Customer Ratings & Reviews

Purchased this set from BB for only $1600 after they price matched a sale from Paul's TV.... excellent deal and haven't seen a better price since then. The picture quality is unrivaled and the black levels are excellent as advertised. I had concerns about the glossy screen and reflections, but the glare coating on this model is very effective at absorbing reflections. My only complaint is that I tend to see a rainbow effect when viewing high contrast content but I am noticing it less so maybe my eyes have simply adjusted.

Overall.. I've had this tv now for 1.5months and I love it. I was in the market to buy the Vt30 55" but couldn't get my hands on new unboxed model. So i decided to wait till the VT50 came out and I'm glad I did. I have limited room on the fireplace I'm mount this tv, so I was concerned the older Vt30 frame would be to big. In reality, because the VT50 has the "Frame-less" design similar to the LED panels.. you actual gain allot of room in the vertical and horizontal.. every little bit counts. The TV overall is incredible and the built in presets for THX work pretty well, I have mine on THX bright room. In the custom mode you have so many knobs to tweak that its very overwhelming if you are not failure with what the setting does. So I would recommend a professional if you plan to re-calibrate. I have to agree that the newer panel does help with the glare.. my older plasma (Hitachi 42") vs. this one there is a significant difference. However there are some issues that I do not believe deserve a rating hit but its worth mentioning. 1. The DLNA compatible mode does not recognize any of the HD file formats like mkv or .ts etc etc etc ..I was hoping this was not the case but it is. Via DLNA you have access to your pix, music, and generic media files. 2. Via WiFi/Lan you cannot access your media server.. so if you do have movies like mkv's or DVD's the only way to play those is to use the "USB" port. This was a bummer as I was hoping I could eliminate the HTPC i had. I have not spent much time with playing any movies via the USB port as I don't have a need for that. 3. The users manual that comes with the TV is useless.. and for panasonic, I'm surprised at this. There are many features and hints and pop up help built into the firmaware of the Tv, but I'm one of those that likes to have a real manual to read. 4. When you are viewing the Netflix applet you cannot resize the screen format. So you are stuck with whatever ratio the movie is being streamed in.. if its 4:3, you cannot fill or resize the display to match the content. I have to research this more.. but I think it has to do with the fact that you are NOT using any of the actual external video inputs to the TV but the built in viewer which is not really associated with any of the HDMI out's the TV has. Also.. as a result of this.. the AR (Audio Return) channel that is available from HDMI port 1 is NOT usable when streaming netflix. You will need to use the digital/optical out form the TV and run that to a separate input to your AV-amp to get the sound from you HTheater. 5. on the VT 50-series they are now providing you with a smaller touchpad remote that in reality is useless and will end up on the shelf as a light paper weight. I would have rather had one 3-D glasses with it vs. the additional remote or the Skype Camera.. ! Overall though.. you are buying this unit for TV viewing and movies via B-ray and HD.. for that as it primary use.. this is an incredible tv with incredible quality. Upgrading from a 42" to the 55" in my den made a big difference and for the price point.. I was a happy camper..!!!

I bought this brand new VT 50 as soon as Bestbuy had it online for purchase. And they had it on sale for $300 off, the $2500 regular price. Since it was available at Magnolia Home Theater only, I had to purchase it at my local Bestbuy store. And I got the tv delivered to my home and setup for free!! I was thinking of getting the tv calibrated, but they recommended to wait for 100 hours. About 1 month later, I received an e-mail from Bestbuy. It stated because I spent over $2000, I qualified to be a silver reward zone member. And this qualified for a free tv calibration!!!! This would have been a $250 cost, but I got it for free!! I would highly recommend this calibration and this tv!! After the calibration the picture was great. When playing a blueray disc, the colors and faces look very natural. Even the sound of the speakers are good. They do lack the low end, but the mids and highs sound very good. And the fast response time is great for those who love watching sports.

I own 3 led tvs and 3 lcd tvs. they are 40 inches and under. I bought a 60 inch Samsung 8000 led. nice tv but the picture was not good.whites were too bright the blacks were nice and black. when using the 960 smooth setting it produced more artifacts in the image, so I returned it and bought this less expensive tv after reading an extensive amount of reviews. picture is amazing. the smart aps are ok but no one buys a tv to use the smart apps, but they are cool if you get bored I guess.i bought this tv because the vt series has a dual core processor and an extra black layer on the picture that the gt series does not have. it is true,you will not get a good picture just because the tv has higher contrast or some other spec with high numbers. I like how the white colors do not hurt your eyes on this tv. my tv does not have any buzzing noise like the other reviews written. I did not try the speakers I have a surround sound hooked up. I did not try the 3d yet. smooth picture during fast motion scenes, if I see a blurry picture its because of my cable provider, I can tell the difference. one thing I do not like is the power indicator light under the picture. it is annoying, I might put a piece of tape over it. if you are going to buy a bigger tv like this then get a plasma. .led tv in a bigger size is going to have a harder time processing the picture I already returned a Samsung 8000 led due to image artifacts(even while playing bluray).I use audio quest wires.

