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 On: 2008-01-14
I love my TH-42PX600U. It has an amazing picture and deep blacks, which is great for movies. The picture is fantastic when watching sports in HD. AND, amazing sound! Only a couple of small down-sides to this:
1. Only one tuner, so to watch split-screen or picture-in-picture, you need to have an external tuner (like a VCR)
2. Takes about 5 seconds to turn on. I think this maybe some power-saver mode.
3. Remote is a bit clunky. Not the nicest remote in the world. It gets the job done, but I find the round nav a bit difficult to use.
Overall though, I dig it. If faced with the option to buy again, I would.
 On: 2007-05-07
The product was delivered on-time by a professional delivery service. He even helped me carry it into the house. Hook up was fairly easy - youll need a buddy to help lift and fit into position on the stand - its feakin heavy. The picture quality and sound quality are very nice. Not one complaint.
On: 2007-04-30
Ive had the television for a few months now, and it performs fine. Picture quality is good and having the extra speakers provides an excellent option when you dont feel like powering up you home stereo amp. Flexibility is actually the keyword here, especially regarding all the input/output options. My experience in the past has been this type of flexibility will pay off years into the future when youre trying to piece together a configuration for a secondary setup (e.g., in a guestroom) using odd bits of equipment lying about the house.
The cablecard is also a valuable and flexible option. Im using one and it works fine. It allows the superior Panosonic tuner to do the tuning without the STB clutter (or you can use the STB somewhere else).
On: 2007-04-30
I have only had this tv for a little over a week and I have to say I am very pleased so far. The colors are every bit as good as my old CRT and the picture quality is superb even though my cable signal is still analog(I am working on this). I love watching everything in 16:9 instead of the old 4:3(which by the way you can select this option if you still like watching a boxy picture. I have my DVD recorder hooked up using HDMI connection and it is wonderful only having one cable for sound and picture. I also have my computer hooked up using the RGB connection and this works great. Now I can watch tv and surf the web all on one display. My only gripe is that even though this tv has picture in picture, you cannot use this fuction in the PC mode. I was very disappointed when I tried watching tv and the computer at the same time and figured out that I couldnt. I recommend getting this plasma while you still can because the new models for 2007 does not have PC connection, or TV Guide and from reviews found elsewhere the sound is not as good as it is on this model. I was blown away by the sound quality. I find that I dont need to use my home theatre as much because of the bass that this tv puts out.
On: 2007-04-27
Bought this TV some weeks back from Amazon (subcontractor was Vanns). The TV is absurdly good. Vivid colors, great sound, easy remote, nice looks. Service from Amazon and Vanns was terrific. May buy a second in 50" for another room.
On: 2007-04-19
At the time of purchase this TV was rated very highly in consumer digest,, (#2 I believe)worth every penny. Sound is fantastic, it actually has some base to it which is rare for TV sound
On: 2007-03-31
When my wife and I finally decided to take the plunge for an HD television, we knew we were in for trouble since our current television was a high-end Sony WEGA. In other words, the bar was already set high for picture quality.
I did some preliminary research of plasmas, LCDs and rear projections and settled on the Panasonic. Needless to say, since bringing the television home, we havent been disappointed in our decision.
The multitude of features and overall picture quality cant be matched for a television of this caliber. And the nice thing, its a television that can also grow with your needs. From the PC input feature (Im typing this review with my laptop hooked up to the television) to the ability to connect the multitude of devices, its a feature loaded television with the picturea AND sound quality to match! (Its also great looking too with the black border... something to "add" to your room).
Highly recommend this television to anyone shopping the market!
 On: 2007-03-23
Had the 600u for a month. One week after installation the picture started with problems when turning on the set; lines and stripes covering the whole screen for about 10 minutes, then its fine. Picture and sound are wonderful once it works. Same problem on startup from cable or dvd. Fantastic quick response from Panasonic after reporting problem, but local shop still working on the problem after 2 weeks and trying to get the right parts. I might be getting the extended warranty on this if problem is not fixed easily.
On: 2007-03-21
I was really surprised with the off air reception. One of the reasons I have not bought an HDTV is that the picture tends to appear less than impressive from most broadcast sources. Imagine my surprise when, hooked up to an antenna, I get crystal clear pictures, without artifacting. The picture off of a progressive scan dvd are excellent as well though slightly softer. Overall, I would say that this is one of those purchases where I got a lot more than I expected.
