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CES: Panasonic category charge moves beyond movies
After many years sharing technology leadership in the TV category at CES in Las Vegas, Panasonic seems to have left the bragging rights to perennial competitors Samsung and LG. While it did launch a cutting edge unit at CES this week, its emphasis was on its innovation and integration across numerous categories of consumer technology.
Its new Panasonic HZ2000 OLED TV is expertly built by collaboration between Hollywood professionals and Panasonic and Technics engineers to appeal to cinephiles. It is claimed to be the first OLED TV to support Dolby Vision IQ and Filmmaker Mode, using Panasonic’s Master HDR OLED Professional Edition panel to deliver more peak brightness.
Translated, however, it means that it is bringing similar technology to bear on improving the viewing experience as other leading TV makers. It is across other categories of gadgets that Panasonic stands apart.
It unveiled three of the industry’s smallest and lightest 4K 60p camcorders, the HC-X1500, HC-X2000 and AC-CX10, which offer a high standard of on-site mobility and portability, as well as high-quality 4K 60p recording capability. A wide-angle 25mm Lens and 32x i.zoom (4K recording) achieve high-spec optical performance thanks to high-precision AF, which also provides high-speed, accurate focusing for both 4K and Full-HD shooting.
The new models have a variety of professional functions, such as Two Manual Rings, an ND Filter, a Built-in LED Video Light, and 24-bit High Resolution Linear PCM Audio Recording. Users can further customise the recording formats according to the shooting environment or preference.
Panasonic also announced that it has developed the world’s first High Dynamic Range (HDR) capable ultra-high definition (UHD) virtual reality (VR) eyeglasses, with a comfortable fit that feels like regular glasses.
They are designed in anticipation of commercial 5G connectivity, enabling s a number of new services like VR sports viewing and engaging virtual travel experiences. While conventional VR glasses with high-quality images and high sound quality provide users with highly immersive simulated experiences, these glasses tend to be big in size and require users to strap them to their head with a headband, which could cause wearer discomfort.
For the new VR glasses, Panasonic has developed a high performance display device in cooperation with Kopin Corporation, a leading manufacturer of display devices for VR glasses. Panasonic’s audio and visual technologies have been incorporated into this new device, including signal processing technologies cultivated through the development of video equipment such as TVs and Blu-ray Disc players, acoustic technologies of Technics audio products, and optical technologies used in LUMIX digital cameras. These technologies enabled Panasonic to achieve compact and lightweight VR glasses offering high-quality images and optimal sound that deliver realistic sensations drawing the user into the images projected before their eyes, while in the comfort of wearing eyeglasses.
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