Panasonic's new 1080p plasmas priced & dated - now in 42-inch size

Panasonic has finally announced pricing and availability for its 2007 plasma HDTV lineup, including new 1080p models in 50- and 58-inch sizes. Bulking up the current PZ700U line is the PZ750U series, which adds a new "Studio Reference Mode" (to provide consumers with the exact same color reproduction used on reference monitors in film editing studios), a pro setting mode (to even further calibrate the set), 3 HDMI jacks, and a 'special' black chrome look. All that 1080p beauty will cost however, with the top of the line TH-58PZ750U carrying an MSRP of $5,499.95 when it hits with limited availability in June. If missing out on the reference quality color is acceptable to you, the TH-58PZ700U (pictured above) is due next month for a mere $4,799.95. Check after the break for a more complete list of models and prices -- but if you're Mark Cuban then don't bother, because the 103-inch TH-103PZ600U has not been updated for 2007, so no need to upgrade yet.

Update: Looking for Panasonic's missing 42-inch 1080p plasma? Apparently so were they, the company has issued an updated press release, noting that the TH-42PZ700U will bring 2-million+ pixels this June for $2,499.95.

• TH-58PZ750U - $5,499.95 - June - 1920x1080p resolution, Built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners, H.264 (movie playback) on SD, Studio Reference Mode, Pro Setting Mode, 3 HDMI inputs, EZ-Sync, Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating, Gallery Player
• TH-50PZ750U - $3,999.95 - June - 1920x1080p resolution, Built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners, H.264 (movie playback) on SD, Studio Reference Mode, Pro Setting Mode, 3 HDMI inputs, EZ-Sync, Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating, Gallery Player

• TH-58PZ700U - $4,799.95 - April - 1920x1080p resolution, Built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners, SD Memory Card slot, HDMI inputs EZ-Sync, New Cosmetic, Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating, Gallery Player
• TH-50PZ700U - $3,499.95 - April - 1920x1080p resolution, Built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners, SD Memory Card slot, HDMI inputs EZ-Sync, New Cosmetic, Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating, Gallery Player

• TH-50PX77U - $2,799.95 - April - 1366 x 768 resolution, side firing speakers, SD Memory Card slot, 2 HDMI inputs, EZ-Sync, Anti-Glare coating, Gallery Player
• TH-42PX77U - $1,799.95 - June - 1024 x 768 resolution, side firing speakers, SD Memory Card slot, 2 HDMI inputs, EZ-Sync, Anti-Glare coating, Gallery Player

• TH-42PZ700U - $2,499.95 - June - 1366 x 768 resolution, side firing speakers, SD Memory Card slot, 2 HDMI inputs, EZ-Sync, Anti-Glare coating, Gallery Player Updated Specs: 1920x1080p resolution, Built-in NTSC/ATSC/QAM tuners, SD Memory Card slot, HDMI inputs EZ-Sync, New Cosmetic, Anti-Reflective (AR) Coating, Gallery Player
  

• TH-50PX75U - $2,499.95 - March - 1366 x 768 resolution, SD Memory Card slot, 2 HDMI inputs EZ-Sync, Gallery Player
• TH-42PX75U - $1,599.95 - March - 1024 x 768 resolution, SD Memory Card slot, 2 HDMI inputs EZ-Sync, Gallery Player

[Ben @ Mar 29th 2007 3:35PM]

What happened to the 1080P 42 inch plasma?

[CharlieX @ Mar 29th 2007 3:48PM]

Plasma is still MUCH better than LCD for reproducing blacks, true colors, and response time. But it's more prone to burn in - so not so good for gaming or watching too much CNN. Either way, these would make great TV's for a home theater.

[p-diddy @ Mar 29th 2007 8:00PM]

Complete baloney. Unless you're running CNN in a store front 24 hours a day, you will not experience burn in with plasma. My 42" panny plasma is GREAT for games, DVR (paused pictures), and hours of NBC.

And even if you do have burn in it can be undone by running a picture wipe DVD to even out the phosphors (though I'm not speaking from experience because I've never needed to do it).

