Panasonic embraces HDR10+ and Dolby Vision across expanded OLED range and 4K LCDs

• Panasonic introduces four OLED series in 2019, doubling its 2018 OLED line-up
• All OLEDs and most 4K LCDs support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision
• All OLEDs and most 4K LCDs support Dolby Atmos
• Combination of HCX PRO Intelligent processor and tuning by Hollywood results in exceptional advances in picture quality to all OLEDs and flagship LCD model
• Almost all models support new HLG Photo format for HDR stills

18 February 2019 – At CES last month Panasonic launched its flagship OLED TV for 2019, the GZ2000 – the ‘world’s most cinematic TV’. Now, some of the GZ2000’s most desirable features, including its headline-making support for HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos are made available across Panasonic’s entire OLED and LCD TV 2019 models apart from the entry-level 4K LCD series*.

For 2019, Panasonic is doubling the number of its OLED series to four – comprised of the GZ2000, GZ1500, GZ1000 and GZ950 – all of which boast Panasonic's ultra-powerful HCX PRO Intelligent processor. As well as supporting next-generation dynamic metadata formats HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, all OLED models share the same fine tuning by Hollywood colourist Stefan Sonnenfeld. All OLED models are planned to UHD Premium certified.

This year also sees four new 4K LCD series: the GX940, GX900, GX800 and GX700. The flagship GX940 – available only in 75-inch screen size – is, like the OLED screens, powered by the new HCX Pro Intelligent processor and is likewise compatible with Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

Of course, it’s not just pictures that makes a TV cinematic, sound is also paramount. And while the GZ2000 series features innovative built-in upward-firing speakers for the most immersive surround sound, all other models (except the GX700 4K LCDs) also support Dolby Atmos.

All OLED screens and LCD model down to the GX800, support HLG Photo, the new still image format which brings stills photography into the HDR world. All OLED models are also work with popular voice assistants so can integrate seamlessly with a Smart Home setup.

HCX PRO Intelligent processor delivers superior panel control and dynamic HDR to all new OLED screens

All models support HDR10+ and Dolby Vision plus static HDR formats

All four OLED series come in both 65-inch and 55-inch screen sizes. While the GZ2000 boasts a bespoke Professional Edition 4K OLED panel exclusively customised by Panasonic R&D engineers, all OLED models including the GZ950, GZ1000 and GZ1500 have state-of-the-art picture processing courtesy of the HCX PRO Intelligent processor – the most powerful ever made by Panasonic. They also all support HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, HLG and HLG Photo, ensuring complete compatibility with all current commercially available HDR formats. Whatever the source the viewer is guaranteed the most compelling, dynamic images possible on a TV screen.

All screens have sound systems equipped for Dolby Atmos. The GZ2000 benefits from world’s first built-in upward-firing speakers capable of delivering Dolby Atmos as part of a total audio system with a Jeno engine and tuned by Technics. The GZ1500 has its own elegant and compact Blade Speaker built directly into the base of the TV. Thanks in part to its powerful front-firing speaker units, the GZ1500 delivers a highly compelling surround soundstage.

Panasonic’s 4K LCDs: covering all the HDR options

Majority of models support HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision

High Dynamic Range in all its guises features in the 4K LCD range. Even the entry-level GX700 series (40-inch, 50-inch, 58-inch, 65-inch) which has a 4K Studio Colour Engine, offers support for regular HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma). Stepping up to an HCX processor, the GX800 series (40-inch, 50-inch, 58-inch, 65-inch) adds also support for Dolby Vision – and on the audio front, it adds Dolby Atmos to the mix. The GX900 series (43-inch, 49-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch) also has the same broad HDR compatibility as the GX800.

With a faster, 100Hz screen refresh rate and an HCX PRO Intelligent processor, the 75-inch flagship GX940 embraces the same broad roster of HDR formats as the OLED screens including the nascent HLG Photo format. The HCX PRO Intelligent processor rapidly analyses and optimises the colour, contrast and clarity of all 4K video content, ensuring viewers experience the best possible TV pictures available regardless of their source.

Cutting-edge Panasonic panels tuned by Hollywood

Leading colourist works with Panasonic to guarantee viewers see what the filmmaker intended

All OLED TVs are a knockout combination of Panasonic’s technological accuracy with the colour-tuning skills of Stefan Sonnenfeld. Sonnenfeld is among a handful of leading artists who has championed the power of colour grading to tell stories and communicate emotion. He is a trusted collaborator of some of the world’s best filmmakers and has applied his skills as a colourist to many of the most acclaimed and popular features of the past decade such as A Star is Born, Wonder Woman, Man of Steel, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World and many more. Like many other leading colourists, he uses Panasonic OLED screens as large-format client reference monitors in his daily workflow.

Panasonic’s latest OLED and LCD screens are effortlessly able to reproduce tricky scenes of variable brightness and contrast – often found in live sports broadcasts and in action movies. This rare talent, combined with the exceptional colour-optimising skills of Sonnenfeld, has resulted in a range of Panasonic TVs that deliver highly accurate, truly cinematic images.

HDR: no longer just for moving images

HLG Photo allows HDR stills photographs to be fully appreciated on TV

HDR has existed in the world of stills photography for some time but has gained little traction because the formats used (often featured on smartphones) have not been compatible with the TV screens on which more and more of us like to view our snaps. That all changes as of now thanks to HLG Photo, an HDR format for stills that uses the HLG profile. All of Panasonic’s new OLED screens and LCD screens down to GX800 are compatible with HLG Photo – as featured on some of Panasonic’s latest LUMIX cameras. By partnering a Panasonic HLG Photo television with a compatible camera, viewers can now marvel at the most natural-looking images with wider dynamic range when they look at their cherished holiday photographs.

My Home Screen 4.0 takes smart TV to the next level

Panasonic’s new My Home Screen 4.0 with a redesigned GUI allows the viewer to further tailor the TV user interface to their own preference with more freedom and flexibility. The layout of the home screen can be reconfigured to allow customized layouts. Access to VOD and broadcast content is also easier thanks to a redesigned GUI that includes icons for decks that provide shortcuts to live TV, connected devices and apps such as Netflix, Amazon and YouTube. Users can even add frequently watched TV stations to the home screen.

In addition, as a world’s first My Home Screen 4.0 also supports HD+ using HbbTV Operator App standard technology in Germany, allowing users to access HD+ service including the HD+ channel package with 23 private channels in HD- and 2 channels in UHD-quality. Additional comfort functions like restart, media libraries and the TV-Guide are included at no extra costs and with a free six month trial period.  

* Dolby Vision support from GX800 and above only.

About Panasonic

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. The company, which celebrated its 100^th anniversary in 2018, has expanded globally and now operates 591 subsidiaries and 88 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of Euro 61.4 billion for the year ended March 31, 2018. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic : https://www.panasonic.com/global.