Product Description

From the Manufacturer
Manufacturer’s Description (April 23, 2009)
Setting the standard for image quality in their class, Panasonic’s X1 Series plasma HDTVs are ideal for sports, movies and gaming, with crisp, focused images during fast-moving scenes. The 42″ TC-P42X1 offers 600Hz Sub-field Drive for crisp, focused images, VIERA Image Viewer for easy photo sharing, and VIERA Link to control all compatible devices with a single remote. Add three HDMI inputs and other unique features like Panasonic’s “Game Mode” and you’ve got the perfect center to your entertainment system.

Panasonic’s new U1 Series Plasma HDTVs are ideal for sports and movies, with crisp, focused images during fast-moving scenes. Click to enlarge or view inputs.

The VIERA Difference
Panasonic VIERA TVs combine high picture quality, smart networking, environmental friendliness, and stylish design. The X1 Plasma series features:

• 720p Resolution
• Contrast Ratio: 30,000:1 Native; Infinite Black Panel
• 720 Lines of Moving Picture Resolution
• 600Hz Sub-field Drive
• VIERA Image Viewer
• VIERA Link
• AR (Anti-Reflective) Filter
• Game Mode
• 3 HDMI Inputs
• 100,000 Hour Panel Life

600Hz Sub-field Drive
600Hz technology lets you view superb full-HD motion and still images with 1,080 lines of resolution. For even greater clarity with motion images, Panasonic uses its own unique image-analysis technology. This technology converts the motion in each scene into data. And each frame is practically displayed for a shorter length of time than in previous systems, to reduce aftereffects.

Over 2,000,000:1 High Contrast (Native 30,000:1)
New VIERA models incorporate an improved panel production process and the new Real Black Drive system. A pre-discharge control system, the Real Black Drive system combines with achieve next-generation black reproduction. When you’re watching movies, VIERA renders images just the way the director intended, even in scenes where it’s difficult to achieve a proper balance of light and dark.

With VIERA Image Viewer, simply insert an SD card into VIERA to display photos and full-HD videos on the large screen.

Wide Color Viewing Angle
View breathtaking images with rich, vivid colors from anywhere in the room. Because plasma TVs are self-illuminating, images look beautiful from any angle. Black areas do not fade, and colors look virtually the same no matter where you sit.

AR Filter
This advanced filter keeps images sharp, with minimal glare. While dramatically reducing reflections from external light, it helps to produce clear images. This filter creates pure, crisp images in a wide range of colors.

VIERA Image Viewer
VIERA Image Viewer makes it easy to watch full-HD images by using the SD card slot. It lets you enjoy high-resolution, full-HD photos and videos with superb image quality and vivid colors on VIERA’s large screen. Simply insert an SD card into the SD card slot to show your photos and full-HD videos on the large screen!

• Shoot still and motion images with a digital camera or HD camcorder.
• Insert the SD card into VIERA’s card slot
• View photos and motion images in full-HD quality on VIERA’s large screen.

The advanced AR filter keeps images sharp, with minimal glare.

View breathtaking images with rich, vivid colors from anywhere in the room.

VIERA Tools
With the new VIERA Tools user interface, simply press a button on the remote control and icons such as the photos or movies from the menu screen. Now you can just select the one you want. This kind of easy operation means you have more fun and less hassle.

The Next Level of Video Gaming
Take your team to the championship and your gaming to the next level. A specialized Game Mode helps ensure fluid and seamless gameplay by minimizing time lag when displaying game images. With Game Mode turned on, you get the motion resolution and enhanced details you need to win. And don’t worry about racking up all those long hours playing; anti-image retention technology and a remarkable 100,000 hour panel life ensure that your VIERA HDTV will still run smoothly and beautifully long after you score the game-winning goal.

Network Your AV Devices, Quickly and Easily
With VIERA Link, you can control your compatible Panasonic DVD recorder, Blu-ray Disc player, home theater sound system and HD camcorder, all with a single remote and helpful on-screen menus. VIERA Link is a function that lets you easily operate various AV devices that are interconnected with your VIERA TV, using only the VIERA remote control. You can choose the connection method–either an HDMI cable or a LAN cable–to match your devices and applications. You don’t have to keep switching remotes to operate each device, so there’s no more hassle and operation is easier than ever. Networking your devices with VIERA Link adds both convenience and fun to AV entertainment.

Mercury and Lead Free Plasma Display Panel
Panasonic products are more friendly to the environment. All VIERA plasma display panels are mercury- and lead-free. This reduces the impact on the environment when recycling or disposing of them in the future.

600Hz Sub-field Drive gives you even greater clarity with motion images.