-p-

[tbag @ Mar 29th 2007 4:07PM]

I think you'd have to be a total tool to burn in something on to the later generation plasmas. Hours upon hours of Gears of War and that little ammo meter in the corner causes no problem on my 9th gen panasonic.

[NPA201 @ Mar 29th 2007 4:39PM]

So misinformed...do your homework before you open your mouth. Go to AVSforums and learn a thing or two.

[DS @ Mar 29th 2007 6:15PM]

wow, thanks chris for that super-useful peice of information.

anyway, new products are good for us, that means older items will become cheaper! Cmon sub-$800, 1080p, 42" LCDs FTW!

[Jeff @ Mar 29th 2007 8:16PM]

"Just wondering, but would a 42" 1080p plasma show any "real world" difference to a 720p/1080i version at that size? From many reports I've read, you would have to be inches from the screen to see the difference,"

BS. I have a 42" 1080p LCD and I can quite clearly see the difference between 1080i and 720p from 7 feet away. And that's 720p on a 1080p panel; the "720p" you're talking about in a plasma panel is likely 1024x768. So it's still a couple hundred pixels short of real 720p.

When you're talking 1920x1080 vs. 1024x768, that's a dramatic difference in resolution. That's literally three times the resolution on the 1080p panel. Anyone who says they can't see that just needs glasses.

Add in to that the fact that *all* content needs to be scaled on a "720p" plasma with 1024x768 res and you're losing even more quality. A 1080p panel can do 1:1 pixel mapping with no scaling; you're getting a pixel-perfect image (assuming you're either showing 1080p content, or 1080i with proper deinterlacing).

Bottom line is yes, there is a noticeable difference between 720p and 1080i/p even at 42" and even at a normal viewing distance.

btw, plasma's black levels these days are really not much better (if any) than LCD's, and they still have big problems with false contouring in shadow detail, so whatever black level advantage they do have is often wasted anyway. If you want the best black level *and* the best shadow detail, you still really need to shop around, and the choice you make even on that criteria is not automatically going to be plasma.

[rob @ Mar 29th 2007 7:07PM]

The 42 inch 1080p was only a prototype. It'll probably be released next year.

[jwbeck17 @ Mar 29th 2007 6:26PM]

Just wondering, but would a 42" 1080p plasma show any "real world" difference to a 720p/1080i version at that size? From many reports I've read, you would have to be inches from the screen to see the difference, which I, for one, would not recommend. Color may be slightly better, though, and if the entire industry is going 1080p, it makes sense to focus on one resolution across the board. Just don't spend the additional money for an invisible difference. The 58" 1080p may have some enhancement, though.

[Frank @ Mar 29th 2007 8:18PM]

I thought plasma sucked? Amazon has a great 1080i/720p Samsung 40" LCD HDTV for $1200 on its site.

[Chris @ Mar 29th 2007 4:50PM]

Plasma has superior color accuracy and better black levels than LCDs

[Richard @ Mar 30th 2007 12:38AM]

Here's the TH-50PZ700 in the UK for the bargain price of £2799.95 = $5,495.42. That’s a 57% mark-up:

http://www.avland.co.uk/panasonic/th50pz700/th50pz700.htm

Not enough of a makeup for you? Then how about the TH-42PZ700 for £2499.95 = $4,907.38. A mere 96% mark-up:

http://www.avland.co.uk/panasonic/th42pz700/th42pz700.htm

Anyone who buys a TV in the UK is a chump. I prefer to buy projectors because they can be imported easily from sites like www.pricejapan.com. That said, I think a better solution is to leave this hell hole of a country; something I intend to do at the earliest possible opportunity.

[Dan @ Mar 30th 2007 1:57AM]

WOW :| I had to double check the brand... did they steal Pioneers designers ?!

[Loban @ Mar 30th 2007 9:43AM]

"I thought plasma sucked?"

And I thought Santa was real, but that turned out to be false too. Some people just tend to believe things that just aren't true.

That being said, my 2006 model Panasonic Plasma is GLORIOUS!!! And it works just fine for games, even when playing the same one for hours and hours.