Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: Panasonic, HDTV, Z1 | Themes: Home Theater, Digital Entertainment
Sometimes you just have to ask: who in their right mind will shell out $6k for a digital TV? Evidently, there's a market, and Panasonic's Z1 fits the hefty bill.
Last month Tom's Guide published an article concerning how plasma TVs are on the way out, and clearly it indeed looks that way, with Pioneer and Visio both discontinuing plasma technology completely. And even though plasma is considered the better technology over LCD HDTVs for movies, a tight market nevertheless dictates that the more expensive plasma option just isn't in the budget any longer. Still, many consumers shopping for new HDTVs disregard pricetags despite the gloomy economy, thus fling out dollar bills like some kind of organic leaf blower.
With that said, Panasonic's upcoming Z1 plasma TV sports an extremely heavy pricetag: $6000.00. However, with a 54-inch screen that's just 1-inch thick, the screen is practically the thinnest plasma out there. The TV offers a native contrast ratio of 40,000:1 and full HD 1080p resolution. The panel also utilizes Neo PDP panel technology for low power consumption as well as feature THX certification, Infinite Black contrast, a 600Hz Sub-field Drive, digital Cinema Color gamut, 1080 lines of motion resolution and 24 Hz Cinematic Playback.
“The Z1 series continues Panasonic’s commitment to technological advances that are geared to provide the consumer with the best possible entertainment experience and value,” said Bob Perry, Executive Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “At Panasonic we have always prided ourselves on listening to our customers and wireless connectivity is a technology that constantly rated high on the consumer’s wish list. With that in mind and the recognition that design now plays a vital role in the development of television, our engineers developed the Z1 with its beautiful one-inch design and wireless capability.”
Additionally, the Z1's HDMI receiver is actually wireless, allowing consumers to hang the HDTV on the wall with just a dangling power cord. The receiver also transmits the uncompressed content using a 60GHz millimeter wave radio and beam steering technology, offering full HD content without deterioration in quality. The receiver also uses Panasonic's VIERA link to not only connect other compatible home entertainment components with a single remote, but allow viewers to go online and access VIERA CAST and Amazon's VOD service. As a bonus, an SD Memory Card reader is also built-in, allowing consumers to view digital still images or to record and playback H.264 HD video.
To say Panasonic's Z1 features all the high-tech bells and whistles is a given. What's not a given is the consumer's desire to shell out $6,000--same price range as a Pioneer Kuro--for a 52-inch plasma HDTV. While there are a few buyers just itching to get their hands on this device when it becomes publicly available, it will be surprising to see if Panasonic makes a good chunk of change off this impressive HDTV. Are plasma TVs really on the way out? From the looks of Panasonic's Z1, the fading technology won't go down quietly.
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I am waiting for $600 dollar 50+ inch and they are pushing newer higher priced models. Well, hope this tech moves down the food chain some.
For $6k it better allow me to play Crysis at 100FPS @ x16 AA and AF on Very High!
That's not exactly expensive, but it sure is thin!
Well at least the fans of plasma still have a high-end option, and it sounds like it actually would do the 1080 res rather than the wierd widescreen 1024*768 plasmas i've seen around awhile ago
If only I had and extra $6000.
Makes sense! Especially when the EU will forbid the sales of old lightbulbs as well as plasma TV's (this all due to 'green energy').
Plasma is overrun by oled technology! Oled technology brings near to plasma contrast (much more then LED tv's), while consuming less than LCD.
Probably this technology will be cheaper to manufacture than Plasma screens!
I can get a new Kuro 50" for $1950 shipped. What's the point of 54" for $6000?
well im sure plasma's will get quite efficient on their way out...
Oh come on, efficiency isn't an issue for most home users. How many of us are using power hungry computers? The focus of this article should be how Panasonic is still fighting for the superior television technology. There will always be people willing to pay for the best technology. Why buy a Mercedes when a Kia will get you down the road the same? Because the Mercedes drives better.
Some people try and compare LCD vs Plasma on the Betamax vs. VHS scale, but that argument falls apart when you consider that LCD and Plasma are completely 100 compatible with the input devices. It will only come down to price and performance. If plasmas offer better image quality, there will be people that buy them. As for me, I'm rocking a 50" Panasonic 800U and am loving it. Keep up the good work Panasonic!!!
they should make one with 3x more thickness at 1/3 of the cost.
to prodigit80, plasmas were not banned for energy consumption. IT states tv's that consumer more than a specified power rating. BTW, Panny plasmas are fairly energy efficient. Especially these new-PDP panels.
The article seems intent on focusing attention on the sticker shock of a $6,000 HDTV. Yet, it ignores the rest of the Panasonic lineup, which has some very competitively priced models beginning at $750 for their entry level 42" models. Also, the V10 series will use the exact same plasma panel and have most of the same features (minus the 1" thickness and the wireless HDMI input) and performance specs for $2,700 at the 54" size. The prices across Panasonic's lineup are generally lower than what comparable LCD TVs offer up, so I don't know why Tom's Guide continues to parrot the line that plasmas are more expensive.
http://hdguru.com/panasonic-2009-p [...] usive/395/
Who is this Kevin guy writing this article, "Plasmas are on the way out, and clearly it indeed looks that way, with Pioneer and Visio both discontinuing plasma technology completely."
Are you for real, you have no idea what you are talking about! Pioneer and Vizio got out of the plsama business because they could not compete against quality PDP's from Panasonic, LG and yes Samsung.
And if you ttok the time to eother attend CES or read some new info you would see that plasma is in fact, comming back heavy this year from all three makers.
I guess you don't have to be an expert to have a web page!
I always own the best items when it comes to technology. For my viewing pleasure, I own two wonderful HD sets: the Pioneer 111FD and the 600M. Money is not an object for me so when I was trying to make a decision on whether to get a 600M or the Z1 I was not scared away by the Z1’s high price tag. With that said, I quickly went with the Pioneer 600M because of how satisfied I was with the 111FD, not because of the price difference. However, after taking another look at the Z1 yesterday, fully calibrated in a dim light setting viewing only Blu-Ray movies, I have to say that the playing field is now officially even between Pioneer and Panasonic. Maybe not by the numbers and raw performance, but certainly by the looks of things, the blacks appear to be on Pioneer’s level [not quite as black, but you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference when watching content]. The Z1’ colors are rich and vibrant. And no matter how much action is going on, the screen remains crisp and clean. Just a stunning picture.
Back to the black level… Panasonic, though the Z1 uses the same panel as the V10, somehow uses filters to fool our eyes into thinking that we are seeing blacker blacks than on the V10. Even when the lights are turned up the blacks still hold up incredibly well. The Z1 does a much better job of handling light than the V10 does. My best friend owns a V10. As soon as the any kind of light hits the screen the picture suddenly washes out and looks muddy and noisy. I know many of you are going to start throwing numbers around and say that there is no difference in performance but I’m here to tell you that the Z1 has one of the most beautiful pictures you will ever see. The depth; the clarity; the black levels. It easily beats the V10, It surpasses Samsungs top of the line plasma, and it is now in the league of the Pioneer. Unfortunately, with the high price tag most people wont even take a look at this set. What a shame