Panasonic PT-50LC13 50-Inch TheaterWide HDTV-Ready Projection

Product Review

The slim-body PT-50LC13 liquid-crystal projection TV offers a perfectly flat, 50-inch display in a widescreen (16:9) dimension that's perfect for viewing DVDs in their native aspect ratios. The high-definition-ready set is equipped with a total of 13 different inputs, including four component-video inputs, a DVI digital video input for a direct digital connection with a DTV set-top box, and two PC inputs (capable of VGA, SVGA, or compressed XGA resolution). A handy PCMCIA/SD Memory Card slot lets you hook up your computer for viewing a digital photo slide show.

The set offers a native resolution of 1,280 x 720 alongside high, 400 cd/m2 brightness ensures vivid, exacting images from DVD players and other devices. What's more, Panasonic's Progressive Scan Doubler will upconvert standard interlaced (nonprogressive) broadcast and auxiliary signals to flicker-free, 480p resolution.

The PT-50LCL13 is considerably less bulky than most rear-projection televisions and consumes less energy. Further, LCD displays don't suffer from misconvergence or flicker, like their CRT counterparts. The Panasonic multimedia display incorporates thin-film transistor (TFT) technology, also known as active matrix, to improve color reproduction, eliminate ghosting, and boost response speed. TFT technology also helps achieve an extraordinary brightness level of 700 to 800 cd/m2.

Two-tuner picture-in-picture with split-screen display lets you view two programs at once by dividing the screen in half down the middle. Each program is shown at full height, with one program on the left side and the other on the right. Eight-bit PIP image processing provides 256 levels of gray from black to white in the inset picture for finer image detail.

Movie sources get their due with Panasonic's 3:2 pulldown feature, Progressive Cinema Scan. This enhancement compensates for motion artifacts that sometimes result from the telecine process that's used to convert film's 24-frames-per-second to an NTSC-friendly 60 frames per second. Other picture-enhancing features include horizontal and vertical edge correction and a motion-adaptive 3D Y/C digital comb filter, which eliminates "hanging dots" and color rainbow effects in closely spaced patterns.

What's in the Box
TV, remote control, remote batteries, and user's manual.

Product Features

50-inch, slim-body LCD projection TV with widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio; 55.8 x 35.3 x 15.3 inches (W x H x D)
1,280 x 720 native resolution; HD-ready with support for 480i, 480p, 720p, and full 1080i resolution
Progressive Scan Doubling enhances standard interlaced signals and renders them in seamless, flicker-free 480p
PCMCIA/SD Memory Card lets you view digital photo slideshows right on your big-screen TV
2-tuner picture in picture, 13 video inputs, including 1 DVI digital-video input and 4 component-video inputs

Accessories

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

(51 customer reviews)

83 of 86 people found the following review helpful

Sleek, lot cheaper than a 50" plasma and performs better, November 25, 2003

curiousmetoo "curiousmetoo" (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic PT-50LC13 50-Inch TheaterWide HDTV-Ready Projection LCD TV (Electronics)

Having researched a lot of HDTVs including DLP, Plasma etc., the Panasonic PT-50LC13 represents the best out of the lot out there!
Both from a quality and price perspective, it represents a great buy - purchased mine from Circuit City for $3000 and was delivered the next day (would NOT recommend buying from an online retailer even if it is $300 - $500 cheaper, since LCD TVs can have some bad pixels sometimes - this is a lot easier to exchange at your local supplier vs. dealing direct with Panasonic! Most online retailers - you canNOT do the exchange with them and have to deal with the manufacturer).
The TV itself is quite stunning to look at - a lot better than the Sony WEGA LCD which looks quite terrible at the base and the sony does not have RGB input either. It is a whole lot cheaper than a 50" plasma tv and does not suffer from the same problems as a plasma tv does.
Very easy to handle (compared to a regular CRT or projection or even a Plasma).
The depth is...Read more

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Ditto, December 24, 2003

Fortune 100 - General Manager - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic PT-50LC13 50-Inch TheaterWide HDTV-Ready Projection LCD TV (Electronics)

I searched all over the web for reviews in considering the Sony and Panasonic 50" LCD's. It's seemed like Sony had a manufacturing problem with theirs, so I turned to the Panasonic. I was (and still am) concerned about the quality of the signal from my dish (Directv)as it is far inferior to the DVD, but found that if I just do as everyone said....Cinema mode, adjust the colors....it is at least okay. We turn it to the 4:3 mode with the bars on the side. I think it is, by far, the best mode to watch regular tv. Oh, and I do have an s video cable. You really do need to sit 7-10 feet away from the set or else it's really not very good. If we had a tight room, I might have gone with a 36" tv. I would say that if you plan on buying this to watch Friends and the like and do not have HDTV, you will be disappointed until HDTV catches up with us.Watching movies on this is what I bought it for and it is incredible for that. INCREDIBLE!!! We watched Seabiscuit and Finding Nemo on...Read more

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

Beware the hidden costs...replacing expensive bulbs frequently, October 17, 2005

Jose Farmer "digital artist" (TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic PT-50LC13 50-Inch TheaterWide HDTV-Ready Projection LCD TV (Electronics)

The TV is very nice but if you want one be prepared to replace the very expensive bulbs frequently. I believe the company has completely overstated the rated life of the bulbs. They claim an average of 10,000 hours, but from my own experience, and from what I've read on the net, the reality is more likely 1,000-2,000 hours. Do the math and you'll see that this set is a very poor choice overall.

I normally don't review products, but I thought that in this case if I could prevent one poor, unsuspecting buyer from making a bad choice, it would be worth the effort.