With the new VIERA Tools user interface, simply press a button on the remote control and icons such as the photos or movies from the menu screen.

Standby Power Save
When the VIERA power is turned off, the standby power of connected devices is minimized.

Auto Power Standby
Power loss is minimised by using VIERA Link control for interconnected devices.

Long Panel Life, Up to 100,000 Hours
These TVs can be used for over 30 years. Using high-quality products longer, and taking care of them, is the first step to environmental conservation. A newly designed phosphor process and rear panel process give the plasma panel a longevity of 100,000 hours. This is more than 30 years of viewing when watched 8 hours a day, before the brightness of the panel decreases to half.

Exceptional Service
With its lead-free construction, TUF DISPLAY screen, and long lifespan, a VIERA HDTV is a safe, eco-friendly, durable and lasting investment in high definition entertainment. Of course, should your VIERA TV ever need service of any kind, you are entitled to the VIERA Concierge program–a free service made available to all VIERA owners to bring peace-of-mind to your purchase. Benefits of this extensive service program include: use of an exclusive toll-free expert hot line, live chat with a VIERA HDTV expert, priority service scheduling, and a personalized VIERA Concierge benefits card.

What’s in the Box
Panasonic Viera X1 Series TC-P50X1 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV, Remote control, Remote batteries, AC cord, Pedestal with installation hardware, Cleaning cloth, Operating instructions, Quick setup guide

Product Description
42″ Plasma, 720p, 3 HDMI, Native contrast ratio 30,000:1, Dynamic contrast infinite black 2,000,000:1, Game Mode, Anti Reflective Filter, 600 Hz Subfield Drive

Awesome TV and Delivery Service, April 26, 2009
By Mehmet (Seattle, WA USA) – See all my reviews
I purchased this from Amazon.com, with the scheduled delivery from CEVA. Ordered last sunday, delivery was one week later. Having the option of sunday delivery was great, and the delivery was very professional and definitely white glove.

Two people brought the TV in (carrying properly as this is a plasma), opened the box, put the TV on the stand, powered the TV on and waited for me to check whether there is any problem with the TV. They also offered to remove packaging if I wanted to get rid of it. Sometimes you cannot even get such good service when you pay $100+ for shipping. Given that shipping was free, I was thrilled.

TV is awesome, right out of the box. It looks great, works great. Picture is top notch. I put in an HD-DVD version of Transformers and was amazed at the picture quality. This is my first plasma TV and I believe it is much better than LCD. I had a Samsung 4061F before, and this TV has better picture than that one, despite the Samsung being 1080P and this being 720P. There’s no motion blur whatsoever on this TV.

Checking on the web a little, I made the settings to be: pic mode custom, contrast +78, brightness +57, color +53, tint -9, sharpness +29, everything else off, black levels light and temp normal. These settings turned out to be perfect for the TV.

Five stars for the TV, purchasing experience and the delivery service.

Much better than LCD!, April 3, 2009
By B. WEI (Texas) – reviews
Currently, I have 4 HDTVs in my house. Sony Bravia LCD (less than 1 year old and it is a 1080P), Sony HD Cineza (1080i) in my theater room, Panasonic Plasma EDTV (about 9 years old which I pay a lot of money for it when Plasma first came out) and the newly purchased Panasonic VIERA X1 Series TC-P42X1 (720P). I can tell you that this Plasma is much better than the $1499 Sony Bravia LCD 1080P. The picture is super clear even just connect it with cable and Satellite. DVD is incredible and you do not need a Blue-Ray player becasue regular DVD is just as good as Blue-Ray on this one. I have all the technologies, cable/DirecTV, Toshiba HD-DVD player, Sony PS3 Blue-Ray, DVD recorder all connected to this set. So far this is the best $800 plasma you can buy. My old Panasonic Plasma which just was an Enhanced Definition and it is about 10 years now and the picture is still looking good. I never had any problem with Panasonic TV and it is a better brand in Japan than Sony. Go get one, you will be pleased!
P.S. The sound quality on this set is also above what other brands can offer. You have to hear and see it!

I made the right choice! Love this TV!, May 13, 2009
By Joe Miller (CT, USA) – reviews
So I wont write a book about this TV, but I’ll share my experience best I can.

I spent months deciding on a TV. Did I want LCD or Plasma? 50″ or 40″? Panasonic, Sony, or Samsung? Etc etc. I even went to a couple stores and looked at them, that only helped to further confuse the situation.

So after lots of reading online and researching specifics like 720p vs 1080p and LCD vs Plasma, I decided to go with this one. Between the customer reviews, the specs, and the price….I couldn’t find anything better.

