Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU Plasma HDTV Review
By Alfredo Padilla
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
Published on September 15, 2008
The Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU is a 46-inch Plasma HDTV that typifies some of the positives and negatives of Plasma technology. Available starting at about $1300, the Viera TH-46PZ8OU is worth considering for those looking for an entry-level Plasma television.
The Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU is an attractive television, without being too flashy. Supporting 1080p, it can display the highest quality HD content—good news for people who watch high-definition cable television or want to make the most of their video games or Blu-Ray movies.
There are a fair number of inputs and outputs for connecting your various devices: a smattering of composite, component, and S-video inputs. We would have liked to see a fourth HDMI input, but Panasonic makes up for it by including support for SD memory cards. With the 46PZ8OU, you can just pull the card from your camera or camcorder and display your work on the big screen. You'll also want to make use of the analog or digital audio outputs, as we were not particularly impressed by the audio quality from the television's speakers; they’re about average for a TV and are far outperformed by even a cheap surround sound setup.
Using the Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU and navigating setup options is intuitive. The menu system is an easy-to-use tabbed interface and the remote control is designed well. With clearly labeled buttons, a manageable size, and all the important controls in easy reach, it’s a step above most TV remotes.
Performance (Read the full performance results at Televisioninfo.com)
The Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU did an excellent job handling blacks, producing very deep blacks that are typical of Plasma displays. Unfortunately it fell down when handling the whites, which were lackluster. The whites—and, in fact, the TV as a whole—were incredibly dim, especially compared to LCD displays. Color accuracy could also have been better; we especially noticed that colors peaked too early, resulting in loss of detail in the image.
The Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU did very well with motion, which we expect from a 120Hz display. That means the screen refreshes 120 times a second. We were also quite impressed with the Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU’s viewing angle. We were able to go out 85 degrees from center with the Viera TH-46PZ8OU, which is significantly more than the 55 degrees we saw from the Samsung LN46A750.
One concern with the Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU is power consumption. Considering how dim the display is, we expect many people will be running it at maximum brightness. Under our typical conditions, which include an average of five hours of watching the TV every day, this TV will cost you over $100 a year to operate.
Comparisons (Read more in-depth comparisons at Televisioninfo.com)
The Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU is a reasonably priced Plasma display, but the drawbacks for the TV are significant. We were particularly concerned about the very dim display. Compare this to a similarly priced LCD display like the Vizio VO47L and you will notice a major difference in brightness. That said, the Viera TH-46PZ8OU will beat out almost any LCD in giving you deep blacks and a wide viewing angle. You’ll have to decide which is more important to you.For a more in-depth review, visit the Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ80U Review at our partner TelevisionInfo.com
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