Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Review

I purchased this set about a month ago, after looking at a LOT of online reviews. I wasn't sure about Plasma-didn't they "burn in," have overly-saturated colors, and run hot? This purchase was intended to replace a Panasonic 30" CRT HD set, which had a great picture, but at about 175Lbs, was almost impossible to move. Also, it required a bit of tweaking to get a good picture, and had only one HDMI connector, and no optical audio out. So, I checked out the latest info on Plasma-only to learn that my fears about the technology have been allayed. Burn-in, or the retention of the image after the picture switches, is offset automatically by the set, which subtly moves the static images so burn-in doesn't occur. There is also a utility built in to the set which "cleans" the screen. The power consumption/heat output of the set is more than LCD, but that too is in the comparable realm. They power management is simply better and more efficient than in years past.
So, the reviews I read, and believe me, I read a LOT of them, all mentioned that Panasonic knows how to do Plasma right. The price was reasonable for the set-and the options it has are sufficient. 3 HDMI slots, multiple component in connectors, optical audio out-these were all things I wanted. Plus, the VieraCast, not something that to me was too important, is actually a nice thing-if nothing else, it allowed me to update the firmware of the set within minutes of setting it up.

The picture quality-it's amazing! Better than pretty much anything else out there. I think the closest competitor is the upper-end Panasonic-but that's a subtle difference. The colors are rich (buy the BluRay "Up" just to show it off!) and true, and the brightness is great-no compromises, even in a moderately-lit room. Playing video games is a breeze-I have a PS3 and Xbox360 set up on the system, both with slightly different settings. The Panny allows different settings for each of the inputs-very cool. So, the BluRay player can make the set default to the THX setting, TV can be slightly less/more vivid, games can go through the Game mode on the set-you get the idea. It works well.

Sound through the optical out is great-although I've heard that it does NOT do true Dolby surround through it-not a huge deal to me, as I use an optical audio switch device, which runs straight from the various components to the speakers. I cannot comment whether or not this is the case, but if you check the various reviews, it's there.

So, all in all, I got a GREAT set with a fantastic picture at a reasonable price. We decided on the 50" to future-proof a bit, as we are temporarily living in an apartment, and will likely buy a house in the next year or so. Even in a relatively smaller room, the picture is great-you don't get the pixelation or smearing of some LCD sets.

I highly recommend the set-it's a great deal, and is getting increasingly more difficult to source-I have friends in the UK who have been looking for one in-stock for a while without success. It doesn't surprise me they're going fast

Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Feature

• 1920 x 1080 Resolution
• Native contrast 40,000:1, Dynamic contrast 2,000,000:1 Infinite black for the brightest whites and darkest blacks
• 3 HDMI Inputs
• THX Certified display
• PC Input For Better Viewing

Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Overview

If you demand the best from your viewing experience, the G10 Series of Plasma HDTVs was created just for you. They boast cinema-quality movie reproduction, clear, smooth sports and gaming action - even Web entertainment. All made possible by the Neo PDP technology, which delivers sharp, detailed images, deep blacks and remarkable brightness, and all with lower power consumption.

Panasonic VIERA G10 Series TC-P50G10 50-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV Specifications

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Dec 31, 2009 02:51:05