Panasonic TH-58PX60U 58-Inch Plasma HDTV
Featuring Panasonic’s 9th generation gas-plasma screen, the 58-inch TH-58PX60U features a width-to-height 16:9 aspect ratio similar to movie theater screens, providing a theater-like experience at home. Its maximum of 29 billion colors and over 3,000 shades of gradation provide exceptionally fine detail for outstanding HDTV reproduction. The set’s built-in ATSC (DTV) tuner pulls HD signals (480p/720p/1080i) right from the airwaves, and its QAM tuner is fully compatible with unscrambled HDTV cable reception. A standard analog NTSC tuner receives standard-definition (SD) programming. It also includes a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot, enabling you to take an SD card directly from a digital still camera or camcorder and insert it directly into the TV for quick and colorful photo slideshows.
A plasma screen renders vivid colors like you’ve never seen before (as in, up to 29 billion in this case), extremely wide viewing angles (wider, even, than those of most LCD screens), and easy placement due to a plasma monitor’s slim profile–the TH-42PX60U is a mere 3.7 inches deep, one of the slimmest plasmas around–perfect for desk or wall mounting. Brightness tends to be extremely uniform across plasma screens, which are also impervious to the picture distortion and negative color balances that afflict CRT monitors when placed near lighting or sound systems.
The TH-58PX60U features a 1024 x 768-pixel resolution and an amazing contrast ratio of 10000:1. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a TV’s ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.) The 3D Y/C digital comb filter constantly analyzes the three dimensions of picture height, picture width, and picture changes-over-time, to reduce dramatically edge image artifacts while improving transition detail. Other features include V-Chip parental controls, on/off sleep timers, closed-caption decoding, aspect ratio control, and video input labeling.
The TV’s internal stereo speakers are powered by 10 watts per channel (for 20 watts of total power). It features the following connection options:
- Component (Y/Pb/Pr): 2 inputs (with 2 audio inputs)
- HDMI: 2 inputs
- Composite (RCA audio/video): 3 inputs (1 on the front), 1 output
- S-Video: 3 inputs (1 on the front)
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface to link any AV source with an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV). HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio–all using a single cable.
If a component doesn’t have an HDMI connection, you’ll also get great picture reproduction using the three-jack component video (Y/Pb/Pr) input, which provides separate connections for luminance (Y), blue color difference (PB) and red color difference (PR). This results in increased bandwidth for color information, resulting in a more accurate picture with clearer color reproduction and less bleeding than you would get with S-Video or composite (RCA yellow video plug) connections. Component video output is available only for DVD playback.
What’s in the Box
Plasma TV, remote control (with batteries), pedestal base, power cord, printed operating instructions
Customer Review: 1 Year and still happy
This has been a great TV. While heavy during installation, there hasn’t been any need to move it around after that, as there have been no defects. The only downside is the resolution for the size. While the HDTV experience is awesome, well, as good as it can when not displayed in 1080i/p, you will notice color blending when watching some of the older shows due to the size of this television. Burn-in happens quickly, so don’t have Bloomberg on for more than 2 hours otherwise the stock ticker won’t go away for 24 hours. So with all that said, I would purchase this unit again, especially now, given its price. This was my second Panasonic plasma purchase and since LCDs are getting cheaper, it will probably be my last plasma. So with all this said, be the envy of all your friends, and don’t forget, superbowl is only 4 months away and the grass is always greener on a BIG HDTV.
Customer Review: 1337 to t3h m4x
We got this TV about a month ago from Costco. Yeah, it blew my mind. We put it on a wall mount above our fireplace. We’re still using the regular coax cable, but we still get 7 channels in HD, which by the way look uber. My xbox 360 looks pretty phenomenal in HD. The main reason we bought it was because of the price. $2300 for a 58″ Panasonic? A damn good deal (even if it is last year’s model…The newer models have VGA and 1080P, but I honestly can’t tell too much of a difference between 1080i/720p and 1080p).
Up until a few years ago, it was almost impossible for the average person to afford a digital laser rangefinder of any kind; the fact that they were also unreliable didn’t help either. Now with the advancements of newer technologies, and cheaper costs, DLR’s have come down quite a bit in price over the past few years. The Bosch DLR165K is also a lot cheaper then most other DLR’s because it is capable of about half the distance range. This for most people is a great thing, because who really needs to measure more then 165 feet? If you do need more distance, you are looking to pay about double the price, for double the distance.
