Product Description

The Panasonic VIERA HDTV PZ850 Series introduces an exciting new feature called VIERA Cast. VIERA Cast is a web menu that's built into the television, letting you enjoy great online entertainment like YouTube videos and your digital photos on Picasa Web Albums, all with just a click of a button - - no PCs or external boxes are required. You can also get instant weather updates as well as the latest financial information from Bloomberg Television. Best of all, the VIERA Cast menu will self-update as soon as great new online content becomes available. Share the online entertainment fun with friends and family on a large screen HDTV!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6943 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Panasonic
• Model: 50PZ850U
• Dimensions: 100.00 pounds
• Display size: 50

Features

• The VieraCast system lets you enjoy web-based entertainment right on your TV
• 49.9" screen (measured diagonally)
• widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio
• built-in digital (ATSC) and analog (NTSC) tuners for over-the-air TV broadcasts (antenna required)

Customer Reviews

Amazing TV
This is my first HDTV. It is a huge upgrade over my 15 year old 27" Philips TV. So saying the picture is amazing really isn't saying much; I think I would say the same thing about almost any high end HDTV I bought. The TV looks awesome even when shut off. I do have it in a room with lots of windows, but I see no problems with glare. When the TV is off during the day, I can see reflections on the screen. Once I turn the TV on, however, I can only see those reflections if I really stare hard beyond the actual picture. When I just focus on watching the picture on the TV, I don't see any reflections.

I also considered a Sony XBR LCD TV, but the pictures on LCDs always look "cartoonish" to me. They just don't pop out like they do on a Plasma. Panasonic and Pioneer always get excellent reviews from CNet and Consumer Reports so I knew those were the brands I would look at. The price to value upgrade for the Pioneer just wasn't there for me so I went with the Panasonic. I debated between the 800U and the 850U. Ultimately I went with the 850U mainly because of the internet connection. I only paid a couple of hundred dollars more for the 850U. I know the internet content on the TV is limited now, but I'm sure this content will really open up in the future. Plus it is nice to get firmware updates over the internet. It's the same reason why I plan on getting the Yamaha RXV-3900 instead of the 1900 when I buy a new receiver.

All in all this is a great TV and I love it.

Excellent
Excellent price/delivery from Vanns/Yellow freight. Great TV, games and movies via PS3 amazing, sound is so good that I won't be buying a theater system anytime soon. Standard TV is ok too, better then I expected eventhough I'm less then 8ft away. Glare is somewhat of an issue during the day and night viewing with lights on, but it's ok and I will get used to it. Viera cast is easy to setup and have been using it to check the weather and look at u-tube videos. All in all perfect so far.

I also want to comment on Vanns excellent customer service. I placed the order on 09/02/08 and it was delivered on the 8th. During that time Vanns dropped the price a couple of times, a quick email to them and they promptly credited my amazon CC. I thought that was pretty classy.

Go for TH-PZ850U
Folks, this is a great TV. By spending few hundred dollars more, you will get the best from Panasonic. Here is why I would recommend you to buy it:

1) Great sound. It has 4 speakers and a subwoofer which makes it a unique set as compared to other panasonic plasma TVs except for TH-PZ800U which I believe also has same number of speakers. With this TV you wont need an external surround sound system.
2) Viera Cast Feature- I just love the new web interface introduced in this particular model.

a)Download all your digital pictures at Picasa Web Album and watch it on big screen TV with a sweet background score as you watch the slide show. Share your pictures with your guests at home on big screen.
B) Watch U tube videos on big screen. Its so much fun.
c) Watch Bloomberg updates on your TV.
d) Panasonic is currently working to add more.

3) AVCHD compatible for 1080p video camcorders
4) Picture quality is extremely good with Native contrast ratio 30,000:1 and Dynamic Contrast Ratio of 1,000,000:1 this is the highest contrast ratio available in the current market on a plasma TV.

If you can afford to pay few hundred dollars more, you get the best technology out there from Panasonic.