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Panasonic TH-50PHD6UY HDTV Plasma Screen TV

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• Please start by reading our review of the previous model - the Panasonic TH-42PWD5UY Plasma TV.
• Read Robert Wiley's review of the new Panasonic TH-42PWD6UY.

MODEL DIFFERENCES: TH-50PHD6UY vs. TH-50PHD5UY

The TH-50PHD6UY replaces the TH-50PHD6UY in October 2003 as the new model. The 6UY brings even greater improvements to Panasonic's industry-leading Plasma Display Technology.

a) Improved Real Black Drive System - achieves Exceptional Contrast Ratio greater than 3000:1 in Dark Environment
b) New Deep Black Filter on front glass
c) Picture in Picture, Picture by Picture and Picture out Picture
d) Super Real Gamma System - reproduces 1,536 shades of gradation
e) Mach Digital Contour Enhancer for improving picture sharpness without noise artifacts
f) Three interchangeable multi fuction slots expand input options
g) Dual picture display and 9 point digital zoom
h) CATS - Contast Auto Tracking System

The TH-50PHD6UY, Panasonic's newest high definition plasma display panel, offers the industry’s highest contrast and exceptional gradation and colorimetry, giving you the sharpest, most exciting images in a 50" high definition plasma monitor. New Features like an Advanced Real Black Drive System, flexible Picture-in-Picture Modes, and Super Real Gamma System combine to deliver the absolute cutting edge of plasma display innovation.

Major Improvements in Picture Quality

New Bounded Structure HD Panel
TH-50PHD6UY features a newly-developed Bounded Cell Structure panel in which wall-like ribs are used to wrap each individual cell. This dramatically improves both light-emitting efficiency and intensity.

New Real Black Drive System
Reduces black level even further and achieves industry's highest contrast ratio , greater than 3000:1

New Deep Black Front Glass Filter
Improves contrast ratio under lighting condition by 20% over previous models

Super Real Gamma System
All 6-series models reproduce 1,536 shades of gradation

10-Bit Digital Processing
All 6-series models reproduce 1,070 million colors

New Features

Front Button Menu Control
We added "menu" and "enter" button in front of the unit so that you can control all OSD functions without IR remote. Front button control can be disabled through IR-remote or serial control when needed.

Dual Picture Mode
You can display two different images at the same time. Any type of two signals can be combined and each image can be swapped in its position. The IR-remote has dedicated buttons for your easy control.

9-Point Digital Zoom
Simply select one portion of an image and you can enlarge it to two or three times normal size, and display it on the full screen.

Energy-Saving DPMS (Display Power Management Signaling)
Auto Power Off, Power Save Mode, C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System), etc. This model complies with Energy Star Program.

Multiple Screen Saver Functions
White Scroll Bar, Color Reversal, Side Blank Brightness Adjust (for 4:3 image), Wobbling (pixel shift) and White Peak Limit function

Multi-Function Slots and Optional Plug-in Boards In addition to the fixed input interface, the 6-series plasma models have multiple interchangeable slots. (3 slots for the 42 and 50-inch models and 2 slots for the 37-inch model) By adding or exchanging the optional plug-in terminal boards, you can customize your own I/O configuration.

Key features of the Panasonic TH-50PHD6UY High-Definition Plasma Monitor Include:

• Super Real Gamma System – Optimizes luminance gradation within a scene, providing far better reproduction of low-light elements and reproduces 1,536 shades of gradation
• New Phosphors & New Front Glass Filter – Greatly improves the color purity of blues and reds (also a weakness in conventional plasma displays) and improves contrast ratio under lighting condition by 80%.
• Bounded Cell Structure HD panel – Dramatically improves brightness level by more than 40%.
• 3:2 Pull-Down – Automatically detects a 3:2 film-based source, and then uses stillimage processing for each individual image to achieve clear, smooth-flowing images.
• C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System) – Automatically senses the ambient light conditions and adjusts the brightness and gradation accordingly. Provides the best possible picture contrast for each operating environment. This feature also helps reduce power consumption and minimize phosphor aging.
• Optional RGB Active-Through Terminal Board – Enables simple and easy connection when you set up a multi-screen display. (Available soon)
• Real Black Drive System – ensures correct black level to produce more natural pictures and acheives greater than 3000:1 contrast ratio
• Advanced Plasma AI (Automatic brightness Intensifier) – for 70% increase in peak brightness thus greater dynamic range and longer useful panel life (545cd/m2 panel brightness)
• Expanded H & V frequency range – fH: 15.6 - 110 kHz; fV: 24-120 Hz
• Expanded Computer and Video Signal Compatibility – 480i/p, 575i/p, 720p, 1080/60i, 1080/50i, 1080/24p/24sf
• 3 Dimensional Progressive Scan Processing – optimized interlace to progressive performance for clear and blur free moving pictures
• Optimized color balance – asymmetrical red, green and blue phosphor cell structure makes whiter, brighter whites and combined with a special color filter in the front panel makes it possible to deliver color accuracy to match the level of the HDTV broadcast standards
• Improved moving picture performance – reduces noise in movement and moving objects
• User friendly packaging – compact dimensions, only 3.9" thick, with a thin bezel and optional hardware make it easy to mount on the wall, place on a table, suspended from the ceiling or on a stand in the center of a room
• 10-bit Digital Processing - reproduces more than 1 billion colors
• Light weight (99 lbs.) with removable handles makes it relatively easy to handle and mount
• Low power consumption of 530 Watts (best for 1366 x 768 PDP)
• BNC connections for all video inputs (S-video on standard 4-pin din)
• Front Button Menu Control
• 3 Different Dual Picture Modes
• 9-Point Digital Zoom
• Various Energy Saving Functions
• Multiple Screen Saver Functions
• Multi-Function Slots and Optional Plug-In Boards.

