD A3 so i presume this isn't the problem.

>>>>>>>>Glare issues aside, does anyone PREFER the 77 to the 700 with regard to PQ, and PQ only??? I don't care about the speakers (I use a 5.1 system), tuner, etc ...



I just went to CC yesterday to ponder buying the 700 because of the matte screen haze of my 77U. Funny thing, all the plasmas looked the exact same as mine. Colors were awesome - pure whites had a slight grey tint. The 750 had a slightly brighter color to it, but that was it. The 700 looked EXACTLY the same as my 77U.

I went home and watched NBC Sat Night Football, and the 77U exhibited no muted colors. It looked better than any LCD. The whites of the Colts were awesome, and the movement of everything else was perfect.

During the day with sub standard sources...the 77U does appear to have flat colors. With HD sources, this TV is rockin. I could honestly tell no difference in colors between mine and the 700 at the store.

I also had buyer's remorse...but everytime I came home and saw a true HD channel...I know I made a great decision. It performs every bit as well as the 700, and for much less price. I just don't have a lot of HD channels or HD DVD's...just basic cable. That's why I was thinking I made a bad decision.

I Can live with my pure whites not being pure white because every other color in the spectrum comes through perfectly on the 77U. Plus the plasma is a much better picture for sports and stuff than an LCD.

I just saw this set at Best Buy for $1299. This seems like it's a great deal. I'm currently watch HD via DirecTV on an ED Panasonic 42" plasma, and it's not bad, but I want to upgrade. I've heard some complanints about the matte screen. Is this a lot of bang for the buck?

Well I FINALLY found a note in the manual under the `connections diagram'..it stated that component cannot be used for video if there is a component using a HDMI input.....makes no sense for it to be set up that way...now I'll HAVE to buy another HDMI cable 2day.


That doesn't make sense to me either. I have my 360 on HDMI and my Wii on component and haven't had any trouble with either.

I just saw this set at Best Buy for $1299. This seems like it's a great deal. I'm currently watch HD via DirecTV on an ED Panasonic 42" plasma, and it's not bad, but I want to upgrade. I've heard some complanints about the matte screen. Is this a lot of bang for the buck?

I hate the matte screen, IMHO it screwed the PQ quality of the picture with this set.. But damn, at this price who cares....

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_05775597000P?vName=Computers+%26+Electronics&keyword=TH-42PZ77U&sLevel=0&sid=I0084400010000100600&sid=I0084400010000100600&aff=Y

Click on add to cart and I was shocked!!

http://bfads.net/

HELP!!! Im trying to choose between these 2 models: 42" px75u and the 42" pz77u.

This Tv is going to go into my master bedroom to hang on the wall and will probably not have any additional equiptment connected at the present time.

I know the big difference is one is 720p and the other is 1080p, but Im wondering if the one is worth the extra $150 at this time??

Any thoughts/opinions would be greatfully appreciated! ( i got great deals on both)

Twinsdad23: In this case I would go for the 1080p model, it is well worth the extra $150 bucks. I am torn between the PZ700 and the Pioneer 720 Kuro model and there is much more of a price difference there... :(

Twinsdad -

I would definitely go with the 750 with the 42". You won't even notice the difference of 1080 in a bedroom...and to be honest, the 750 has a brighter screen in my mind.

Don't get sucked into marketing and going for the 1080p when the 720p may look better. Go to the store and check them out! They are both great TV's...save your money for a 1080p TV and sound system for the living room! :-P (then again, a $150 difference is hard to ignore when you can get a "1080p" All I know is that the 750 looked better than the 700 at CC last night.

Are you really going to put a 1080p Blu Ray player in your bedroom?

I know one thing..we need a Z77 tweek thread..took me hours to get the halo effect off of some weaker/stretched cable channel feeds! NOW it's flawless with very LITTLE noise even on NFL footage! Sitting 2 close (5 five looks great, ent. center for the tv still hasvn't been purchased..will be this week).

I second that. There are more than enough owners now to have a separate "official" place to consolidate tweaks and settings for these sets. The few recommended settings are way back lost in the deal chatter.

Posted this in the sticky with no response, hopefully i can get some info in here.

Can any of yall help me out with how to tune the TV??? On CNET they review the TVs and show the electricity use before and after the tuning. Id like to cut down on the power usage. Also wondering if i can "tune" it to make regular channels look crisper, they have a slight blur to the edges.

And the other thing is on the couple HD channels i have they will sometimes be full screen and sometimes have the bars on the left and right side of the picture to make it not widescreen. Is there anyway to make it automatically stretch the picture or do i have to fix it everytime.

BTW I have the TH-42PZ77U

I am making the purchase today.. From.. Can anyone guess? Starts with an S.. and ends with an ears...

I am making the purchase today.. From.. Can anyone guess? Starts with an S.. and ends with an ears...

You won't regret it.

Went last night for the F&F sale.

Got the 42PZ77U and the 50PZ700U for less than $3Gs total after all the discounts!

Not a typo. Both sets for less than $3Gs.

And to think just a year ago the only 1080p plasma set - Pioneer - was 10 grand.

It's certainly time to buy.

You won't regret it.

Went last night for the F&F sale.

Got the 42PZ77U and the 50PZ700U for less than $3Gs total after all the discounts!

Not a typo. Both sets for less than $3Gs.

And to think just a year ago the only 1080p plasma set - Pioneer - was 10 grand.

It's certainly time to buy.

I wish I could have gotten into the F&F.. That would have been another 5% but the Sears near me is connected to the mall and mall closes early on Saturdays.. and well the department stores follow.. Doh!

Twinsdad -

I would definitely go with the 750 with the 42". You won't even notice the difference of 1080 in a bedroom...and to be honest, the 750 has a brighter screen in my mind. Don't you mean the PX75U? The 750 (PZ750) is 1080p and they don't make it in a 42" size.

Don't you mean the PX75U? The 750 (PZ750) is 1080p and they don't make it in a 42" size.

HELP!!! Im trying to choose between these 2 models: 42" px75u and the 42" pz77u.

This Tv is going to go into my master bedroom to hang on the wall and will probably not have any additional equiptment connected at the present time.

I know the big difference is one is 720p and the other is 1080p, but Im wondering if the one is worth the extra $150 at this time??

Any thoughts/opinions would be gratefully appreciated! ( i got great deals on both)





I think it was a typo---Anyone else have any opinionson this matter?

I hate the matte screen, IMHO it screwed the PQ quality of the picture with this set.. But damn, at this price who cares....

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_05775597000P?vName=Computers+%26+Electronics&keyword=TH-42PZ77U&sLevel=0&sid=I0084400010000100600&sid=I0084400010000100600&aff=Y

Click on add to cart and I was shocked!!

http://bfads.net/

Just got this at BB price matched to Sears. They have 36 months no interest financing plus their 4 year plan is only $179 not $299 for 3 years like Sears.

Hello,

I have a 42" 720p Panny plasma that I was considering moving to another room,
and picking up the 42 or 50 1080p set. I thought I read on the thread somewhere
that there are fans in these models?
Can any of you confirm? Are they noticeable? Thanks!

Just got this at BB price matched to Sears. They have 36 months no interest financing plus their 4 year plan is only $179 not $299 for 3 years like Sears.

Is the BBY plan in store or in home? I am deciding from BBY / Sears (Going to get after work today) and I haven't even decided if I will be getting the "Extended Warrenty". Consumer Reports points to No.. but "Insurance" is kind of nice.

The financing doesn't really bug me since i'll likely pay cash.

Any thoughts?

Just got this at BB price matched to Sears. They have 36 months no interest financing plus their 4 year plan is only $179 not $299 for 3 years like Sears.

You know you would have gotten another $150 rebate from Sears if you would have bought it with a Sears credit card. Here's the offer that expires on the 17th.

http://www.searsultimatefootball.com/index.html?showoffer=true

I wish I bought this last night with the additional 5% off from 6pm to midnight except I don't have a Sears credit card. I tried applying online but they don't give you instant approval like some places.

You know you would have gotten another $150 rebate from Sears if you would have bought it with a Sears credit card. Here's the offer that expires on the 17th.

http://www.searsultimatefootball.com/index.html?showoffer=true

I wish I bought this last night with the additional 5% off from 6pm to midnight except I don't have a Sears credit card. I tried applying online but they don't give you instant approval like some places.

Are you saying.. if I DON'T go with the 18 months financing I can get $150 back? Making the price of the TV 1050$?

I think that's what I am reading..

Does the WHOLE purchase have to be put on the Sears card? I got my card about 4 years ago and my limit is kind of low.. and don't feel like getting it raised.. .. Wonder if I did just part of the sale on the card if it will still work..

>>>>>>>I was considering moving to another room,
and picking up the 42 or 50 1080p set. I thought I read on the thread somewhere
that there are fans in these models?
Can any of you confirm? Are they noticeable? Thanks!


My 50 1080 plasma has no hum from any fans. I did think about it last night and put my ear to the back and noticed a small hum...not sure if that was the fan or just the sound of it on. Either way it was not noticeable.

42pz77u was just hooked up. a bit confused but i may know the answer so i need verification. i cant find the proper aspect ration when im watching HD. while watching HD channels the options are - zoom, 4:3, full and Just (i should have an H-Fill option as well)...when i have it on Full, i have grey bars on top and bottom of screen, while watching same tv at my friends house on Full, he has a normal screen. i have an HD cable box, but have not had the chance to buy any HDMI cables yet...are these the answer? if not, anyone know what is?
thanks

Are you saying.. if I DON'T go with the 18 months financing I can get $150 back? Making the price of the TV 1050$?

I think that's what I am reading..

Does the WHOLE purchase have to be put on the Sears card? I got my card about 4 years ago and my limit is kind of low.. and don't feel like getting it raised.. .. Wonder if I did just part of the sale on the card if it will still work..

As far as the 18 month financing versus the $150 rebate, the answer is yes. You can choose one or the other.

I'm guessing that you have to put the whole purchase on your credit card but I would contact Sears and confirm.

As far as the 18 month financing versus the $150 rebate, the answer is yes. You can choose one or the other.

I'm guessing that you have to put the whole purchase on your credit card but I would contact Sears and confirm.

Forget contacting them.. I am gonig to pick up my little tyke from Day Care and head to Sears (about 2 Miles from home).. See what they say.. (I know they don't have it in stock though, but I can order).

And have 3 Best buys within 15 miles. I am going to see if they would price match + the -150 .. Don't know if that's likely though..

Well so hopefully i'll jump on later and say "I ordered my TV" .. wish I could say I have it.. but nope.. just that I ordered it..

I have a limit of 900 on my sears card.. hope that suffices for the "Full Order".. I don't see anything on the ad that says it has to be the FULL order.. so i'll try to get it .. Rather not up my limit.. I would hate the tiny credit hit..

sears told me They would give it for 6 months and still get the 150 off, but thats when it was going for 1400 maybe they will still give you the 6 months.

Forget contacting them.. I am gonig to pick up my little tyke from Day Care and head to Sears (about 2 Miles from home).. See what they say.. (I know they don't have it in stock though, but I can order).

And have 3 Best buys within 15 miles. I am going to see if they would price match + the -150 .. Don't know if that's likely though..

Well so hopefully i'll jump on later and say "I ordered my TV" .. wish I could say I have it.. but nope.. just that I ordered it..

I have a limit of 900 on my sears card.. hope that suffices for the "Full Order".. I don't see anything on the ad that says it has to be the FULL order.. so i'll try to get it .. Rather not up my limit.. I would hate the tiny credit hit..

I tried getting them to do the 150 too but no go as it is a Sears card promo. I ended up going with BB because the plan was a year longer, less money, and free delivery.

Just got back from Sears. Bought the PZ77 for $1199 - $150 for using a Sears Card. Opened a new Sears account and got 6 months no interest/no payment. Total of $1194 out the door including delivery and tax.

Plus there may be an additional 10% rebate if you go to sears.com/rebates.

I am officially in the PZ77U "Ordered" Club. My TV should be in for pick up on Friday.

List price was 1199.99 - 150 for using Sears Card only had a 900 limit on my sears card so I had to buy a gift card for the difference..

Just got home and paid off logged onto sears site and paid the balance online :o)..

I FEEL LIKE A THEIF.. Damn good deal..

i had purchased the pz77u for for $1399.00 - $150.00 at sears, but thanks to the heads up from you guys here...i contacted the store and (since it hadn't been 30 days yet) they credited my credit card $212.00 !!!

...psyched ~ now i can put that $212.00 to good use ~ like at the bar this weekend!!! :)

Due to popular demand, I started the Tips, Settings, etc. thread for this TV model.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12199081

6 months and still 150 off.

I just got the TH-42PZ77U today. Ordered on-line last night and picked it up this afternoon. Thanx to you guys for filling me in on the Sears deal, BestBuy price matched. For those of you that have American Express cards, certain AMEX cards have member perks such as doubling your manufacturers warranty up to 3 years max. Thats what I used and didn't have to pay anything except for my annual AMEX membership fee.:D

"XYTH" is right, we need a video settings and tweeks thread!!!

Thanks to everyone who gave the heads up about the $1199 deal at sears. I purchased my set from HH Gregg 36 days ago for $200 more which I thought was a great deal. But I went in to HH gregg and they still gave me the price match today despite being over the 30 days. I could not be happier with them.

Also, I compared the 700U and the PZ77U again while I was there and I would have to say that the 700 does have more depth and to me a slightly better PQ. However, for me it is not $500 better and I am perfectly happy with my PZ77U.

i had purchased the pz77u for for $1399.00 - $150.00 at sears, but thanks to the heads up from you guys here...i contacted the store and (since it hadn't been 30 days yet) they credited my credit card $212.00 !!!

...psyched ~ now i can put that $212.00 to good use ~ like at the bar this weekend!!! :)

Or paypal the people who gave you the heads up (if I am included) a dividend of 1/2 of the 212 saved (That would be 106) .. :o)

I can't wait for mine to come in

Yes I calculated as you did, that first post was way off for an average 290W. Sounds like it was the 42PZ77U model since thats 1/2 the peak power use from the owner's manual, and the 50" model would be higher.
In any case $4 or so a month is very little, even if the power use is double my CRT HDTV (145W) - kinda like running an extra 100W light bulb in the house.

Panasonic's site rates the 42PZ77U consumption at ~580W. Would that mean peak consumption or normal operation consumption?

That doesn't make sense to me either. I have my 360 on HDMI and my Wii on component and haven't had any trouble with either.

then manual stated both can't be run simultaneously...I ran my cable through compnent for 5 minutes and couldn't stand the pic....


wife had her first day with it and couldn't get anything running (her fault).

I did have to set the HD pic to 2...one would show snow in the extreme top or extreme left side on HD channels.

Unfortunately I changed it after watching Heroes and had to watch it zoomed in due to the white line on the HD 1 setting .:o

still tweaking pic settings 3 days in.

Most electrical items are rated at peak. Plasma TV's vary greatly (unlike LCD's) in their power consumption, depending on what is actually being displayed. Movies that contain alot of dark scenes will result in a lower power consumption than football games, which require brighter colors.

Hi I am almost ready to purchase the panasonic TH-42PZ77U online but then i saw it today at a bestbuy and picture kind of looked dull compared to others. I asked the sales guy and he said it is because of anti glare coating. Do you guys find that an issue or do you think it can be made brighter by tweaking? I didn't have time to read all pages but i didn;t find that to be a concern. Please advise or share your experience.

I was commenting that i think the 100,000 hour till half-life figure is pretty much meaningless because the video boards or power supply boards etc probably won't last long enough to verify the 100,000 hour claim :D

so how long do the video boards and power supplies last on a hrs viewed timeline

Zoom adjust question:

How can I access the `zoom adjust' feature..tonight HD was wayyy too big for my Z77 and I could not get a good full screen pic using the adjust button to save my life! Every show was overexpanded and had the logos cut off,etc'

ANYONE?

Hi I am almost ready to purchase the panasonic TH-42PZ77U online but then i saw it today at a bestbuy and picture kind of looked dull compared to others. I asked the sales guy and he said it is because of anti glare coating. Do you guys find that an issue or do you think it can be made brighter by tweaking? I didn't have time to read all pages but i didn;t find that to be a concern. Please advise or share your experience.not dull with me...I persona;;y think their pic setting probably didn't help it for one thing...Custom/standard video settings `out of the box' aren't very bright but I tweaked it.:D

I asked this a few pages back but didn't receive a response. How does this tv handle IR when it comes to gaming? I have a PS3/XBOX 360 and am really considering this set for our bedroom. I have a Pioneer 4280HD that is great at not displaying IR (haven't seen any at all even after long gaming sessions) but wanted to know how this Panasonic one held up. Thanks in advance.

no idea on the ir ..YET.

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE grayed out `adjust zoom' option in the picture settings?

Second posting-hoping for a few more opinions.


HELP!!! Im trying to choose between these 2 models: 42" px75u and the 42" pz77u.

