Panasonic 1080p Plasmas Ship July

Panasonic has already announced its new 1080p plasma display, however it now is official that they will release the first model, the 42-inch 1080p TH-42PZ700U in early July. The sets will sell at a $2,499 suggested retail price.

The 42-inch 1080p model is part of the company’s 700 Series line, which also includes 50-, 58-, 65-inch and the oft-seen-at-conventions-but-never-in-homes 103-inch models.

Dennis Eppel, Panasonic display VP was quoted at twice.com as saying “This year’s buzz word with consumers looking for flat-panel HDTVs is most definitely 1080p. We listened to our consumers and they want choices when it comes to 1080p. The arrival of our 42-inch 1080p model gives consumers what they want — the widest range of 1080p screen sizes combined with the undeniable power of Panasonic plasma.”

The displays are native 1920 by 1080p and include two HDMI inputs, plus Panasonic's EZ Sync home theater system control for linking compatible Panasonic products together. An SD/SDHC/miniSD card slot is also present to allow users to display digital photos on the screen.

We're requesting a review sample, so hopefully we'll be able to bring you a closer look very soon.