Skip to main content

Panasonic vows to go all in on 4K/Ultra HD by 2014

Panasonic 4K OLED
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Panasonic’s troubles have been known for a while now, but the struggling manufacturer apparently plans to refresh its entire product line to 4K/Ultra HD as early as next year, according to the company’s imaging division.

The announcement was made at the NAB 2013 Show in Las Vegas today and came straight from Kunihko Miyagi, who heads up the imaging division at Panasonic. He said the company is already developing a 4K line of products, with the stated goal that everything it makes in HD in the future will also be 4K.

A 4K 31-inch professional LCD monitor, the BT 4L H310, will kick things off for the line later this year, with no date or timeframe being revealed. The planned rollout thereafter will see shoulder-mounted broadcast cameras, production switchers and handheld camcorders hitting the market next year.

In addition to all that, a 4K VariCam, which is a camera that can record in 4K at high-speed, is set to have a large sensor that would enable footage to be compressed in AVC-Ultra, a codec that already supports resolutions going up to 4K.

The rationale, according to comments made by Miyagi, is that existing 4K digital cameras, like the Red Epic, for example, are mainly targeted at filmmakers and movie production. Panasonic’s strategy would cater to content creators that are outside those realms in an effort to make 4K production more cost-effective.

This move follows prototype 4K/Ultra HD products the company showed at CES in January. At the time, a 4K compact consumer-oriented camcorder and 4K tablet were shown, along with a 4K OLED TV. Most recently, Panasonic unveiled its 2013 TV lineup at an event in New York, but there were no 4K/Ultra HD models introduced there. The company is also staying mum on whether it will continue to support plasma in 2014 after announcing last month that it would scale back production.

Update – 4/12/2013, 1:05 PM Pacific: It appears rumors of plasma’s demise are exaggerated. Panasonic has pointed out in a statement today that it demoed its gapless Plasma panel technology in its 2013 Smart Viera ZT Series plasma at an event earlier this week in New York, which forms the basis for continued plasma panel research and development. From Panasonic: “While the Smart VIERA ZT Series introduces a new level of Plasma picture quality, we believe there is still room for further improvement and intend to continue to research ways to take our Plasma technology to even higher levels where it also has the potential to be applied in our other Plasma series in the future.”

If this 4K deployment plan traverses both the imaging and TV divisions, then it could be a last gasp for Panasonic, which hasn’t turned a profit in its TV business since 2011. There is a collaboration with Sony in the works to make OLED panels, but few details have been revealed about it.

“Reports that Panasonic will no longer develop and manufacture Plasma HDTVs are not correct.

Topics
Ted Kritsonis
A tech journalism vet, Ted covers has written for a number of publications in Canada and the U.S. Ted loves hockey, history…
Best TV deals: LG, Sony, Samsung, TCL, and more
Vizio OLED TV

Many of the best TV brands are seeing top models discounted at the moment, which makes right now a great time to add a new TV to your home theater or other viewing area. If you have a larger space there are plenty of 65-inch TV deals, 70-inch TV deals, 75-inch TV deals, and 85-inch TV deals available, and there are several smaller sizes to choose from if you have a smaller space or a smaller budget. Below you’ll find all of the best TV deals we think you should take a look at right now. You’ll find among them Sony TV deals, Samsung TV deals, LG TV deals, and TCL TV deals, as well as deals on other brands and some information on why each TV deal may make sense for your viewing needs.
TCL 50-inch S4 4K Smart TV — $230, was $260

Value is front and center with the TCL 50-inch Class S4 4K LED Smart TV, as it’s a nice balance of affordability and features. It delivers impressive 4K picture quality with four times the resolution of Full HD, as well as endless entertainment with easy access to your favorite streaming services. Google Chromecast is built right into the TV, allowing you to easily stream movies, shows and photos from your Android or iOS device. It also has 3 HDMI inputs, which makes it great for gamers who need to connect several consoles, or for anybody looking to connect some great peripheral equipment to their home theater.

Read more
These 4K TVs are on sale for under $200 at Walmart today
The Onn. 43-inch Class 4K LED Roku Smart TV on an orange wall.

In general, we can think of a TV as a very expensive purchase, or at least more expensive than the best tablets for watching movies, but these deals are changing up our expectations. Right now, a pair of deals on 43-inch TVs are making us rethink this general rule, however, as they are both on sale at a rate under $200. And they aren't some 1080p screens from yesteryear, either, these are full on 4K TVs. So, go ahead and check them out. Then, if neither tickle your fancy, be sure to check out our full listing of the best Walmart TV deals to see if there is something else that's more your speed.
Onn. 43-inch Class 4K LED Roku Smart TV — $178, was $198

Onn. is known for making budget consumer electronics that anyone can enjoy and afford. This LED TV continues that trend nicely. It's a 4K TV that refreshes at 60Hz, which is the lowest of the standard refresh rates of today, but still quite smooth if you haven't trained your brain too much on 120Hz or higher. The TV can be wall mounted with a 200 x 200 VESA mount or put on a surface with the included legs. This TV works with Apple Home, Alexa, and Google Home smart homes and runs using the Roku operating system, which will allow you to transform your smartphone into a remote should you so choose or happen to lose the remote.

Read more
Sony’s gorgeous 65-inch Bravia XR TV has a $200 discount today
Sony X90L Review

Sony TV deals are always popular because who wouldn't want to enjoy savings when purchasing a screen by one of the best TV brands? Here's an offer that will be hard to refuse if you're in the market for a premium upgrade for your home theater setup -- a $200 discount from Best Buy on the 65-inch Sony Bravia XR X90L 4K TV, which lowers its price to $1,100 from $1,300 originally. It's still not cheap, but that's an excellent price for a TV of this caliber. You need to hurry with the transaction though, as we don't know when the bargain will end.

Why you should buy the 65-inch Sony Bravia XR X90L 4K TV
The 65-inch Sony Bravia XR X90L 4K TV features 4K Ultra HD resolution for extremely sharp details, enabled by the brand's Cognitive Processor XR. Sony's XR Triluminos Pro enhances the TV's colors to make images look even more lifelike, and XR Motion Clarity reduces the blur in scenes with fast movements. All of these technologies combine for an impressive cinematic experience in the comfort of your own home, though you may want to consult our guide on how to figure out what size TV you should buy to make sure that you have enough space for the 65-inch Sony Bravia XR X90L 4K TV.

Read more