This Tv is going to go into my master bedroom to hang on the wall and will probably not have any additional equiptment connected at the present time.

I know the big difference is one is 720p and the other is 1080p, but Im wondering if the one is worth the extra $150 at this time??

Any thoughts/opinions would be gratefully appreciated! ( i got great deals on both)

1080P IS worth the $150 difference. $150 is pretty miniscul when making sure u don't have an `outdated' 720P set in the future...

no idea on the ir ..YET.

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO ACCESS THE grayed out `adjust zoom' option in the picture settings?

You can only use that option when you have your aspect set to 'zoom'.

does anyone have personal expereince with comparing the graininess from the pz77 to the pz700? i'd like to know if the graininess seen in the pz77 is also in the pz700.

thanks

does anyone have personal expereince with comparing the graininess from the pz77 to the pz700? i'd like to know if the graininess seen in the pz77 is also in the pz700.

thanks
No

I did a few searches in this thread and couldn't find what I was looking for, so if you gents would be so kind as to help me out I would appreciate it.

My buddy bought the 42pz77u and we hooked it up the other night, including the Insight HD cable (with HDMI). The next day he says there is a chirp that the TV makes when going from any non-HD feed to an HD feed. Apparently it doesn't happen all the time... For instance... if he is watching ESPNHD and switches to FSN (nonHD) for 10-15 seconds, then switches back, it will chirp. However, if he stays on FSN for 5-10 minutes, there is less of a chance of the TV making the chirp when going to the HD feed.

Thanks guys,
Ben

My dad and I just bought 2 pz77u's last night. Can believe we found 2, one at BB and one at CC. It looks great on Blu Ray and HD DVD! I'm debating taking mine back to get the 700u. My room is 1/2 windows and its raining here today so I can't really judge how my glare is going to be. But is it really worth the extra money to go to the 700?

-Brett

The 700U provides a more glossy, 3-Dish appearence...if light will be a factor then the 700U may give you some issues because of the finish of the screen. I have the 77U and absolutely love it...I use mine for sports, gaming, and got a Toshiba A-3...movies are unreal on this set! If I had to do it again tomorrow...I would get a 77U without a second thought.

Well, I picked up my TH-42PZ77U last week and can tell you the grainyness will vary. as others have mentioned tweaking is necessary.
I have been using a HD FTA MGEG receiver to view the many legally free channels on the C/Ku satellites. Grainyness will vary, depending on the compressions that are used. However, I did hook up my laser disc player and what clarity and color!

i am about to pick up on the sears deal but cant decide on which set. the 42PZ77 or 50PX75? 1080p is good but i dont think i can tell the difference from where i am sitting. i dont think i have a light problem but then again i have no experience with a plasma. for $300 more i can get the 50PX75. what would you guys recommend? thanks.

Hey all,

After reading this thread over and over again, I bit the bullet and got the 42'. I bought it from sears over the phone from Canada and man the difference in price is staggering. It's over a $1000 cheaper for me to drive a few hours. Anyways, my question is what should I look for to make sure that the tv is without any defect? I figured I open it up when I pick it up and hook it up to make sure the tv is fine. I don't want to make another road trip if I dont' have to. Is there anything that I should look out for in the picture?

Thanks in advance

Heads up to anyone who bought the 42pz77 at BBY.

They've dropped the price this week by a significant amount. I ordered mine on-line the first week it was available and I'm still within the 60-day price match window for HDTV's so I called Monday (11/12) and asked for the price-match. Today (Wednesday, 11/14) I got a refund from BBY for enough to buy and HD Tivo! (I don't know if I can mention the specific figure, but that should give you an idea of the amount.)

Long story short...If you bought the 42pz77 from BBY, especially if you did it on-line (because they won't match competitors prices if you ordered on-line), then PUT IN FOR YOUR ADJUSTMENT/REFUND! Since I ordered so early, just about anyone who bought from BBY should be eligible for at least some $$ back.

Hope that helps!

Does anyone know anything about or has experience with Panasonic's Customer Care Plans? (can't post a link b/c avsforum says I'm too new)

If it's cheaper than the B&Ms, I would consider one.

great question!....i was wondering the same thing...:confused:

Heads up to anyone who bought the 42pz77 at BBY.

They've dropped the price this week by a significant amount. I ordered mine on-line the first week it was available and I'm still within the 60-day price match window for HDTV's so I called Monday (11/12) and asked for the price-match. Today (Wednesday, 11/14) I got a refund from BBY for enough to buy and HD Tivo! (I don't know if I can mention the specific figure, but that should give you an idea of the amount.)

Long story short...If you bought the 42pz77 from BBY, especially if you did it on-line (because they won't match competitors prices if you ordered on-line), then PUT IN FOR YOUR ADJUSTMENT/REFUND! Since I ordered so early, just about anyone who bought from BBY should be eligible for at least some $$ back.

Hope that helps!

More of a note.. Think of price matching with Sears.. Also try to get the extra 150 that sears was offering if you opt out of financing..

This tv for 1050 (which is what I got) was just plain rediuculous.. Still waiting for it though, I get it on Friday.

So in case anyone is wondering... the 42PZ77U is in fact at least 44.7" wide as it claims to be... Picked it up Saturday, tried to make it fit in our wife-approved media cabinet, no dice. Exchanging it this Friday with the PZ700U, which is a whopping 3 inches or so less wide.

I could not do an A/B comparison between the 700U and the 77U, but I, for one, think the set looks just brilliant, not "foggy" at all, and that's just standard settings (not "vivid") right out of the box. If the 700U supposedly pops even more b/c of the anti-glare thing, than I just might not be able to stand how awesome it is. Overall, I think it would be hard to go wrong with either of these sets. Panasonic is the shiznit.

...that if you read the fine print on the BBY 60-day price match, if you buy the item from BB.com, they'll only price match prices from BB.com or that can be found in the BB stores. They will NOT match competitor's prices (advertised or not) if you buy from BB on line. If you buy it in-store, they WILL price match competitors. I called 3 times to try to get them to match Se@rs and they wouldn't budge. However, as I posted before, even under these limitations, you can get a nice chunk of $$$ back on the 42pz77 right now if you've already bought one at a previous (higher) price.

I don't mean to single that retailer out, it's just what I can speak to from experience. I point it out so that people are sure to read the fine print on price guarantees regardless of where they buy their 42 or 50 inch pz77.

I ordered my TH-42PZ77U on-line from BestBuy on Sunday night, read the information about Sears in this thread after I ordered, proceeded to print the Sears Ad out, and when I went to pick-up my set on Monday, BestBuy honored the price match, no problems, no questions asked, and they took the print out of the Sears.com Ad looked at it once and entered in the matched price. Maybe they accepted it since I was ordering on-line for personal pick-up at my local BestBuy.:D

More of a note.. Think of price matching with Sears.. Also try to get the extra 150 that sears was offering if you opt out of financing..

This tv for 1050 (which is what I got) was just plain rediuculous.. Still waiting for it though, I get it on Friday.

My understanding is that if you order from SRS online you will have to mail in the 150.00 rebate to get that awesome figure you quoted above, is this correct? Do you get the rebate form via email from Sears? Just curious because I see rebate form links to all the TV's EXCEPT the 42PZ77u.

I was going originally going to get the 50 inch, but heck I can live with the 42 inch at 1,500 less. Woohoo!

I did a few searches in this thread and couldn't find what I was looking for, so if you gents would be so kind as to help me out I would appreciate it.

My buddy bought the 42pz77u and we hooked it up the other night, including the Insight HD cable (with HDMI). The next day he says there is a chirp that the TV makes when going from any non-HD feed to an HD feed. Apparently it doesn't happen all the time... For instance... if he is watching ESPNHD and switches to FSN (nonHD) for 10-15 seconds, then switches back, it will chirp. However, if he stays on FSN for 5-10 minutes, there is less of a chance of the TV making the chirp when going to the HD feed.

Thanks guys,
Ben

I get this same annoying loud chirp too with a big screen flash when switching from a HD channel to a SD channel. I was wondering if it was my cable tv box or the set causing it. Hopefully it will not harm the set. I am going to try and switch from HDMI cable to component cable from my cable box to see if that makes a difference.

I love this forum. Got a great deal on Oct. 23rd when I read about this 42Pz77 on sale at S ears in this forum. Then yesterday I read on this forum again about the latest sale and I took my receipt back there yesterday and got the price adjusted to reflect the new price. Another $215 which includes tax, taken off my credit card. So if you bought your set there in the last 30 days take in your receipt for the adjustment.

So my boss is giving me a nice Christmas bonus, which is going to be a new 42" TV with some $$ of my own put in. He personally ditched his LCD HDTV for a Plasma for gaming, but I'd like to hear some opinions here.

I'm looking for purchase a 42" TV mostly for watching HD sporting events and gaming on an Xbox 360. As long as I'm not foolish, should I have to worry about IR/burn-in at all?

I'm coming from a 4:3 36" HDTV(letterboxed 16:9) ISF calibrated Directview CRT, so a plasma would be the closest to that in terms of PQ, while moving forward with technology.

I do not have an Xbox 360 Elite, so no HDMI; This set does not support 1080p30 over component? Would I want to use 720p or 1080i? Would there be any lag in games from the TV's scaler having to do it's thing?

Thanks everyone!

What do ppl think of this set's "Full Time HD" setting? I've been reading about this feature on panasonic's website. Are there any issues with enabling this setting? According to panny's website, 1080p lcds lose 1/2 their resolution when an image scrolls across the screen at a certain speed. I can believe this since my samsung 4665 blurs quite a bit with fast action.

So, for owners of this tv, what do you think about it's ability to keep images sharp when there is movement?

Got my TH-42PZ77U yesterday, and have some feedback:

First off, AMAZING set! Meets or exceeds all of my expectations.

Second, if you are running digital cable and have a Motorola tuner, here's a tip: power the receiver off and press and hold the MENU button. It will take you to a setup menu where you can set the output resolution and other things. There's a section for "480 conversion", which I believe defaults to 480i, set it to "stretch" and the box will upconvert and stretch (similar to JUST) the image for you so the TV never has to resync. Makes going between HD and SD channels much much smoother.

Another tip: The TV does a REDICULOUSLY GOOD job of reproducing JPEG photos from an SD card, but people complain it takes too long. The set flies if the image is 1920X1080, so resample the files then load them on to the card and it'll work faster and look better, but the first image will always take a while to load, but not too bad. I have a deck of high-res images of autumn leaves and such that I'll be slideshowing on the set during thanksgiving dinner. Google Image Search with the resolution set to "Extremely high" or whatever will yield a ton of native 1920X1080 images, and for higher res ones you can either crop to 1920X1080 or resample without much loss. Want to WOW someone, load any of these on your SD card and show them what this set can do:

http://www.thescifiworld.net/img/wallpapers/stargate/mirko_stoedter/mirko76_1920x1080.jpg
http://www.3dverstas.com/images/SlowMotionWaterBurst_1920x1080.jpg
http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/videogames/detail-page/gthd-1-lg.jpg

A great test image for adjusting your set at 1080P"
http://www.openwarp.com/pix/testimage_HDTV.jpg

Anyway, hope someone finds this helpful.

>>>>for $300 more i can get the 50PX75. what would you guys recommend? thanks.


I would get the 50PX75 for 2 reasons...

1) 50"!!!! That's a MUCH funner viewing experience than a 42"

2) The 75 looked brighter to me at the store than the 700 or 77U. I don't know why, it just did. I also read others on this site saying the same thing. I scrutinized like crazy on the 750 and 700 (1080p) and couldn't not see any differences at all.

Go for the 50!"

What do ppl think of this set's "Full Time HD" setting? I've been reading about this feature on panasonic's website. Are there any issues with enabling this setting? According to panny's website, 1080p lcds lose 1/2 their resolution when an image scrolls across the screen at a certain speed. I can believe this since my samsung 4665 blurs quite a bit with fast action.

So, for owners of this tv, what do you think about it's ability to keep images sharp when there is movement?


Just quoting info from the Nov 2007 issue of HT Magazine, they didn't have the PZ77 series plasma or the Samsung 65 series LCD, but they did have the PZ700 series plasma and I believe its the same panel as the PZ77 minus the anti-glare and they had the Samsung 4661 which I also believe is the same panel as the 4665 minus the glossy screen. These were the results:

Panasonic 50PZ700: 1080 static res, 880 motion res
Samsung 4661: 1050 static res, 580 motion res

So yes the Panasonics maintain a sharper image with motion.

The "Full Time HD" thing is not a setting in the TV, but marketing on Panasonics part taking advantage of this info on LCDs losing their resolution with motion.

Why isn't this thread stickied yet?:mad:

Hold on please: price discussions are not allowed on this forum

AVS is for technical help

Got the 42" IF this is my model bought last week (wheelchair bound and on couch at moment)

I think it rocks plain and simple compared to sony and sammy at 1/2 the price.

Its in my bedroom and blows away the grey blacks Sanyo had and was returned for that reason. Plus view angle is almost 90 degrees. Motion blur is no worse or better then the 120hz jazz in my opinion.

Livingroom tv is my 50" crt Mitsubishi bought in 1991.

This Panny isnt black with zero lights on in room but it is with a 15w and i cant imagine anything going darker.

Yes i tweak every setting possible. Hope there's a service menu to take it to perfection.

Great set

What do ppl think of this set's "Full Time HD" setting? I've been reading about this feature on panasonic's website. Are there any issues with enabling this setting? According to panny's website, 1080p lcds lose 1/2 their resolution when an image scrolls across the screen at a certain speed. I can believe this since my samsung 4665 blurs quite a bit with fast action.

So, for owners of this tv, what do you think about it's ability to keep images sharp when there is movement?

I looked at a few 120 Hz LCDs and they still had significant motion blur IMO. I took back my LCD for this reason (it was not 120 Hz though) and there is no comparison b/t a plasma and lcd in terms of blur. If you watch a lot of sports (football, basketball, tennis, etc.) you will be happier with a plasma I think.

Oh, and the ticker on ESPN looks tons better on a plasma than all LCDs I've seen. I got headaches trying to read the ticker on an LCD but it is very clear on this plasma and most plasmas.

It looks like I'm going to pull the trigger on this set tomorrow for my newly remodeled bedroom. Should I get the 3 year extended warranty coverage for $299?

My uses are a movies, sports, tv, gaming. I'm not one to keep playing the same game over and over (ex. multiplayer) so I mostly just finish the single player and move on. I'd say movies/sports/tv account for about the same (if not a bit more) than gaming.

For those that are buying this set, are you worried about burn-in? My biggest problems with my current samsung 4665 are lack of uniformity and motion blur. I'd really like a set that keeps images sharp when moving. I would obviously break-in the set for the first 2-300 hours. Will this be an issue for me?

Man.. I plugged in my new Panny tonight and scanned the channels.. To my suprise I got a lot more channels in the upper limit.. Including a Pay Per View and .. flipping PORN..

Is that normal?

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone on these forums. I follow it every day and as a result, I just got $214 back from Sears last night. I thought the original price when I bought 4 weeks ago was great, but this is a steal!

So thanks all! :D

Man.. I plugged in my new Panny tonight and scanned the channels.. To my suprise I got a lot more channels in the upper limit.. Including a Pay Per View and .. flipping PORN..

Is that normal?

Perfectly normal. That's why so many people purchase Panasonics. Free porn that no other manufacturer's set can get. :rolleyes:

so the first 42pz77u i got from sears the top half of the screen cut out after 26 days of viewing. this kinda pissed me off, but **** happens so yesterday i returned/picked up my new one from sears. I figured it was a fluke but after yesterday i think otherwise. i saw them turn the corner with my tv, three guys with my tv on a hand truck AND ON ITS SIDE (my wife saw this and left because she thought i was going to flip, but i didn't). i don't think you could of moved the tv in a worse way. i got the tv home and everything is fine but who is to say something wont go wrong in a month or 2 due to improper handling. Grant it i could get the warranty but i am not going to pay 300 and something on the warranty(almost a third of what i paid for the tv). So i am almost considering taking this back again and just going to best buy(where i would hope they take better care) and get the tv there. Another option would go to sears and let a manager know my concerns and see what he says (but i don't know what would come of that). any inputs?????

Should I get the 3 year extended warranty coverage for $299?

