Panasonic's 103-incher now available for pre-order

Oh goodie, Panasonic's 103-inch plasma just went up for pre-order in the US of The Fonz (get it, "Aaaaa"). Sure, the TH-103PF9UK's gonna cost ya, but you'll have it just in time to kick it with Bing as he croons his way around in those snappy yuletide sweaters at full, 1080p HD resolution. Well, almost. See, that massive 95.0 × 55.9 × 5.0-inch (2,414 × 1,421 × 127.5-mm) frame sports just one UXGA-capable DVI-D input, one component video in, and a couple of D-sub 15 and D-sub9 RS-232C jacks for your PC. That's right, for $69,999.95, you get 1600 x 1200 resolution out of the box. If you want to see this thing perform at that 1920 x 1080 resolution so often touted, then you'll have to drop even more cash for the optional HD-SDI expansion board. Hell, while you're at it, you'd best take their advice and pony-up for the professional installation -- 'cause at 474-pounds (215Kg) nobody wants to see a flat Santa.

[heath @ Sep 1st 2006 9:34AM]

what a great tv, and for me it hits that sweet spot in pricing at under $70,000.00...

[Ed B @ Sep 1st 2006 9:49AM]

Wonder how much JUICE (Watts) it sucks?

[Jay @ Sep 1st 2006 9:59AM]

The TH-103PF9UK will available before Christmas of this year and requires professional installation due to its weight and size.

[Bahman @ Sep 1st 2006 10:38AM]

I could buy a (small) house for that much!!!

Hmm, small house or large TV?
Think I'll go with the TV.

[Perrey Z. @ Sep 1st 2006 10:48AM]

Ed B: 1,500-Watts.

Jay: umm... we all knew that piece of information since it's introduction last month.

This might be a cool display for a dedicated home theater room but there are to many cons about the purchase of this unit;

#1 The price., $50,000 would had been a better price. or at last offer some incentives like a free installation and stand if Panasonic wants people to drop that much money for it.

#2 The finish. Matte Black for $69,999.95? i don't think so. For that much money it better come in Glossy Jet {Piano} Black.

#3 The stand is optional who know how much ca$h Would that piece of plastic will cost. But taking in consideration the table stand for the 65" cost $900.00, I'm assuming this puppy might be in the $1,500-$2,000 price range.

#4 At 475-LBS. You Won't be able to mount it on the wall because there's no way the current 2 X 4 wood studs found on most households will support this much weight.

#5 Professional "Installation" IS required or should i say mandatory. I don't like that. this is another way for someone else in addition to the dealer to rip you off even further. Setting a TV on a TV Stand is not installing, but setting it. Sorry, I'm not a fan of A/V installers and their vocabulary use by them to take your money.

#6 This will be offered directly thru **coughs** (ripoff) overprice A/V dealers like Tweeter/Sound Advice and Magnolia HiFi, this mean NO discount so save your self from humiliation when asking for it because as you might know it won't happen unless you purchase the useless extended warranty and the so-called "installation" service.

[hestermofet @ Sep 1st 2006 12:03PM]

Wouldn't the warranty be worth it, though? For a normal product, fine, just replace it, but imagine having to replace a $70 000 item! It would be like driving a car without insurance.

Also, plasma displays don't draw continual powers, unlike LCDs. It's rated at 1500W, but you'll only be drawing that amount if ever single pixel is showing the brightest white. If there is any dark shades at all in the picture, you'll see a drastic reducting in power consumption.

[joe @ Sep 1st 2006 12:08PM]

these are hand built, retail is something like 57,000-60,000. wayyyyy too much spent on a tv. it seems nbc has preordered the first two for football tonight

[captainjaroslav @ Sep 1st 2006 12:10PM]

Bahman, I have a small house (750sf) in the DC area and it cost a lot more than that! You must live somewhere cheap. Either way, not only would that thing barely fit in my house, I'd have to knock down an exterior wall and sit outside just to get far enough away to make that thing watchable.

Perrey Z., thanks for all the information, but as someone who knows more about carpentry than electronics, I have to take issue with one point. 2x4 studs shouldn't have a problem holding that thing up if it's done well and your house is well built, especially if you spread the load across all five of the studs (standard 18" spacing across the 95" length of the TV) that would be behind it. Wood is a lot stronger than many people think. Now, whether or not it would meet code, I have no idea.

[Ladderless @ Sep 1st 2006 12:16PM]

Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't this being billed as a professional monitor?

I thought that they were targeting the hospitality industry. This price and the installation issues shouldn't preclude it from that many of the target customers.

[Whatsizface @ Sep 1st 2006 12:41PM]

I'll be able to heat my house with it too!

Niiiice!

[pets lover @ Sep 3rd 2006 5:17AM]

I need to work 4 years, so I can buy this TV ..lol

[skon @ Sep 5th 2006 1:56AM]

Several have comented that at $70,000 it costs as much as a house and some have comented you can't hardly find a house for that much... well in the part of Idaho I live in you can get a 3,500 sqft house with 2 acres for that much. I can't imagine paying that for a house let alone a TV. I've got a 1400 sqft house built in the 1980's on a 1/2 acre and a new to the area buyer I paid $34,080 for it 8 years ago. All my freind here think I got ripped off. I wonder what they would think if I bought this TV? LOL $70k for a TV??? It would be cheaper for me to pay $2.50 and go to the theater every night. And the screen would be bigger.

[Grant @ Sep 5th 2006 11:57AM]

Yeahhhhh, skon. Well, for what it's worth, I hope you plan on staying in that house for quite some time and never relocating to a larger city, because I'm pretty sure $34k wouldn't even get you rent for a year in the five biggest cities.

Of course, for the $375k I just paid for a home here in Phoenix, I also have the benefit of living near high-paying jobs, developed commercial areas, shopping facilities, and professional sporting events. But those are just what I consider important.

For the record, though, if you're only paying $2.50 to see a movie, I hope to heck it's a good one. At those prices, it's unlikely your theater has more than two screens, and even that may be pushing it.

[Evbo @ Sep 5th 2006 2:35PM]

Hey Skon -- nice score. $34K for a house. Awesome. And 1/2 acre!

I live in NYC. You could rent a studio or small 1-br. apt. here for around that much per year ($2800+/month).

I'll bet crystal meth is cheaper there than it is here, too. Some folks have all the luck.