Reviews for Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U 46" Plasma TV

A VERY HAPPY OWNER

Strengths: I doubt any other mid-priced 46” can compete. The outstanding picture quality, deep blacks, & audio are unsurpassed. While it may not have as many user adjustments as some models, there are a enough

Weakness: I really haven’t found any weaknesses; however, I would have preferred this model have the picture-in-picture (pip) feature which it lacks.

It was time to replace my 32” Panasonic CRT even though it was still working great, it was looking more and more like a dinosaur.

I decided to stay with Panasonic but was not sure whether to go with a LCD or Plasma even though I already possessed two smaller LCD HDTV sets. After a few months of observing the differences at several retailers, and reading as many reviews as available, I finally chose to go with the plasma. It appeared to me the plasma colors were more vivid and flesh tones more exact even on the larger screens. I was particularly impressed with the Panasonic TH-46PZ85U, but wasn’t quite sure that was the size I wanted in my 15’ x 22’ family room. I didn’t want to be overwhelmed by size, but I wanted it to be large enough to provide comfortable viewing.

Other than size, my only other concern was a couple inherent problems with plasmas as pointed out in some of the reviews. The problem with plasma screens reflecting light and also the potential for burn-in on plasmas. Weighing the pros and cons I decided to go with the Panasonic 46” model as stated above. Since I already owned two LCDs, I was leaning toward the plasma from the beginning.

I have now had the TV for about 3 weeks and can say without a doubt I feel I made the perfect decision. First of all the 46” size couldn’t be better and provides excellent viewing throughout the family room. The Panasonic case is simple yet very stylish, functional and looks great. The HD display and audio are awesome and significantly better at home than previously seen and heard at the retailers. Light reflection is minimal due to the anti-reflective screen and not nearly as bad as with the old CRTs. Since Panasonic provides a screen saver that automatically sweeps the screen when no signal is received to prevent burn-in, I doubt that burn-in would ever be a problem.

There are a sufficient number of user adjustments to tweak the picture and colors if desired. The remote control is simple, but fully functional and user friendly. The anti-reflective screen eliminates any annoying light reflections. As another reviewer noted the available concierge service is excellent which I can personally vouch for.

Overall, the picture is the best I have ever had the opportunity to view and the ‘Wows’ I receive from people seeing it for the first time validates my opinion. What more can I say than this is one very happy owner.

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Best Purchase of my life

Strengths: Clarity with Blu-ray, this is unbelievable the 46 Inch is a super plus..as i havent found any in Plasma and this is the first in Panasonic

Weakness: nothing i can find yet. the TV mount (OmniMount), that i am using is interfering with the exact cable spot..but not a panasonic problem.

the frame is lovely unlike the previous PZ 700's which looks great...bcos the previous one looked very plasticky...I am using the OmniMount G3PR which is a stand that looks like the picture frame... overall the picture quality is unbelivable. the laptop to tv connection just happened in a second. i am using the PS3 as my blu-ray and the games are amazing. i am happy that i invested in this version. my apartment is quite bright, but this still fares very well.

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One completely satisfied owner.

Strengths: Unbelievable black levels - on par with top rated Pioneer models; 5 aspect controls; solid styling; decent anti-reflective screen; easy to use universal remote; Panasonic Viera Concierge service

Weakness: Picture controls lacking - can't adjust color temp beyond presets; stand doesn't swivel; right side ports and SD slot hard to access when used within entertainment center

I spent months debating with myself about buying a Sony XBR LCD TV because of my somewhat irrational fear over of plasma screen reflections. Fortunately, my wife pointed out one day that we've always had reflection issues with our tube TVs. If the anti-reflective screen did anything at all to reduce reflections, our viewing quality would improve. With that revelation, I started reading pre-release reviews of Panasonic's 2008 models and took the plunge a few days after they became available.

I can sincerely say that this plasma will not disappoint. It's black levels are almost unmatched by any plasma and surpass any LCD on the market. The black levels alone make up for any slight picture control shortcomings.

The anti-reflective screen works well but its important to have realistic expectations - it will reflect ambient light. If you're upgrading from an old style CRT TV, you're less likely to notice than if you're upgrading from an LCD. If reflections bother you, be prepared to use it in a room where you have control over the light sources.

The PZ85U's styling is decent but it does have a quirky chrome "lip" that sits under the bottom frame. This lip houses the internal speakers and generally blends with the styling. However, the lip and the black glossy frame are dust/fingerprint magnets! If you suffer from OCD, be prepared to use the included micro-fiber cloth to clean it several times a day.

Lastly, a quick word on Panasonic's PlasmaConcierge service (plasmaconcierge.com...): This service offers Panasonic Plasma owner members an exclusive range of free services including live access to specialized consultants, a loaner program if your plasma needs to be removed for repair, on-line chat options and call staff can resolve issues without "going to their supervisor". Panasonic and their call center that mans the service have received a number of awards. It's a decent value-added service included with the purchase of a VIERA-branded TV.

Big ticket purchases have a tendency to lead to buyer's remorse for me. I'm pleased to say that while the Panasonic TH-46PZ85U isn't perfect, it has left me completely satisfied.