Anyone? I've never bought a plasma display before (DLP, LCOS, LCD only so far), so I'm trying to figure out if buying the extended warranty is a good idea. Panasonic claims 60,000 hours until half life (and we'll only be watching this set in the bedroom maybe 2 hours a day). I don't normally buy them unless it makes sense (like paying $150 for the 3 year extended warranty on the LCOS set that included 2 max bulb replacements), but didn't get it on the projector due to Mitsubishi's awesome warranty.

so the first 42pz77u i got from sears the top half of the screen cut out after 26 days of viewing. this kinda pissed me off, but **** happens so yesterday i returned/picked up my new one from sears. I figured it was a fluke but after yesterday i think otherwise. i saw them turn the corner with my tv, three guys with my tv on a hand truck AND ON ITS SIDE (my wife saw this and left because she thought i was going to flip, but i didn't). i don't think you could of moved the tv in a worse way. i got the tv home and everything is fine but who is to say something wont go wrong in a month or 2 due to improper handling. Grant it i could get the warranty but i am not going to pay 300 and something on the warranty(almost a third of what i paid for the tv). So i am almost considering taking this back again and just going to best buy(where i would hope they take better care) and get the tv there. Another option would go to sears and let a manager know my concerns and see what he says (but i don't know what would come of that). any inputs?????

I'd definitely go back and talk to the manager first. If you aren't satisfied, then return it and go to Best Buy.

Does anyone know if this chrip also happen with OTA as well?

I get this same annoying loud chirp too with a big screen flash when switching from a HD channel to a SD channel. I was wondering if it was my cable tv box or the set causing it. Hopefully it will not harm the set. I am going to try and switch from HDMI cable to component cable from my cable box to see if that makes a difference.

It looks like I'm going to pull the trigger on this set tomorrow for my newly remodeled bedroom. Should I get the 3 year extended warranty coverage for $299?No. You can get a Mack or CPS 3-year warranty extension for less than half that amount from MountAVision dot com or Clevelandplasma dot com or Texastapeworks dot com. I bought the Mack from Creemail at MountAVision. Must be purchased within 30 days of buying the TV.

Man.. I plugged in my new Panny tonight and scanned the channels.. To my suprise I got a lot more channels in the upper limit.. Including a Pay Per View and .. flipping PORN..

Is that normal?Not normal, but lots of people can temporarily tune to PPV and Porn that their neighbors are subscribing to. It may come and go.

>>>>any inputs?????


I don't get why no one is getting a warranty on these TVs? I was more than happy to put down $500 for my 50" 77U warranty for 5 years at CC.

If something goes wrong, they'll come out 3 times to fix it. After that, they will replace it with another TV. If that TV is obsolete, then they will replace it with the newer model. Total piece of mind for 5 years! Plus they will be the ones coming to MY residence. I don't have to take this beast anywhere.

There may be cheaper warranties, but I'm not comfortable going with some internet deal...who knows how things would play out in 4 years...or if they will even still be in business. At least with BB, Sears, and CC...they will for sure be around.

I don't get why no one is getting a warranty on these TVs? I was more than happy to put down $500 for my 50" 77U warranty for 5 years at CC.

If something goes wrong, they'll come out 3 times to fix it. After that, they will replace it with another TV. If that TV is obsolete, then they will replace it with the newer model. Total piece of mind for 5 years! Plus they will be the ones coming to MY residence. I don't have to take this beast anywhere.

There may be cheaper warranties, but I'm not comfortable going with some internet deal...who knows how things would play out in 4 years...or if they will even still be in business. At least with BB, Sears, and CC...they will for sure be around.Very few people would be happy to spend $500 on any warranty no matter how good it is. The Mack warranty company has been in business for like 70 years - way longer than Circuit City. Are you so sure that Circuit City will still be in business in 5 years? Look what happened to the great LATronics chain and Silo and Good Guys - all went out of business suddenly.

Aftermarket warranties like Mack and CPS and Repairmaster act just like the original manufacturer warranties - they utilize the same repair centers that the manufacturer uses and they have the same in-home service for less than 1/3rd what you paid. They'll replace the TV or re-imburse you if the TV is not repairable. A year from now your TV will be obsolete so you'll have no choice but to replace it with a new model anyway so that's no advantage either. The CC warranty might be a little better, but it's not 3-times better.

I've had my 42PZ77U for about three weeks. I think the picture quality is quite good, but the picture seems somewhat DARK to me. After break-in, I've adjusted every possible picture setting and the screen lacks a "smash" or "pop" effect due to this rather dark effect. I am VERY familiar with HDTV's in general, have owned many, and this dark picture may force me to return the set prior to the 30-day window in about a week. I love the fact that the 1080p feature of this set virtually eliminates the "screen-door effect" that I can clearly see on the 720p version, 75/77PX models. BUT, I just can't get over the "dark" (have I used that word enough?) picture that I, for one, see on this PZ model. Incidentally, I have the picture setting maxed out to "30" on the custom mode and, as I mentioned, have experimented with virtually every possible setting in an effort to alleviate this "problem." Any comments?

One of the things with extended warranties are that they do not in fact cover the number of years for the price you paid. If standard warranty is 1 year from manufacturer, then your $500 really covers 4 years. If you paid with a CC that offers extending the original warranty coverage for another year, then your $500 really just covers 3 years. Add on top that, majority of failures will occur within those first 1-2 years, if not within 90 days. Sure there are failures in the time period from 2 years to the 5 year mark. And yes, I'm sure many have experienced personally themselves but that's not the usual case, that's all.

Some people like to be covered more, it's just insurance. I don't think there's any no right or wrong, it's everyone's own preference.

>>>>any inputs?????


I don't get why no one is getting a warranty on these TVs? I was more than happy to put down $500 for my 50" 77U warranty for 5 years at CC.

If something goes wrong, they'll come out 3 times to fix it. After that, they will replace it with another TV. If that TV is obsolete, then they will replace it with the newer model. Total piece of mind for 5 years! Plus they will be the ones coming to MY residence. I don't have to take this beast anywhere.

There may be cheaper warranties, but I'm not comfortable going with some internet deal...who knows how things would play out in 4 years...or if they will even still be in business. At least with BB, Sears, and CC...they will for sure be around.

Have you adjusted it with a home theater dvd like Avia or another? Or just visually?

I'm going to look at this set this morning with my father, we'll be picking it up if it's in stock. Honestly I haven't seen this set in person yet.

I've had my 42PZ77U for about three weeks. I think the picture quality is quite good, but the picture seems somewhat DARK to me. After break-in, I've adjusted every possible picture setting and the screen lacks a "smash" or "pop" effect due to this rather dark effect. I am VERY familiar with HDTV's in general, have owned many, and this dark picture may force me to return the set prior to the 30-day window in about a week. I love the fact that the 1080p feature of this set virtually eliminates the "screen-door effect" that I can clearly see on the 720p version, 75/77PX models. BUT, I just can't get over the "dark" (have I used that word enough?) picture that I, for one, see on this PZ model. Incidentally, I have the picture setting maxed out to "30" on the custom mode and, as I mentioned, have experimented with virtually every possible setting in an effort to alleviate this "problem." Any comments?

After months of deliberation I am pulling the trigger on the 42PZ77 today. It's a fairly substantial investment so I've done my due diligence. I really wanted a sexy, light LCD but the picture quality just doesn't compare to a plasma for the same price point, in my opinion. And, I'll be watching a fair amount of SD, which again the plasma's do better at. The unit is on sale so it's even more attractive at the moment.

So... do I need to break it in or not? If so, what's the best way to do it?

No. You can get a Mack or CPS 3-year warranty extension for less than half that amount from MountAVision dot com or Clevelandplasma dot com or Texastapeworks dot com. I bought the Mack from Creemail at MountAVision. Must be purchased within 30 days of buying the TV.

Thank you Randy. You've been a great source of information in the threads on this model when I searched yesterday.

VMSEddieF, do you mind posting your picture settings? Also, has anyone tweaked the audio settings on these bad boys? If so, what are your settings? I'm kind of a noob, and just picked up a 50" for the living room and the 42" for the bedroom. Thanks in advance!

Hi, I just setup my TH-42PZ77U last night. I used to use cable card on my old plasma tv but 42PZ77U doesnt have cable card slot. Now I only run the coax cable to the TV. Should I get the HD cable box from Cablevision since I have IO digital package? Will I be able to control the cable box with the TV remote as well? I also have the TV connect to my Panasonic SC-RT50 DIGA HTIB and I kind of have setup the ez-sync between the two. How do I switch the input on the HTIB with the TV's remote?

Not normal, but lots of people can temporarily tune to PPV and Porn that their neighbors are subscribing to. It may come and go.

You are right.. I messed with it more (no I didn't just stabalize on the porn flick) and it came and gone and some awesome movies came on including Open Season and Happy Feet in great quality too.

The porn this kind of irk'ed me since my 10 month old was sitting there watching Happy Feet for a few moments when I first found the channels and got a nice shot of some doggy style.

I live in an apartment complex and believe this is why I see a lot of On Demand and PPV stuff.

Perfectly normal. That's why so many people purchase Panasonics. Free porn that no other manufacturer's set can get. :rolleyes:

Know what your talking about before you try to respond. It actually doesn't happen often but more often in Apartment complexes from what i've found out. It's because the provider only has one stream to really push the PPV's out to and it comes and goes..

And yes.. one last night while I was setting up my TV just happened to be porn..

Well, after reading this forum since it began back on page one I decided to grab the 42PZ77 sight unseen. The CC, Best Buy, and Sears in my area do not have it on display but I took the plunge based on the reports here in this excellent forum.

I decided to get it from Sears as they have the best offer going right now. Without discussing prices, let's just say I am the proud owner of a new Sears card. The store actually paid ME 150.00 to sign up, so I just applied that to the already-lowest-price around. The web site has all the details.

I originally wanted the 50PZ77 inch, but I was not about to pay the extra 1,500 for it. That money will be well spent on surround sound!

Pick it up Tuesday, and will post my impressions when I'm all hooked up.
:D

Oh, and my new set will also be showing some HD porn, but not by accident!
:eek:

This 42" set is 44 inches wide, I can only go 43.3. Are the side speakers removable?

No I don't believe so. I haven't tried but then again I've only had it for 3 days. But I do not recall reading anywhere that it is possible..

This 42" set is 44 inches wide, I can only go 43.3. Are the side speakers removable?No. They're built into the cabinet. The 42PZ700U is 42.5" wide, would that be an option?

No. They're built into the cabinet. The 42PZ700U is 42.5" wide, would that be an option?

It would if that is the set Sears is selling so cheap on Black Friday. I was so leaning towards the Pio, just waiting for the big price drops, but at the price dif of almost 1k with the Sears sale, I am really considering the Panny.

Okay, quick question. I've got the 42 pz77u and a HTPC. I got a card and computer that will display 1080p, but when I set the monitor resolution to 1920X1080, the screen goes blank and won't display. The HTPC is hooked up via DVI-HDMI. Is this a issue with my computer? In theory, shouldn't this TV accept this signal?

Also, could it be the cable I'm using? Are all DVI-HDMI cables capable of carrying a 1080p signal?

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Darknight this is my set:
custom
picture -5
brightness +13 to +15
color -8
tint 0
sharpness +30

color temp normal

black level light

sharpness at max sounds strange but it sharpens a fine edge that doesnt do much for 1080i sources such as my directtv. 1080p source probably will need this at 0 my guess. keep in mind i watch in bed with all lights out. turn on 1 light and these settings are too dark. good news is it looks like you have picture control on each input.

Coolbullets - if youre using coax as in screw on channel 3 youre not seeing half the resolution as in get a hdmi cable and hd box at once! :)

Im trying to find a service manual for under 25$. i hope that $ doesnt cause offense since im not naming locations. If thats what it is, i'll pay it. I want to see if sharpness pixel width can be adjusted.

Picked up one this morning w/ my father, he'll be all giddy when he watches football over the weekend. Hell, I would have gotten one myself if I already didn't have a projector and a Sony HDTV.

Haven't heard any chirping, just helped him set it up and turned down all the picture settings for each input and advised regarding breaking it in.

Okay, quick question. I've got the 42 pz77u and a HTPC. I got a card and computer that will display 1080p, but when I set the monitor resolution to 1920X1080, the screen goes blank and won't display. The HTPC is hooked up via DVI-HDMI. Is this a issue with my computer? In theory, shouldn't this TV accept this signal?

Also, could it be the cable I'm using? Are all DVI-HDMI cables capable of carrying a 1080p signal?

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

Don't tell me that.. It should do 1920 x 1080 over HDMI.. I actually just ordered a DVI -> HDMI card online today to hook my HTPC up since Composite didn't support 1080p.

I believe others have set it up using 1080p DVI to HDMI..

That's why I asked. I'm sure I just have something wrong, I just don't know what. Would I be better off with a HDMI 1.3 cable and a DVI adapter? I was just hoping someone had the same problem and knows where I'm missing the boat.

I'm going to go in and make sure that I have the latest catalyst software and drivers for my ati card. I'll let you know if I get it going.

I jumped in as well today since it was the last day of the Sears deal. Unfortunately it wasn't in stock so i'll have to wait for the 25th to have it delivered. I was never previously a Plasma fan but i saw the set at Best Buy and 1080 resolution finally got rid of the 'screen door' effect that i've always associated with Plasmas. That and the anti-glare screen made a 42" 1080p panel too good a deal to pass up for a little more than a grand. Can't wait to see what i've been missing from my HD-DVD players and DVR.

There is no sleep timer button on the remote. I am looking for a set for the bedroom and want a single button to access the sleep timer. Does anyone know if there is a remote code that can be programmed into a universal remote for direct access to the sleep timer without going through the menus. Thanks.

I just brought my 42pz77u home today and finally got it set up and everything and wow..it looks great in my living room....All i have to say is that this tv is def. in my opinion is well worth it.

finally got my `zoom; issues resolved....wife was finally happy with the tv after catching a flawless `HD Traveler: Bora Bora' tonight on HD theatre!

hi

i finally bought the 42" over the sony w series, i work at sears so it worked out pretty well with the deal everyone is talking about, but i am having a problem:

on the right side of my screen about 3 inches from the end of the picture there is a line runnning up the tv vertically - it looks like a shadow, sometimes i see it sometime i don;t, i have to look really hard, (and i mean really focus) to see it, and its not a straight line (like from a menu or station logo)

it starts thin and gets fat in the middle then thin at the bottom, i don;t think its burn in, straight out the box i have run my tv in 6 hr shifts on with full screen movies with all settings in the negative 8's

has anyone expierienced this, i can return and exchange it but i like it alot and don;t want to move it - any suggestions are welcome

thanks

Okay, quick question. I've got the 42 pz77u and a HTPC. I got a card and computer that will display 1080p, but when I set the monitor resolution to 1920X1080, the screen goes blank and won't display. The HTPC is hooked up via DVI-HDMI. Is this a issue with my computer? In theory, shouldn't this TV accept this signal?

Also, could it be the cable I'm using? Are all DVI-HDMI cables capable of carrying a 1080p signal?

Thanks in advance for any help provided.

HTPC should work with this TV.

Say it aint so ?

Can anyone confirm if they have been able to hook this up to a PC and use it as a monitor ?

HTPC should work with this TV.

Say it aint so ?

Can anyone confirm if they have been able to hook this up to a PC and use it as a monitor ?

Yes it works fine thru HDMI

I have a set of 2.1 speakers (Logitech Z-2200). Can I use these with this TV without a receiver, just plug them into the Audio Out, and have the sound from my DVD players and game consoles connected to the TV go through them?

Edit on my settings on this page somewhere - ive only had the tv for 1 week so theyre probably not perfect or even close. I set it to show me the darkest darks while keeping whats black in the source as black as black goes with this set. Overall look is a tad washed but i can fall asleep to it.

Rumblepen - i'll be trying the same thing soon as i get a pc speaker system. Wish they brought the internal speaker wires out to back panel like my Mitubishi projection set.

Does the Service Manual cover every setting in Service Menu?

I picked up my TV on Thursday and am currently breaking it in. I must say even at the break in settings ( I have everything at 0 ) the picture is PHENOMINAL. If it looks even better when I break in.. Then I won't know what to think, I may never leave my house.

I am breaking in using eaprogramming.com's Break-in DVD along with watching TV in Just / Zoom mode. I have run TVBlink and no dead pixals and didn't see any get stuck. I have also been breaking in watching SD movies via Play Station 2 and boy oh boy.. Finding Nemo looks incredible (again with all settings at 0).

I have to pick up a OTA Antenna to see what local HD I get OTA since my comcasat only gives me about 3 of them.

Also watched Fantastic 4 last night in SD from some premium channels I am getting for some odd reasons (due to the way PPV's etc are pushed out and me living in an apartment community).

This is by far the best purchase i've made in a long while.

How do you get into the service menu? I would like to check my hours etc. Also try to find my firmware versoins etc.

Anyone know if there are firmware updates, or have they done a firmware update?

I guess I must be SOL. I can get the pz77 to act as a monitor but it won't display 1920X1080 even though it's an option on my video card. Oh well, still looks phenomenal.

One more thing.... On this tv you can choose two different hd display sizes. type 1 and type 2 or something along those lines. Anyway, one seems to slightly zoom the picture, losing a little bit of the border around the screen. If I don't have the TV set in this mode, I have a thin line on top of SD programming that looks similar to white noise.

