Panasonic VIERA S1 Series TC-P42S1 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

42" Plasma, 1080p, NEO PDP Panel which is brighter, Full-time 1080p TV lines of moving picture resolution, 3 HDMI, Native contrast ratio 40,000:1, Dynamic contrast infinite black 2,000,000:1, Game Mode, Anti Reflective Filter, 600 Hz Subfield Drive

Awesome Picture, Value And Reliability For The Money

Review Date: November 10, 2009

Reviewer: Robert C. Belden, Land O'Lakes, FL

In my quest for a new MB/R TV, I had been researching LCD vs. Plasma, features, pricing, ratings and reviews for more months than I truly care to even mention. I caught a late October in-store special at HHGregg, which not only offered the lowest price I had seen anywhere on this TV, but also a free Panny Blu-ray player. That made the deal both irresistible and unbeatable, at just under seven Ben Franklins for everything. These newer Panasonic Viera plasmas with the fast 600 Hz Neo PDP panels are brighter, more power efficient, have an ultra wide viewing angle, suffer no image retention, run much cooler and are only just slightly heavier than an LCD TV of the same size. The more natural looking plasma picture quality, along with the full-time 1080p zero motion blur, is seriously, as good as your gonna get. Period!! They are an absolute steal in this price range, compared to any fast LCD or LED models. This combined with the legendary Panasonic build quality and reliability made it a no-brainer. The top-of-the-heap ratings from Consumer Reports magazine along with stellar customer reviews, absolutely sealed the deal for me, hands down. Simply put, I just couldn't justify spending 2x-3x the coin for a 240 Hz LCD TV or an even pricier LED TV for about the same (or less) picture quality. You'd have to be a complete fool to spend so much more and get absolutely nothing for it. So I beg anyone to truly compare and understand the specs and features on TVs, (or anything you're buying) and DO IT BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING!! As for the TV itself, the initial assembly was easy. The stand was very solid and stable, using a total of six stainless steel bolts for fastening to the TV to the stand. The rear panel is also made out of metal - not plastic, which would likely make for more sturdy wall mounting, if that's your choice. The remote also felt solid and worked well. Both the TV and Blu-ray easily programmed with my universal remote, making it even more convenient. The initial TV set-up menus were also easy to navigate and the Viera link automatically recognized and configured the Viera Blu-ray player flawlessly. Watching my local news and the recent World Series with free digital HD broadcast using only rabbit ear antennas in 720p looked awesome. The VZ FiOS TV HD channels looked incredible at 1080i and the Blu-ray movies were nothing short of absolutely breath-taking in 1080p - totally impressive!! The sound on the TV is also well above average for a flat panel, especially after you tweak the bass, treble and surround settings to your taste. The Panasonic build quality is just what you'd expect: solid with a high gloss, piano black finish. They even include a soft polishing cloth to help preserve the TV's beautiful finish. I am absolutely impressed with the TV and can highly recommend it as an outstanding choice to anyone considering a fine addition for their home entertainment enjoyment. And no matter where you buy, don't be scammed by any in-store, shameless sales-hole trying to hose you with extended warranties or worse yet, overpriced "Monster-profit" HDMI cables. The truth is that you can get a quality 6-9 ft. HDMI cable online at many of the major online sites with no tax and free shipping for about the price of a sandwich! Trust me, there is NO difference; try it yourself and see. Save your hard-earned money for some of your favorite movie titles on Blu-ray. You will absolutely love this TV!! Just be sure and have at least one HD source - like an HD cable/sat. box or a Blu-ray player to enjoy it to it's fullest. I hope my honest review seriously helps anyone out there looking for a great HDTV at a more down-to-earth price. Enjoy life. ((Bob-O!))

Simply Amazing

Review Date: September 14, 2009

Reviewer: VitaminZinc, Charleston, SC United States

I've been looking for a new TV to replace my 26" tube TV for at least a year or more. Everything I was looking at was quite expensive. Well, now that prices are dropping around to what I can afford, I've finally caved in and bought a new TV. I had my mind set on an LCD for the longest time. Supposedly, it was the kind of TV to get as a gamer. No blur, no burn-in: Important things like that. However, that was a year or more ago when I did my initial research. Now, plasma screens no longer have that kind of burn-in issue. Being heavily into gaming, this is perhaps the biggest issue to me. I didn't want to buy a TV that was just going to get ruined. After telling my ideas to the salesman at HHGreg, he assured me that plasmas were great to use for gaming and this one would actually give me the best picture for what I'll be using it for. And it was a great buy (only $799). Setup was a breeze right out of the box. I had it hooked up in less than 20 minutes. And 5 of those minutes were spent trying to find a way to get the main part of the box off (hint: It's the white plastic handle-like things on the sides. Unclip, then pull them off), while another 5 was me looking for a screwdriver, and yet another 5 spent on pulling things out of the box. So, if you're quick about it, you can probably get this thing running in 10 minutes. The first thing I tested on this TV was Band of Brothers on Blu-Ray. Words are almost not enough for how amazing the picture quality is. And, I don't own a surround sound system, so all we had was what came from the TV. I almost wonder if I need a surround sound. Even at low volumes, this TV puts out great, crisp sound. Next, I needed to see how a game looked. I picked Metal Gear Solid 4. It seemed almost like a completely different game than when I played it when it first came out. Again, everything was so crisp, clean, and clear as far as the visuals and audio was concerned. I have nothing but praise for this TV. ADDITION! So, I've had this TV for a couple of weeks and after coming home from work I popped in 'The Office' to watch a few episodes. I fell asleep with it on, and the DVD went to a very static (non-moving) screen for the DVD menu after the episodes on that disc were over. I woke up a little shocked after 6 hours to see the screen like it was. I turned the PS3 off, and saw there was a sliiiiiiiiight bit of image retention. But it cleared up quite quickly after turning it off while I went to some classes. I still have nothing but praise for this TV, even if it, combined with my PS3, makes my room unbearably hot. It's a great winter investment...

Great TV

Review Date: September 12, 2009

Reviewer: B. Elkins, TEXAS!

I trusted the feedback that others had listed about this TV on Amazon and I was not disappointed. The TV is great! Intuitive user controls, simple remote (some may argue too simple), looks great, etc. Most importantly, the picture is phenomenal and there is no motion blur to speak of! I agonized over the LCD or Plasma decision because our living room is very bright, but the bottom line is I did not want even a little motion blur during sports so I went with plasma for the better refresh rate (600hz). This TV is plenty bright for our sunny living room. Things to be aware of: 1. This TV has only two HDMI inputs in back, the third is on the side. 2. The stand sticks out 5 inches from the front of the TV which can be an issue if you are putting it into an enclosure because it has to be recessed at least 5 inches. All in all great TV and might I add great ordering and delivery experience with Amazon!

Great Plasma TV

Review Date: July 6, 2009

Reviewer: Phil Baumert, Louisville, KY

I bought this when my 37" Olevia LCD went out on me after 2 years. Thought I would go with a name brand TV this time. I too was looking for LCD's but noticed how much better the picture was on the Panasonic Plasma's. The price wasn't much different either. I settled on the TC-P42S1 and absolutely love it. It was an easy setup and it has many features you can tweak to make the picture perfect for your room.

Great TV

Review Date: April 22, 2009

Reviewer: Josh Robbins, Maine

I upgraded from a 42" EDTV (480p) to the TC-P42S1 and the difference is drastic. The picture is awesome, the black levels are amazing. Overall this was a great purchase, I would recommend this to anyone looking for a 42" PDP.