On: 2007-03-11
As with other reviewers, I also researched LCD TVs before purchasing the Panasonic TH-42PX600U plasma. I currently use cable with the cable card ($120 to purchase through cable company) due to limited satellite reception.
I strongly considered purchasing a Samsung 40" LCD or Sony 40" LCD, but found the Panasonic Plasma better at handling faster movements (sports, action movies, etc.). I also have a 32 inch LNS3241D Samsung LCD which is a great TV. I recommend the Panasonic if your considering a large flat screen TV.
I would highly recommend this Panasonic Plasma TV. I would also recommend looking at the Samsung for smaller rooms. The Panasonic Plasma beats the larger Samsung LCDs for overall sound and picture. Great TV for the price ($1400 shipped).
On: 2007-03-11
I have been looking for over a year for a Plasma HDTV. I had pretty much settled on the Panny because it seemed to have the most bang for the buck. Once I decided that, then the decision became whether or not to buy the monitor or the full blown consumer model, or something in between. I got my TV from Vanns and the price difference just wasnt that much, so I bought the top of the line TV with 2 HDMI inputs, 4 speakers (including 2 sub-woofers), SD card slot, CableCard, etc. etc. The sound on this TV is quite good, not exactly surround sound, but pretty deep bass for included TV speakers. The remote is adequate, but not very intuitive IMO. But the picture, I mean, that IS the reason we buy TV, right? Even if you dont watch much Discovery Channel, you will find yourself drawn in to the awesome displays! I cant wait to get my antenna and start picking up even more HD signals...
On: 2007-03-09
The TV is great, the image is very clear, can watch your photos from the SD card easily, but the best thing is the sound!! The speaker system with 3DBBE really works and makes you enjoy your movies.
On: 2007-02-27
When you make a decision after exhaustive research and that decision is right, what a great feeling. Its been just over one week and my Panasonic TH-42PX600U 42" Plasma is absolutely fantastic & perfect for our bedroom. We had a 37" HD tube set but knew that I had to go flat screen to get the best picture in 1080i. While the picture is clear and crisp right out of the box, callibrating the set after the initial 100 hours is recommended. I use the Video Essentials DVD which, when done correctly, will enhance black and white images as well as color and sharpness. I strongly suggest the standard setting for normal viewing as the vivid setting that you see in the stores will fatigue your eyes in a normally lit room. The dual HDMI is great (dont bother purchasing those expensive HDMI cables. I bought mine from Amazon for under $40 which included overnight shipping and they work perfectly). Im glad I chose the 600U over the 60U; the surroundsound setting with 2 base-reflex subwoofers and 4 tweeters is superior to the 60U, the full black frame is better looking and I also enjoy viewing photos using the SC Card Slot. This plasma is awesome and an incredible buy at $1,288.99 on Amazon through Vanns including shipping. It was delivered by Yellow Transport and the driver carted it into my home and allowed me to check the condition of the set before he left. Welcome to Plasma Heaven; by far the best plasma set/features for the money.
On: 2007-02-24
This plasma set is one of the best rated in the 42" category by most of the plasma sites.
Love the twin HDMI connectors, which I use to connect an HDMI Panasonic DVD player, only one cable is required per connection for video/audio. Cable is inpervious to EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) and Crosstalk, since its digital and all it does is transfer ones and zeroes :) (Note, for this reason, there is NO need to spend $60 and up for the high end cables like Monster. Ive bought the $4 cables from Amazon and they work great).
Unit also has a cable card slot (which I dont use), PC port, and SD card slot for watching photos on your TV.
The sound is very good, unit is rated at 31 W Output Power, and has four speakers (including two woofers), very good channel separation, and sound that is very nice and crisp, which should be more than enough for anyone except an audiophile in my opinion.
Colors are vivid, and the images are ultra sharp.
Ive only had mine for about 10 days, so I have not calibrated mine yet until its broken in. Also, I dont have HD service through my cable provider, since Time Warner is transitioning to Comcast in our area, and theyre have been out of HD converters & DVRs for weeks now - Thanks Warner Cable...)
The remote control is intuitive and well laid out, with big buttons, and a size that feels just right for even smaller hands. Keys are not backlit, but thats about the only fault I could find with it.