Is this just a product of my cable, or is there any adjustment that I can make so I don't have to use the zoomed option on the TV? BTW, I have an SA8300HD set top box. If anyone's had a similar issue, I'd be grateful for any input.

I just read the specs on the panasonic site 68 billon colors for the 42PZ77u. They also say presently 1080p viewing is only available using the bluray HD dvds. so why are we running to get a 1080p tv? Yes there is no 1080p broadcasting and wont be for a long time.

Properly de-interlaced, a 1080i show, like Discovery HD, is actually a 1080p/30fps broadcast. Despite what the idiots with the green shirts might try to tell you, a "1080i" TV, with 768x1366 pixel resolution cnannot show you all the information in a 1080i signal.

Most broadcast HDTV is 1080i

Ok I have a Question.

I've read through most of the board and couldnt find a definite answer.

I bought the 42PZ77U yestarday . I also bought the Toshiba 1080i HD DVD. I've connected the two with an HDMI cable...

When playing an HD dvd it is shown in a letter box (black bars across the top) I can zoom in and fix it but I loose some of the side image...

Shouldn't this singal come in and fill the whole screen?

Mentaldribble,
you've got PM.

.... On this tv you can choose two different hd display sizes. type 1 and type 2 or something along those lines. Anyway, one seems to slightly zoom the picture, losing a little bit of the border around the screen. If I don't have the TV set in this mode, I have a thin line on top of SD programming that looks similar to white noise.

Is this just a product of my cable, or is there any adjustment that I can make so I don't have to use the zoomed option on the TV? BTW, I have an SA8300HD set top box. If anyone's had a similar issue, I'd be grateful for any input.What you're seeing is the data strip across the top of some 4:3 shows or commercials and it's coming from the broadcaster. I see it on my old TH-42PX50U and also my TH-42PZ700U. On a tube TV you won't see this strip because they tend to have enough overscan to hide it, but the Panasonics have minimal overscan and this exposes that data strip up top. My HP/Sharp LCD TV has more overscan than both my Plasmas and does not show this strip normally, but on some shows the strip is thicker and i can just see it peeping out a bit from the top of the bezel.

There is nothing you can do about it except for changing your HD Size setting, or applying a length of 1/4" black pin striping tape along the top of your screen (i actually thought about doing that on my PX50U) :D

Ok I have a Question.

I've read through most of the board and couldnt find a definite answer.

I bought the 42PZ77U yestarday . I also bought the Toshiba 1080i HD DVD. I've connected the two with an HDMI cable...

When playing an HD dvd it is shown in a letter box (black bars across the top) I can zoom in and fix it but I loose some of the side image...

Shouldn't this singal come in and fill the whole screen?

It depends on the dvd. Some dvd's are anamorphic widescreen (I think that's what it's called) and are actually like 2.35:1. Meaning that they are even wider than a widescreen (16:9) tv so you will have the bars on top and bottom. You can stetch to fit the whole screen but I prefer to leave it in its original format.

Picked up a 50PZ77u today at BB. I did not see any information in the manual about "break in". Can someone explain this process and if it is need on this plasma.

Thanks

Picked up a 50PZ77u today at BB. I did not see any information in the manual about "break in". Can someone explain this process and if it is need on this plasma.Just do a search of this forum for "break in" - there's literally a billion posts about it :D

They all pretty much say to just turn the Picture and Brightness settings down to around 0 and avoid black bars and tickers and logos for the first few hundred hours. It's that simple.

Just do a search of this forum for "break in" - there's literally a billion posts about it :D

They all pretty much say to just turn the Picture and Brightness settings down to around 0 and avoid black bars and tickers and logos for the first few hundred hours. It's that simple.

To add onto Randy's informative post you can also check panasonic.com and check the FAQ's.. One of the top asked questions and they explain what you should do and for how long

Well, just picked up my set from Sears, but I'm so tired I don't even feel like unpacking it and taking a look at it. We had a 6:00 AM wakeup call for a 8:00 AM soccer game, and we've been running ever since. I'm so tired, I don't even want to play with my new toy. Something must be wrong with me. :D

Well, just picked up my set from Sears, but I'm so tired I don't even feel like unpacking it and taking a look at it. We had a 6:00 AM wakeup call for a 8:00 AM soccer game, and we've been running ever since. I'm so tired, I don't even want to play with my new toy. Something must be wrong with me. :D

When i bought mine home yesterday, i just finished a 12 hr shift, and i was like i will just set it up on my day off, 2 hrs after i got home, i decided to open it, then i was like WOW..now i need a new TV stand, so went out and bought a TV stand and by the end of the night last night, i had a TV stand built and a TV set up even though i was tired as crap, but when i relized what i had sitting in a box, i was like i need to get it up now. So since i was off today i didnt have to set it up or anything, i was able to just check out games and HDtv on it..and WOW..im impressed.

Thanks everyone for the quick responses!

is anyone having a bad luck with dead pixels on this set?

When i bought mine home yesterday, i just finished a 12 hr shift, and i was like i will just set it up on my day off, 2 hrs after i got home, i decided to open it, then i was like WOW..now i need a new TV stand, so went out and bought a TV stand and by the end of the night last night, i had a TV stand built and a TV set up even though i was tired as crap, but when i relized what i had sitting in a box, i was like i need to get it up now. So since i was off today i didnt have to set it up or anything, i was able to just check out games and HDtv on it..and WOW..im impressed.

I did the same thing. I work a 7 pm to 7 am shift. I was itching all night to get home, because I knew my new TV was sitting at home in a box in my living room. As soon as I got home, I was tearing into the box like a kid on Christmas morning! Unfortunately, I didn't get to sleep on time, as I was up playing with the settings. I woke up early that afternoon, too, to rob my HD-A20 from my home theater and see how Transformers looked (awesome, in case you were wondering :D).

So far, I am extremely pleased with the purchase of the TH-42PZ77U. The picture is beautiful, the anti-glare works great with picture window in the living room, and it is million times better than the POS Sanyo CRT I used to have! I've only had it since Friday, though. I'll reserve final judgement until after I've put a few hundred hours on it, but so far, so good!

Do these sets suffer from "fringing" where the green or purple image fringes become "disconnected" from the image when panning quickly in games? As seen here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kyllx3VaI8&NR=1

I was looking at the 50" model

Do these sets suffer from "fringing" where the green or purple image fringes become "disconnected" from the image when panning quickly in games? As seen here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kyllx3VaI8&NR=1

I was looking at the 50" model


Yesterday, when playing assasians creed, i did not notice that at all when panning quickly....I havent tried with other games.

Has anyone able to control Scientific Atlanta 4250HD cable box with panny's remote? What is the remote code for it?
Is there any way to improve the picture in SD channels?

Just swapped the 50 px for this pz ...definately a difference in pq. However from a previous post i need something cleared up before i calibrate it.

It was said that brightness= white level
And contrast(picture) = black level

That seems completely backwards to me

From every set i have owned picture=contrast aka white level and brightness=black level.

thank you

Can someone please tell me the size and quantity of the fasteners I will need to attach the monoprice mounting brackets to the back of the 50PZ77U? By the way, I am also mounting a 42PZ700U--would the fasteners be the same size?? I know this thread isn't for the 42PZ700, but thought it would be easiest to simply attach the question.

Thanks for the help

By the way, I read somewhere that 8mm threads are required, but the length wasn't given.

Are the fasteners possibly already installed in the back of the TV (I doubt it)

Can someone please tell me the size and quantity of the fasteners I will need to attach the monoprice mounting brackets to the back of the 50PZ77U? By the way, I am also mounting a 42PZ700U--would the fasteners be the same size?? I know this thread isn't for the 42PZ700, but thought it would be easiest to simply attach the question.

Thanks for the help

By the way, I read somewhere that 8mm threads are required, but the length wasn't given.

Are the fasteners possibly already installed in the back of the TV (I doubt it)
The fasteners are not in the tv. The 3 that I have wall mounted all had the fasteners included with the mounting bracket

is anyone having a bad luck with dead pixels on this set?

I have two. One is in the center. I've affectionately named him Dan. I don't notice him unless I'm less than 4' away from the set and I'm watching something white/bright.

Here's the crazy thing... "Picture" is brightness, and "Brightness" is contrast.


Sorry to bring this up again so soon but i want to calibrate it with my avia disc and need confirmation on this since it seems backwards to me.

So

Brightness controls white level?
Picture controls black level?

The fasteners are not in the tv. The 3 that I have wall mounted all had the fasteners included with the mounting bracket


Does that mean there is a standard screw. I sure don't doubt you, but that would surprise me. Thanks for the response, it's good to know I don't need any additional hardware.

Sorry to bring this up again so soon but i want to calibrate it with my avia disc and need confirmation on this since it seems backwards to me.

So

Brightness controls white level?
Picture controls black level?
Brightness adjusts the black level.
Picture or Contrast adjusts the white level - the peak output of the display.
Check out this excellent post in the calibration forum:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=10632798&postcount=1

Brightness adjusts the black level.
Picture or Contrast adjusts the white level - the peak output of the display.
Check out this excellent post in the calibration forum:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=10632798&postcount=1

Yes but Speccter is saying the opposite so that is what is confusing me thanks for any input

Does that mean there is a standard screw. I sure don't doubt you, but that would surprise me. Thanks for the response, it's good to know I don't need any additional hardware.
The units I have worked with included a variety of screws, spacers, washers, etc. as required for most of the common tv sets. You should not require any additional hardware.

Yes but Speccter is saying the opposite so that is what is confusing me thanks for any input
No offense intended to Speccter, but his statement is incorrect.

Newbie HD'er 42PZ77 1st impressions:

The set itself looks gorgeous and I have it hooked up via S-Vid cables (ordered hdmi's from monoprice) to my Time Warner HD box. Bottom line so far is that the image quality is exceptional. The anti-glare screen gives the set the best of both worlds (IMO) and while resolution is fantastic, the set still maintains the look and feel of plasma. Color rendition is excellent although it varies so tremendously due to the source material, I feel like it will be a while before I have a feel for it's color qualities. I'm still burning it in but am so far thrilled with this purchase (and at what a price!).

But wait, there's more! My brother rigged an hdmi connection to my Mac so I could see what this set looks like as a monitor (I'm a pro photographer). Words literally cannot describe how my images looked on this unit. Absolutely astounding (!!!) with TACK SHARP rendition and what seems like a much richer palette of colors than my pro LCD monitor. I was literally blown away and I'm extremely finicky in general.

I can only imagine how this set performs with a blu-ray or hd-dvd player.

My only concern and noticed flaw so far is that there seems to be about 1 inch of reverse-vignetting on both the left and right sides of the display (worse on the right). There's about .5" on the top and bottom. It's very subtle but it's there. It's there when I switch inputs to get a black screen as well. This is my only concern up to now and I'd love to know if having a small bit of this is normal or not.

Thanks JB i thought that was incorrect as well and would really goof up settings when calibrating.

I just wanted to say that I for one am very disappointed in this 50pz77u. The haze over the picture drives me crazy. the picture seems blurry, and i know its not the source. I've had the 700u in my house before this. The reflection is terrible on that set, but the haze is worse on this one. If i had to do it over again, I'd definitely buy the 700u. Call it a $2200 mistake. I don't enjoy watching it at all.

Is there anything that can be done to decrease the "Haze" factor on this set?

I just wanted to say that I for one am very disappointed in this 50pz77u. The haze over the picture drives me crazy. the picture seems blurry, and i know its not the source. I've had the 700u in my house before this. The reflection is terrible on that set, but the haze is worse on this one. If i had to do it over again, I'd definitely buy the 700u. Call it a $2200 mistake. I don't enjoy watching it at all.

Is there anything that can be done to decrease the "Haze" factor on this set?

Have you calibrated it first off? Secondly i am not sure what you mean by haze but i know having brightness set too high will *haze* wash out the picture...maybe knock that down a few....what are your picture settings and how are you receiving your hd>?

Have you calibrated it first off? Secondly i am not sure what you mean by haze but i know having brightness set too high will *haze* wash out the picture...maybe knock that down a few....what are your picture settings and how are you receiving your hd>?
I have the following settings

Picture: +19
Brightness: +7
Color: -2
Tint: -3
Sharpness: -7
Color temp.: Normal
Color mgmt: Off

I'm using a comcast, Motorola HD DVR.

I have two. One is in the center. I've affectionately named him Dan. I don't notice him unless I'm less than 4' away from the set and I'm watching something white/bright.
I purchased my first 42pz77u from Sears taking advantage of Hotter than Black Friday deal online using my friends Sears card (even if I’ve applied for the card myself I won’t be able to use it until it arrived). According to sears.com the store I choose to have this tv pick up had them in stock. When I called the store they've told me that they had none. I didn't want to wait a whole week and bought one from a different Sears store. They matched the price I paid with my friends card. I applied for Sears card and got an instant rebate (mail-in rebate if you purchase it online). My friend called Sears on the way home and cancelled the original order. The next day I've discovered a dead pixel (red). I'm very picky when it comes down to display. So I tried to have it exchanged at the Sears they even put one on hold for me. The next day I called them to double check availability they told me that someone purchased it online. When I called another store that was showing availability online, they guy I was talking to was in the process of selling the last one. So I called around to find out that there are not very many of them at other retailers. I went to Circuit City and they price matched it. This time I was smarter and brought SD card with me. I created 1920x1080 white image (jpeg) in photoshop to test for dead pixels. Circuits had only one set in stock in the store closest to me. Before I bought it I asked the guy to check the stock in other stores anticipating the next one will have some problems. He said there are 2 more stores in the area that have them. When I purchased it I had it opened to test and it had 3 dead pixels. All of them were red (one flickering). We packed the set back (manager told me that it will be sold as a brand new set to the next customer!). Manager went and checked availability of this set in other stores once again and this time only one store had them in stock. He processed the paperwork and told me that I can have it picked up over there. I went to have my TV picked up today. I didn't forget to bring my SD card to test for dead pixels. The first set we opened had one flickering pixel and one dead pixel (though barely noticeable, but still there). I asked at the checkout if they had another one in stock but their manager told me that he won't sell it to me. Before that I had to prove about 4 people that the image I've created is perfectly fine. We've tested it on another Panasonic plasma TV and laptop. No dead pixels. I asked the manager very nicely that I'd like to chat with the store manager. I had to wait for him for 30-40 minutes before he became available. He also wanted to see the proof that my file was fine. It took another 10 minutes of demonstration. This time Panasonic rep was around and I didn’t hesitate to tell him my story about my luck with their product. Then the store manager took my card and went to warehouse to check out the first display I bought (he didn't want me to go with him, even though I already been there). He didn't see anything and asked me to show him where I found it. When I saw the set again the flickering pixel was almost gone and the other pixel was barely noticeable. Anyway I insisted on opening another unit. After a long discussion he agreed to open another unit. The fourth unit I've tried had a dead green pixel in the middle of the screen. Manager asked me what I wanted to do and I asked to look at the first set once again. This time I only noticed a slightly dark spot the size of the pixel and only when were 2 inches away from the screen. I decided to keep this unit since it's very unlikely that I'm going to find a better one. When I got home and plugged it in to my surprise I wasn't able to see any dead or flickering pixels. I transported it laying down vs recommended vertical orientation. To continue my story, the Sears online order didn't get canceled. They sent me an e-mail that it was ready for pickup yesterday. Only then I understood that the one TV in stock they had was reserved for my friend (my first online order). Perhaps if I would've wait in the first place I could've got a good TV right away or one with 5 dead pixels :o).
PS: we tried to call Sears store today to have the order canceled. This time it has to be done through the store. For some reason when their system is showing that we paid $80 less for this set and they can not refund the full amount. Basically we have to drive to the store to have it fixed. I also love the Sears answering system. They only have 2 options: store information and store hours. You can not reach any department or talk to anyone else, no option to select an extension, nothing. I had to call other stores to find out the direct phone number of TV department.

I hope you guys have a better luck with your TV shopping. I almost scratched the idea of getting the Panasonic plasma and drove to the near town to pick up Toshiba 46LX177 for $1300 from some guy I found on the craiglist. It was only used for 3 days. He must have purchased it from some online vendor and it wasn’t returnable.

PS: one thing I've learned is that I will never buy a fixed pixel display online. PERIOD!

Ugh...I found 3 dead pixels and several stuck pixels...

Is it "normal" for Plasma's to have these defects?

I'm so peeved.

The only game I've noticed fringing is call of duty 4...blah. Is this normal?

Also, I'd call up Panasonic and complain about stuck/fixed/dead pixels. I had one that was flickering that could be seen from 2 feet away, right dab in the center. Called up Panny and they sent to a certified technician around my area that would replace the actual diplay panel with another. The tech dude is supposedly coming tomorrow afternoon, so we will see if it was worth the wait and fix.

