Panasonic reveals 2015 4K and HD Vieras – first curved TVs

Panasonic has taken the wraps off its spanky 2015 TV line-up which features flat, 4K Ultra HD screens as well as curved displays – a first for Panasonic.

As well as all this HD and UHD (ultra HD) chat, Panasonic also revealed their new Firefox OS-powered user interface.

There had been whispers surrounding curved, 4K screens for a while (I do get some insider knowledge thanks to being part of the Viera VIP elite) but that’s all it has been. Until now.

Panasonic has unveiled the all new CR850, CR730 and CR430 ranges, with screen sizes ranging from 55 to 65-inches.

The CR850 (that’s it at the top of the page) is the all singing, all dancing series including, as it does, edge-lit Local Dimming Pro, Super Bright Panel technology and twin HD tuners.

If you think that curvy is pervy then you’ll be relieved to hear that there’s good ol’ flat 4K in abundance.

At the top of the 2015 heap is the CX800 series which is available in 65, 55, 50 and 40-inch flavours. There’s also the the CX400 gang which come in 65, 55, 48 and 40-inch models.

Full HD is still reppin and Panasonic has brought three new ranges in for 2015 – CS600, CS500 and C300. Screen sizes range from 65 to 48-inches, with HD Ready models available at 32 and 24-inches.

Firefox inside

Panasonic has teamed up with Mozilla to create a brand new new Firefox OS for its 2015 TVs.

Available on certain ranges, (CR850, CX800, CR730, CX750, CX700 and CX680), the My Homescreen has been updated and now you can pin your favourite stations, apps and games to the relevant ‘decks’ (Live TV, Apps and Devices).

You can also use the Firefox OS to beam photos and videos to the TVs from a smartphone or tablet on the same wifi network.

Here’s Micheal to tell you more:

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4K Pro

4K Pro is Panasonic’s latest picture quality masterpiece. This tech wizardry combines the company’s new 4K Studio Master Processor, which the company claims can bring images closer to what the director originally intended, with its new Wide Colour Phosphor panels, which claim to combine new backlight technology and a new colour filter system to produce even more realistic colours.

Panasonic has introduced two brightness-related innovations for its 2015 TV line-up. The CX800 and CR850 series feature a Super Bright Panel – a display that uses new, super-transmissive LCD cells – much greater brightness is achieved without a significant increase in power requirements. The CX750 series meanwhile incorporates a Super Bright IPS Panel, delivering spectacular brightness, colour, contrast and enhanced viewing angles.

In addition, to counter the brightest parts of the image being lost during compression in the shooting process, Panasonic has introduced Dynamic Range Remaster in the CX800 and CR850 series. This system puts this information back without compromising colours, leaving pictures looking spectacularly vivid and dynamic.

You can’t have light without shade and Panasonic has made sure that contrast remains important and with Local Dimming Pro in the CR850 and CX800 series, contrast is improved independently by adjusting the brightness of separate segments of the LED lights, ranged either around the edge or behind the screen. With Local Dimming Pro, shadow detailing in dark areas is further improved by analysing images to work out the best gradation range to allocate to separate picture ‘zones’.

Panasonic also revealed it will be the first manufacturer to offer TVs with the new Freeview Play connected TV platform.

The platform, which it was also announced will be bolstered (in theory) by the addition of Channel 5’s Demand 5 service, will be available on selected Panasonic smart TVs for 2015.

The service sees Freeview take on YouView by offering an easy-to-use interface of live and catch-up TV, with the platform now offering on-demand content from BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Panasonic has confirmed that all it’s 2015 TVs will feature HEVC and VP9 decoding buit-in. “So?”, I hear you ask.

Put simply this means that you cannot only take advantage of Netflix but your telly box will also dish out Amazon Prime 4K streams (the HEVC bit). The VP9 isn’t a new e-cig but is the codec of choice for Google and is used to encode 4K content on You Tube.

For a full introduction to the Panasonic TV 2015 range check out the video below.

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