Panasonic Viera PZ850

The Panasonic Viera PZ850 series of Plasma HDTVs will be released in June (46 and 50-inch models) and September (58 and 65-inch models).
Panasonic announced that its web-enabled Viera PZ850 series of Plasma HDTVs will be available at retail beginning in mid-June. The flagship line's wide range of cutting-edge features is highlighted by Viera Cast which provides access to some of the most popular content sites on the Internet today -- YouTube, Google's Picasa Web Album and Bloomberg.

The Panasonic Viera PZ850 series boasts 1080p resolution and features enhanced contrast ratio, deeper blacks, faster response time and improved picture quality in four screen sizes -- the 46-inch class TH-46PZ850, the 50-inch class TH-50PZ850, the 58-inch class TH-58PZ850 and the 65-inch class TH-65PZ850.

While all of Panasonic's Viera HDTVs can display digital still images via SD memory cards, the Panasonic Viera PZ850 series features H.264 codec making it possible to for instance play HD video content from a HD camcorder.

The Panasonic Viera PZ850 series features a Pro Setting Menu, aimed at videophiles that can benefit from access to professional calibration software. The Viera PZ850 series also boast an enhanced native resolution contrast ratio of 30,000:1, a dynamic ratio of 1,000,000:1, 24p native reproduction, Digital Cinema Color Re-Mastering (for more accurate color reproduction when for instance playing movies), and Studio Reference Mode (reproduction of subtle colors).

Like all Viera models, the Viera PZ850 series panels contain no lead or mercury and as is claimed to deliver increased luminous efficiency and 100,000 hours of viewing time to half brightness.

The Panasonic Viera TH-65PZ850 and TH-58PZ850 will be available in the fall of 2008 for $8000 and $4300, respectively. The Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ850 and TH-46PZ850 will be available in mid-June for $3500 and $3100, respectively.