What you're seeing is the data strip across the top of some 4:3 shows or commercials and it's coming from the broadcaster. I see it on my old TH-42PX50U and also my TH-42PZ700U. On a tube TV you won't see this strip because they tend to have enough overscan to hide it, but the Panasonics have minimal overscan and this exposes that data strip up top. My HP/Sharp LCD TV has more overscan than both my Plasmas and does not show this strip normally, but on some shows the strip is thicker and i can just see it peeping out a bit from the top of the bezel.

There is nothing you can do about it except for changing your HD Size setting, or applying a length of 1/4" black pin striping tape along the top of your screen (i actually thought about doing that on my PX50U) :D


Hi,

I have followed Avsforums for a long time now but just now decided to register as I am having a lot of issues with what I am seeing with my new PZ77 set. I know you are an excellent contributer and your input on the post I am going to make would be very much so appreciated. Any and all others with input would obviously be very helpful.

Thanks and look out for my post!

Double Post...sorry!

This post is with reference to the Panasonic TH-42PZ77U set:

I have everything running through standard Def right now along with the Panasonic S97 DVD player. I also own a 27" TAU series, very bottom end model from 2001 (no HD or any fancy this or that...as basic as can be). My room is never with much of any light, so light is not an issue for me since I am not watching tv with my shades up during the daytime except on a rare occassion.

I have not had the Plasma calibrated with either the DVD essentials or similar type disc nor have I had a certified person calibrate it. I have used about 5 different settings posted by people that have used this set long enough to know what looks best to them "and" have used the dvd to set the picture for them. I have quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to using my eye as well to setup the set how I like to watch it. With these things in mind, here are my observations:

Starting with the 42" first:

A black scene in a movie completely blackened out the woman walking. I mean, it was literally black as black can be. I thought this was normal, but later watching it on the 27" set confirmed the scene shows shadow information and the woman does not get blacked out. She isn't exactly "highly noticeable" since it is a dark scene, but you can make out her as well as the wall she is walking near...you only see black cover her up and the wall next to her.

Overall picture is obviously MUCH BIGGER than the 27" set. I sit about 12 ft from the set. With all the settings mentioned above and doing "everything" I can possibly do with the set on (have not gone into the menu option with the set off), I cannot get a picture anywhere near the level of sharpness, clarity, and analysis of the 27" set. However, I do get a more "distorted"? look that makes things more "cinema-like" in quality. This is where things become difficult since I do not have a 36" or even 34" Wide CRT that has a larger picture to "really" make comparisons as these larger sets may look more cinema like, though in past, I have had 36" Crts (all flats) and they were equally sharp and had a similar presentation as the 27". For some reason I never did like the 32" size vs. the 27" or the 36" for CRTs. Anyhow, I don't want to mention "induced distortion" that lends itself to a more cinematic look on the 42", but things do look more "film-like"..maybe it is due to the fact that the set looks much less clear/clean and less sharp (than my 27"). It could be spreading things out more and it makes things look a bit more dimensional, but at the same time, losing clarity and definition.

I cannot for the life of me, under all recommendations/settings/etc. from hours of reading in this post get the set to present enough light without having to compensate for image quality. Things start to wash out and I start to notice grain or cloudiness in certain sections of the picture. I'm not talking about pushing the brightness levels to extremes either...just a brightness level I feel is realistic, and things are showing too much grain (hard to find a word). For photographers, think of a 35mm film shot with clouds in it. Clouds "often" have grain. I see this in white, cloud based, and even other times when watching the set. Now it's not something that stays, so it could have to do with the source...but watching my 27" from 2ft away shows "very little" and often "none" of the same artifacts.

Every so often, I will see an action scene where there is a stray of pixellation that occurs. In other words, rather than the part in action remaining clean from start to finish, it will show some pixellation? defects on occassion during these action sections. It is "nothing" like what I have seen on almost all scenes from an LCD where things even look pixelled on the edges of a person/objects/etc. This set is very clean in that manner, but that action part that shows what it shows every so often (happens so seldom that I can care less about it if I could like the image from the set).

With text and this may just be how it is with a widescreen, watching Desperado, in the intro, there is the red text prior to the movie. This red text will sometimes be on the screen and sometimes be half way on the screen. I have not had it on the 27" set to see if it is just how the movie displays this part but I don't see how any movie would show the intro credits with some on the screen and some half way off the screen (have never seen this in any movie I've watched). Another thing I noticed is with subtitles. A movie I watched was showing the subtitles twice over, as if the person was saying the same thing two times over in spite the scene involves only one line from the person's mouth and one set of subtitles to show the translation into English. I have never seen this before either...it's not like a person saying the same thing over and over and it obviously translating it over and over...it was a "dialog" based sentence that was said once and only once during (scene of a calm conversation). Again, don't know if this is in the movie as I'd have to go back and verify it on the other set.

Lastly...I don't know what is going on here, but it almost seems like, and I especially noticed this in Desperado, though have seen it in other movies as well, that part of the movie is being clipped on the sides or that the sides even become distorted. I also feel that the "stretched" effect, though a LOT more annoying on some other sets I have seen, looks aweful. Seeing things not aligned, as in, point source...forget the term for this one, but I believe it is called fringing...it is when, say, a person that takes a wide angle shot has the buildings all curved (on the sides) when they are obviously not like that in real life.

Overall picture of the 27" vs. the 42"

42"=Cloudy looking, ill-defined (not sharp), induced distortion or what I really think is just a lack of sharpness lending to what looks like a more cinematic look that I do like if it was sharp, lack of brightness abilities (can never get this set to be sharp and even bright enough at the same time), and lastly, I cannot for the life of me get anything close to the level of the sharpness and clarity on the 27" set.

27"=Clear/Clean/Sharp to the point that things look analytical by comparison to the 42" (I can analyze the scenes and pick out all the details vs. not being able to do the same on the 42"). No grain or very little seen from the signal source. I have seen the garbage signal sources of Sat TV on many CRTs so I know exactly what it does to the set...the source is truly aweful in many cases and it shows it perfectly well on the 27"...it is to say the 27" isn't somehow "not good enough" to not show the poor signal source. Can get brightness levels up and not sacrifice any picture quality issues. I can make it too bright, in other words, and things still remain sharp and clean, though obviously not accurate.


Questions:

1) People say that standard def on Plasmas looks good on this set. I can say with absolute certainty that this state of the art September 2007 set is WAY INFERIOR to the "standard/basic" 2001 27" set. I can only imagine a "good" CRT by comparison.

My question=I use Dish Net for my Sat source. Do I need to buy the HD receiver just to get a an SD picture that is close to what I see with my 27" set? In other words, will my picture quality increase enough to warrant the cost of getting an HD based Sat receiver???

2) If I cannot get a decent SD picture OR I cannot get even as good of a picture with an HD sat receiver, is this set really only meant for people that watch movies in HD or play games in HD? In other words, was this set "only" meant to be good for one or two types of sources such as movies and games, but not an all-around type set that looks good with any source?


In sum, I can say that this Plasma absolutely destroys many I have seen (makes my dad's older Sony LCD look like garbage), but regardless, if I have to switch my source over to my 27" just to be able to watch a hockey game, this is truly unacceptable. I have trouble seeing the game, following it, and the stretchy effect seems too much...and then having a white ice surface obviously makes it really difficult for this set to display anything remotely sharp...it's bad enough on the 27" since hockey does not get a great signal (broadcasted often on some lowend signal the local networks have), but 10X worst on the 42".

Don't mean to gripe and complain, but seeing all the glowing reviews leads me to ask for help and attention about what I need to do to see this set's full potential and if indeed it can display the level of fidelity I get by comparison to a measly old 2001 Panny Tau 27" Base Line CRT (IMHO, the Panny sets, at least from back in the day, were really great sets. I compared them with Sony XBR series and on SD, I preferred mostly, the Panny, Toshiba, and even the JVC iArt sets to the Sony=overblasted colors and brightness levels=great for the masses that are lured into such extreme coloration).

Thanks for any and all that can help me.

Regards!!!

I'm really looking into this plasma. I want to know what is the life expectancy of plasma tvs? I mainly will use it for xbox 360 and watching movies about 5-6 hours a day. Thank You.

AudioExcels.... This Tv was made for HD quality feed. To answer some of your questions without you getting a good HDTV is not doing the set justice.

I believe Panasonic claims 60,000 hours.

even connecting standard def through component will make a better picture than normal antenna input. also, on this set if you are getting too dark. change your black level to light.
my settings were
picture: 16
Brightness: -2
color: -1
tint: -2
sharpness: -10
black level: light

BTW i get great picture in SD. sometimes i have to check my channel to see if it's HD or SD...but then when I do goto HD, i know for sure without a doubt it's HD. could always be the source. i have time warner...not that it's a good thing...damn HBO HD has some issues, pixelation and freaks out when **** moves fast. Discovery HD theater is just plain awsome.

I was noticing last night during the Patriots football game that my picture was freezing a little or not wanting to move with the picture while they were running real fast. I am quite sure you guys have a proper name for this, but I cant remember what it is.

Is this normal, or did ESPN just be pushing a bad feed? BTW, I am running HDMI thru Onkyo 605 and DirectV HD.

It's probably the source, although I was watching the game too, and it was mostly fine.

I flipped over to the AMA Music Awards, and I did notice some skips in the broadcast.

It's just the source not the TV.

>>>>I just wanted to say that I for one am very disappointed in this 50pz77u. The haze over the picture drives me crazy. the picture seems blurry, and i know its not the source. I've had the 700u in my house before this.


I can't for the live of me see any haze in HD programming with my 50PZ77u. I did see it when it came out of the box under bad lighting conditions, but once I adjusted the settings, the image is fantastic...crisp and clear.

Sometimes I keep wanting to dislike my 77U purchase...but honestly...the PQ is awesome for me. For $2k, I'm really happy.

I just ordered this TV over the weekend and I have one question.

Does anyone know where I can get information on the VESA # for the 42pz77. I am going to buy a wall mount but I am not sure what VESA compliant numbers will work.

Thanks

I'm really looking into this plasma. I want to know what is the life expectancy of plasma tvs? I mainly will use it for xbox 360 and watching movies about 5-6 hours a day. Thank You.

Panasonic claims 60,000 hours until half brightness, which is several years worth of service no matter how you slice it.

I'm really looking into this plasma. I want to know what is the life expectancy of plasma tvs? I mainly will use it for xbox 360 and watching movies about 5-6 hours a day. Thank You.Panasonic rates their 1080p models at 100,000 hours till half-brightness. I'll die before mine burns out.

audioexcels -

I bought the PZ77 three days ago (Friday) and spent the weekend watching/fiddling with it. To some extent I agree with your assessment. I’ll try to be concise:

1) The picture quality is very good in HD. However, I have some reservations, see point 4.
2) SD quality is actually very good for the most part. However, see point 4.
3) This panel does not seem near as bright and crisp as my old panny GAOO 35” CRT (SD)

4) I’m not convinced HD TV is ready for prime-time. Everyone here talks about how great HD is, and it is, when it is working. For TV broadcasts, we are still in the infancy. No matter where you get your signal you’ll have artefacts, delays, varying quality feeds, etc. that will significantly effect your picture, no matter what panel you have. For HD movies or HD games, a HD panel rocks. As soon as you turn on your cable box or satellite feed then we have transmission issues. On a good old high quality CRT we don’t have transmission issues other than an occasional loss of signal. But on HD if a bit or two gets lost, we see problems.

For a lot of people, the bottom line is they just want the picture to be good. If we shell out thousands of dollars, the picture better damn well be hugely better than whatever we had before. The problem is that if we’re coming from a really nice CRT, the picture in many cases will be worse. That just isn’t acceptable for many people. We don’t want to have to fiddle fart around with settings on every individual channel or input device just to get a great picture – forget that nonsense.

I watched some great HD programming, specifically NFL football (pats/bills ouch) which I would expect to be the best possible HD broadcast. It was. But I still saw commercials that were a step backward. I bought the Planet Earth DVD and enjoyed that with my kids – they loved it and I could definitely see the high quality. I’m not sure that it’s perfect though… probably have to fiddle around with my settings more, which I’m not looking forward to.

I shopped around, read reviews, talked to many people for months before finally buying a HD TV. In my eyes, the PZ77 offered the best SD viewing combined with a stellar HD picture compared to anything else within $800. Will it stay in my home? I dunno… depends on whether or not I see the full value of what HD programming and other content provides.

we have a panny 50PX60U in the living room and i noticed when gaming (xbox360) the picture has a dithered look to it. do the 77/700 sets look like this as well?

as for the haze talk is it the same issue as the silvery sheen you see on lcds when displaying darker images?

Delphis- Hook your tv up to your computer via HDMI to see what it's really capable of. We're all frustrated with HD content as well as the format war. This is why I waited so long to get an hdtv. I think things will really start to pick up now however. I mostly bought the 42" because I have around 150 dvd's that I can watch now - many for the first time. And the others will feel new again. I just watched Saving Private Ryan last night and it was incredible. I'm not waiting for Time Warner to deliver. I'm perfectly happy watching movies, my photos and the occasional Discovery HD program. The rest will follow. I think tv is just not there yet (in and of itself) and I'm not sure it will be for at least another couple of years.

I was in BB today to pick up my speakers, and saw the 50" 1080p without the anti glare screen...and...well...lol....it sure looks yummy.

My 77U looks deamn good, but the glossy screens definitely have a little more oomph to them.

I have HDMI from both my cable box and my Toshiba A30. DVD’s look spectacular, for sure. I also threw in a SD card to cycled through some pics. I will not use this panel from my computer since I have a 24” iMac on my desk (which looks better than this TV). I also have a 360 hooked up via component and it looks good. I was expecting a little more ‘wow’ factor but that may come as I tweak the unit more.

It sounds like you have more of a problem with the content delivery infrastructure than the tv. I for one am completely giddy with my 77U's picture quality and I'm still breaking it in with the settings all turned down.

I think if people would educate themselves on what they're actually getting, and what they'll be able to use it for they'll be much happier.

I think some people make the decision to get an HD tv with a lot of unrealistic expectations. They don't realize you have to feed your HDTV a quality HD source to get that Jaw-dropping picture. Crappy SD sources are going to look like crappy SD sources. It's not the TV's fault.

Edit: These comments aren't directed at you Delphis, just people in general. Didn't want to offend anyone.

Just got a new PZ77U and it looks great. I'll tweak some of the settings according to some recomeendations on the site. Thanks for those.
MY question is...When I turn the TV Volume louder I can hear a buzz or hum. I can still hear it it under whatever is playing on TV. Is this just user error?
I have an HDMI cable running from my Comcast box to the TV and then also have the old cable I used to connect from the box to my old TV as my audio hookup. Any suggestions?

Man the people that are complaining about their set.. Either you don't have 20 / 20 vision or your standards are way to high.

I hate to say this but my PZ77U looks almost as good as a friends Pioneer Kuro and his is calibrated etc. I am still breaking mine in and at all 0 settings the HD content was amazing (watching the raiders get killed again). I don't have an HD player yet but that is the next purchase the blacks were really deep when watching Snatch (which is a lower lighted movie on any set) but just for shits and giggles I changed some settings and easily brought the brightness / dark washing out without a problem.. Hell just changing 1 setting did it fairly well..

As for hummming .. I don't hear any and I had it on 35 yesterday (I think im doing deaf?)

I was in BB today to pick up my speakers, and saw the 50" 1080p without the anti glare screen...and...well...lol....it sure looks yummy.

My 77U looks deamn good, but the glossy screens definitely have a little more oomph to them.

Really.. when in the store I thought the 700 series looked worse because of the glare (the glare is really prevelant in stores since they can't do anything to reduce it in their enviroment. In a controlled area it sure does look nice.. but then you have to live like a hermit to get rid of the glare even for regular viewing. I live in California.. I love the shining sun :o)

There has been much talk here lately about haze or a lack of snap in the 42PZ77U and other sizes in the series, too. I'm a photographer and know what's a realistic white and what is artifically white like you see in some LCDS.

This is an issue and is definitely not in the imagination of the growing numbers of people who have noticed it. I have observed this on sets in three different stores and even tried jtsarnack's advice re settings in the tweaks thread.

When watching scenes with a bit of white, it's hardly noticeable. When seeing a white background as in a commerical, or a large white area such as a white wall, the whites are a very dull grey. No menu tweak can fix it. As others have noted, it seems to be a phenomenon of the anti-glare coating, and particularly with the 1080p models with the anti glare screen. The 720p 42PX77U with the same anti glare screen seems fine to me. The whites are not spectacular with that set, but are tolerable.The 1080p PZ700U also seems fine and doesn't exhibit the problem. I also wish Sears or Best Buy carried it in 42. Best Buy has the 700U but it's not well priced at present.

This is not a break in issue as the sets in the three stores I have seen it in have been on for hundreds of hours.

I am also going to cancel the deal unless the Picture and Brightness settings can be tweaked in the service menu. Can anyone PLEASE tell us if they can be changed to open up a brighter white on this set by getting into the service menu??