The color is absolutely perfect! The 42″ screen is exactly the right size for my room (couch is about 8-10ft away and its mounted above the fireplace). I mainly watch movies or play xbox 360, and I really had a hard time finding reviews on TV’s from people with 360’s. I just want to clarify that all my games look awesome! COD4, COD5, Assassin’s creed, Fallout 3, all of them look incredible. The only issue is that some times it judders the picture. Not often, and not enough for me to worry, but it does happen once and awhile.

I hooked this TV up to a Onkyo 7.1 surround sound system, and mounted it on the wall with a mount from monoprice ($50 mount that swivels, tilts, and moves away from the wall). Everyone that has come over and seen it loves it. I finally have the perfect setup for myself!

And ordering from Amazon was a pleasure as always. The box did come with a big rip in it, but I wrote the info down on the delivery guys paper and took a chance. TV has zero problems and is packed well from the factory to take abuse.

Ease of install – 10
Aesthetics – 10
Picture quality – 10
Price – 10

great value, September 14, 2009
By Marilyn F. Gould “citibank” – reviews
This is a great value with outstanding features. It is very easy to do all your adjusting and was a ssnap to put the stand together.

Panasonic plasma 42″ TV, September 14, 2009
By anthony moore (PA) – reviews
We just had out basement redone, and I slaved for way too long over the decision on what TV to put down there. Information overload, thanks to the Internet. I weighed LCD vs. plasma and came down on the side of plasma for our basement for various reasons. I am very happy with the choice, so far. There is an odd difference b/t LCD (which we also have) and plasma: LCD has a picture so clear that it’s almost weird at times, whereas plasma has more of a deep color that looks as saturated as when you go to the movies at a really good theater. It’s absurdly clear, too, but there is something about the way the color is presented that is more satisfying, less…digital. But the long and short of it is, for a 42″ inch TV to come delivered for $630, that’s pretty hard to beat. When you see the picture, it’s even more remarkable.

This is a killer., September 14, 2009
By Andrew Tang – reviews
Spend some time calibrating the image and you’ll have a $600 tv that spanks XBR9.

Good picture but hard to add channels, weak sound/no analog audio outputs, September 13, 2009
By Book Nitpicker (TX, USA) – reviews
Panasonic TC-P42X1 42″ 720p Plasma HDTV:
Good picture after calibration, a procedure not covered in the manual; out of the box it has a slight greenish-yellowish tinge and is somewhat dull. The 720p is just about as good as 1080 at normal viewing distances, and 1080 HDTVs are a good deal more expensive and consume more power.

CHANNELS SETUP PROBLEM: after the initial system setup & scan for all channels, a new individual channel cannot be tuned in or added manually – if a new station comes on or you have to rotate your antenna to point at other cities, then each time a complete rescan is necessary, during which all previously stored channels are deleted. The “Manual” menu does not allow adding a new channel that did not show up in the previous scan, all very inconvenient if you have to rotate your antenna often. An incomprehensible omission, as Panasonic’s VCRs could do this.

AUDIO: weak, 20 watts output is claimed but it’s nowhere near that, at 100% volume it’s not even as loud as my table radio, and softly spoken speech often cannot be heard clearly. Furthermore, there is no headphone jack or standard left-right analog audio output jacks for playing the sound through your stereo, only a digital optical audio jack which is not usable with most older stereos which lack optical inputs.

In short, it may be OK for those who are satisfied with a good picture with weak sound and do not rotate their antenna at all or very often, but it will be irritating to those who want good sound & headphone capability, and/or want to be able to add channels easily.

Awesome!, September 13, 2009
By mcg655 (Lincoln NE) – reviews
Got this item for a great price with free shipping. Consumer Reports had recommended this brand and model.
CEVA service was great. They called within 5 days of shipment to schedule delivery and that was over the holiday weekend.
The delivery man was great, brought it in, unpacked it, assembled the stand and set tv on the stand, turned it on to be sure it worked, took
all the packing material away. I was impressed with the service and the tv was easy to hook up with hdmi
cable. Based on past experience, I was expecting to have trouble but there was none! Good instructions in
quick start sheet and in book. Great picture on this tv, although there is a delay in changing channels -
screen goes black for a few seconds then the new channel comes on. Why did I wait so long to buy this???

Great experience!, September 12, 2009
By GaryG – reviews
I researched HDTVs until I was sick of it. Viewing distance was planned to be about 12 feet, and I decided to go with 42″. I checked actual sets at Best Buy and other vendors and discovered that I couldn’t tell the difference between 1080p and 720p from a distance of more than three feet, if at all (I took my own DVD and checked the settings on the various sets). For my tastes, the image on the Panasonic plasma was more pleasing, warmer and more realistic. The lower price made it a no-brainer.

