Panasonic TH-50PH9UK 50" Plasma Display Product Description:
- 16-bit processing to produce 3,072 steps of gradation
- Up to 10,000:1 contrast level with new Real Black Creation technology
- Outstanding 60,000-hour service life
- 1366 x 768 resolution
- Fully customizable panel with Panasonic's wide array of optional boards
Product Description
Panasonic combines the very best in image quality, customization and size selection in its new Professional Series plasma family. With an up to 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 3,072 shades of gradation and industry-leading 16-bit color processing, the TH-50PH9UK delivers significant image quality improvements to produce an unforgettable visual experience. Panasonic's multi-function input slot system offers seamless integration in virtually any AV, PC or interactive environment, so it can be used in the widest range of vertical or horizontal display applications. This 50" panel is more lighter and more energy efficient than the previous generation, and its ultra-stylish design looks ultra sleek even when the panel is turned off. Taken as a whole, the TH-50PH9UK is a stunning 50" high definition professional plasma display that delivers the elegance and superb image quality for any installation, while providing full integration in an automated environment, making it equally at home in the broadcast studio, a corporate boardroom, or on the set. The TH-50PH9UK comes standard with PC Input, Audio Input (for PC), Serial Control (RS-232C) Input, BNC Component Video/RGB Input and Audio Input, BNC Composite Video Input, S-Video Input, and Audio Input (for Video). There is an available slot for an optional terminal board. Or, the standard boards can be removed to allow up to three optional boards.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
38 of 40 people found the following review helpful.
By Byron Kim
I am really happy with this purchase. Here are the reasons:PROS:- Reasonable price for a 50" plasma. Great value.- Great picture quality/color/detail (see caveat below)- Appealing enclosure. Simple, clean. (This was big for me. I find that plasma case designs tend to draw too much attention to themselves. This TV has a slim dark grey, almost black frame. I like it since the plasma is dominated by the image and not by the unit itself. Also, a 50" TV is not a small appliance by any means and this allows it to not overpower a room.)- DVI or HDMI inputs sold separately, as easily installed module. (This can be viewed as a 'con' but I like the idea of not paying for bell-and-whistles that I don't need. I only needed the DVI input)CONS:- Stand sold seprately.Now having espoused how great this plasma is, it must be said that this TV is not for everyone. Internal processing (upscaling or rendering of standard definition and DVD content) is not as good as say the Pioneer 5070. In my research I found that the quality of video processing varies with each different model. This was an issue for me since a lot of what I will be watching will be standard def DVD's. So a lot of the TV's out there may display HD content fine, but SD content is all over the map.So my solution was to treat the TV plasma as if it were a monitor and do the scaling/upscaling thorough a separate external video processor. The external video processor can render better quality SD content than most plasmas out there (even high end). What this allowed me to do was to invest less in 'built-in' processing and put that money towards a better video processing solution (I chose the DVDO iScan VP30). You end up paying more money in the end, but keep in mind that when I upgrade plasmas in a couple of years, I keep the video processor for the new monitor. I liken it to the choice between getting an all-in-one computer, like the iMac, vs a CPU/monitor set-up. You get the flexibility to upgrades the 'wheels' and not have by a whole new 'wagon.'Ultimately, for me it comes down to picture quality (especially for SD content) and value, and this combination has it in spades!(Also, the plasma/ext VP combination also allows for displaying video at the native resultion of the TV, which for this model sits somewhere between 720P and 1080i. The results make a big difference.)
