Panasonic’s newest baby in the line of plasma TVs is the TC-PS1 series. Specific model numbers indicates the TV’s diagonal viewing length (e.g. TC-P50S1 is the 50-inch unit in the series). The series is the most inexpensive among all plasma displays offered by Panasonic this year. A unit may cost anywhere from $1,000 to $1,700 which is indeed low compared with other brands for this type of display.

Salient Qualities
One of the major selling points of the TC-P50S1 is its power consumption. During the actual testing of one unit, it was proven that the model indeed complied with the Energy Star requirements. How? Panasonic set its Standard picture quality to be less bright than what an average viewer would want to see on a screen.

A good reason to consider this Panasonic series is its shadow detail and black-levels. Those two picture qualities are worth noting for. The TC-P50S1 has excellent deep black level that it makes a dark scene look real. Even the shadow formations have lesser noise compared to other plasma displays. The deep black helps colors stand out more to compensate for the lack of color accuracy of this model.

Externally, the TC-P50S1 looks sleek and elegant with its glossy black finish. The design is generally similar to the previous Panasonic’s plasma TVs except that the edges of this new series are more rounded. Connectivity ports are just enough – 3 HDMI ports, RF, 2 composite-video ports and S-video. There is also a slot for an SD card which allows pictures saved in the card to be viewed on the big screen.

Less Amiable Features
For an average TV viewer, the TC-PS1 series would really make of a good buy for a plasma display as the picture quality is still above the normal LCD TV. However, a keen eye will notice the inaccuracy of the colors in this series. Though the colors stand out due to the very good black level, they are still not as vivid and stunning as should be expected.

That area could have been addressed if there were more color adjustment options. Unfortunately, there are only the basic features to modify – contrast, brightness, color, tint, and sharpness. Not much sophistication for those who are technical enough in these kinds of displays. This model also does not have picture-in-picture feature and the ability to lock a scene to jot down some information on the screen.

Despite these improvement opportunities, the Panasonic TC-P50S1 still is worth checking. The overall picture quality meets the plasma TV standards still with the advantage of low power consumption and a very competitive price (current pricing on Amazon for TC-P50S1 is $1,399.95 $1,069.00). After all, consumers are now more into long-term savings and practicality than just pure entertainment value.

As this is the most popular HDTV among our readers, you might consider
going to Amazon and buying Panasonic TC-P50S1 or reading user reviews there.