As far as black levels go, you cant go wrong with plasma in general. Panasonic is the king of plasma with pioneer gone. This model in particular is fantastic. Pros: High Contrast Ratio Great Black Levels. Two different black level settings Plenty of inputs. 3 hdmi inputs eliminate need for a switch Default color settings very close to calibration levels Color levels appear realistic Cons: No 1:1 pixel mapping in 720p. It will work in 1080i, but I hate having to scale everything to 1080i first. Will not pass 5.1 audio through hdmi out via optical. You will have to run audio separately to your home theatre system. Minor burn in can occur with static images. This can be addressed using the built in white wash tool. Upsacling is not the best Very heavy. You will need a very sturdy stand or wall to put this on. Lifespan is not as long as LCD or CRT Overall I really recommend this TV

will7046

Forestport, NY

We purchased our Panasonic Viera several years ago and we love it. The 42 inch screen offers super clear pictures both standard definition and 1080p HD. The color quality is second to none and I feel is one of the best on the market. The TV can be view from most angles almost 180 degrees.  The sound quality from the TV is outstanding but is even better when the TV is hooked up to a home theater sound system. The television has several different ports including HDMI, RCA, S-Video and coax for easy hook up to all eletronics. The remote control that comes with the TV is large and easy to use. The television has an easy initial set up out of the box. The Panasonic Viera television is a little heavy but is easly moved by one person. The Panasonic uses more power then some but not an unreasonable amount and most people will not even notice it on the electric bill. We would recommend this Television to any one who is in the market for a Plasma and we will be looking at other Panasonic televisions to upgrade others in the house.

JPryde

Level Plains, AL

My boyfriend and I have had the Viera TH-42PZ85U 42 inch plasma television by Panasonic in our home now for a couple of years. Since the date of purchase, which was three years ago at the most, the value of this television has depreciated a lot. The price we paid for this plasma TV seems outrageous to me now considering that the same TV and similar ones can be purchased for a small fraction of that price. Anyhow, it gives off a very vibrant and clear picture. However, this comes at a cost. The television projects a *lot *of heat, even after just having it on for a short while. In addition, you cannot leave a movie on pause or anything like that because the image will burn into the screen, but that is with all plasma TV's, so if you tend to be a DVD pauser or a forgetful person, a plasma television is probably not the way to go. The other serious downside to the Viera plasma television is that it uses a ton of electricity. It has really added a load onto our electricity bill.

gurlanachronism

Glendora, CA

Pro's of the panasonic viera, sharp clean picture, sound is very clean crisp and clear. A down fall of the plasma i would have to say is the cleaning of the unit, if you don't know what to use to clean the screen you are in trouble if a spray is used. Clean with lint cloth! Very good investment.

mykrib2nite

Palmdale, CA

We recently purchased this television when our older television died.  We took our the Consumer Reports and did our research.  We talked to friends and family and went back and forth between LCD and plasma.  We finally decided to go with the Panasonic Viera.  We have had it for a couple of months and are very pleased with our purchase.  We found a great deal on it and spent much less than we would have for a 42 inch LCD television.  There are many great features.  There are plenty of inputs on the back.  We have a VCR, DVD player and Tivo plugged into it.  Everything works great.  I like the option of putting my camera's SD card into the back of it.  The picture quality is amazing.  We have watched several high definition movies and television shows on it and are very happy with the picture quality.  The movie viewing options are great as well.  We use different features depending on which movie we're watching.  I highly recommend this TV.  

DEmomof2

Wilmington, DE

Everyone who comes to my house and sees my TV is impressed. The picture is super clear and sharp and it's as bright as an LCD TV. One person sat and stared at it in amazement for 30 minutes because it was way more clear than her LCD TV that she'd bought only a year ago! I love watching sports on it because it almost feels like you're at the game.

NSRcutie

Los Angeles, CA

This TV is a good quality for the price.  However, we did have to talk down the sales man and bought the store display.  It has a great, clear picture. I like the features like the ability to insert a memory card to view photos.

csgem03

Williamson, GA

Panasonic TH-42PZ85U  is a very nice televison. I was able to do all the set up myself.I did have help (from hubby) lifting it, but it's not too heavy, about 70 lbs.The only thing missing is picture-in-picture, but my U-verse affers that option, so it's all good.The picture is fabulous.I chose the plasma over LCD, because I enjoy watching movies, and not playing videogames.  I am very happy with my choice. Only 4 stars, because I have a hard time giving 5 for anything.I did research for about a year and found this product has the best overall reviews.

lola75

Detroit, MI