so i recently bought a ps3, and while my review isn’t live yet for that, an absolutely unbeatable opportunity presented itself to upgrade my 53″ rear projection panasonic hdtv to a slick new panasonic 50″ 1080p plasma (th-50pz750), which takes full advantage of the highest-available picture quality. needless to say, i definitely did my research on the thing before deciding to take the plunge and order my own, and the general consensus is that the 10th generation of plasma technology from panasonic is top-notch; some reviewers even going so far as to say it unseats pioneer elite as the king of plasma television.
while i’m having trouble getting my xbox360 to properly display in 1080p–which according to microsoft’s xbox website it should be able to do with their HD a/v component cables after last fall’s system update–being able to run 720p or a pseudo 1080p (1080i which the tv de-interlaces) is still truly beautiful. and it should go without saying that the ps3 running native 1080p over HDMI is even better, both game footage as well as blu-ray movie playback. this tv’s black levels are something to behold; i’ve never seen a tv of any sort with such deep black levels that it often looks as though parts of the screen are in fact revealing the abyss of deep space. the glossy, ipod-y black bezel of the tv looks great during day or night, and the black levels can often achieve the same deepness. the brights come close to simulating daylight in my rather large room when daylight is missing outside.
bottom line: the panasonic th-50pz750 is incredible, and quite a value compared to any of the next best screens available in the pioneer elite line. a slightly more consumer-focused model (th-50pz700) is available which omits a few higher-end, advanced picture controls and an HDMI port for 500$ less, but share the same screen. as well, 42″ and 58″ models are also available depending on your size and budgetary considerations. a definite must-buy if you’re in the market for a plasma tv.
since it’s been nearly impossible to find decent photos of this tv, i decided to take some of my own, along with a few video clips. below you’ll find a couple photos of my previous panasonic, and then a bunch of my new baby, including a few with me standing next to it for scale and size relationship (i’m 6′ tall). and yes, it’s summertime, so with a little warm weather or sun, i become a full-on silhouette, as you can see from the photos.. the walls are properly lit, and i’m still dark 😛