Panasonic VIERA TC-P50G15 50" Plasma TV

Exceeds Expectation (Don't be fooled by the showroom), July 3, 2009

I purchased this TV almost a week ago and so far color me impressed. I have to admit, while in the stores I was not impressed by this TV at all. Most of the other sets appeared to have more color and vibrance to them. In the store this G15 appeared to be very dull in color and over contrasted. My brother who sells televisions to the RV industry...read full review I purchased this TV almost a week ago and so far color me impressed. I have to admit, while in the stores I was not impressed by this TV at all. Most of the other sets appeared to have more color and vibrance to them. In the store this G15 appeared to be very dull in color and over contrasted. My brother who sells televisions to the RV industry had been touting the G10 as the second coming to High Definition TV. I have debated this with him many times as I have declared the Panasonic Plasmas as way too dark. HOWEVER, I took a leap of faith and took his advice and purchased the G15 anyway. And wow, upon hooking it up and turning the power on there was no doubt I made the right decision. The settings in the store do not in any way do the G15 justice. It was like a different tv in my living room. I fired up a Blu-Ray disc that had nothing but HD landscapes on it and it was simply stunning. I had viewed this disc on my old Sony LCD projection set and it pretty good on that, but this was something else. On the G15 the blacks are black, and the whites are white. Many LCD's I have seen the whites are really tan, and the blacks are more like charcoal. I have become almost obsessive about adjusting the settings on the color to be perfect and recently came up with a great configuration. Watching season one of LOST in Blu-Ray is unbelievable on this TV.

I have played games on this set as well, and let me tell you my X-Box 360 has never so good. To quote my wife, "I never realized how bad our old TV really was--until I saw this new one." It is that good. The Viera Cast feature is very cool, however I wish there were more you could do with it. I would expect more over time with firmware updates though. The Youtube feature is probably the most useful and fun to play with.

On the down side, there could have been more color settings in the adjustment menus. Also the THX feature was very disappointing as the screen is way too dark in this mode.

In conclusion, don't be fooled by showroom displays of this TV, its a different game in your living room. I would challenge anybody to find a better picture than the G15 right now. minimize

Great TV, July 16, 2009

I've had a G15 for a couple of weeks now and I haven't had any issues except for one. It turns out their highly touted THX setting has some bugs. The picture looks too green and yellow. They claim to have a firmware fix that doesn't seem to fix the problem.

I've read that you need version 1.2 of the firmware and when downloading you...read full review I've had a G15 for a couple of weeks now and I haven't had any issues except for one. It turns out their highly touted THX setting has some bugs. The picture looks too green and yellow. They claim to have a firmware fix that doesn't seem to fix the problem.

I've read that you need version 1.2 of the firmware and when downloading you can only get the latest version which is currently 1.28. You would think 1.28 would contain the fix, but apparently not. Panasonic doesn't roll up their fixes. Each version fixes a particular problem and there's no version that has all the fixes. It crazy. It's like you have to choose which feature you want fixed and can only have that one fix.

The problem effects all their TVs that have a THX setting (G10, G15, V10).

I use other settings than THX and the picture, after adjustment looks good. minimize

AMAZING-- I'm done! ....Review completed., September 8, 2009

OK I'll add a little more but it will not be an objective, technical review. It will contain a whole bunch of superlatives and emotional comments.

EMOTIONAL PART
THIS BAD BOY IS BAD!! Wonderful colors, contrast, blacks. The picture pops and everything. I have watched Planet Earth, Batman: Dark Knight and other Blu-rays on the...read full review OK I'll add a little more but it will not be an objective, technical review. It will contain a whole bunch of superlatives and emotional comments.

EMOTIONAL PART
THIS BAD BOY IS BAD!! Wonderful colors, contrast, blacks. The picture pops and everything. I have watched Planet Earth, Batman: Dark Knight and other Blu-rays on the TV. It is nothing short of spectacular. Great saturation, believable colors and context.

LOGICAL PART
I was about to buy an Open Box Kuro Elite Pro for still a bit more than this one -- but the price on the Kuro was so right I thought I had to buy it. Well I went to Best Buy to see both in action. Unfortunately BB must be favoring the Panasonics because they set the Panny to Vivid or something other than THX video setting and had the Kuro on Natural or THX. So on first review the Panny looks more vivid, lively (as expected). I really wanted the Kuro because I had always wanted one. So he set the two TVs the same and in one or two areas the Kuro was better:
Specifically: 1. On a mixed black and white screen -- in this case it was a magician and the background was a black curtain with white moving stars. The Kuro did something beautiful and warm and my insides tingled.
2. An actor was wearing a pure white shirt I thought the Kuro was whiter.

But in many cases I saw no discernable difference and in one case I agreed with BB that the Panny was better-- it was another off white background-- the Kuro had a reddish tint whereas the Panny did not.

