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Official Panasonic 50,58,65,103in 1080p Plasma (PZ600 Series) Sightings/Info Thread

post #1 of 567
7/19/06 at 5:03am
Thread Starter 
Specifications:

50-inch TH-50PZ600 - $5,138.30US MSRP Estimated
1920x1080p Resolution; 4,000:1 Contrast Ratio; PEAKS driver supports 16-bit image processing; SD Memory Card; (3) HDMI Ports; (2) Component; (4) Composite; (2) S-Video; (1) PC (Mini D-Sub 15 pin)
49.9" Wide × 31.6" High × 3.8" Deep; 106 lbs
Japanese Manuals (Thanks paule123)
US Manuals (Not yet available)
Official release dates:
Japan - September 1st 2006
US - Unknown 58-inch TH-58PZ600 - $7,279.26US MSRP Estimated
1920x1080p Resolution; 4,000:1 Contrast Ratio; PEAKS driver supports 16-bit image processing; SD Memory Card; (3) HDMI Ports; (2) Component; (4) Composite; (2) S-Video; (1) PC (Mini D-Sub 15 pin)
57.3" Wide × 36.2" High × 3.9" Deep; 141 lbs
Japanese Manuals (Thanks paule123)
US Manuals (Not yet available)
Official release dates:
Japan - September 1st 2006
US - Unknown 65-inch TH-65PZ600 - $8,478.20US MSRP Estimated
1920x1080p Resolution; 4,000:1 Contrast Ratio; PEAKS driver supports 16-bit image processing; SD Memory Card; (3) HDMI Ports; (2) Component; (4) Composite; (2) S-Video; (1) PC (Mini D-Sub 15 pin)
69.0" Wide × 38.8" High × ~5.7" Deep; 188 lbs
Japanese Manuals (Thanks paule123)
US Manuals (Not yet available)
Official release dates:
Japan - September 1st 2006
US - Unknown 103-inch TH-103PZ600 - $69,999.95 MSRP
103-inch TH-103PF9UK - $69,999.95 MSRP (Commercial Version)
1920x1080p Resolution; 4,000:1 Contrast Ratio; PEAKS driver supports 16-bit image processing; SD Memory Card; (3) HDMI Ports; (2) Component; (4) Composite; (3) S-Video; (1) PC (Mini D-Sub 15 pin)
89.3" Wide × 50.2" High × 34.3" Deep; 710 lbs (includes stand)
Manuals (Not yet available)
Official release dates:
Japan/US - September 1st 2006 - Orders may be placed.
Japan/US - December 2006 - Expected delivery. Press Releases:
(Jul 19, 2006) Panasonic Global - Panasonic to Launch PZ600 Series 1080p HD VIERA Plasma TVs
(Jul 19, 2006) Panasonic USA Pressroom - Panasonic To Bring 103-Inch Diagonal Plasma TV... (Thanks jrock65)
(Jul 19, 2006) Panasonic USA Pressroom - Panasonic Bringing 103-Inch Professional Plasma Display To Market (Thanks jrock65)

Other Related Articles:
(Jul 19, 2006) AV Watch - Throwing the full HD plasma VIERA of Matsushita and 50/58/65/103 types
(Jul 19, 2006) Yahoo News - Matsushita steps up plasma HDTV drive (Thanks rls_ny)
(Jul 28, 2006) Panasonic - PZ600 Series Specifications (Japan - Translated) (Thanks Ayla)
(Jul 28, 2006) Panasonic - PZ600 Series Design (Japan - Translated) (Thanks Ayla)

Questions in need of answers:
What HDMI version will these panels have? 1.2 or the new 1.3?
Will these panels accept 1080p24 via HDMI?
When will these be released in the US?
How far behind are the commercial models?

Pictures:


Notes:
I will update this information as it becomes available or if you have any information you'd like to see added/corrected please let me know. Please remember, MSRP Only - No Discount, Direct Links and/or Pricing talk!