Also, I think the next step (if a fix is not possible in service menu) would be to complain in mass to the Panasonic Concierge Service to ask for a fix or replacement.

I don't like the glare found in most plasmas either, but this is dissapointing to say the least. Even if this TV sells for a reasonable price, that's no reason for it to perform this way.

Could someone who has accessed the service menu PLEASE reply to let us know if this can be changed there?

Panasonic rates their 1080p models at 100,000 hours till half-brightness. I'll die before mine burns out.
thanks alot. yeah even if I get 6-8 years im more than happy.

best buy has this set and im thinking of buying from them. they offer a 4 year extended warranty for about $180. Is it worth getting a extended warranty because i heard people saying the panasonic power converter are faulty, some don't turn on after about 6 weeks. the red power light keeps blinking like 7 times.and also because of the unpredictability of these new technologies, be it LCDs or plasma.

There has been much talk here lately about haze or a lack of snap in the 42PZ77U and other sizes in the series, too. I'm a photographer and know what's a realistic white and what is artifically white like you see in some LCDS.

This haze problem is a serious issue and is definitely not in the imagination of the growing numbers of people who have noticed it. I have observed this on sets in three different stores and even tried jtsarnack's advice re settings in the tweaks thread.

When watching scenes with a bit of white, it's hardly noticeable. When seeing a white background as in a commerical, or a large white area such as a white wall, the whites are a very dull grey. No menu tweak can fix it. As others have noted, it seems to be a phenomenon of the anti-glare coating, and particularly with the 1080p models with the anti glare screen. The 720p 42PX77U with the same anti glare screen seems fine to me. The whites are not spectacular with that set, but are tolerable.The 1080p PZ700U also seems fine and doesn't exhibit the problem. I also wish Sears or Best Buy carried it in 42. Best Buy has the 700U but it's not well priced at present.

This is definitely not a break in issue as the sets in the three stores I have seen it in have been on for hundreds of hours.

I am also going to have to return unless the Picture and Brightness settings can be tweaked in the service menu. Can anyone PLEASE tell us if they can be changed to open up a brighter white on this set by getting into the service menu??

Also, I think the next step (if a fix is not possible in service menu) would be to complain in mass to the Panasonic Concierge Service to ask for a fix or replacement.

I don't like the glare found in most plasmas either, but this is extremely dissapointing to say the least. Even if this TV sells for a reasonable price, that's no reason for it to perform this poorly.

Could someone who has accessed the service menu PLEASE reply to let us know if this can be changed there?

I agree to an extent about what you said. I can see that when there is a lot of white or light blue areas there seems to be a "haze" over the picture that's more noticeable in that area. I am unaware of whether this can be seen in the PX77U though. I agree that this has to be due to the AG coating too. I really don't think that any settings are going to change it, even in the service menu. I am with you about calling Panasonic b/c it does annoy me as well, but I really doubt they will do much.

even connecting standard def through component will make a better picture than normal antenna input. also, on this set if you are getting too dark. change your black level to light.
my settings were
picture: 16
Brightness: -2
color: -1
tint: -2
sharpness: -10
black level: light

BTW i get great picture in SD. sometimes i have to check my channel to see if it's HD or SD...but then when I do goto HD, i know for sure without a doubt it's HD. could always be the source. i have time warner...not that it's a good thing...damn HBO HD has some issues, pixelation and freaks out when **** moves fast. Discovery HD theater is just plain awsome.

Hi,

I do not know how to connect the component cables and have tried to, but I don't have Sat OUT into the set if I do this. In other words, on my receiver I have a Sat in/out, then the component set along with S video (note, this is your very standard/basic dish receiver and not an HD type)...but I cannot get any output from connecting it any other way but by using the Sat Out connection (coax cable).

Any help on getting the signal feed to the set via the component cables vs. the coax route?

Your setting are one of the five or more that I have tried;)...

Oh yeah...I am seeing halos now as well...this takes places in the center of the image, but is not seen on all context (mainly commercials with logos like Mcdonalds, Qwest, etc.)...maybe they have them in there, but it sure looks like pixellation/halos. Anyhow, what happens is the very center looks ok, but then there are circles that take up the majority of the screen...uniform enough to think it is in the commercial so maybe it is.

AudioExcels.... This Tv was made for HD quality feed. To answer some of your questions without you getting a good HDTV is not doing the set justice.agree 100%..SD is flat and blacks are washed out on some SD dvds..HD DVD isn't a problem with black levels.:D

Crappy SD sources are going to look like crappy SD sources. It's not the TV's fault.

Edit: These comments aren't directed at you Delphis, just people in general. Didn't want to offend anyone.

So your argument relies on CRTs that may not be the cream of the crop types and therefore cannot show the artifacts induced into the signal by the SD feed, correct?

I have seen shows that have a "pure" picture with "zero" degradation and this same feed on the 42" showing a far inferior picture. Is my set just not good enough that it not only shows a "way" more defined/clean/clear/precise picture vs. the 42" because it is "masking" the signal source? It's almost like a digital vs. film debate where one can say "all" digital cameras (my CRT) are artifactual and that the grain we see in film (42" Panny) is the real look of the source.

Let me just say this much:

What I am seeing now is like having a 2MP point and shoot digicam and printing out an 8X10" photo.

What I see in the CRT is like having a 4X5 w/Betterlight back and producing that same 8X10" picture.

Will having the full HDTV setup for my cable make me have this Betterlight setup? Will feeding the 42" with the very best HD player on the market make my CRT look like the 2MP point and shoot???

AudioExcels.... This Tv was made for HD quality feed. To answer some of your questions without you getting a good HDTV is not doing the set justice.

This is the real issue I'm facing right now...I basically need to spend a ton of money for an HDTV sat setup, then a "quality" HDTV player just to get good pq. Like FatA$$ Cartman would say, "this sucks balls man!"...

Shoulda known I needed to watch movies only and some decent HD tv feeds (hockey being the only thing I care to watch on TV not being much of one) in order to enjoy the set. Just seems stupid to me that "every" set on the market is an HDTV set and this means that people like me cannot buy one since they are not made for people like me...talk to Cartman BIG AMERICA!

Man the people that are complaining about their set.. Either you don't have 20 / 20 vision or your standards are way to high.



Either you don't have 20/20 vision or your standards are way too high...am I not understanding this as being a contradiction.

You don't have 20/20 vision=You cannot see as well as others.
Your standards are way "too" high=A person that has goals that exceed what a "normal" person should have.

How can a person that has standards "exceeding" others ALSO not have 20/20 vision? And likewise, how can a person with 20/20 vision not be "the" person to have "the" higher expectations???

You make no sense and comparing this set to a Pioneer is completely pathetic. You want to start comparing your Toyota Camry to a Ferrari now?

Either you don't have 20/20 vision or your standards are way too high...am I not understanding this as being a contradiction.

You don't have 20/20 vision=You cannot see as well as others.
Your standards are way "too" high=A person that has goals that exceed what a "normal" person should have.

How can a person that has standards "exceeding" others ALSO not have 20/20 vision? And likewise, how can a person with 20/20 vision not be "the" person to have "the" higher expectations???

You make no sense and comparing this set to a Pioneer is completely pathetic. You want to start comparing your Toyota Camry to a Ferrari now?


Relax dude...If you are unhappy with the picture on the set I would attribute 95% of it to the source. This is a 1080p tv and has to scale everything to fit those pixels. A crappy SD source being scaled will look crappy. Also, the bigger the tv, the more likely you are to see imperfections in the broadcast. Overall, a good-old CRT will probably look better on most SD signals than a 1080p plasma intended for digital and HD viewing.

There has been much talk here lately about haze or a lack of snap in the 42PZ77U and other sizes in the series, too. I'm a photographer and know what's a realistic white and what is artifically white like you see in some LCDS.

This haze problem is a serious issue and is definitely not in the imagination of the growing numbers of people who have noticed it. I have observed this on sets in three different stores and even tried jtsarnack's advice re settings in the tweaks thread.

When watching scenes with a bit of white, it's hardly noticeable. When seeing a white background as in a commerical, or a large white area such as a white wall, the whites are a very dull grey. No menu tweak can fix it. As others have noted, it seems to be a phenomenon of the anti-glare coating, and particularly with the 1080p models with the anti glare screen. The 720p 42PX77U with the same anti glare screen seems fine to me. The whites are not spectacular with that set, but are tolerable.The 1080p PZ700U also seems fine and doesn't exhibit the problem. I also wish Sears or Best Buy carried it in 42. Best Buy has the 700U but it's not well priced at present.

This is definitely not a break in issue as the sets in the three stores I have seen it in have been on for hundreds of hours.

I am also going to have to return unless the Picture and Brightness settings can be tweaked in the service menu. Can anyone PLEASE tell us if they can be changed to open up a brighter white on this set by getting into the service menu??

Also, I think the next step (if a fix is not possible in service menu) would be to complain in mass to the Panasonic Concierge Service to ask for a fix or replacement.

I don't like the glare found in most plasmas either, but this is extremely dissapointing to say the least. Even if this TV sells for a reasonable price, that's no reason for it to perform this poorly.

Could someone who has accessed the service menu PLEASE reply to let us know if this can be changed there?
I agree!!

Just got a new PZ77U and it looks great. I'll tweak some of the settings according to some recomeendations on the site. Thanks for those.
MY question is...When I turn the TV Volume louder I can hear a buzz or hum. I can still hear it it under whatever is playing on TV. Is this just user error?
I have an HDMI cable running from my Comcast box to the TV and then also have the old cable I used to connect from the box to my old TV as my audio hookup. Any suggestions?

I have a new PZ77U also and was experiencing the same problem of a hum thru the display's speakers at higher volumes. I went into the menu of my Scientific Atlanta STB from ComCast and changed the audio setting from Dolby Digital to 2-channel and the hum disappeared.

I'm unclear about your hook-up, but couldn't advise you about it if I understood. But I have component cables from my STB to my PZ77U (no HDMI on my STB).

I have a new 42pz77u and have nothing but praise for it. My sound is fine, my whites are fine. This is a great tv!

same here marvin! If you watch mostly SD and you think your SDTV looks so much better than a panasonic 1080p plasma then why did you even bother?

Even SD looks pretty damn good on my set. I don't understand how anybody seeing what I'm seeing could think it looks horrible. It's SD, standard definition, NOT HD, what do you expect?

There has been much talk here lately about haze or a lack of snap in the 42PZ77U and other sizes in the series, too. I'm a photographer and know what's a realistic white and what is artifically white like you see in some LCDS.

This haze problem is a serious issue and is definitely not in the imagination of the growing numbers of people who have noticed it. I have observed this on sets in three different stores and even tried jtsarnack's advice re settings in the tweaks thread.

When watching scenes with a bit of white, it's hardly noticeable. When seeing a white background as in a commerical, or a large white area such as a white wall, the whites are a very dull grey. No menu tweak can fix it. As others have noted, it seems to be a phenomenon of the anti-glare coating, and particularly with the 1080p models with the anti glare screen. The 720p 42PX77U with the same anti glare screen seems fine to me. The whites are not spectacular with that set, but are tolerable.The 1080p PZ700U also seems fine and doesn't exhibit the problem. I also wish Sears or Best Buy carried it in 42. Best Buy has the 700U but it's not well priced at present.

This is definitely not a break in issue as the sets in the three stores I have seen it in have been on for hundreds of hours.

I am also going to have to return unless the Picture and Brightness settings can be tweaked in the service menu. Can anyone PLEASE tell us if they can be changed to open up a brighter white on this set by getting into the service menu??

Also, I think the next step (if a fix is not possible in service menu) would be to complain in mass to the Panasonic Concierge Service to ask for a fix or replacement.

I don't like the glare found in most plasmas either, but this is extremely dissapointing to say the least. Even if this TV sells for a reasonable price, that's no reason for it to perform this poorly.

Could someone who has accessed the service menu PLEASE reply to let us know if this can be changed there?

Interesting. I went to Sears last night and Best Buy tonight. The 1080p 77 in both stores looked out of focus and dull compared to the Samsung 50" plasma. Whites and blacks were grey and sharpness and shadow detail lacked. It was very surprising. As much as I wish Panasonic didn't have these issues, I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing them.

There has been much talk here lately about haze or a lack of snap in the 42PZ77U and other sizes in the series, too. I'm a photographer and know what's a realistic white and what is artifically white like you see in some LCDS.

This haze problem is a serious issue and is definitely not in the imagination of the growing numbers of people who have noticed it. I have observed this on sets in three different stores and even tried jtsarnack's advice re settings in the tweaks thread.

When watching scenes with a bit of white, it's hardly noticeable. When seeing a white background as in a commerical, or a large white area such as a white wall, the whites are a very dull grey. No menu tweak can fix it. As others have noted, it seems to be a phenomenon of the anti-glare coating, and particularly with the 1080p models with the anti glare screen. The 720p 42PX77U with the same anti glare screen seems fine to me. The whites are not spectacular with that set, but are tolerable.The 1080p PZ700U also seems fine and doesn't exhibit the problem. I also wish Sears or Best Buy carried it in 42. Best Buy has the 700U but it's not well priced at present.

This is definitely not a break in issue as the sets in the three stores I have seen it in have been on for hundreds of hours.

I am also going to have to return unless the Picture and Brightness settings can be tweaked in the service menu. Can anyone PLEASE tell us if they can be changed to open up a brighter white on this set by getting into the service menu??

Also, I think the next step (if a fix is not possible in service menu) would be to complain in mass to the Panasonic Concierge Service to ask for a fix or replacement.

I don't like the glare found in most plasmas either, but this is extremely dissapointing to say the least. Even if this TV sells for a reasonable price, that's no reason for it to perform this poorly.

Could someone who has accessed the service menu PLEASE reply to let us know if this can be changed there?
onthebeam: I agree with you COMPLETELY. I've had my 42pz77u for three weeks now... I've tried every possible setting to somehow increase the "brightness" or "smash" on my picture, to no avail. I will say that, sometimes, the picture in HD looks great; however, just when I think the picture is fine and I convince myself that the set is OK, I'll change channels and again am struck with the feeling of "where's the WOW factor?" I've seen too many friends' HDTV's and countless others in stores that "grab" me with their spectacular pictures - as much as I wish mine would do the same.... it just doesn't! My brother has the PX77U, which as we all know is the 720p version with presumably the same anti-glare screen, and his does not exhibit this same "dim" or "no-pop" picture that the PZ has. I've concluded that it must be the combination of the 1080p panel and the anti-glare screen that is causing, in my eyes at least, this very real problem. I'm afraid I'm going to have to return my set to Sears, much as I hate to, and suck up the 15% restocking fee (fortunately, it's only 15% of the low price I managed to purchase the set for.) My dad has the 50" px75u with no anti-glare and it looks great... it just irks me that my supposedly superior 1080p PZ model has turned out to be a disappointment.

So your argument relies on CRTs that may not be the cream of the crop types and therefore cannot show the artifacts induced into the signal by the SD feed, correct?

I have seen shows that have a "pure" picture with "zero" degradation and this same feed on the 42" showing a far inferior picture. Is my set just not good enough that it not only shows a "way" more defined/clean/clear/precise picture vs. the 42" because it is "masking" the signal source? It's almost like a digital vs. film debate where one can say "all" digital cameras (my CRT) are artifactual and that the grain we see in film (42" Panny) is the real look of the source.

Let me just say this much:

What I am seeing now is like having a 2MP point and shoot digicam and printing out an 8X10" photo.

What I see in the CRT is like having a 4X5 w/Betterlight back and producing that same 8X10" picture.

Will having the full HDTV setup for my cable make me have this Betterlight setup? Will feeding the 42" with the very best HD player on the market make my CRT look like the 2MP point and shoot???

Simple answer: Yes. Hd is not just better pixel-count, it is better color. Both MUCH better. 1080iTv shows, de-interlaced, are really 1080p30fps shows. 1080p is how much res, in reality, present in a movie theatre. Now you have that at home.

One of the things with extended warranties are that they do not in fact cover the number of years for the price you paid. If standard warranty is 1 year from manufacturer, then your $500 really covers 4 years. If you paid with a CC that offers extending the original warranty coverage for another year, then your $500 really just covers 3 years. Add on top that, majority of failures will occur within those first 1-2 years, if not within 90 days. Sure there are failures in the time period from 2 years to the 5 year mark. And yes, I'm sure many have experienced personally themselves but that's not the usual case, that's all.

Some people like to be covered more, it's just insurance. I don't think there's any no right or wrong, it's everyone's own preference.

By the time 4 years roll around, you'll be able to buy this TV new for what the warranty costs, or something even better.

Newbie HD'er 42PZ77 1st impressions:

The set itself looks gorgeous and I have it hooked up via S-Vid cables (ordered hdmi's from monoprice) to my Time Warner HD box. Bottom line so far is that the image quality is exceptional. The anti-glare screen gives the set the best of both worlds (IMO) and while resolution is fantastic, the set still maintains the look and feel of plasma. Color rendition is excellent although it varies so tremendously due to the source material, I feel like it will be a while before I have a feel for it's color qualities. I'm still burning it in but am so far thrilled with this purchase (and at what a price!).