Took back a LG 55" 240hz LED and got this and the picture quality is sooo much better and way more realistic. The blacks aren't grayish tones they are BLACK and the brights are BRIGHT and there's no motion blur! Finally!

I am by no means an expert on all the technical aspects of electronics but after reading the reviews on the Panasonic TC-P55VT50 I knew this is the TV I had to have that would last me for the next several years. I wanted anything that was not a Samsung as I despise their customer service and trouble that I have had with other products from them. So after reading the review I was happy to see that this TV beat Samsung in every way. My only complaint about the TV so far and the reason for the one star ding is the fact the TV will NOT swivel on the stand. I knew this when I bought it but it still irritates me that when I want to change the angle of the TV I have to slide the entire thing and at 100lbs is not the easiest. This is one thing that Panasonic needs to change, even an after market stand would be nice to correct Panasonic's short comings in this area. Otherwise a great TV!

Beautiful set, great HD sound. I bought it before I had HD service and the audio was horrible. At first I thought it was the TV but was blown away once I attached my PS3 and upgraded to HD cable. Four HDMI ports but only 1 component port, which most people will not care about, however, I still have some older devices i.e. Nintendo 64, Mitsubishi VCR. FYI - all of the HDMI (4) and USB (2) ports are located on the rear right side. Had the set for about 5 weeks and also purchased the 4 year extended warranty. Cannot recommend this Plasma enough!

We went from a LED LCD to this plasma. Picture quality is superior on our lighting conditions. We were affraid that glare was going to be a problem due to a window in front of the location of the TV but we are now very happy with the change. We don't plan to use 3D features extensively so, the TV not including 3D glasses is not such a big problem.

What is hooked up: Gaming PC XBOX 360 Wii U DirecTV HD Sony 3D Blu-ray player Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 2.1 Purchased this unit back on November 13th from the store I work in. Had initially went in with the idea of going a lot lower in price - had a cap of $1500 on the TV not including GSP and accessories. Had always wanted a VT30/50 but the price was a bit out of my shopping range. Thanks to Capitol One giving me a card with a much better limit than HSBC, I was finally able to get one! Jumping from an LCD to a plasma is a huge adjustment, but anyone looking at a TV of this calibre should already be aware of what you're getting into. Much darker picture, but once you've adjusted it looks so much better. Color tones are fantastic and the motion control is unmatched. The picture is so crisp and clear...makes me tear up! Due to placement of my TV compared to the router in the house, I haven't been able to make use of the Smart features. Know they work awesome as I've used them in the store before, but I'll end up buying one of the Monster powerline adapters (200/300 series most likely) so that i can have everything with a solid connection and still get surge protection. Bought the TV for 3D capability as well, but mainly just because the better processor gives a superb 2D image. Works good, but it's not something I can watch extensively. The buzzing noise when 3D is active is a bit annoying even if the surround sound drowns it out. Sound quality is par for the course. But, let's be real: If you're paying this much for a TV, then you're going to invest something into a sound system of some sort. Whether it's a soundbar, 2.1 system, or even a 5.1/7.1, you don't mix an awesome TV with cruddy sound.

It was really easy to setup this TV. It went fast and I had no trouble with the wifi connection. We've had the set for about three weeks now and it's great on THX cinema, with no adjustments, as suggested by CNET. Best Buy had a big sale on the 55" with $800 off. Had been waiting for a couple weeks and trying justify the 1K more for this one over the ST model. With the big sale on the 55" VT it was easy to say no to the smaller 50" ST. We also have a Pioneer Kuro that we love and this VT is really close.

An upgrade from a much smaller plasma but it did not dominate LR as I had feared. Great picture in day (big windows) and night. Very easy to use both for internet and for displaying photos from SD card. Photos from Nikon D7000 SLR display beautifully. Sports are best of all on it but old movies (e.g., TCM) display without expected grain. My hard-to-satisfy brother, also looking for a new TV, is very pleased with it. Big price reduction from first year makes this a great buy. And I haven't even tried 3-D on it yet. Good remote (no remote is great) has a minimal learning curve. I'm very pleased with this purchase.

Excellent 55" Plasma HDTV! I considered the Samsung LED 7500 Series HDTV but decided against it due to poor reviews in regard to the smart features that some found unreliable. The Panasonic got excellent reviews across the board and my only concern was about to much light in the room for a Plasma TV. After the install I could not be happier with my decision. Since I can not utilize surround sound speakers I purchased the Bowers and Wilkins Sound Bar and very happy with it; not cheap but it does a terrific job. As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for". 3D does not excite me but I will probably buy a 3D Blue Ray player and get the glasses eventually since Cablevision does not transmit anything in 3D I plan on purchasing the same Panasonic TV in the 65" screen for another area where I have a surround sound set up and can hardly wait. Life is short so enjoy It!

