Panasonic's plasma half-brightness rating upped to 100,000 hours

Most of the time you're probably just sitting around, staring at your plasma television and wondering how much longer you have till the thing starts going dim on you. Well luckily, Panasonic is seriously feeling your pain, and the company has just upped the half-brightness rating of a whole slew of its new plasma screens to 100,000 hours -- a nearly 67 percent increase in lifespan. This means that longevity for the TVs jumps from 25 years for the current line, to 42 years for the new batch -- not an insubstantial figure. The models mentioned in the company's press release are the TH-42PZ700U, TH-50PZ700U, TH-58PZ700U, TH-50PZ750U, and TH-58PZ750U which you may have already seen when we spotted them back in March, but Panasonic has added another screen to the mix, the TH-65PZ750U: a 65-inch, 1080p monster which the electronics-maker says will be available sometime in September.

[Mitch @ Aug 8th 2007 7:34PM]

It will be bright enough for me to see that it won't interface with anything in 42 years.

[frosty @ Aug 12th 2007 12:57AM]

oh thats gay I literally JUST bout the 50incher 2 days ago, I wonder when these will start to come out

[Peter @ Aug 8th 2007 2:14PM]

Is anyone even going to keep an HDTV for 42 YEARS? Won't there be like 3D/4D stuff with like 1,000,000p resolution for less than current models?

[Jonathan Keim @ Aug 8th 2007 2:17PM]

Exactly what I was thinking... I'd rather have better contrast ratio, etc. until we match CTRs

[sldkjf @ Aug 12th 2007 11:31PM]

the better question is: is anyone going to tolerate watching a screen that is 50% as bright as when they bought it? instead, how long, in hours/years, before a screen gets irritatingly dim, prompting you to throw your plasma in the trash and buy an LED LCD, or hopefully a SED?

[nih @ Aug 8th 2007 2:42PM]

It doesn't seem unreasonable, although what sort of broadcasting will be going on in the factoryless madmaxian apocalypse of the future boggles the mind.

One things for sure, they'd better start building things to last or that thunderdome channel is going to look very boring.

[Chuckles McGee @ Aug 8th 2007 5:01PM]

How many electronic components from 25 years ago (1982)would you actually want to have around today for anything more than nostalgia? We're rapidly advancing, and Engadget's proof positive that there's always something better heading towards shelves. The quality of this set compared to that of 2020,2040 is going to be mediocre at best.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Aug 9th 2007 12:30AM]

actually the whole 42 / 25 year thing is based on 4 hours a day everyday i believe..... samsung did a study like this for their lcds .Sadly i must know this because working in circuit city sellin the flat panels , i usually have to use these stupid studies for people who cant live without their 24 hour ball licking shows. ( i really dislike television but must work with them :( )

[tobin92 @ Aug 8th 2007 8:02PM]

I agree, This will last you like 50 years if you watch TV 5 hours or 11 years if you watch TV 24 hours a day.

Give my the best picture..... I will get a new TV in 5 years

[tty5 @ Aug 8th 2007 3:22PM]

does this also apply to the commercial plasma series also?

[Frank @ Aug 8th 2007 3:31PM]

Or even 25 years for that matter. I plan to be making love to my hologram girlfriend by then.

[Mile @ Aug 8th 2007 4:16PM]

Getting closer, Pana but I want a written guarantee of 63 years before I even reach for my wallet.

[Dave @ Aug 8th 2007 4:51PM]

Jokes aside, everyone is missing the point. No one is going to keep the plasma for 42 years, but the longer it takes to get to half brightness, the more resistant it is to burn-in. Assuming that this is a real change of this magnitude, and not just a restatement of the specs to realign them with slow incremental improvements that have already been incorporated, I would think these plasmas would be pretty much immune to uneven phosphor wear.

[The Aggie CEO™ @ Aug 9th 2007 8:41AM]

bah............

who keeps TVs that long anymore???

hell I'm still partial to LCDs........and will switch to SEDs(if they ever actually come out)...........Plasmas are far to power hungry, heavy, and just too costly to get an extended warranty on...........so ummmmm yea.......LCD it'll stay for me..........