**Updates**
September 12th 2006 - Added Japanese PDF Manual links.
July 28th 2006 - Added TH-103PF9UK Version per US press release. | Added other related articles.
July 19th 2006 - Updated TH-103PZ600 Specification per US press release.
July 19th 2006 - Starting up thread.
**End**

Other Attached Documents/Images:
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post #2 of 567
7/19/06 at 6:01am
If these estimated prices are correct, the 65" is actually the best value buy (lowest price per inch²).
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post #3 of 567
7/19/06 at 6:26am
I can't believe it says Sept 1 in Japanese markets. If I have to wait another season for the 65" set I'm going to defect.
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post #4 of 567
7/19/06 at 6:32am
seem to me the 65" has that ugly silver thingy at its bottom. sigh.
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post #5 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:26am
The price for the 50" 1080p is sure to get the attention from Pioneer fans!
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post #6 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:32am
So to get 1080p in a 50" is basically $1200 more than the 600u.
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post #7 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:41am
I'm still wondering about the prices:

50" $5,138.30
58" $7,279.26
65" $8,478.20

Going from 50" to 58" costs $2140.96.
Going from 58" to 65" costs $1198.94.

That is *SO* unlike prices usually behave. That makes me doubt the credibility of these prices. I think there must be something wrong.
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post #8 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:42am
Please advise on anything regarding a US release date. I would love to buy myself one of these for Christmas 06, or at least my birthday in February 07.
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post #9 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:43am
Another article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060719/...atsushita_dc_1

Indicates release outside of Japan "soon after" Sept 1
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post #10 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:44am
Thread Starter 
I was expecting the prices to be a lot higher then this, considering Pioneer's 50" panel's MSRP is $10,000, but right now it's the only info I have, which is based on Yen to US currency exchange. If I was to guess on MSRP I'd say...50" $5,499.99...58" $7,499.99...65" $8,499.99 and the 103" will be special order. Hopefully we'll known something soon.
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post #11 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:52am
IMO they made a mistake on inputs - should have retained 3 component inputs and just 3 composite (or even 2). 3 HDMI is excellent, however. But big question with HDMI is what version? Hopefully v1.3.
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post #12 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by rls_ny View Post

Another article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060719/...atsushita_dc_1

Indicates release outside of Japan "soon after" Sept 1

From this article: "It will launch the TV overseas soon after the Japan release, monitoring each region's potential demand for high-definition models."

Sounds very promising for a Fall US release.
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post #13 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:56am
If 58" difference between 1080p and 1080i is over $1500 then it is not worth it for me.
58PX600U is able to take 1080p anyway and I don't expect broadcasters to send 1080p signal anytime soon (some of them - except DN - still have very poor selection of HD channels)

But it is nice to have that option in the future to buy those plasmas when signal will be distributed. And price will be probably lower too
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post #14 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:58am
one more article

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?&u...0719/pana1.htm
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post #15 of 567
7/19/06 at 7:59am
no cablecard?
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post #16 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PROXUS View Post

If 58" difference between 1080p and 1080i is over $1500 then it is not worth it for me.
58PX600U is able to take 1080p anyway and I don't expect broadcasters to send 1080p signal anytime soon (some of them - except DN - still have very poor selection of HD channels)

But it is nice to have that option in the future to buy those plasmas when signal will be distributed. And price will be probably lower too


The Panny 58PX600U is 1366 x 768 resolution, not these 1920 x 1080.
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post #17 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:33am
Yeah im thoroughly confused at this point. So what happened with the TH-65PX600U that was promised sometime this summer which we still haven't seen? Will the US still get the 65PX600U sometime this year and then these TH-65PZ600 sometime next year? Or do we get nothing at all

