CES 2009: Flagship Viera plasma is 54" across, 1" deep, wireless-enabled [day 3]
One more Panasonic announcement. The Panasonic TC-P54Z1 is the company's new flagship Viera model, a 1080p one-inch-thin Z1 plasma. Like the previously mentioned "world's thinnest plasma," this HDTV is NeoPDP, and features WirelessHD technology as an expansion of VIERA Cast functionality:
It's a separate tuner box configuration. More info:
WirelessHD technology can transmit full HD video signals, and audio and control signals wirelessly. This wireless transmission system was developed by Panasonic in collaboration with SiBEAM Inc. It can transmit uncompressed 1080p full HD content wirelessly with no deterioration in quality by using 60GHz millimeter wave radio. The picture on the screen goes undisturbed even when people interrupt the wireless communication path, and overcomes the highly directional nature of millimeter wave radio. This is achieved by incorporating beam steering technology. The Z1 will be certified with the WirelessHD Compliance Test, which meets the standard, procedures and equipment specifications established by the WirelessHD Promoters to assist Adopters in verifying WirelessHD product compliance.* Also, VIERA Link™ functionality is available via this wireless connection, allowing users to control all interconnected, compatible components using only the TV’s remote control.
The NeoPDP VIERA Z1 produces a brighter picture, deeper blacks, improved native contrast ratio (40,000:1) and 1080 TV lines of moving picture resolution. VIERA CAST was introduced in 2008 to critical acclaim, and for 2009 it has been extended to three VIERA model series. The addition of Amazon’s VOD service on VIERA CAST allows the consumer to stream video from Amazon’s extensive library. The Z1 model features 1080p resolution; is a THX® Certified Display; Infinite Black contrast; 600Hz Sub-field Drive; the VIERA Image Viewer™ function that can play back both digital still images and H.264 HD video recorded on an SD Memory Card, and VIERA Link, a technology that allows the user to operate all of their compatible home entertainment components with a single remote.
Availability? Summer 2009.
