A few short years ago, 42-inches was about the only size possible for a plasma HDTV set; today, these are considered the introductory size. Yet there are still plenty of potential viewers who would consider these sets to be "large." Of course, other than a very few limited models, there are few options for going smaller than 42-inches with a plasma set. As one of the leaders in the plasma HDTV category, Panasonic opts to remain faithful to this standard--although the company does have a number of LCD models in smaller sizes.

That said, the Panasonic TH-42PZ800U is about as top-of-the-line as it gets from Panasonic this year in this size, given that the step up PZ850U line won't feature a 42-inch model, although a 46-inch model will be released this summer. (It bears mentioning that rival Pioneer doesn't have a new 42-inch model with its new line-up of Kuro panels, so this does limit the playing field for those looking for a high-end model in this size.)

If you're looking for a step up, you likely know that this 42-inch model is also not the most affordable set on the block either. However, it does come with some premium features, including four HDMI 1.3 inputs, GalleryPlayer, THX Mode, and VIERA Link HDAVI control so you can take charge of your other A/V devices with the TV's remote.

The TH-42PZ800U is a sharp looking set with a thin black bezel. It is a full HD 1080p set, and can thus can handle 1080i and 1080p content and fill every pixel accordingly, while 720p HD content is upscaled accordingly. It does an adequate job handling standard definition content as well. The colors are very lifelike, and we found that this set has very deep black levels as well--while not quite as deep as the Pioneer models, we were nonetheless very impressed.

And while plasma has never been the first choice for rooms with a lot of ambient light, we found that this year's models from Panasonic, including the TH-42PZ800U, can actually handle it much better than most. The 42-inch model features an anti-reflective coating that reduces glare from light, including indirect sunlight. Although we still found the HDTV to perform better in a room with minimal lighting, you can expect a reasonably good picture even with a reasonable amount of ambient light. The PZ800U line further features numerous color enhancements and multiple adjustments for those looking to customize the set to meet their room conditions, though there are a few less than expected. If you're not the sort to tweak endlessly you might not even notice, but those who continually adjust the various settings may be left a little disappointed by the picture adjustments this model has to offer.

Fortunately, we were very pleased with how the TH-42PZ800U addressed the bigger concern of burn-in. With this set static image retention (or "burn-in) is mostly a thing of the past thanks to the robust image retention protection, which includes a white wash option that works as a screen eraser to get rid of any slight retained image, as well as a pixel orbiter reduces the likelihood of burn-in from occurring.

On the A/V connectivity front, we were very pleased that no corners were cut with the 42-inch model, as sometimes occurs with small sets. The TH-42PZ800U features a total of four HDMI inputs, including an input on the front. Additionally, this 42-inch set has an ample supply of connections, including dual component video inputs at the back of the panel, two S-Video inputs (one front, one back), two composite inputs (one front, one back) and even PC RGB inputs and an optical digital audio output. As with the rest of the PZ800U line, the TH-42PZ800U features an SD card slot for viewing of digital photos, and it is compatible with the Panasonic GalleryPlayer, where images and video can be downloaded (by purchase) and played on the set. With this feature, you can quickly transform this HDTV into your own private art gallery for those times when watching TV or even a movie isn't so practical, but you still want to show off the great color and black levels.

About the only remaining complaints are that this model, as with most of Panasonic's line-up, doesn't feature a headphone jack. This is something we'd like to see more manufacturers include. Secondly, while this model includes four built-in speakers with a total system power of 30 watts, we still feel that this is a tad underpowered for even a set of this size. Movies or any true HD content deserves big sound, and a dedicated surround system is recommended. However, the speakers will be fully adequate for those times when the full-blown cinematic experience isn't actually required. With the numerous advanced features, the Panasonic TH-42PZ800U isn't the most affordable 42-inch set on the block, but it could well be among the very best models this summer.

Pros: Good anti-glare screen, good black levels, built-in gallery player, four HDMI inputs
Cons: Expensive, weak native speakers

Warranty
1 year, limited