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Just what is the Viera Concept and how do Panasonic TVs fit into today’s marketplace? We asked Fabien Roth to explain…
The VIERA mission is to deliver the best viewing experience, whether it’s plasma or LCD TVs. People don’t choose technologies, they choose benefits. VIERA is more than just a flat screen TV. It’s a complete package that includes best picture quality with unique design, easy operation with VIERA Link and superior sound with V-Audio surround sound… and all of that packed with environmental friendly features, like the lead-free panels in our plasma TVs and reduced power consumption in LCD panels together with the recycling initiatives we have taken.
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What makes this viewing experience so unique on a Panasonic TV?
We aim for the ultimate in picture quality in both LCD and PDP. For the plasma range, from 37-inch to 103-inch, this can be proven with contrast (1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast), wide colour gamut, and sharpness of moving images with a full 100Hz range of 11th generation panels for 2008. All our 2008 PDP uses 100Hz double scan technology. Fast moving pictures will be one of the key drivers for picture quality in 2008. We are introducing the IFC (Intelligent Frame Creation) technology coupled with a new range of processors named V-Real 3 and V-Real Pro 3 processing Full HD resolution. Let’s not forget we have four times more information in Full HD. This information has to be processed and at the same time, we are increasing the frame rates to reach 100Hz and doing it in an intelligent way. In other words, Panasonic black box technologies are generating those extra frames. In addition to IFC technology and 100Hz motion technologies, the 24p “Real Cinema Mode”, which is unique to Panasonic basically taking all the advantages of 24p and adding them to the superior plasma picture quality. It means we are delivering a cinema-like picture while keeping very smooth motion, because as you might already know, sometimes with 24p, you don’t get smooth motion. And the good news is that 24p cinema mode is also available on our LCD range, which ranges from 20 up to 37-inch.
So we can see a lot has been done to advance plasma technology. What more is being done in the field of LCD?
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Our new generation IPS alpha panels are renowned for their improved response time and wide viewing angle. For LCD, 100Hz Motion Picture Pro 2 technology is used to drive the panel at 100Hz. Panasonic’s unique black box technology, available in HD and Full HD LCD, improves motion response, with its three-axis movement detection system. But that’s not all. Throughout the entire VIERA line-up are technologies that improve black levels. In regards to our LCDs, we have backlight blinking technology, which allows us to increase the black levels. In addition, we have an intelligent controller which works with LCD technology, and calculates what part of the picture should be darker than the others. This means that in LCD technology we can reach a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1.
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©Photo: Panasonic
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Something many people will find useful is the SD card slot.
…to add more value for the consumer, almost the entire 2008 plasma TV line-up is equipped with an SD card slot, enabling people to directly playback their photos on the VIERA TV screen. On the high-end VIERA models, end-users will also be able to playback Full HD home videos from SD Card (H.264/ AVCHD format).
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©Panasonic
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What trends have you taken into account for the evolution of this new line-up?
There are three major trends:
- Shift from HD Ready to Full HD
- Shift to larger screen sizes
- Price erosion, market expansion
In the marketplace there has been tremendous growth in the past two years in LCD as well as in the PDP sector, with LCD driven by the smaller sizes whilst plasma TVs driven by larger sizes. In 2007, the largest market segment was that of 32-inch TVs. Currently, the LCD market is experiencing a growth in the 40-inch and higher categories thanks to accelerated price erosion. Concurrently, plasma TV leads in 42 and 50-inch segments, because in terms of manufacturing costs, it is more cost efficient to produce PDPs over LCDs at the same size.
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Europe is the continent where larger screen size consumption is growing the fastest. From the old standard screen size of 32 inches, the trend towards people purchasing 40 or 42-inch screens is growing fast. Consumers want more benefits from flat screen TV. They don’t just want something flat, they also want something more… they want larger screens with Full HD. As we move through 2008 and into 2009, we expect that at least 50% of the larger sized screens sold (37-inch, higher) will be Full HD. In terms of HD and Full HD, there is a trend towards Full HD. In late 2007, around 25% of the large screen TVs (37-inch, higher) sold in the UK, France and Germany, were Full HD screens. With the expansion of our Full HD VIERA plasma line in the future to 42”, 46”, 50”, 58” and 65”, we can expect to stay the leader of Full HD plasma TVs. Now, with the introduction of double efficiency plasma and low power consumption displays in the future, Panasonic will continue to innovate, take care of consumer needs, improve ease of use and the quality of life with...ideas for life!"
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