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
By Scott D. Grabo
UPDATE:I have now used this for several months. This TV is outstanding.* The picture quality is excellent.* Generates only modest heat.* Generates no noise I've been able to detect.* Glare/reflection is less than my old, non-plasma TV.The only downside is that the manual is pretty hazy on some important topics: I can't figure out if there are screen-saver tools, so I'm still concerned about burn-in.That notwithstanding, I'm happier with this purchase than I expected to be, and I had pretty high expectations... :)ORIGINAL:I started with some assumptions:1. Plasma clearly has a better picture and picks up fast action (like the NBA playoffs) better than LCD, so deciding on a technology was pretty straightforward.2. I have digital cable with an HD DVR (both from Cox Cable), so have no need for a tuner.3. I have a five-speaker surround sound system from Sony, so speakers are moot.4. The wall on which I would mount this was only 56" wide (between a door and the fireplace), so form factor was an issue.5. The room in which this is placed is very bright during the day.Given these, picking the TH-50PH9UK was a no-brainer. Since all the heavy lifting of reception and sound is being performed by other devices, all I needed was a solid monitor with a small footprint. The Panasonic was clearly the best choice.The HD picture is outstanding when viewed from any angle. Colors are bright, fast action is picked up with no pixelation, and blacks are truly black. When watching in SD, I get a better picture than I did with my 36-inch RCA, and it frames and sizes the picture automatically and accurately.I do get a fair amount of glare with this TV (as I said, it's a bright room), but don't be fooled by the hysteria surrounding glare. The only reason that a plasma has more glare than an LCD is that the plasma has a glass face (just like a regular TV), while the LCDs have an anti-glare front coating. Setting aside the fact that the screen is larger, the glare is absolutely no different than with a standard TV. If you're accustomed to whatever glare you currently experience, rest assured that this TV will be no worse. Don't worry about that in making your decision.What I especially like about the TH-50PH9UK is its form factor. It's only 47" wide, including its narrow black bezel (only about 1-1/2"). It looks simple and clean on the wall. The height (about 28") is roughly the same as the 36" TV I was replacing, not unusual given the speakers and big cabinet of a standard TV. While it doesn't have speakers built in, it does have the ability to plug two speakers into it.Getting it up and running was a breeze. I bought the HDMI card from Amazon, and installed it in two minutes. Other than some issues mounting it on the wall (not the fault of the TV), all I did was plug it in to the cable box and turn it on. Gorgeous from the start.Wall-mounting tip: make sure that you get a wall-bracket that's wide enough to span and center over studs. My space was very small, and so was the bracket. I could have avoided a lot of hassle had I bought a bracket that was more than 32 inches wide (given standard stud spacing of 16 inches). The bracket I bought was 30 inches wide, which made alignment more difficult.I have absolutely no regrets about making this purchase. It was hundreds less than buying something like the 600U, and if you (like most people) don't need all the built-ins like receiver and speakers, then don't waste your money on them.This is an outstanding monitor, quiet and simple, with an amazing picture. Even my wife is now a convert to HD!
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
By Jack R. Tallent
The Panasonic TH-50PH9UK is the darling of knowledgeable A/V enthusiasts on a budget. Well reviewed by everyone from CNET to Audioholics, the 50PH9UK might be the most cost-effective way to put an incredible 50-inch plasma display in your entertainment system.You should know that this is a monitor and not a TV. For many, that is a positive, not a negative. It has no built in tuner. Nor does it sport built-in speakers, enabling Panasonic to dress the display in an elegant, minimalistic black bezel. (Speakers ARE available as an option.)This monitor comes with a few inputs. (Component and VGA, I think.) The user can have any input he wants, however, simply by purchasing the appropriate blade and installing it in one of the available slots. Many users get the HDMI blade. I myself purchased a DVI blade for technical reasons I will not go into here. This blade system is very nice and works very well. This "buy only what you need" aspect of the 9UK is one of its most attractive attributes.Most importantly, the picture this thing produces is incredible. Properly set up, its probably close to as good as you can get. You can spend much more on a display to get slightly closer to perfect, but believe me, you will not be disappointed with the picture here.I have mine wall mounted on a nice tilting Peerless wall mount. Which reminds me: this display IS pretty heavy (like 80-something pounds).All in all, I doubt if you can get more display for your money.
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