LCD HDTVs

The Panasonic TH-50PF9UK 50" 1080p HD Professional Series plasma display incorporates advanced technology to reproduce beautiful, natural-looking images with exceptional, full 1080p HD resolution. With 2.07 million pixels, twice as many as standard HD models, the TH-50PF9UK features Real Black Creation technology for deep, rich blacks delivering a high contrast ratio of up to 5,000:1 and 16-bit processing for an outstanding 4,096 steps of color gradation. With new phosphors providing reproducing the entire color range specified in the standard for HDTV color gamut coupled with advanced color management systems and the new Super Cinema mode, the 1080p plasma display reproduces images with a truer, film-like ambiance.

Perfect for TV studio/video production, corporate boardrooms, exhibits and more, the TH-50PF9UK comes standard with hi-res capable DVI-D Input, PC Input (15pinHD), Audio Input (for PC), Serial Control (RS-232C) Input, BNC Component Video/RGB Input + Audio Input. The modular architecture provides an additional expansion slot for another optional terminal board, or you can remove the standard boards and mount up to three optional boards.

The major selling point of this plasma TV is its 1080p native resolution, which translates to 1,920x1,080 pixels. That's more than twice as many as most 50-inch plasmas, and it allows the Panasonic to display every detail of the highest-resolution HDTV formats, 1080i and 1080p, as well as handle very high-resolution computer signals. All other input signals, as usual, are converted to match the native resolution.

The Panasonic TH-50PF9UK does have several picture-enhancing features worth mentioning. First off, 2:3 pull-down is available in the video processing but must be engaged for all inputs individually in the setup menu, as Off is the default setting. The setup menu is also where you'll find the noise reduction control. Selectable color temperatures are on tap and include Warm (the closest to the broadcast standard of 6,500K), Normal, and Cool. Panasonic also gives you its typical three picture mode choices: Dynamic, Standard, and Cinema, and adds a fourth called Super Cinema. Independent memory per input allows you to use any mode you wish at any input and still be able to make changes to the picture controls (with the consumer models such as the TH-50PX60U, you must assign a picture mode to an input in order to set it up independently of other inputs).

Panasonic’s TH-50PF9UK is definitely a keeper, as I stated at the beginning of this review. It has a very CRT-like image when set up correctly and takes full advantage of its 1920x1080 pixel matrix. Image quality is good enough to use as a reference monitor for many applications, such as exposure and gamma correction. Overall, the Panasonic TH-50PF9UK delivers excellent picture quality that's solidly in the tradition of its lower-resolution commercial-model predecessors. Its black levels remain among the best seen for any plasma, color are mostly accurate, and details, as expected from a TV of this resolution, are superb. Tweaks to signal bandwidth through the analog inputs and higher saturation in the green channel would help for color grading and correction, particularly for content that will wind up in a digital cinema application. For public display and signage modes, the low power consumption will be appealing, as will the expansion slots and network/PC interfaces.