Panasonic TH-42PZ700U 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV

• 1920 x 1080 Resolution
• 4096 Shades of gradation
• 2 HDMI Inputs
• Built-in SD Card Memory Slot
• GalleryPlayer Capable

Amazon.com Product Description:
.caption { font-family: Verdana, Helvetica neue, Arial, serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; } ul.indent { list-style: inside disc; text-indent: -15px; } The Panasonic TH-42PZ700U 1080p Plasma HDTV sports a 42-inch plasma screen with 1080p resolution for a crystal clear viewing experience. It will feel right at home as the centerpiece of a home theater setup. An Understated Beauty The TH-42PZ700U does not look like it's trying too hard. Instead, it lets the big screen speak for itself. The glass is surrounded by a thick glossy black bezel on all sides, with a door on the bottom to keep controls out of sight. Another hatch hides a slot for SD memory cards. Speakers--matching in color and barely noticeable--are set on both sides of the display. The understated look would be an elegant addition to any decor. The understated elegant looks of this Panasonic HDTV will fit in with any decor. View larger. The TH-42PZ700U has connections for all your home theater components. View larger. Outstanding Performance The TH-42PZ700U is 1080p, meaning it has a full 1920 x 1080 resolution, the highest HD resolution available for the clearest and sharpest picture. Because of its plasma display, the black levels are deep and the uniformity of brightness is superb. The unit has 4096 shades of gradation and has up to a 5000:1 contrast ratio. Video noise reduction circuitry and a digital comb filter make sure the picture on screen is always optimal. The TH-42PZ700U will upconvert any signal you feed it and display it at 1080p. Connections On the back, the TH-42PZ700U features two HDMI inputs, two component inputs, two composite inputs, and two S-Video inputs. Hidden beneath panels in front is another composite and S-Video input, a component video input, and a slot for SD cards. Insert an SD card filled with photos and you can watch a slide show with the built-in Photo Viewer software. TV as an Art Gallery The TH-42PZ700U includes GalleryPlayer software you can use to display high-definition art and photography on your TV. A free collection of images is included so your television can display art even when it's not on. One-Touch Convenience When you use the Panasonic EZ-Sync technology to connect to other compatible EZ-Sync devices via the HDMI connector, you get one-touch control over all your home theater components. For example, with one touch of a button, you can turn on the DVD player, turn on the receiver, and set the DVD player as the source while also adjusting the sound level, turn on the TV--which will accept the input signal--and play the DVD. Instead of fumbling to find all the right buttons, you can watch your movies without wondering how to set everything up. The TH-42PZ700U is backed by a 1-year limited warranty for parts and labor. What's in the Box TH-42PZ700U plasma HDTV, remote control (with batteries), AC cord, pedestal, two cable clamper, and antenna adapter.

Worked well until it died...:
I had this TV for 1 year 1 month and now it will not turn on. It had very good reviews and I got a killer deal on it but now it doesn't work. I woke up this morning and hit the power only to have it flash 7 times at me. By doing an internet search for "panasonic power light flash" you can find that 7 flashes mean that internal boards need to be replaced. The manufacturer warranty is only 1 year so I find it convenient that this happened on month outside the warranty. If you buy this TV I hope you also buy the extended warranty that some places offer.

mine just broke...:
ive had this tv for a little over a year now. i watch it almost every day for an hour two at night. just a few days ago it stopped turning on. the right light blinks a few times but no screen or sound. ive been researching the problem to find it is a common problem in this tv... many breaking before or at the one year mark. its apparently and overheating problem that this model has. i would not recommend buying this tv unless you want to risk a broken tv after only one year of use.

Perfect Fit:
Love the picture quality. 42" is a bit unusual size and worked for me. I have somewhat complex connections besides Cable with DVR I have my iPod, DVD recorder, even a VCR! No problem. Ipod sounds great coming through the speakers.

Model has power source issues:
Jan 09 update: Fortunately Panasonic granted me a concession for the repairs and I am waiting for the set to be returned. Parts for the repair (new panel and SD box) would have been over $1400. I purchased this plasma in Nov 2007 after reading reviews here and on Consumer Reports. Two days ago, and one week after the warranty expired, the TV just went off. As another reviewer noted, the on/off light flashes 7 times. Called Panasonic and of course their reps treated this as an 'unusual problem.' If you do buy this model, elect for extended warranty. The bargain basement price isn't really so good when you're looking at spending several hundred dollars to replace parts one year + one week later.

Fantastic TV!:
I've owned the 50" version of this TV (TH-50PZ700U) for about 2 years now and it's superb. The HD picture is excellent, and standard digital looks much better than on any LCD. So when I started looking for a 42" for our bedroom, I wanted something in the same league. While waiting for Panasonic's newest version (TH-42PZ800U) to come down in price, I found a great deal on a Toshiba LCD. No matter what I tried I couldn't get the standard channels to look anything like my Panasonic. The black levels weren't at all up to par and even the HD channels weren't sharp. After returning it, I saw an awesome deal on the TH-42PZ700U refurbished from Amazon Warehouse. It arrived quickly and might as well be new. And the picture is just as amazing as that of my other TV. Don't know what I was thinking trying out others. Maybe the new line of Panasonics has higher contrast ratios and four speakers, but the picture and sound of this TV are more than adequate for me. For larger TVs (42" and above), I still prefer plasmas for their realistic colors and black levels. Of all the plasmas, this Panasonic has to be at the top of the list even though it's not the latest model!