But wait, there's more! My brother rigged an hdmi connection to my Mac so I could see what this set looks like as a monitor (I'm a pro photographer). Words literally cannot describe how my images looked on this unit. Absolutely astounding (!!!) with TACK SHARP rendition and what seems like a much richer palette of colors than my pro LCD monitor. I was literally blown away and I'm extremely finicky in general.

I can only imagine how this set performs with a blu-ray or hd-dvd player.

My only concern and noticed flaw so far is that there seems to be about 1 inch of reverse-vignetting on both the left and right sides of the display (worse on the right). There's about .5" on the top and bottom. It's very subtle but it's there. It's there when I switch inputs to get a black screen as well. This is my only concern up to now and I'd love to know if having a small bit of this is normal or not.

Swith to standard mode, and reduce sharpness.

For those who might have some idea, would you say this set has better pq than any other plasma, other than Pioneer's?

i'm curious, is there any other reason aside from price that any of you chose these sets over the pioneer models?

Hear is my take on all this PQ talk..........

Good timing for your question Noel. While I was at BB I looked at all the Plasma's in the 42 to 50" range. The only education I had going in was Consumer Reports said the Panny was good, and I knew all about the lower priced sets such as Olivia etc. I looked at the pics for a long time, The Pioneer blew every Tv there away. Hands down, no comparison. However, that TV was more than a Grand more. I could not see spending 1K for the difference. The next best picture "To Me" was the Panny. I looked at a couple of other TV's and kept coming back to the Panny. I really was not too concerned about price. If I could not have found anything that I liked VS the Kuro I would have gotten that. I ended up with the 1080 Panny for $1049.00 after the price match from Sears. That is one heck of a deal folks for a 42" 1080 these days.
Now.... I replaced this Tv with a 36" Sony Tube. I thought that a Tv could not get a better picture until I started to really look at Plasma TV's. That Sony rocks to say the least. When I am watching a SD channel, yes my Sony blows it away in PQ. But when I am watching my Titans on MNF and I can see Vince Youngs dirty teeth then I know its all worth it.

Remember one thing guys. For everything in life that is a positive, there is always a negative attached to it somewhere. And the same goes for the negative. You gotta take the good with the bad.

Now, If money is no object we wouldnt be on here complaining about our Tv's would we? No, we wouldnt have the time because we would be too worried about how we might just lose everything we own in one week.

Be happy with what we have, what you have been blessed with to have and enjoy it. Some people would love to have our problems.

Sorry for the rant!!

i'm curious, is there any other reason aside from price that any of you chose these sets over the pioneer models?

Not really. The Pioneer is a great set, but I can get a PS3, an HD-DVD player, a handful of games and movies AND a Panasonic for the same price. 6 months from now there will be a set that makes the Pioneer look silly. 6 months after that, same thing. Buying bleeding edge is nice, but you are only bleeding edge for a few months, so is it worth the premium? Same with computers, same with cars, the premium for the best throws off the price/value curve. I used to be an early adopter, spending $500 for the fastest video card on the market that gets it's clock cleaned 6 months later by a $200 card, so I finally kicked the habit. A year from now I'll probably move my Panasonic to the bedroom and get the newest 42", 1/4" thick OLED with a 100,000/1 contrast ratio for $950 for my game room, but for now the Panny plus a Playstation3 serves me just fine.

Not really. The Pioneer is a great set, but I can get a PS3, an HD-DVD player, a handful of games and movies AND a Panasonic for the same price. 6 months from now there will be a set that makes the Pioneer look silly. 6 months after that, same thing. Buying bleeding edge is nice, but you are only bleeding edge for a few months, so is it worth the premium? Same with computers, same with cars, the premium for the best throws off the price/value curve. I used to be an early adopter, spending $500 for the fastest video card on the market that gets it's clock cleaned 6 months later by a $200 card, so I finally kicked the habit. A year from now I'll probably move my Panasonic to the bedroom and get the newest 42", 1/4" thick OLED with a 100,000/1 contrast ratio for $950 for my game room, but for now the Panny plus a Playstation3 serves me just fine.

I dont like that a raionale, as a matter of fact, if by that modicum you'd figure you'd want to get the best you can so it does feel satisfying longer (just because 6 month later something else will be out doesnt necesarily mean it will make it look "silly"....even though the Pioneers did manager to do that to their own sets iwth the Kuro upgrade it seems).

Anyhow, i just wanted to establish that price was the primary deciding factor in most/all cases.

I dont like that a raionale, as a matter of fact, if by that modicum you'd figure you'd want to get the best you can so it does feel satisfying longer (just because 6 month later something else will be out doesnt necesarily mean it will make it look "silly"....even though the Pioneers did manager to do that to their own sets iwth the Kuro upgrade it seems).

Anyhow, i just wanted to establish that price was the primary deciding factor in most/all cases.

OLED models just went on sale in Japan with 1,000,000:1 contrast ratios and are 1/4" thick, and a 11" one costs $1800!! They cost WAY more than a plasma or LCD, which is why budget minded people go for the cheaper Pioneer.

My first HDTV was a 57" Hitachi CRT RPTV for $3600, so buying a relatively cheap Pioneer plasma doesn't bother me as much since I won't be throwing out nearly the money I did on my RPTV, I just couldn't find one locally or justify spending that much more for a TV that goes above my pool table.

Anyway, I disagree with your reasoning because in 1 year my set will be worth less than half of what it's worth now but yours will be worth 1/4 of what it's worth now, AND I'll be able to get a 2nd, more modern (and improved) TV and STILL spend less than Pioneer buyers did (on the "USED" market once OLED's are out noone will care that it's the "best plasma out 1 year ago", they will see them both as the same, just like having the "best CRT" doesn't matter anymore). That means that 1 year from now I'll have two 50" tv's, one with better IQ than the Pioneer, and will have spent less. 1MILLION/1 contrast ratios. 1/4 inch thick. Plasmas are already dead, so why sink any more money into them if you don't have to?

Time is not the friend of the early adopter.

The 11" OLED HDTV ships next week, the 27" shouldn't be too far behind:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/sonys-1-000-000-1-contrast-ratio-27-inch-oled-hdtv/

In a year neither of us will be able to give our Plasma TV's away.

Monday Night Football on my 5077U is freaking amazing. Colors are NOT washed out, and the whites of the uniforms seem as white as can be. There's no haze at all.

It's a different screen on the 77's...anti glare and a matte feel. People should know what they are getting into and buying. It's not going to be the same as the glossy screen of the 700. It's not rocket science.

In a forum where TV threads are plagued by issues and problems...the only problem these TV's seem to have is a slightly less pop in the picture. To me, the pop is still there in HD sources, so to each his own.

Someone here said it best. The glossy screens is like watching things through a window. The anti glare screens is like watching through an open window. They're both really good...just different.

This is my first HDTV, I just got the DirecTV HD package installed yesterday so last night was my first time at home watching HD content. I was watching shows I wouldn't normally watch simply because of the picture. Dancing with Stars looked amazing! At first some of the people looked orange and I was cursing myself because I thought I had done a decent job of calibrating the set, but then my wife pointed out it was makeup.

I'm extremely happy with the picture, but that's coming from a 53" mid-90s Sony XBR RPTV. The anti-glare is a must for me, my wife always wants the room fully lit when we watch TV and the set is in a windowed alcove and is surrounded by windows within 3' of it on 3 sides. I suspect the set without the antiglare coating wouldn't fare so well in that environment.

It is hard for me to believe that one person can look at a picture and describe it as "amazing" while another can look at the same exact image and call it "terrible". We have ALL seen those crisp clear HD images, whether it be in BB, CC, or wherever. We have also seen those washed-out uncalibrated SD pictures as well.

I believe some people are expecting SD to look close to HD. In my local BB they have two of the exact same Pannys side-by-side. They are both playing ESPN, one in HD and one in SD. The difference is night and day. Add to that improper adjustment and calibration and SD will definitely disappoint.

If you are going to be watching SD broadcasts most of the time, it makes no sense to buy a HD plasma. I, on the otherhand, primarily watch sports, news, and movies. If most of prime-time TV is being broadcast in SD it will not really affect me. Plus, in the near future everything will be in HD so that issue is temporary anyway.

I also think people are intially amazed by those super-bright LCD displays, but to me those burning whites are just too "hot" and unrealistic for regular viewing. I prefer a slightly more muted image, while remaining sharp and colorful. It is my hopes that with proper calibration, break-in, and fine-tuning I can achieve this with the Panny.

I pick up my 42PZ77 from Sears today. I bought it based on the reviews on the forum and this thread specifically. I will post my thoughts once I have had a chance to do the break-in and calibration.

Monday Night Football on my 5077U is freaking amazing. Colors are NOT washed out, and the whites of the uniforms seem as white as can be. There's no haze at all.

It's a different screen on the 77's...anti glare and a matte feel. People should know what they are getting into and buying. It's not going to be the same as the glossy screen of the 700. It's not rocket science.

In a forum where TV threads are plagued by issues and problems...the only problem these TV's seem to have is a slightly less pop in the picture. To me, the pop is still there in HD sources, so to each his own.

Someone here said it best. The glossy screens is like watching things through a window. The anti glare screens is like watching through an open window. They're both really good...just different.

Well Said! I have no regrets buying the 77.

Hi,

I bought 42pz77u last sunday (11/11) at sears at the famous sale price.
After agonizing one week wait to have some help move my 36" tube, yesterday I could set it up and to my misfortune found that the lower half of the screen has black horizontal hairlines.. I could see it both on cable and dvd .. Anybody else has seen this issue? Can it be fixed easily?

I checked with sears and I could return the set but will have to wit for two weeks for the replacement to come as they have none in stock so just checking if there an easy fix ..

thanks,
jb.

Guys i got great news for those who have been having a problem with fan noise, a humming noise coming from the fan in the rear of the set. My old panny plasma is 3 years old and the fan humming was getting louder, i called my service plan with cc. The service man knew right away how to fix it. He said we recently found the fix. He took out a current tap 24UW adapter plugged it in my floor adapter and rerouted my tv wire/plug into the $5.00 current tap adapter,Lo and behold no more humming from the fan.
How does the current tap 24UW adapter look like ?

Thanks in advance.

Does the 42PX77U have an AR coating? Although I'd prefer to purchase a 1080p (42PZ77U), it won't provide me with anything extra as my my seating distance is about 10 ft. I highly doubt I'll be able to appreciate the difference even with HD-DVD or BD with a 42" screen. If the 720p dispay has an AR coating and the image looks better, I think it would be stupid for me not to go with it (especially since it costs less). Am I missing something? BTW, I have a 110" 1080p PJ in the HT, so all hi-def disk movies will be watched up there and most likely not on the plasma.

OLED models just went on sale in Japan with 1,000,000:1 contrast ratios and are 1/4" thick, and a 11" one costs $1800!! They cost WAY more than a plasma or LCD, which is why budget minded people go for the cheaper Pioneer.

My first HDTV was a 57" Hitachi CRT RPTV for $3600, so buying a relatively cheap Pioneer plasma doesn't bother me as much since I won't be throwing out nearly the money I did on my RPTV, I just couldn't find one locally or justify spending that much more for a TV that goes above my pool table.

Anyway, I disagree with your reasoning because in 1 year my set will be worth less than half of what it's worth now but yours will be worth 1/4 of what it's worth now, AND I'll be able to get a 2nd, more modern (and improved) TV and STILL spend less than Pioneer buyers did (on the "USED" market once OLED's are out noone will care that it's the "best plasma out 1 year ago", they will see them both as the same, just like having the "best CRT" doesn't matter anymore). That means that 1 year from now I'll have two 50" tv's, one with better IQ than the Pioneer, and will have spent less. 1MILLION/1 contrast ratios. 1/4 inch thick. Plasmas are already dead, so why sink any more money into them if you don't have to?

Time is not the friend of the early adopter.

The 11" OLED HDTV ships next week, the 27" shouldn't be too far behind:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/sonys-1-000-000-1-contrast-ratio-27-inch-oled-hdtv/

In a year neither of us will be able to give our Plasma TV's away.

I second these thoughts. I own a Pioneer and now this Panasonic in 42" I've been waiting for a Pioneer price drop but finally threw in the towel after my 32" Sony bit it. I'd rather have the Panasonic for the price that handles glare better than have a family room TV costing 2k that rarely gets to shine. Now if I was buying 60" Pioneer would be top of the list.

I also think you may be a tad optomistic on your hopes for OLED. I'd say mainsteam is at least 5yrs away considering the supply chain for OLED is already strained and they still haven't solved the problem of life span.

How are the speakers on this set? I know the 700U has better speakers but I ordered one of these for a great price at Sears.

I also think you may be a tad optomistic on your hopes for OLED. I'd say mainsteam is at least 5yrs away considering the supply chain for OLED is already strained and they still haven't solved the problem of life span.

Even if it's not OLED it'll be something. 1080P Plasmas were $5000+ about 6-8 months ago, now look at the price. Even without OLED the tech is moving fast, and with LED illumination and other techs coming on strong it's only a matter of time before the best of the best today look like low-end.

Anyway, first OLED monitors went on sale TODAY in Japan (shipping Dec 1) so it might not be 6 months away but it's not 5 years away either.

Does the 42PX77U have an AR coating? Although I'd prefer to purchase a 1080p (42PZ77U), it won't provide me with anything extra as my my seating distance is about 10 ft. I highly doubt I'll be able to appreciate the difference even with HD-DVD or BD with a 42" screen. If the 720p dispay has an AR coating and the image looks better, I think it would be stupid for me not to go with it (especially since it costs less). Am I missing something? BTW, I have a 110" 1080p PJ in the HT, so all hi-def disk movies will be watched up there and most likely not on the plasma.Actually the PX77U has the Anti-Glare coating (like the PZ77U). However, the PZ77U does have better colors and better processing and if you have good vision you could possibly see the improved resolution even at 10 feet (like i do on the 42PZ700U vs a 768p model). The price isn't that much more and it's a better set.

How are the speakers on this set? I know the 700U has better speakers but I ordered one of these for a great price at Sears.

OK. Not great, not the worst I've ever heard, somewhere in the middle-lower end. I haven't found any TV I like the sound from yet, so it's the last consideration on my list, however. Even a $300 "home theater in a box" setup will do better than any TV's built-in's I've heard so far.

Actually the PX77U has the Anti-Glare coating (like the PZ77U).

From Consumer Reports:

I was on the phone with Panasonic today and they clearly recommended the PZ77U over the PZ700U for a very brightly lit room. According to Panasonic, the anti-glare filter on the PZ77U is similar to the anti-glare coating on the PX77U; however, Panasonic did indicate that the PZ77U had the superior anti-glare protection.

Dunno

Either you don't have 20/20 vision or your standards are way too high...am I not understanding this as being a contradiction.

You don't have 20/20 vision=You cannot see as well as others.
Your standards are way "too" high=A person that has goals that exceed what a "normal" person should have.

How can a person that has standards "exceeding" others ALSO not have 20/20 vision? And likewise, how can a person with 20/20 vision not be "the" person to have "the" higher expectations???

You make no sense and comparing this set to a Pioneer is completely pathetic. You want to start comparing your Toyota Camry to a Ferrari now?

Sheesh.. a little uptight are we?

And my comparison also uses the price variable. To me there was not the justification to spend the extra several K. The Z77U is a great deal and has a great picture. I was watching Ice Age 2 (mind you, ice is white) in SD (480i) from a premium channel yesterday and the whites were as white as a new set of vaneers. That is MY set .. possibly not yours. Mine right now is still breaking in and has all settings at 0 color management on and darks being dark.

You saying that EVERYONE has flat whites etc is a horrible generalization as mine does NOT have that problem.

I have a new 42pz77u and have nothing but praise for it. My sound is fine, my whites are fine. This is a great tv!

I am with you.

My whites are white in any scene (even in SD content) and just fine in HD.
No buzzing what so-ever.

No stuck pixels
No dead pixels

I couldn't be happier for the price I paid.. Would def. do it again if I had to.

It sounds like Panny is probably out for me. I've been very dissapointed with the Z series plasmas I've looked at in store. Greyish whites and greyish blacks. This may be a function of no/poor calibration, but from several reports on this thread indicat there is something else to it.

It would be nice to view a calibrated one... do any of you have one in the greater Sacramento area? Please send me a PM if you're willing to do a demo for me.

OK. Not great, not the worst I've ever heard, somewhere in the middle-lower end. I haven't found any TV I like the sound from yet, so it's the last consideration on my list, however. Even a $300 "home theater in a box" setup will do better than any TV's built-in's I've heard so far.