So for that much more I did not see the value. So I ordered the G10 first. Then I saw the G15 that was a bit flatter and ordered this one.

I use a Yamaha YSP-4000 so I cannot speak to the sound quality but the video quality is tops! For this kind of HDTV money you cannot go wrong.

Also the delivery was sound/good. Although they arrived later than communicated -- once they arrived the TV was in top shape. So with no shipping charges this is a great buy!! minimize

Excellent buy on an excellent product!, October 9, 2009

I rarely take the time to write product reviews, but in this case I felt like it was really worthwhile. I spent a few months researching TVs and I am always reading in forums, checking showrooms, etc. There are some fantastic TVs out there on both Plasma and LCD sides (LEDs still too expensive in my mind). After countless hours looking at all my...read full review I rarely take the time to write product reviews, but in this case I felt like it was really worthwhile. I spent a few months researching TVs and I am always reading in forums, checking showrooms, etc. There are some fantastic TVs out there on both Plasma and LCD sides (LEDs still too expensive in my mind). After countless hours looking at all my options, I narrowed it down to a Samsung LCD or a Panasonic Plasma. This TV was to serve as the main family unit in the living room. I have a Sony PS3 (Blu-ray & games) and DirecTV HD DVR receiver to connect to the TV. My friend has a Samsung 650 LCD that has really nice color and decent performance, however I notice some motion issues when watching fast sports or with the PS3 connected. I also think the Samsung's colors are a little unnatural. Already owning a 2 year old 42" Panasonic Plasma (700u model), I was able to do a pretty good live comparison between the two before purchasing the G15. The plasma's blacks were better and the color was more natural in my opinion. Also, the plasma didn't show any artifacts or motion issues no matter the content unlike the LCD. [Yes both TVs were calibrated, so please don't flame me for giving my opinion] The bottom line to me is both are great TVs and you have to choose based on your needs and your taste. I decided to go with the G15 Panasonic after seeing a calibrated unit at my local store. It was absolutely beautiful. After owning the TV for more than a month, I can tell you that it was the right choice for me. I was really proud the other day when my brother-in-law (Samsung owner), watched a HD NFL game on my TV and stated it was the best picture he had ever seen.

Pros:
- Stunning picture quality right out of the box. Even better after slight calibration.
- Beautiful thin frame
- Great anti-reflective properties on the screen
- THX mode for movies (great at night)
- Very fast for games and sports
- Unbelievable blacks
- Natural and clean colors
- Plenty of connections
- Excellent DVD and gaming performance. New 1080p PS3 games look amazing as do Blu-rays.
- Works great with laptop connected as well
- Reasonable standard def performance (as good as most other sets that I have seen)
- Good remote

Cons:
- Sound is a little weak (pretty standard for most thin frame TVs). Best if you have a separate surround receiver.
- Not as many menu adjustments as some other TVs to dial in the picture, however it was so close out of the box that only minor adjustments were needed so this shouldn't be an issue for most.
- Fairly heavy compared to similar size LCD.
- Uses a little more power than similar size LCD.
- Not quite as bright as LCD if using in very bright room. However, the screen is less reflective than most LCDs that I have seen.

I bought this TV on Amazon and got a great price as well as good shipping. The TV was delivered to my door in good packaging and without any damage.

If you are on the fence about this purchase, don't hesitate to pull the trigger. If you prefer brilliant color over natural color then maybe the LCD is for you. I just can't get past the motion issues with LCD even with the 120hz or the off-axis viewing issues. These are my opinions, so please check it out for yourself to make the decision that is right for you. I just can't imagine a better TV for the price. minimize

Awesome TV, September 14, 2009

I will spare the technical jargon. This is my first Hi-Def TV and I am thrilled with it. I am purposely late to the game because I had a previous Panasonic just wouldn't die! I decided not to miss another NFL season without Hi-Def. I did a TON of research and came up with this. It is everything I would have hoped. Set up was very easy and I...read full review I will spare the technical jargon. This is my first Hi-Def TV and I am thrilled with it. I am purposely late to the game because I had a previous Panasonic just wouldn't die! I decided not to miss another NFL season without Hi-Def. I did a TON of research and came up with this. It is everything I would have hoped. Set up was very easy and I have it hooked into a Panasonic BD80 Blu-Ray and a higher end Denon receiver. I have not done a lot of color adjustments but they were easy to find and I will let it settle in a bit and then run a calibration disc. My true test were two things. First, all the Sunday NFL games. No blurs, no pixelization and great sound (I do run it thru the Denon though and do not use the speakers on the tv). I have absolutely NO complaints about how it handled the fast football action. Second, Narina on Blu-Ray, wow. Color was spectacular!
The biggest tell, was the fact that my wife said she noticed a difference (a truly apathetic television viewer that is now swayed to the joys of pure digital goodness).
Absolutely love this tv. Can't wait for a long cold winter to truly kick back and enjoy! minimize