I've seen two of these releases with the woman waving her arm over them on stage, first the PX600's less than a year ago, and now these but still have yet to see any 1080p plasmas at all in the US. WTF is going on already?
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post #18 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:38am
It appears that Panny has fooled most everyone as none expected a 50" or 58" 1080p announcement for Sept 1st! It appears they will be the new 1080p PZ line. The PX is what you see out there now.
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post #19 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:41am
Sucks for those that bought the 50 & 58. Thing is the 65PX600U never made it to stores. Is that a dead duck now? Should we expect only the 65PZ600 now, and when? Craziness
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post #20 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:48am
i'm glad i'm in a holding pattern on getting a new PDP.
bring on the sub 10K 1080P plasmas!!
CES '07 is gonna be bananas judging by this announcement!
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post #21 of 567
7/19/06 at 8:53am
What is the usual time gap between US release and the Japanese release for Plasmas? I pre-ordered the 50" 9uk, but if this is only a few more months away for us US people, then I'd be willing to wait.
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post #22 of 567
7/19/06 at 9:07am
On these 1080p plasmas, won't 1080i content always look better than 720p content? (Since the TV only needs to de-interlace 1080i, whereas with 720p the TV needs to rescale?)
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post #23 of 567
7/19/06 at 9:09am
Excellent news! I suspect because of the intense competition from the ever larger 1920x1080 LCD TVs, Panasonic moved faster on adding 1920x1080 plasmas down to the 50" in size than they would have otherwise.

Because of the product cycles in the US, might we see these 1080p displays in the Panasonic commercial plasma line before the consumer models? The 65" 1920x1080 model has been available in Japan since last November, but still has not shown up in the US market. Given the last several updates to the consumer models have been released in the spring, my bet is that the 1080p 50" and 58" models won't show up here in the US until early 2007 as a premium "PZ" line to the 1366x768 "PX" models.
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post #24 of 567
7/19/06 at 9:34am
Aren't these only Japanese models that won't hit US until next year? Atleast that is what I took asway from the press release.
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post #25 of 567
7/19/06 at 9:48am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yawn View Post

one more article

http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?&u...0719/pana1.htm

Thanks Yawn, but I've already had it listed as...
AV Watch - Throwing the full HD plasma VIERA of Matsushita and 50/58/65/103 types
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post #26 of 567
7/19/06 at 11:28am
"The TH-103PZ600U with 1080p capability will have an MSRP of $69,999.95 and is expected to be available for delivery in time for Christmas 2006. It will also offer a three-year in-home limited warranty*, unprecedented in the industry."

http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs...92006102223667

BTW, the TH-103PZ600U weighs 710 pounds.
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post #27 of 567
7/19/06 at 11:53am
So the "PZ" name is also used in US. That makes me think that the 65PX600 plasma planned for US will be renamed to 65PZ600, too.
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post #28 of 567
7/19/06 at 12:01pm
Personally, I don't see the point of a consumer 103" panel for $70K. For that kind of money you could just about build an extra room on the back of your house with a dedicated 1080p projector! Commercial panels probably make more sense - there's always a market for outrageous & incredibly expensive toys in restaurants, venues, etc.

But, I'm sure someone with more money than they know how to spend will buy one just for their annual Super Bowl party...
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post #29 of 567
7/19/06 at 5:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RBurgundy View Post

Specification:

50-inch TH-50PZ600 - $5,138.30US MSRP Estimated

Good-googa-mooga. I have never been a proponent of the 1880P technology. In fact, I think it is still many many years off (except for Blu-ray), but at this price there really isn't any need to buy a non 1080P plasma. Kudos to Panasonic!
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post #30 of 567
7/19/06 at 9:48pm
Man I wish we knew when these might be available in the US. I was just about to purchase a 720p model but this makes me want to wait. I just wonder how long and if those prices are accurate. And this just brings up moreo the 720 vs. 1080 debate. Would the difference be noticeable on a 50" from normal viewing distances?
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AVS › AVS Forum › Display Devices › Plasma Flat Panel Displays › Official Panasonic 50,58,65,103in 1080p Plasma (PZ600 Series) Sightings/Info Thread