A word of advice for folks that have bought plasmas and prospective buyers, is to take the set out of "torch" mode (very high picture setting, intended for showing the TV in brightly lit store showrooms, which increases wear on the screen phosphors) and lower this setting as when your unit is new to minimize burn in (see Pannys instructions below). After the first 100 hours, the unit should give you around ~60,000 hours of trouble free viewing, which translates to around 20 years of 8 hours/day viewing.
Keep in mind that this phenomenon is not unique to plasma technology, CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), can and do suffer from burn-in if not used properly).
Heres what you need to do per Panasonic instructions (should be applied to all brands, not just Panasonic).
When your plasma TV is initially installed, the first 100 hours of use is known as the "break-in period." During this time, to minimize any risk of image retention, you should:
1. Make sure the plasma TV is in a viewing mode (aspect ratio) that completely fills the screen. The panel is shipped in this condition, in what is called the "Just" mode.
2. Turn down the Picture setting (in the Picture menu) to +0.
3. Briefly engage the 4:3 mode and confirm the side bars are set to "Mid", or "Bright". This can be adjusted in the Set Up menu.
4. Always return the display mode that fills the screen (such as Just, Zoom, Full, or H-FILL).
5. Try not to view channels with stationary backgrounds or logos for extended periods of time.
6. Avoid extended display of static images (video games, computer images, DVD title screens, etc.).
After following the brake in period, you should buy a calibration DVD like Avia or Digital Video Essentials (~$40), to calibrate the unit and get the best picture possible.
Mounting the unit on a wall is pretty straight forward. Ive bought the
EasyMount EZLCDP-02 (see my review on it, along with step-by-step install instructions), so overall I am very happy with our purchase.
Pros: Awesome picture, sound, plenty of connectors, built-in HD tunner,PC port, sleek and sexy looking set, value
Cons: Remote controls keys not lit
On: 2007-02-20
I have had my new plasma TV for over a month now and I am very pleased with my new Panasonic TH-42PX600U that replaced my old Sony CRT.....let the CRT now rest in peace....a friend of mine likes it so well that he ordered him one just like it......I am 58 years old so Im still looking for knobs instead of buttons. I had never bought a TV thru the internet before so I was really biting my nails while waiting for the delivery....turns out it was a piece of cake....AMAZON did a great job....the TV was ordered thru Amazon and came from a company named One Call...and on time too......no damage to the crate....and the shock watch indicators were clear.....indicating that the TV had not been excessively dropped too hard at any time during shipment....it was very easy to uncrate once I figured out how to do it....I should have read the directions I guess.......I especially like the six built-in speakers....two woofers, two mid-range, and two tweeters.....exceptionally great sound...sounds better than my old surround sound did...and the built-in SC Card slot that allowed me to get rid of that ugly cable companys top box....your cable company will have to install the SC Card because it has to be synchronized with their signal...it is about the size of a credit card and is easily inserted in the back of the television....and only takes a couple of minutes....and also the HDMI cable that allowed me to get rid of those many cables back there that always needed dusting....Just one HDMI cable to connect your DVD/VHS Player to the TV.....but be sure that your DVD Player etc. has the HDMI capability....mine does have it...and mine is a new Panasonic DMR-ES45VS which not only plays my old VHS tapes and my new DVDs, but also plays my favorite music CDs...and right thru my new TV speakers.....very cool.....an HDMI cable does not come with the TV.....I bought mine, a Panasonic 4.9 ft. HDMI cable, from Amazon, and I saved a lot of money....was under $30......I also was able to get rid of all of those many remotes laying around....I now only need to use one remote to control everything....this television has a very good picture too....SHARP & CRISP...I researched, for weeks, the various brands and types, etc...LCD, Rear Projection, Plasma, etc, before I finally decided on this one....and glad that I did....the plasma uses a little bit more wattage power but the colors seem to be so much better than LCD or Rear Projection.....I can not think of any negatives but it does take two adults to gently sit the television on the base stand. It was easy to hook up too...plug and play as the kids call it....I love my Panasonic TH-42PX600U.....but a word of good advice to you here.....I researched all of the various brands and types for several weeks and I learned that the sales people on the phone, at the brick & mortar stores, and the various websites can be full of it....I am 58 years old so I was just old enough to be wise enough to call Panasonics 1-800 number and talk to the tech people in customer service before buying.....I am glad that I did because I almost bought the 60U model because some of the sales people assured me that the 60U has the SC Card slot....one of the websites also indicted that the 60U has the SC Card slot....there is a big difference