Features:
- Pocket-Sized Only 4″ tall
- Four Measuring Reference Points – Back, front, swing out extension pin for measuring from inside corners or channels, or center of optional tripod
- Three Measurement Systems – Feet and inches, decimal feet, and metric
- Length, Area and Volume Measuring Capability -
- Continuous Measurement Mode – Measurement automatically adjusts when walking-off distances
- Continuous Laser Mode – Reduces the number of key strokes when making rapid sequence of measurements
- Indirect Length Measurement Mode – Calculates inaccessible distances that cannot be measured directly due to obstruction or lack of reflecting surface using Pythagorean theorem (a2 + b2= c2)
- Ergonomic Soft-Grip Area – For sure grip and comfort
Includes:
- AAA Batteries (4)
- Hand strap – 1 609 203 R97
- Case with Belt Loop – 1 609 203 U10
Specifications:
- Battery Life: Approximately 30,000 Individual Measurements
- Country of Origin: Switzerland or Romania
- Dimensions: 4″ x 2-15/16″ x 1-1/4″ (100 mm x 68 mm x 32 mm)
- Laser Class: 2
- Laser Diode: 635 nm, < 1mW
- Measuring Accuracy, Typ: +/- 1/16″ (1.5 mm)
- Measuring Range: 2″ – 165′
- Measuring Time, Max: 4 sec.
- Measuring Time, Typ: < 0.5 sec
- Power: 4 AAA Batteries
The Box:
As you can see, the box is nothing special, and it really doesn’t need to be. If you are buying this from a store, they most likely either have the boxes locked up, or in the back of the store, and they will have a display model available. The display model has much more information then the back of the box, and in some cases a demo unit. My local store had a full demo unit with a simple instruction guide on the basics of the Bosch Digital Laser Rangefinder.
Your precious new toy is safely packed in its case inside the box, and also includes 4 AAA batteries, and wrist strap. The case also features a hook & loop belt loop, so you can carry around with you. You can also see a good size comparison with the batteries. Inside the box below the DLR are the instructions, and registration card.
A Closer Look:
The controls on the DLR165K are so simple you don’t really even need to read the instructions. I have had this unit of a few weeks now, and I haven’t read them yet. Basically just looking at the icons and pushing the buttons, you can figure out everything.
A Big Red button in the middle is for turning the unit on, and for capturing a measurement. From left to right, the first button is for measuring area, or volume. Next is for measuring length, or continuous measuring. Meaning, the DLR will update the measurement while the length is changing. This would be handy if you need to position yourself at a certain point. Think of the movie The Italian Job, where they are trying to position themselves X amount of feet from the walls to end up exactly below the safe. The top right button is for change the point from which the unit measures from; either from the front edge, the back edge, the point of the extension pin, or the tripod hole. The next line is for adding and subtracting measurements. The Bottom left button is for clearing measurement. The middle is used to turn the unit on and off. The last bottom right key is used to change the measuring unit to Meters, Foot decimals, or Foot inches. Sadly there is no Inch only option.
Looking at the back of the unit you will find a red switch to release the extension pin. The extension pin is needed when measuring from within a corner, or other tight spots. You will then need to set the unit to measure from the pin.
On the front of the unit you can see where the DLR emits the laser, and reads the distance. WARNING: Don’t try to measure the distance to your co-workers eyes. It also has a flat area on the front, so when you measure from the front, you have a nice flat surface to measure from.
The Test:
When I first brought the DLR165K home, I took it all around the house and tested it against my tape measurer. It was spot on every time. For the real test I took it to work and used it to measure pre-finished Oak baseboard I was going to install around a custom Oak TV cabinet. There was absolutely zero room for error. It had 6 outside corners, and 4 inside corners, and varying sizes. Again it was spot on every time, I only had to re-cut one piece, and that was because of human error. I accidentally wrote down 3/16″ when the cut was 13/16″. All throughout this job, I have been putting it to the test, and it has come through every time. The only thing I haven’t tested it on is really log distances. I don’t even know how I would test it. I figure this has to be more accurate then counting paces or using a wheel.
What I dislike about this unit is the fact that it doesn’t measure in running inches it only does foot inches. This is not a huge thing, but something that is annoying to someone like a finish carpenter that measures in only inches. Another thing is the shape of the unit. I would have preferred if the unit consisted of entirely square edges, and corners. It is designed for ergonomics, but makes it a tad harder measure against certain objects.
Pros: So easy to use, you don’t need the instructions. Very accurate.
Cons: Doesn’t measure in running inches. Non-square sides and corners.
Conclusion:
So is it worth the price? In my opinion yes. I would buy this again. It is very simple to use, just be sure to remember where the unit is measuring. You don’t want to measure from the back, thinking you are measuring from the front. It is a great price to foot ratio, and a good investment.
Bosch, take note. The on your next version add running inches, and squarer edges. I think what would be ideal is square edges, with slightly clipped corners.
Overall rating 4.8
Function 4.0
Accuracy 5.0
Quality 5.0
Value 5.0
Comfort 5.0
Review your Bosch DLR165K here.
Chris R. is editor of http://tool-rank.com It is a community based power tool review site, with message boards, and tool blog with all the latest must have cool tools. Find the best rated tools for your needs, and review the ones you love and hate. Don’t let bad tools go to good people.
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