Panasonic TH-42PV500 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: Part of Panasonic's much-heralded Viera range, the 42PV500 looks sensational in its crisp, black, glossy suit - especially if you splurge a bit extra on Panasonic's matching floorstanding cabinet.

Pros: Cracking looks, stunning - and unusually source-flexible - picture quality, superb sonics

Cons: Slight grid-like artefacts occasionally visible over some backgrounds

Review summary: Astonishingly good-looking plasma with hi-def compatibility and built-in Freeview tuner

Pros: Slinky styling ; excellent picture quality ; wealth of connectivity ; high-definition compatibility ; common interface slot

Cons: Costly for its size ; only one HDMI input ; occasional motion smearing

Verdict: If you want a stylish, large flat screen then this Panasonic embodies these traits perfectly. We should also emphasise just how good the picture quality is with both standard- and high-definition sources, and the selection of inputs caters for all ...

Review summary: In many ways, this is a watershed product in the world of home cinema, the biggest commercially available plasma TV we've yet seen - all 65 inches of it. But it's not just the sheer size that's got me excited about the 65PV500; this is a genuine ...

Pros: Gargantuan size, Picture quality across all sources

Cons: Reds tend to be orangey, Set is very heavy

Verdict: Last but not least the 65PV500 benefits from a 'sub-pixel' control system. This tackles jagged or blurred edges by processing each colour component in the RGB signal separately, rather than en masse as happens normally

Pros: Superb image quality, HDMI input, high definition

Cons: Could do with more in-depth image controls for the tweakers out there

Verdict: One of the best plasma units we have seen - and good value too