between an SD and a SC slot...I called Panasonic and they assured me that the 60U does not have the SC slot...thats the slot you need to get rid of your cable companys top box.....lucky for me that I called Panasonic before buying....he was very friendly and very helpful.....and he gave me the straight answers to all of my questions.....so I bought the 600U which has the extra goodies...SC Card slot and extra speakers, etc....and is well worth the little extra expense.....I was also concerned about all of the bad things, that I had heard, that can happen if you dont properly break-in your new plasma in the first 100 hours. Panasonics manual does not talk about it but after talking to Panasonic, I have learned that it was of great importance on all of the older generation of plasma TVs in order to prevent screen burn-in........I have since learned, from Panasonic, that it is not a big issue anymore with these newer generation plasmas.....however the TV does come with the picture set at +30......that is the setting for a bright showroom floor in the brick & mortar stores....and you should set it down to 0 or +1 for darker areas such as home use....bottom line is.......when you are researching the various specifications that you want on your TV....call Panasonics 1-800 number and talk to the people who build it and know what they are talking about...its a free phone call...Im glad that I did.....happy hunting.....I highly recommend this TV
On: 2007-02-16
I reserched 40"-42" flat panel tvs for several months before finally making my purchase and I couldnt be happier with the 600U. At first I did not even consider plasma due to the bad reputation for burn in. After seening many 40" LCDs including the sony which i considered heavily, the panny plasma just flat out has a better picture. Especially when viewing SD programing which lets face it, there is way more SD programing than HD at this point. Dont get me wrong, the HD on this set is outstanding, probably close to the best picture I have ever seen on a tv. I went for the 600U over the 60 due to the cable card, the tv guide, the nicer looking frame and better stand. The cable card was a little challending on the install for the cable guy, but he got it working and the picture is incredible and not having a box is awesome. Panasonic did a great job with all the inputs and extras on this tv. The price also, compared to LCD was far superier. Bought direct from Panasonic with a corp discount which you can get online through a coupon for $1459, free shipping. Comparable LCD was over $3k. Only weird thing is that on the remote, the volume and channel up down buttons are backwards from all other remotes I have ever used. I got over it in 10 min. Bottom line, go for this tv over the LCD, you will not be dissapointed, no burn in problems whatsoever. Truly a great buy and an outstanding picture.
On: 2007-02-02
PANASONIC TH-42PX600U 42" Plasma HDTV Television
I have had this Model for about 2 months and It is great.
I stongly recommend the 600U over the 60U because of the cable card slot
and the surround sound.
The picture is like nothing I have ever seen before.
It is so clear and crisp and true color as though you are looking at a
real scene through a window.
NFL Football games are in my opinion better than being there live.
On: 2007-01-30
I was on the HDTV hunt for our family room for close to a year and my issue was that we had a cabinet built some time ago for a 36" giant tube TV, so I had size restrictions. I did my homework both online and in the stores and this is the TV we bought based on best picture for the dollar. We have this TV for about a month now...our source is Comcast HD Cable connected via Component Cables, and the picture is awesome! We also have an Oppo upconverting DVD player connected via HDMI and it too is unbelievably clear with near HD quality....plus a Sony 5 DVD player connected via Component input and that is very clear for a 480p picture.
I too was going to go 42" Samsung DLP or Sony 3 LCD (they fit) but with the off axis viewing being somewhat tricky as to get that nice clear HD picture from anywhere in the room with them, the plasma was the way to go. You can sit ANYWHERE in the family room and get a perfect picture, period!..center, left, right, standing (watching football) and even the kids laying on the floor right in front get a great picture. We had a 8yo Sony 41" rear projection (standard definition TV that fit) and I guess you can imagine how much better this is. We also have 23" HD LCD in the kitchen and 32" HD LCD in our bedroom, so we are no strangers to the HD experience...but this TV is so bright and crystal clear, I cant tell put in words how fantastic the picture is. Like a lot of others, we looked at the model down, the 60U, but this model has an anti-glare screen, faster processing of the signal, MUCH better sound system, Cable Card capabilities (we dont use it), and the SD card input in the front so we can view our pictures from our digital cameras, which by the way, is a very cool feature!....and all this for around $100 to $150 more, which I think is really worth it. Plus, it has a little nicer look with the silver mixed with the black edge around the screen versus the all silver 60U model. The sound is so good, we find ourselves not using the surround sound system as much...the bass is very prominent and the voices are very clear, way better than your normal TV sound system.