I ordered the set on a Sunday night. On Monday, the price dropped about $50. I called and Amazon credited my account for the difference. My set was to be delivered the following Monday, so on Thursday, I called the delivery folks to coordinate the delivery. A nice lady informed that that the set had already arrived and would I like it delivered the next day?

The delivery was well within the scheduled window. Two gents brought it up the stairs, unpacked it, mounted it on the stand, connected it to my cable box, put batteries in the remote and turned it on. It worked perfectly. They said they’d take the box and packing material if I wanted but suggested I might want to keep it for a week, just in case. I decided to keep it, just in case. The deivery, unpacking and setup took about ten minutes.

TV, September 12, 2009
By Floyd Donald Newkirk (Va Beach, Va) – reviews
We received the TV when promised. It was delivered in good condition and the Freight company called the day before and set up a time for delivery. They arrived right on time, set it up and instructed us on how to operate it.

The quality of the picture, the functions are all what we expected. The only thing is the sound, the TV is in a room 14′ X 25′ and at the far end on the room the sound could be better. That is not the TV fault we are planning on purchasing additional speakers to put at the far end of the room. (the TV that this replaced had the same problems).

Overall this was a good buy and a 5 Star TV. Very good experience.

I spent about an hour playing with the setup (thanks to the other reviewers for the picture settings!), hooking up the home theater (the built-in speakers might be ok for some but not me), dvd, etc. About a month ago, I purchased a Tripp surge protector for the whole system, just in case.

My friends rave about the picture. As for me, I’ve had it now for a couple of months and couldn’t be happier about the set itself and Amazon’s service.

Most people can’t tell a difference, September 12, 2009
By J. Ball “jonnybratwurst” (Indianapolis) – reviews
We have two Panasonic 42 inch 720p plasmas as well as a Panasonic 720p projector on a 100 inch screen. I consider myself pretty picky about home theater and have always done plenty of research with AVSforums as well as Home Theather magazine act… That being said, I am completely satisfied with this TV. I believe the plasma televisions in this size to be some of the best bang for your buck you can spend. 1080p LCD’s are the norm these days- and they look fantastic. But I would bet that the majority of people who are searching for a television in this size range would have a very difficult time telling the difference between the two. The 1080p sets DO look better if properly set-up and 1080p content is being displayed (most of the time it isn’t), but plasmas have always had the edge with motion, deeper contrast (so I’m told, even though I’m not sure anymore, every manufacturer uses their own numbering systems and has a lot to do with the room environment) as well as viewing angle. The picture quality does not diminish when you get out of the middle of couch sweet spot that is so important for LCD televisions. Prices are dropping big time on all flat panels, Visio’s are even cheaper- but I believe Panasonic to be one of the best for Plasma tv’s. LCD’s are more popular, not always more expensive, but you pay extra for 120hz, or even 240hz type features just to provide the same motion abilities than plasma’s have had all along. The biggest advantage for LCD is less energy consumption. (Slightly less.) HDnation from Revision3.com is another great place for HT geeks like myself to learn more about HT. Hope this helps.

A great deal!, September 11, 2009
By Stewy (Portland, OR) – reviews
I’ve had this TV for less than a week, but I absolutely love it. This is my second flat panel, the first being a 20 inch Toshiba LCD for the bedroom. The size is perfect for my smallish living room. I have not adjusted the color–everything was fine right out of the box. I read a few reviews indicating that hooking up older stereo speakers was not possible without buying an expensive converter. This was a minor concern because I had my speakers hooked up to the old TV and wanted to do the same with the new Panasonic. I ended up plugging the speakers into the DVD/VCR recorder, so it wasn’t an issue. You can’t beat the price and quality of this Panasonic.

Super Picture, Super Easy Set Up, September 10, 2009
By Shelia (Murfreesboro, tn) – reviews
This Panasonic 42″ Plasma is awesome. I bought this for the bedroom & updated our Direct TV receiver to HD on the same day. Setting this up was super easy. In fact, this was the easiest HD TV (Our 3rd) we have ever set up. We have a 1080p Plasma in our living room and this picture is just as sharp, the set up and menu are a lot easier. I have it on the same oak cabinet stand with a swivel top my other tv was on, so I can sit anywhere in my bedroom (20′x22′) and see it at any angle.

You cannot go wrong with this TV, I got it on sale at HH Gregg for $599.99, about $130-$150 off from regular price. To be honest, it’s worth full price.