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Not Impressed

Strengths: Great Price

Weakness: Contrast and few picture controls/adjustments. Not as bright as other plasmas and whites not as white.

The reviews for this set were all very impressive- how could I go wrong? My old CRT Zenith had a beautiful life-like picture and I have Satellite service, not cable. OK got the Panasonic and had to wait about 5 days for the new HD Sat box, which is arriving today. Maybe I will update this review after that although I think I will have the same issues.
With Standard Definition signal the picture is certainly not as good as with my Zenith CRT. Can not get the contrast where I want it. There is no contrast adjustment or gamma adjustment. Just a few basic adjustments available. OK, I had an external over the air(OTA) antenna I could hook up so I could see some HD while I was waiting for the new Sat box. OTA has no compression, I believe, so it should be very good. It was better but still not great. Flesh tones very unnatural even with numerous adjustments- as compared to my Zenith CRT (they were lifelike!). Highlights are sometimes blown out. To get the good blacks you have to sacrifice some contrast and brightmess, giving the image an overall very slightly cloudy appearance. I expect the picture to jump out at me! All the other folks who think this is a great set must have had a less than stellar previous set that it replaced.

Yes, PIP would have been nice but I knew that ahead of time and was willing to sacrifice that for a fantastic picture- or so I hoped. (My Sat box has PiP anyhow)
I was at a Panasonic demo for a video camera and the rep touted how you can take the SD card out of the video camera and insert it into a Panasonic TV and watch your vids on the TV. Another reason I bought this set. Wrong. You can only see still images on the set. Just jpg's, I believe. In the book it mentions video camera but the wording is such that you can show digital images from a digital camera or video camera, meaning if you took a still shot (jpg) with your video camera you can see the still shots on the TV. Very disappointing.
I will update this review after the HD Sat box is installed.
**UPDATE 11 Feb 2009***:
I updated this review a day or so ago but either waiting for approval or got lost in the ether. Here goes again- well, got my HD satellite box and HD viewing is better. Still, SD is generally worse than with my old Zenith. Could be that since the screen is so much larger now that the SD image is spread out more and you can see the lack of deatil easier or this set just does not do well with SD. I have watched some HD reruns of some older HBO shows that I saw before with my old set and they do look much better now in HD. HD movies on the various movie channels do look quite well- even 50 year old movies look the best they have ever been. Skin tines perfect- must be the old Technicolor process- fantastic color. Still same issues on some HD shows with skin tones and highlights- like news shows, talk shows, etc. It should be great across the board. I have upped my rating to 3 Stars and based on the price of the set it was still a good deal. Lack of picture controls for tweaking is still a drawback for those discerning viewers. I'm keeping it.

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Excellent Set. Will not disappoint.

Strengths: Superb picture on factory settings. I tried to make some adjustments just to see if I could improve the picture but settled back on the factory settings. I have it in my finished basement.

Weakness: None so far.

Unbelievable picture. Truly a great TV. According to CR, very reliable product from Panasonic. No issues at all so far. I went with a Plasma because the set would be placed in my finished basement with no issues from glare. I am very happy with my choice. The HD channels are incredible. You cannot go wrong buying this product.

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good television

Strengths: price, appearance, good functions and easy to set up and use

Weakness: black picture - not the best or deepest (like my pioneer kuro 50HD80)

overall good television at a reasonable price. very easy to set up and use. excellent outer appearance with a glossy black frame. the picture quality is about a 7 out of 10. i also have a pioneer kuro 50HD80 which has a picture quality of a 9 out of 10. the biggest difference is in the black background. all the standard features are available on this television - sleep, auto shut off (protects the picture).

i would buy this television again especially in this price range. this is an above average mid range plasma television.

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Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U

THE GOOD: The Panasonic TH-46PZ85U can produce one of the deepest shades of black weve ever tested; it has punchy color; a relatively effective antireflective screen; and sleek styling. THE BAD: Poor noise reduction; less-accurate primary colors; fewer picture controls than many HDTVs. THE BOTTOM LINE: A couple of issues keep its picture out of the top tier, but excellent black-level performance...

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ReviewGist for Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U 46" 1080p Plasma HDTV Plasma TV

Display is Average according to 2 Flat Panel TV experts. -- "The Panasonic TH-46PZ85U can produce one of the deepest shades of black weve ever tested."-review.zdnet.com -- "the TH-46PZ85Us antireflective screen was very good"-review.zdnet.com -- "the TH-46PZ85U has a native resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, or 1080p"-review.zdnet.com Read more to find expert opinions on more features like Sound,...

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panasonic th-46pz85u

Panasonic Th-46pz85u receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 3.65 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #9 plasma flat panel TV of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value, and a...

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Panasonic TH-46PZ85U

Testseek.com has collected 23 expert reviews for Panasonic TH-46PZ85U and the average expert rating is 84 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U

The 85 series is at the mid range of Panasonics consumer plasmas for 2008, which is their 11th generation of plasma offerings. For more information refer to the full Viera 85 Series report. Specs 1080p native resolution 30,000:1 contrast ratio Game mode VIERA link One-sheet glass design with anti-reflective screen 100,000 hour half life Inputs: 3 x HDMI 1.3, 1 x VGA, Component, Composite, S-Video...

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