Inputs

• Video Composite Input BNC coaxial x 1
• S-Video Input 4-pin S terminal x 1
• Audio Input (for Video) RCA phono type connectors (L,R) (1 set)
• Component/R,G,B Input BNC coaxial x 5 (R,G,B, H drive & V drive)
• Audio Input RCA phono type connectors (L,R) (1 set)
• RGB Input (PC) D-sub 15-pin x 1
• Audio Input (for PC) M3 stereo plug
• Serial (RS232C) Mini D-Sub 9-pin

Plasma Display Features

Real MACH System
The Real MACH System combines the MACH (Multi-facet Asymmetrical Configuration Hyper-pixel) panel, designed to unleash the flat display’s full potential, with the MACH Crystallizer, which optimizes the performance of display devices. Both panel and driver incorporate a wealth of Panasonic’s advanced picture-enhancing technologies. Integrated into a single powerful system, they synergistically team up to provide levels of gradation, contrast, and sharpness that best suit the way the human eye perceives. The result is a level of picture quality and image depth that makes for a truly breathtaking viewing experience.

MACH (Multi-facet Asymmetrical Configuration Hyper-pixel) Panel
The HD MACH panel features a bounded cell structure in which walllike ribs are used to wrap each individual cell. By increasing the area in which the phosphor can be applied, this dramatically improves both light-emitting efficiency and intensity. As a result, brightness is boosted by 40% compared with a previous Panasonic model. The HD MACH panel structure also helps improve contrast. That’s one of the reasons why Panasonic plasma TVs can deliver remarkably bright, easy-to-see images even in bright lighting.

Deep Black Filter
The front protective glass of the MACH Panel incorporates a new Deep Black Filter that suppresses light transmittance and slashes the amount of external light reflected. This helps our display achieve the industry’s highest level of contrast, and twice as high as our previous model.

Asymmetrical Cell Structure
The MACH Panel uses an asymmetrical cell structure in which the pitch of the red, green and blue cells varies. By improving the lightemitting balance of the three primary colors, this helps deliver extremely pure whites while maintaining superior brightness.

New Real Black Drive System
We’ve also improved our acclaimed Real Black Drive System. By reducing the pre-discharge emission when reproducing black, the New Real Black Drive System provides deeper, richer blacks and a stunning 3000:1 contrast*. The result is dramatically enhanced image clarity and realism.

Super Real Gamma System
In scenes with low brightness levels, the Super Real Gamma System reproduces gradation in steps equivalent to 1,536* shades. In other words, this original, non-linear signal processing system provides superior performance at the brightness levels where the human eye sees best. As a result, it adds subtle nuances to darker scenes and gives images greater depth. Panasonic’s acclaimed Plasma AI function is also provided. This function analyzes scenes and automatically adjusts peak brightness according to the brightness of the image.

MACH Enhancer
The MACH Enhancer is an original Panasonic contour-emphasis signal processing technology. Drawing on the Mach effect, this technology enhances an object’s contours in a way that best suits the way the human eye perceives objects. Noise is minimal, so you get a more natural-looking image with clear details and impressive depth.

3:2 Pulldown
The 3:2 Pulldown technology automatically detects a 3:2 film-based source, then uses still-image processing for each individual image to achieve clear, smooth-flowing images with a level of detail that closely approaches that of the original film. * Works with 480i and NTSC format signals.

