In the past few years, Plasma TVs have made a lot of progress in catching up with LCD televisions. Indeed, many Plasma TVs can now prevent and treat screen burn-in, which is considered one of the biggest problems with Plasma TVs. Some have even found ways to consume much less energy than usual, just like the Panasonic TC-P50S1, which also comes with some great features.

Picture

One of the best things about the Panasonic TC-P50S1 is the fact that it creates deep black levels. Although this is a common feat among Plasma TVs, the black levels of the TC-P50S1 are still worth mentioning since they are the best that Panasonic has come up with so far. The other colors are saturated, too, although less than accurate in some situations. The shadow detail is excellent, as well.

These remain true in fast-motion sequences. After all, Plasma TVs have the edge over LCD televisions in terms of delivering excellent fast-moving images and the TC-P50S1 is no different. In fact, it comes with a 600Hz sub-field drive and a Full-Time 1080 TV Lines Moving Picture Resolution to make sure the images appear just as crisp and clear even in very fast motion.

Design

The TC-P50S1 has a simple and elegant design similar to other models, sporting logos, buttons and an indicator light that blend in nicely with its glossy black frame, which also comes with gently rounded edges and a thin silver strip at the bottom. It also has a glossy black stand. What sets the TC-P50S1 apart, though, are its hidden speakers, which add style and appeal.

Remote Control

The remote control that comes with the TC-P50S1 is also similar to others, but not as good as most since it doesn’t have a backlight. Buttons with different colors, shapes and sizes help make up for this, though, since they can be easily distinguished even in the dark.

Inputs and Outputs

There are a lot of devices that you can connect to the Panasonic TC-P50S1, though not as much compared to high-end models. It has three HDMI inputs where you can plug in your Blu-Ray player, DVD player and game console, as well as your computer, if it is HDMI-capable, since this HDTV does not come with a VGA input like some. While it does not have a USB slot, it has an SD card slot, and several other inputs and outputs which make it satisfactory when it comes to connectivity.

Power Consumption

As mentioned earlier, the Panasonic TC-P50S1 does not use up as much electricity as most Plasma TVs. In fact, it qualified for an Energy Star 3.0, which it owes to its new plasma display panel and the low light output of its default or standard picture setting. Naturally, this means lower electric bills and one more reason to love and buy this HDTV.

Other Features

Another great thing about the Panasonic TC-P50S1 is the Viera Link. With this feature, you can turn on all your HDMI-capable devices with the push of a button which saves you the time and inconvenience of switching each one on individually. It also has features to prevent and treat screen burn-in, such as the pixel orbiter and the scrolling bar function. In this way, it is similar enough to several high-end models but its price isn’t, which makes it a good HDTV to look out for when you go shopping for your own.

Edward McKellen is an HDTV expert who writes plasma reviews for HDTVreviewlab.com. To read more about the Panasonic TC-P50S1 or check out the latest Pioneer HDTV reviews visit HDTVreviewlab.com

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