The onscreen interface for all the internal controls is very easy to use and if you look on some of the High Definition forums for this model on the Internet, some people have posted the settings they use to get an even better picture. We went with the Panasonic for another reason as well because it was the only model that had the controls on the FRONT of the TV for the Volume, Channel, etc....and the Auxiliary Inputs too (if I cant find the remotes, teenagers!). Most 42" plasmas we looked at...Samsung, LG, and Hitachi had all the controls on the sides of the screen and Auxiliary Inputs on the sides behind the screen so if you want to plug in the video camera or a video game, its a bit of a hassle, especially in our cabinet. As for playing video games and being concerned about "burn in" issues, this TV has an anti-burn-in technology to prevent this from happening in terms of a counter scanning line input onto the screen and a screen saver that senses the still image. The Panasonic has the best screen, 9th Generation technology, with a 60,000 hour HALF LIFE....double the other brands! Now that this TV is in the $1.400.00 price point, its a no brainer to purchase if you are in this price range. I bought from a brick & motar store in NJ that matched J&Rs (NY) price at the time ($1,450) but I have 3 friends that have bought from Amazon...a 56" Samsung DLP, a Sharp 32" LCD, and a Sony XBR 60" rear projection LCD...each sale went flawlessly and delivery was great with all the TVs arriving in perfect condition (I installed all 3 TVs so I know). Buy this TV, you will be thrilled, and from Amazon with the utmost confidence!
On: 2007-01-23
I bought this plasma three weeks ago after many months of research. Originally I was going to buy an LCD, but considering I watch mostly sports, I went with the plasma. Much better picture for fast action. NFL playoffs were unbelievable in HD. Standard def. pictures are better than most other HD TVs that I have seen. TV was well packaged and shipping was fast. I highly recommend this TV.
On: 2007-01-22
Very happy with the purchase of the Panasonic TH-42PX600U 42". I thought I would end up with the Samsung, but looked elsewhere on reports of buzzing. Two things mattered to me, high resolution picture and high quality sound - very happy with both with the Panasonic. I would definately recommend the TV and the Amazon service was great as usual. Enjoy..
On: 2006-11-18
I recently purchased the Samsung 46 inch LCD (LN-S4692D). I bought this TV because I loved the style and the no glare aspect of an LCD was appealing to me. When I got it home, I was very dissapointed with the picture quality. The analog channels were unwatchable and I think buying a $3000 TV for a handful of HDTV channels is crazy. I then switched to this plasma because when I asked Best Buy associates to turn the channel to an analog channel, I was very pleased with the picture. I purchased it, took it out of the box and I didnt even have to make any changes! The difference between this plasma and my old LCD was astonishing. Almost every channel is crystal clear and the blacks are deeper than any other TV on the market (even the Pioneer). Its also brighter than the Pioneer, if that is an issue for you. If you are serious about picture quality, purchase this Panasonic. The 600U has a cooler design than the 60U and a cable card which are very important to me. The digital camera slot is pretty cool too.
So, if you are in the buying stage and still wondering if you should go LCD or plasma, here is my take:
Only go LCD if you play video games, have an extremely bright room and watch TV a lot during the daylight hours, or plan on using your monitor as a computer (LCDs are immune to burn in.) If you want a clear picture with eye popping color, buy a Plasma but not a cheap one, buy this Panasonic. Good luck shopping!
On: 2006-11-05
We purchased this plasma for the bedroom and the Pioneer PDP 5070HD for the family room. The Pioneer 42" (4270HD) was more expensive than the Panasonic, and it is unfair to compare a 42" to a 50". However, while we really like the Panasonic, the Pionner is clearly superior - review on that product page as well.
On: 2006-11-04
We purchased this plasma for the bedroom and the Pioneer PDP 5070HD for the family room. The Pioneer 42" (4270HD) was more expensive than the Panasonic, and it is unfair to compare a 42" to a 50". However, while we really like the Panasonic, the Pionner is clearly superior - review on that product page as well.
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