Advanced 3-Dimensional Progressive Scan
The 3-Dimensional Progressive Scan greatly boosts the precision of the progressive scan conversion. This eliminates flicker in still images and minimizes jagged diagonal edges in moving pictures, resulting in crisp, natural edges and greatly improved resolution. Panasonic Plasma Displays reproduce all input signals in the progressive format, virtually eliminating the line flicker that can occur when displaying in the interlace scan format.

Usability Features

Dual Pictures
You can simultaneously display images from any two different kinds of AV sources connected. Or, adding one of the optional terminal boards lets you display images from two of the same type of image source, such as two PCs or two DVD players an industry first. This new function lets you take full advantage of the plasma display’s large screen.

• Picture-Out-Picture: displays a small picture on the right side of the screen.
• Picture-And-Picture: splits the screen in half and shows different pictures on each half.
• Picture-In-Picture: superimposes a small subscreen picture over a fullscreen picture.

9-Point Digital Zoom
This function divides the screen into nine zones (or points) and lets you enlarge the image in any one zone to two or three times in each direction and display it on the full screen. Use this function, which is easy to operate with the remote control, to give your presentation greater impact.

Image-Enlarging Function for Multi-Screen Applications
The built-in image-enlarging function makes it easier to set up multiscreen displays featuring four (2 x 2) or nine (3 x 3) units. For example, with nine 50-inch displays you can configure a huge display equivalent to 150 inches by simply connecting ordinary cables. That’s the kind of display that catches eyes at shopping malls and event sites. This function works with component video signals, so you can use enlarged images from DVD and other high-quality sources in your display.

* The image-enlarging function operates on video signal and on PC/RGB signal up to XGA mode. However, a normal display may not be obtained with some PC/RGB signals.

Vertical Mounting
Panasonic plasma display can be positioned vertically to display portrait images and can serve as an effective storefront electronic signboard. The TH-42PHD6/50PHD6 can be set up vertically when a dedicated fan is installed.

Fan Kit for Vertical Mounting Applications

• TY-UPK50HV6 (for TH-50PHD6)
• TY-UPK42HV6 (for TH-42PHD6)

Enhanced Screen Saver Functions
A variety of screen saver functions help minimize the risk of uneven phosphor aging. You can also use the timer to set the screen saver operating cycles, operating time, and start and stop times. This lets you make settings that match your application.

• White Bar Scroll: White bars move across the screen from left to right at regular intervals. Good for ordinary still-image displays.
• Screen Reversal: Displays images with the black and white reversed. Good for text displays.
• Side Panel Adjustment: Brightens the black bands on the sides of the screen when displaying images in the 4:3 format.
• Wobbling: Shifts the image’s position by several pixels at fixed time intervals.
• Peak Limit Mode: Lowers the peak brightness level (image contrast) by 30%.

Long-Life Panel
Panasonic plasma display panels boast a long service life of approximately 60,000 hours. The time until panel brightness is reduced to half its initial level. However, this time varies depending on the content of the images displayed and the usage environment. Displaying a single still image for long periods should be avoided because it can cause the image to be burnt onto the screen, leaving a permanent afterimage. (The service life given above is intended as a guideline when displaying standard moving images.)

Energy-Saving Functions
A broad range of environment-friendly functions help minimize energy consumption.

• Plasma C.A.T.S. (Contrast Automatic Tracking System): Plasma C.A.T.S. automatically senses the ambient light conditions and adjusts the brightness and gradation accordingly, to provide the best possible picture contrast for each operating environment. This feature helps reduce power consumption and minimize the risk of uneven phosphor aging.
• DPMS (Display Power Management Signaling): Power is automatically turned on or off in response to a sync signal from the PC connected to the built-in PC input terminal.
• Auto Power Off
  When you’re using a device connected to the multi-function slots, the display panel goes into standby mode after about 10 minutes if no sync signal is received.
• Power Save Mode: Reduces the display’s brightness.
• Standby Power Save Mode: Reduces power consumption when on standby. (Start-up may take a few moments once the display is in this mode.)

Front Button Control
The five buttons on the front bezel give you instant access to all major functions via an easy-to-read on-screen menu display.

Specifications

DISPLAY
Screen Size	50" diagonal
Screen Aspect	16:9
Displayable Colors	16.77 million colors
Contrast Ratio	3000:1
Brightness	5454 cd/m2
Pixel Pitch	0.81 mm x 0.81 mm
hSync	15 - 110 kHz
vSync	48 - 120 Hz
Color System	NTSC, PAL, PAL 60Hz, SECAM, M-NTSC
Data Signals	VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA, UXGA
TV Scan Lines	480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i
GENERAL
Power Supply	100-120V @ 50-60Hz
Dimensions	47.60" x 28.50" x 3.70"
Weight	97.00 lbs.
FCC Class	FCC Class A, Commercial Use

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