Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ800U

Though reviews of the 46-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ800U are limited, CNet's report on the larger 50-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-50PZ800U TV is richly detailed and well-balanced. The site adds that the TH-46PZ800U should perform similarly. There's also a detailed thread covering the entire PZ800U series at AVSForum.com. The discussion is long and sometimes meandering, but it provides some great insights.

Though more expensive than many competing plasma TVs, early professional reports say that Panasonic's PZ800U plasma TVs - including the 46-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ800U - deliver some of the best images of any TV available today. This set is noteworthy for earning THX Display certification and including a calibrated THX Movie Mode that automatically adjusts critical picture settings to deliver a movie theater-level viewing experience at home. Reports add that colors among the most accurate of any display using any technology, and black levels that are nearly the deepest available, combine to produce first-class images. If you want a 46-inch screen, but are on a tighter budget, the Panasonic VIERA TH-46PZ85U (*est. $1,640) bears consideration. Picture quality is a notch below, despite black levels that are just about as good, but the price tag is considerably smaller. Currently, Panasonic is the only manufacturer producing 46-inch plasma TVs, though there are many LCD TVs in this screen size. If a 46-inch screen is not a priority, the PZ800U series also includes the 42-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-42PZ800U (*est. $1,830) and the 50-inch Panasonic VIERA TH-50PZ800U (*est. $2,385).