If you’re looking for a nice entry-level plasma HDTV, the Viera TH-42PX80U could just be the product for you. It is a step below the higher-end Panasonic plasmas and sports fewer features, but with its affordable price tag and reasonably good picture quality, it certainly gives bang for the buck.
Design
The TH-42PX80U presents a plain but pleasant-looking design that is just perfect for first-time plasma owners. The uniformly-thick glossy black bezel borders the screen, with the lower part subtly curved
Panasonic Viera TH-42PX80U
downward to form its accent. Below the curved lower frame is a matte strip that conceals the speakers and a flip-up latch that hides some controls and input slots. Like other Panasonic products, this set lacks a pedestal and instead, a low non-swivelling stand is provided.
The remote shipped with the TH-42PX80U is sort of utilitarian, too, with no backlighting and no capability to control peripheral devices. But it does have large buttons and logical groupings that make differentiation by touch somewhat easy. Moreover, the remote goes well with the yellow-on-blue menu system of Panasonic that is reliable as ever. Finding one’s way through the logically arranged sub-menus and selections is indeed a breeze.
Screen/picture clarity
For an entry-level HDTV, the black levels delivered by the TH-42PX80U are quite remarkable, but this is to be expected from Panasonic products. The deep shade of black is comparably better than some costlier plasmas and LCDs, resulting in pictures that are richer and more realistic. However, colour accuracy is a little bit askew, particularly for reds and greens, and shadow details aren’t as impressive as the costlier plasmas. But the deep blacks nonetheless kept the overall picture quality above average.
The TH-42PX80U is an HD-ready TV with a 1024 x 768 native resolution. There are some problems in deinterlacing 1080i video sources and 720p processing looks a bit soft, but standard-def processing on this plasma is quite excellent. Like other Panasonic TVs, noise reduction needs to be improved on this set, as distracting ‘snow’ appears in dark areas. To its credit, the antireflective screen works exceptionally well in absorbing reflections, perhaps even better than some pricier Panasonic plasma products.
Features
With its cheap price, you should expect limited options in the TH-42PX80U. Four adjustable picture presets plus a Custom setting that can be adjusted independently per input, and controls for color temperature and management, noise reduction and aspect ratio are available on this set. It also has burn-in protection mechanisms and a nice “Surf Mode” control that restricts tuning options, but it lacks power-saving modes and picture and picture capability. Connectivity is also limited, with three HDMI ports, SD card slot and a collection of component input/output jacks, though no PC connector slot is offered.
Those looking for full-feature HDTVs with impeccable performance should look beyond the TH-42PX80U, as it is primarily targeted for newbies who may want to experience high definition at the least cost. This Viera is certainly a prime entry-level plasma for budget conscious buyers.
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