Panasonic Reveals Smart Viera TVs and Home Entertainment Line-up for 2012

Smart Viera - Plasma Display Panels

Panasonic's Plasma Portfolio

You've met Panasonic's LCD armada. Now it's time to rub shoulders with the plasma displays. Panasonic has visibly bumped up their panels' sub-field drive to a whopping rate of 2,500Hz compared to last year's 600Hz VT30S model. Essentially, the VT, GT, and ST series will carry the new NeoPlasma Black 2500 panels with a higher aperture ratio, improved filters, and a 2,500Hz Focused Field Drive. What's interesting is that there is barely any difference in specifications between the flagship VT50S and the next-in-command GT50S, except that the GT series has a slightly more pronounced metal bezel and an Infinite Black Pro panel (as opposed to VT50S' Infinite Black Ultra). To the uninitiated, Infinite Black Ultra is Panasonic's pre-charge control technology designed to improve black levels and to avoid floating-blacks issues. Now, another new feature to join Panasonic's plasma family is the Web Smoother function, designed to eliminate blurring associated with online video content. Again, Web Smoother is found in all Smart Viera PDP models except for the budget-friendly X-series. The VT, GT, ST, UT, and XT series are all equipped with active-shutter 3D capabilities, except for the entry-level X-series which is purely a 2D display with a HD-ready resolution. For a more detailed features comparison, please consult the table below.

Users familiar with the Viera Remote app would also appreciate the improved application which is already available on the Android market (Google Play) and Apple's App Store. Some of the new features include the Browser linkage, which enables you to transfer the TV's web browser contents to the mobile device or vice versa. Multi-touch interactivity for web browsing is now improved with the current Version 2.0 application as well. On top of that, users can convert their smartphone or tablet into a gamepad controller with compatible games too. To facilitate streaming, users simply have to "flick" the track or video on the phone towards the TV to initiate the streaming process. Of course, there's also the new Viera Touch Pad controller which enables you to navigate the Smart Viera platform via its touch interface. However, do note that the Touch Pad remote will only be bundled with the VT and WT series.