I was sure I was in the market for an LED LCD TV. I quickly learned, however, there is no comparison between the picture quality of a Plasma and an LED TV. Look at them side-by-side in the store. After 3 months of researching, viewing countless TVs, at every store, reading reviews, studying brand websites, CNet, Consumer Reports, etc. I decided to purchase the VT50.The picture is phenomenal. The 3D capability is better than any other brand I viewed. Panasonic is the best at plasma technology as Panasonic purchased Pioneer's plasma technology. I always put quality over price and though the retail on this TV was quite expensive, at Best Buy I got a great price by taking advantage of their price-matching policy. Best Buy price-matched this TV for me three times as I continued to watch for lower prices elsewhere as well as at Best Buy. Couldn't be more satisfied. PS. If you are able to visit a Best Buy Magnolia store, you'll find that every associate there owns a plasma instead of an LED LCD.

Love the TV, slim design, great HD picture quality on FIOS HD TV and BluRay movies. Simply to use menus and internet hookup. Sound is very good especially with the TV's slim design. Like the overall size of the TV compared to the viewable picture because space in my home theater room is limited. And to be able to purchase for under $2000.00 was a no brainer. My research indicated that the Sharp Elite LED TV's' may have an edge in some measures of picture quality, but not a significant amount to justify the price difference. Best "bang" for the buck HD TV line right now!

This tv has met all my expectations. Easy set up, FANTASTIC picture. Bought from Best Buy in Everett and the service I recieved was top notch! I would recomend this tv to anyone, a definate must have. Also, there is an app on Google play you can download (vierra remote) on your Android phone, which will run all options on the tv, very cool! and works correct. My next tv will be the 65" in this model.

Really love this TV. Picture is excellent. Got these setting online. Post Calibration Settings: Picture Mode Custom Contract: +100 Brightness: +71 Color: +50 Tine: +0 Sharpness: +32 Color Temp.: WARM 2 Color mgmt.: Off C.A.T.S.: Off Video NR: Off Advanced Picture Mosquito NR Off Motion Smoother Medium 1080p ure direct Off Black level light Pro Settings (using 2-point White Balance) Color Space: Wide W/B high R: +4 W/B high G: +4 W/B high B: +6 W/B low R: -5 W/B low G: -9 W/B low B: -6 Black Extension: default Gamma Adjustment 2.6 Panel Brightness Default Contour Emphasis Default AGC Default Gamma detail adj. Default Post Calibration Settings: Picture Mode Custom Contract: +100 Brightness: +71 Color: +50 Tine: +0 Sharpness: +32 Color Temp.: WARM 2 Color mgmt.: Off C.A.T.S.: Off Video NR: Off Advanced Picture Mosquito NR Off Motion Smoother Medium 1080p ure direct Off Black level light http://reviews.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/panasonic-plasma-tv/panasonic-vt50-picturesettings.html

This is quite simply the best Television on the market right now. I'll leave the technical babble to those best suited to give it but sufficient to say, it's the best looking Television i've had the pleasure of working with. CNet has a great spec sheet for calibrating it if you aren't into using the THX certified settings (which are fine by the way). The BEST thing about this TV is i got it on sale at Best Buy for $1695... almost a grand off its normal price. Amazon can't beat that price even now (its going for $1999.00 as of press time). Do yourself a favor and get this TV if you're in the market. It is simply beautiful and it gets better every day i turn it on.

"I love this TV! I moved up from a Panasonic 55GT30 this year. I love the calibrated THX modes. 3D works great with the new RF glasses, If you have this TV, but don't have any glasses, go get some. Watch a good 3d movie like Avatar, Tangled, Despicable me, etc. GET THE BETTER HDMI CORD it does pay off. There are settings to make the 3D more or less active. Amazon prime videos works great on this tv. Skype is fun. The music apps work good, I wish there was a way to black out the screen while listening to the music, but still have a way to pipe music to my theater speakers without turning off the tv. This would keep us from IR on the screen, but still be able to listen to the music. Maybe there is, just have not found yet - Lots of great options and settings! Get some glasses (you get what you pay for here too) and good 3D movies and have fun! Great 3DTV. Only regret - Should have gotten the larger TV !!

I've owned this TV for over 8 years now. Still going strong with no dimming. I have only replaced it recently due to additional 4k content in movies and gaming requiring an LED or OLED to fully appreciate. I wish Panasonic was able to continue their plasma technology into the future because this is otherwise an outstanding panel. I'm still going to keep using it though, just not as my main gaming TV any longer. Only downside I can see is that the brightness was never the greatest, but it's fine if you are watching in a darker room or at least out of direct sunlight.

After months of learning the different technologies and then narrowing down the options, we settled on the Panasonic Smart VT-50 set. Full set up and calibration from the moment it was delivered to connecting to cable and out the door, took all of 15 minutes. Clearly, the term SMART is applied here and it was quite apparent that the engineers got it all right with this model. Some have said that the Pansonic glasses for 3D use are too expensive and they are right. But the Samsung 3D sets work on the same technology and their glasses can be bought for $20 each...we use them and they work great. Sound for the system is actually pretty good, but after some issues on the LG soundbar, we added the Bose Cine-mate system and man oh man...fabulous. The set may cost a tad more, but when we go back into the stores and see the other sets, we KNOW we made the right choice. By the way, the price guaranty program works...we received a $75 refund after finding a Best Buy competitor advertising the same model for that much less. Another great reason to stay with the Best Buy group.