Well I am not expecting too much but I would like to just use the TV speakers as this is going into my bedroom. I am just hoping they are just not so crappy they are unusable. I am replacing a Samsung LCD and the speakers on that were fine. Knowing my track record though I will probably be upgrading to better speakers. I am just trying to keep thinks very streamline in my bedroom.

It sounds like Panny is probably out for me. I've been very dissapointed with the Z series plasmas I've looked at in store. Greyish whites and greyish blacks. This may be a function of no/poor calibration, but from several reports on this thread indicat there is something else to it.

It would be nice to view a calibrated one... do any of you have one in the greater Sacramento area? Please send me a PM if you're willing to do a demo for me.

You should do this if at all possible. We moved our 37" Panny up stairs and got the 42PZ77 for our family room. The whites are white and the blacks are black. :-) We tried the SD card with static JPEG images and the pictures are stunning on this set even when you are only a few feet from the display. My wife loves this for looking at our vacation pics.

We were concerned that the anti-glare would hurt the "looking thru a window" effect but this isn't the case. Other than weight/power I don't know why anyone would consider LCD anymore.

It sounds like Panny is probably out for me. I've been very dissapointed with the Z series plasmas I've looked at in store. Greyish whites and greyish blacks. This may be a function of no/poor calibration, but from several reports on this thread indicat there is something else to it.

It would be nice to view a calibrated one... do any of you have one in the greater Sacramento area? Please send me a PM if you're willing to do a demo for me.

How long are you willing to drive.. :P ..

I think some people need to start posting some pictures. I'll try to get some on a breaking in TV (settings all 0) ..

SD / HD etc.. I need to find a way to get my camera steady at the height my TV is though.

btw.. I am from Fairfield

I made a very interesting observation today while at BB buying a new Harmony Remote. I walked over to see what price they had the 1080 42" at today. I stepped back and low and behold the Panny defintley had a not so white white if you will. Now, who knows how these sets were setup. All I know is mine that I am watching right now looks great too me, and thats all I care about. When my life gets down to where I am worrying over how white my white is I am going to the shrink. LOL

I am with you.

My whites are white in any scene (even in SD content) and just fine in HD.
No buzzing what so-ever.

No stuck pixels
No dead pixels

I couldn't be happier for the price I paid.. Would def. do it again if I had to.

I have the 50PZ77U and can say EXACTLY the same thing as quoted above!

What bothers me a little is I spent over a year researching and visiting stores, and had this model on my very short list of ideal sets. Now that I own it, I could not be any happier (well, 1 more HDMI port would make me a little happier but I knew it only had 2) If I was shopping now, I might be scared off about what some folks are writing on this thread. That would have been a huge mistake. This is a great set, and perfect for the average room with normal lighting. If your struggling to find a great set at a very good price, this is the one to get.

I made a very interesting observation today while at BB buying a new Harmony Remote. I walked over to see what price they had the 1080 42" at today. I stepped back and low and behold the Panny defintley had a not so white white if you will. Now, who knows how these sets were setup. All I know is mine that I am watching right now looks great too me, and thats all I care about. When my life gets down to where I am worrying over how white my white is I am going to the shrink. LOL

Of course it didn't look white next to 3 LCD's . LCD's don't have natural whites.. They have super imposed whites.. They are super white if you may. But then again my whites are white lol

I have the 50PZ77U and can say EXACTLY the same thing as quoted above!

What bothers me a little is I spent over a year researching and visiting stores, and had this model on my very short list of ideal sets. Now that I own it, I could not be any happier (well, 1 more HDMI port would make me a little happier but I knew it only had 2) If I was shopping now, I might be scared off about what some folks are writing on this thread. That would have been a huge mistake. This is a great set, and perfect for the average room with normal lighting. If your struggling to find a great set at a very good price, this is the one to get.

Yeah it is more common for people to post when they have problems and not vise versa. I on the otherhand am so pleased that I had to :o) ..

I would have liked a 50 but I didn't want to feel more obligated to watch it LOL..

Does the PZ77U come with a stand? Would it be different from store to store or the stand comes packed with the TV? Can anybody who bought the 42" at Sears advise?

Does the PZ77U come with a stand?
It comes with a pedestal base in the box. It requires some assembly.

The box wouldn't fit in my friend's SUV, so I have to go back with a pickup truck when it's a little dryer out. I know you're not suppose to lay a plasma on it's back or front, but is okay to lay it on it's side? The Sears guys wheeled it out this way.

That should be fine.

The reason you don't lay it down is because it has a glass front.. And glass is actually a liquid and not a solid (very slow moving liquid). This would cause the glass to bow and stay bowed if left that way for a long time.

:o)

I didnt say I was looking at LCD'S. They were Plasma's that were all together.

I didnt say I was looking at LCD'S. They were Plasma's that were all together.

That's strange since the 4 Best Buy's near me all have them by size and there aren't too many 42" Plasmas. Each BBY I've gone to locally has it next to the 700U, Sharp, HP etc.. Typically only next to 1 Plasma.. That's why I made the assumption..

What mounts are people using with their 42PZ77U?

FWIW, it's been discussed elsewhere in this forum that there is no break in necessary on the Panasonic plasmas. It's done at the factory first.

Breakin - Any chance you can post a link? Or, could anyone tell us how to get into the PZ77 service menu to check elapsed hours? Thanks.

FWIW, it's been discussed elsewhere in this forum that there is no break in necessary on the Panasonic plasmas. It's done at the factory first.

I hear ya, but I am a bit skeptical about the whole break-in thing so I figured better be safe than sorry.

So, do we have any first-hand accounts of whether or not the 77Us have been pre-broken in?

I'm not sure if this has been answered already but... will this set pass decent sound from either HDMI input to the audio out? Scenario is: STB in via HDMI, DVD in via HDMI, audio out to sound system. This setup should simplify things by removing one less component to control (receiver). One thing I hate is being forced to use multiple remotes (yes I know I could get a programmable but I hope it is not necessary).

Also... how do we get it to auto switch inputs? My old tv would auto play dvd's when inserted and switch back to cable when the dvd stopped. This one doesn't. Perhaps I'll have to dig into the manuals more...

I have a 50PZ77U coming from Best Buy and need to plan out the connections to the HDTV.

I'm hoping some of you with this Panny can answer a few questions for me? :)

1) How long is the power cord? I'm wall mounting the unit and am concerned if the power cord will reach my outlet

2) Where abouts on the back are all the connectors located? About in the 'middle'? Do they 'face' straight back, or facing down/left/right?

3) Does anyone else have a panny wallmounted? How hard is it to change connections once the unit is on the wall? Would I have to take it off the wall if I made new connections to it?

Thansk in advance!
Erik

I'm also interested in the answer to Delphis' question.

I have a PS3 and an HD Cable box that have hdmi and optical outs, but my receiver only has one optical input. Would my sound quality take a hit by running both into the tv through HDMI and running the optical out from the tv to the receiver?

I'm also interested in the answer to Delphis' question.

I have a PS3 and an HD Cable box that have hdmi and optical outs, but my receiver only has one optical input. Would my sound quality take a hit by running both into the tv through HDMI and running the optical out from the tv to the receiver?

Yes. The TV doesn't pass surround sound through. You will only get stereo sound out of the optical out. I believe the only input that will pass surround sound through is the coaxial input.

I have a 50PZ77U coming from Best Buy and need to plan out the connections to the HDTV.

I'm hoping some of you with this Panny can answer a few questions for me? :)

1) How long is the power cord? I'm wall mounting the unit and am concerned if the power cord will reach my outlet

2) Where abouts on the back are all the connectors located? About in the 'middle'? Do they 'face' straight back, or facing down/left/right?

3) Does anyone else have a panny wallmounted? How hard is it to change connections once the unit is on the wall? Would I have to take it off the wall if I made new connections to it?

Thansk in advance!
Erik

I have the 42" version, but if it's the same...

1) The power cord is not extremely long. It reaches a normal outlet at about 4 feet above the floor but not much more.

2) They are "about" in the middle, and face striaght out.

3) I think it would be very difficult to reach back there and make connections while mounted on the wall with a regular flat mount.

Hope this helps.

I have the 42" version, but if it's the same...

1) The power cord is not extremely long. It reaches a normal outlet at about 4 feet above the floor but not much more.

2) They are "about" in the middle, and face striaght out.

3) I think it would be very difficult to reach back there and make connections while mounted on the wall with a regular flat mount.

Hope this helps.

Thanks! That does help - especially about the connectors. I'll probably connect up my cables before I mount the panny on the wall.

I plan on mounting the panny with the bottom of the unit at 45" off the floor. From where it will be mounted, my power conditioning unit will be on the floor and off to the right. Assuming I 'drop' the power cord straight down to the floor and then run it along the baseboard behind my equipment rack, the outlet would be about an 8 ft run as measured from the middle-bottom of the panny.

Is the power cord detachable? Maybe I'll end up getting a long ac cord, or buy a small extension.

Thanks again!
Erik

Yes. The TV doesn't pass surround sound through. You will only get stereo sound out of the optical out. I believe the only input that will pass surround sound through is the coaxial input.

DAMN! That kind of sucks. It almost makes having an optical output useless.

Thanks! That does help - especially about the connectors. I'll probably connect up my cables before I mount the panny on the wall.

I plan on mounting the panny with the bottom of the unit at 45" off the floor. From where it will be mounted, my power conditioning unit will be on the floor and off to the right. Assuming I 'drop' the power cord straight down to the floor and then run it along the baseboard behind my equipment rack, the outlet would be about an 8 ft run as measured from the middle-bottom of the panny.

Is the power cord detachable? Maybe I'll end up getting a long ac cord, or buy a small extension.

Thanks again!
Erik

The power cord is the standard 3 pin female connecter that 99.9% of desktop computers use; here is a link to one that is 12' for $6.95 http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/power-cord.html#std you may want to go with a bigger gauge but they can be had...

Some good info on wall mount units for this set scroll down the page to link 130 http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=938089&page=3

There are two mentioned here If i were to get one it would be the one from Sears ...its quite a bit more expensive but it sits relativley flush 6" off wall and swings out to nearly 16" ..making it easy for cable changes when necessary

good luck

Thanks! That does help - especially about the connectors. I'll probably connect up my cables before I mount the panny on the wall.

I plan on mounting the panny with the bottom of the unit at 45" off the floor. From where it will be mounted, my power conditioning unit will be on the floor and off to the right. Assuming I 'drop' the power cord straight down to the floor and then run it along the baseboard behind my equipment rack, the outlet would be about an 8 ft run as measured from the middle-bottom of the panny.

Is the power cord detachable? Maybe I'll end up getting a long ac cord, or buy a small extension.

Thanks again!
Erik

Just be sure you are not running your power cord in the wall. That is against fire codes.

I can hear the fans on my 42 inch from as far away as ten feet. Is this normal?

Hi all,

I'm new here and want to say this is a great forum! I'm really glad something like this exists.

I was hoping if anyone can advise/troubleshoot for me on why there is neither video or audio signal when connecting my media center PC (DVI) to my new 77U (HDMI) :confused:

this is not a new setup... before my new Panny 1080P purchase, I had a Philips 42" plasma 720P which displayed HD content very poorly... but it was able to at least handle video and audio from my media PC as well as xbox 360. I suspected backwards compatibility issues with HDMI but every where I read, I found not only are all versions of HDMI compatible, it is also compatible with DVI... :eek:

here's the mind-boggling part, audio is a separate cable and I'm not getting audio either while connected the same way... how can this brand new TV now able to have video and audio... :( my xbox 360 works great but how can I fix my media PC? should I try to go VGA to HDMI? That would only give me 1024x864 resolution right? Is there a DVI-HDMI adapter that would work?

Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!

I can hear the fans on my 42 inch from as far away as ten feet. Is this normal?

The fans on mine barely whisper at 3-4 feet. Even then, the room has to be silent for me to hear them.

I didn't even know my TH-42PZ77 had a fan, so I'd say no.

mine's quiet..

I've had such a tough time with purchasing a new TV. After endless research and some good info on these forums, I went and tried out the Sharp 46D82 (1080p 120Hz) but after seeing some major banding, dead pixels etc...I ended up returning two of them before trying out a Sony 46W3000.

It turns out I hated the look of LCDs in general being a long time CRT user. Everything looks plasticy, and the Sony in particularly had uneven back lighting and light leakage that was really annoying whenever watching content with black or dark grey. Sony of course deems this normal and not a defect. hmm...ok.

Well I just got my 50PZ77 delivered yesterday. This thing is a monster weight-wise. Finally hooked it up last night and started the break-in process with the DVD (from eaprogramming.com). Also inspected the screen for any defective pixels or any damage on the frame/bezel and so on. All looks great.

The anti-glare coating is kinda strange (haven't seen anything like it applied to a TV before) and I haven't been able yet to see if it has any negative effect on IQ but it does seem to work as advertised in almost eliminating all glare and reflections.

I was concerned a bit about fan noise from user observations on these Panasonics but I cannot hear a thing even standing next to it. And I have zero hearing loss in both ears and get tested once a year for work - so this issue might either be blown out of proportion or it effects some sets but not others?

Overall so far I think I'm really happy with this set and have no issues recommending it to others.

Actually the PX77U has the Anti-Glare coating (like the PZ77U). However, the PZ77U does have better colors and better processing and if you have good vision you could possibly see the improved resolution even at 10 feet (like i do on the 42PZ700U vs a 768p model). The price isn't that much more and it's a better set.
I'm not sure the PZ77U is a "better" set than the PX77U. The 42" PX77 is rated tops in the latest Consumer Reports, although the 42" PZ77 was not rated in that particular test. I've had both, and even though the PZ77 has the advantage of no discernible "sreen-door effect" at close distances, the PZ77 had a noticeable "dim" or "lack of pop" look to it that I just couldn't tolerate. I did not notice this phenomenon so much on the PX model. I returned the PX because of a flaw in the glass screen and came home with the PZ model, thinking that would be an upgrade. Because of the aformentioned "lack of pop" and dark/dim apperance of the picture (at least to my eyes) I returned the PZ77 and just got the PZ700 yesterday. NO COMPARISON!!! Although I'm now breaking it in, I did experiment briefly with the settings at normal viewing levels and the picture is fantastic, with WAY more "smash" and brightness than the PZ77. It's easy to see why CNET.com rated the PZ700 as the best 42" panel of any type they've ever tested. Also, amazingly, yesterday at Best Buy the 700 was actually priced lower than the 77. And, as a bonus, the 700 has a higher-powered, four-speaker sound system that sounds great. I highly recommend that anyone looking at the PZ77 model should seriously consider the PZ700 model. Unless glare is a major, major, monumental problem for you, the PZ700 provides MUCH more of the "jump-out-at-you" and "WOW factor" that we want, and which we buy an HDTV to get... it's as simple as that.

I'm not sure the PZ77U is a "better" set than the PX77U. The 42" PX77 is rated tops in the latest Consumer Reports, although the 42" PZ77 was not rated in that particular test. I've had both, and even though the PZ77 has the advantage of no discernible "sreen-door effect" at close distances, the PZ77 had a noticeable "dim" or "lack of pop" look to it that I just couldn't tolerate. I did not notice this phenomenon so much on the PX model. I returned the PX because of a flaw in the glass screen and came home with the PZ model, thinking that would be an upgrade. Because of the aformentioned "lack of pop" and dark/dim apperance of the picture (at least to my eyes) I returned the PZ77 and just got the PZ700 yesterday. NO COMPARISON!!! Although I'm now breaking it in, I did experiment briefly with the settings at normal viewing levels and the picture is fantastic, with WAY more "smash" and brightness than the PZ77. It's easy to see why CNET.com rated the PZ700 as the best 42" panel of any type they've ever tested. Also, amazingly, yesterday at Best Buy the 700 was actually priced lower than the 77. And, as a bonus, the 700 has a higher-powered, four-speaker sound system that sounds great. I highly recommend that anyone looking at the PZ77 model should seriously consider the PZ700 model. Unless glare is a major, major, monumental problem for you, the PZ700 provides MUCH more of the "jump-out-at-you" and "WOW factor" that we want, and which we buy an HDTV to get... it's as simple as that.
I thought the same thing too but after visiting a local custom HT install center in Calgary, AB, a guy there did all their display setups and calibrations, and was ISF certified, and he assured me he was able to get the IQ on the PZ77 the exact same as that on the 700. He had done just that for two customers in the last month. He did say that the 77's screen coating can show a "different" picture out of the box compared to the 700 but he thought it was a non-issue after proper calibration.

I also saw the 50PZ77 right next to a 700 at an upscale store in Vancouver about a month ago, both were calibrated, and both looked amazing and indistinguishable.

I think out of the box with the default, typically Vivid, settings the 700 appears better with an LCD-like image pop but with proper calibration they're not unlike each other except for the screen coating. That seems more aggressive on the 77 which suits some but not others.

Of course, all this is subjective and you'll hear as many opinions on this as the number of people giving them.