Panasonic PT-50DL54 50" Rear-Projection DLP HDTV

• 50-inch, widescreen, slim-chassis DLP (Digital Light Processing) projection television; 55.8 x 35.3 x 15.3 inches (W x H x D)
• 1,280 x 720 native pixel resolution; compatible with 480p, 720p, and full 1080i high-definition pictures
• Direct-digital HDMI input, 2 PC inputs, 3 each component-, composite-, and S-video inputs; front-panel jacks accommodate a camcorder or gaming device
• 2-tuner PIP with split-screen ability
• Offers SD Memory Card/PCMCIA Card slots and photo viewer; extensive video enhancements

The 16:9 widescreen PT-50DL54 displays HDTV input signal formats (1080i and 720p) as well as EDTV inputs (480p and 480i) when connected to an optional HDTV set-top box receiver, scaling 1080i images to suit its native 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution. The set uses Texas Instruments' HD2+ chip to attain a stunning contrast ratio of up to 2,500:1, rendering brilliant whites, deep blacks, and crisp, vivid color with great clarity.

The PT-50DL54 is surprisingly compact, is only 15.3 inches deep, and weighs just 87 pounds. An HDCP-protected HDMI interface permits the transfer of high-definition video and multichannel (surround-sound) audio over a single cable, which greatly simplifies the connection between the TV and source devices like set-top boxes, DVD players, and audio/video receivers. A pair of RGB PC inputs with XGA resolution display capability enable the set to serve as an ultra-high resolution PC monitor. The PT-50DL54 also offers 2-Tuner picture-in-picture with split-screen display capability so you can watch 2 programs at once or watch one while recording another.

DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology uses an optical semiconductor, known as the Digital Micromirror Device, or DMD chip to digitally manipulate light. The chip contains a rectangular array of up to 1.3 million microscopic mirrors, each of which measures less than 1/5 the width of a human hair. A DMD panel's micromirrors are mounted on tiny hinges that enable them to tilt either toward the light source (on) or away from it (off)--creating a light or dark pixel on the projection surface. The bit-streamed image code entering the semiconductor directs each mirror to switch on and off up to several thousand times per second, such that the mirrors can reflect pixels in up to 1,024 shades of gray.

The white light generated by the lamp passes through a color wheel as it travels to the surface of the DMD panel. The color wheel filters the light into red, green, and blue, from which a single-chip DLP projection system can create at least 16.7 million colors. The on and off states of each micromirror are coordinated with these three basic building blocks of color.

While some DLP-based monitors use conventional 7-segment color wheels, Panasonic uses a symmetrically designed 8-segment wheel, which significantly diminishes color-separation artifacts ("rainbow effect"), reduces flicker, and minimizes digital noise in dark areas of the picture.

Ten-bit A/D image processing boosts conventional grayscale gradations, producing 4 times as many shades of black and white as conventional sets. A pair of onboard NTSC tuners feature built-in progressive-scan converters that line-double conventional NTSC analog signals to 480p, enhancing the quality of today's standard TV broadcasts.

For audio, built-in surround-sound stereo speakers and BBE ViVA HD3D sound produce realistic, crystal-clear audio. BBE High Definition Sound System provides true linear phase correction and dynamic amplitude compensation, improving speech intelligibility and widening the dynamic range of musical passages.

Panasonic offers a newly redesigned optional matching floor stand, model TY-50DL54K, especially created to enhance the beauty of this display. Simple lines and open glass shelves give this stand a clean, sleek appearance which will complement any decor.