Panasonic introduces its 2022 core and premium TV line-up, comprising advanced OLED and Core LED ranges with sizes from 77” to 42”.

The 2022 models incorporate new gaming features, as well as the latest-generation panels optimised by Panasonic and tuned in Hollywood by prominent colourist, Stefan Sonnenfeld. All OLED models also support Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode.

The OLED line-up features the LZ2000 (77”, 65”, 55”), the LZ1500 (65”, 55”, 48”, 42”), the LZ1000 (65”, 55”), the LZ980 (65”, 55”, 48”, 42”) and the LZ800 (UK model only – 65”, 55”, 48”, 42”) series. These models are the perfect choice for movie lovers.

The Core LED line-up features the LX940 LED (EU model only, not UK – 75”, 65”, 55”, 49”, 43”) and the LX800 Core LED (75”, 65”, 55”, 50”, 43”) series, which create an immersive viewing experience for sports and gaming fans.

Model availability is dependent on local markets.

OLED IMPROVEMENTS

All 2022 OLED models have been custom engineered by Panasonic to deliver even higher peak brightness in True Cinema, Cinema, Filmmaker, and Professional modes. Furthermore, the colour volume for blues has been improved while still retaining high-precision reproduction of various gradations, thanks to Panasonic’s HCX Pro AI Processor.

The LZ2000 and LZ1500 (except for 48” and 42” models) boast “Master OLED Pro” panels, whereas the LZ1000 uses the “Master OLED” configuration. The 48” and 42” models of the LZ1500 and the LZ980, as well as all LZ800 models, adopt the “OLED” panel configuration.

CORE LED SERIES

The Core LED range is ideal for day-time gaming and watching movies, with the “HDR Cinema Display Pro” (LX940), the “HDR Cinema Display” (LX800 75”, 65”, 55” models), and the “Bright Panel Plus” (LX800 50”, 43”) adjusting brightness to fit the surrounding ambient lighting environment.

Fitted with the HCX Processor Pro AI (LX940) and HCX Processor (LX800), the Core LED series delivers high colour accuracy and outstanding contrast.

ENHANCED GAMING EXPERIENCE

Speed, clarity, smoothness – these are the essentials for an immersive video game experience. Panasonic’s Game Mode Extreme demonstrates several advancements that make Panasonic’s OLED and LX940 LED TV the ultimate tools for gamers. This includes supporting key HDMI2.1 features such as High Frame Rate (HFR) as well as Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) at 120Hz in full 4K resolution.

VRR support helps to solve many of the potential console-side problems, such as judder and tearing if rendered resolution and LOD (level of detail) is too high, or when there are too many effects or objects rendered at the same time. With VRR ON, the TV and the console synchronise the frame pacing to provide a smoother experience.

A brand new feature called Game Control Board collects all relevant game settings and information in one place and presents them as a game overlay – so that gamers never need to leave the game to access them. Furthermore, it can be programmed to be accessed by just one click on the remote control by assigning it to the customisable “my App” button.

The Game Control Board overlay provides access to the following key features and information in real time:

• Information – this option displays all the information coming from the source game, such as frame rate, HDR metadata, and chroma sub-sampling data.
• Dark Visibility Enhancer – allows the gamer to granularly adjust the near black portion of dark scenes, making it easier to see the route forward or detect enemies hiding in the shadows.
• HDR Tonemap – this shows the current HDR tone-mapping settings, which include “Off” (game console is managing the tone-mapping); “On” (TV is managing the tone-mapping); or Dynamic (TV analyses incoming frames in real time and produces dynamic tone-mapping on a scene-by-scene basis, even when source is static HDR).
• Input Lag and VRR – display and adjust Input Lag and VRR settings.
• Viewing Mode – allows the gamer in real time to change the viewing mode and see the effect live in order to select their preferred appearance.

2022 also sees improvements in terms of speed. 60Hz Refresh Mode dramatically reduces latency and input lag for 60Hz games on OLED TVs. This drastically reduces mid-game stress for gamers who require quick response speeds, especially in action games. The LX940 LED TV also features a fast 120Hz panel, ensuring double-speed conversion for gamers who need a low-latency experience.

Furthermore, the OLED TVs and LX940 Series are certified with AMD FreeSync Premium Support in 2022, putting an end to choppy gameplay.

PICTURE QUALITY OPTIMISED FOR THE SURROUNDING ENVIROMENT

All OLEDs and the LX940 LED TV use advanced sensors to detect the ambient colour temperature and adjust the picture to deliver a more natural experience when, for example, watching at nighttime.

This new feature builds on Panasonic’s Auto AI mode, introduced last year, which uses Artificial Intelligence to identify in real time the type of content being played, in order to smoothly and automatically optimise both picture and sound quality. Advancements in Panasonic’s AI technology have resulted in faster AI genre detection.

The advanced ambient brightness and colour temperature AI sensors work together with the HCX Pro AI Processor inside Panasonic’s premium TVs to adjust each colour tone individually in the most realistic way based on the ambient light. This helps to deliver a more comfortable viewing experience during the day and at night, and reflects the fact that humans perceive ‘white’ differently based on ambient lighting.

For example, most European homes use warm-coloured lights at nighttime, meaning that on-screen white shades can be perceived as blueish and too cold. The HCX Pro AI chip works in a highly intelligent and nuanced way, preserving colours with which the human eye is familiar, such as skin tones, to ensure a natural picture.

Furthermore, in 2022 Panasonic has expanded adaptive control by also supporting Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode for automatic picture processing depending on ambient room light. Available in the OLED series, Netflix Adaptive Calibrated Mode enables Panasonic TVs to deliver incredibly accurate Hollywood-level picture quality for streaming content. This reproduces the Master Monitor picture quality used by Netflix filmmakers in post-production, delivering images that are true to the filmmakers’ intentions.

CINEMA QUALITY TUNED IN HOLLYWOOD

All of this year’s OLED panels combine Panasonic’s technical accuracy, made possible by Japanese engineering and knowhow, with the colour-tuning skills of Stefan Sonnenfeld.

Founder and CEO of Company 3, Stefan Sonnenfeld is a trusted collaborator with some of the world’s best filmmakers, and has championed the power of color grading to tell stories and communicate emotion. Described by NPR as a “da Vinci of the movies,” Sonnenfeld has applied his skills as a colourist to many of the most acclaimed and popular features of the past decade. Like many other leading colourists, he uses Panasonic OLED screens as large-format client reference monitors in his daily workflow. Indeed, Panasonic’s OLED TVs are widely used in studios and post-production houses.

AUDIO IMPROVEMENTS – PINPOINTING AND TARGETED SOUND

The LZ2000 introduces directional sound in addition to Panasonic’s 360° Soundscape audio package, to deliver immersive Dolby Atmos experiences.

The multiple built-in upward-firing, side-firing, and front-firing speaker units produce a spatial soundstage with Dolby Atmos content. As well as improved surround sound, the LZ2000 features the new advanced Front Array Speaker System, which directs the sound, enabling accurate and clear audio as well as Beam Forming.

Models of the OLED LZ1500 series (65”, 55” models only) boast an advanced sound system called ‘Dynamic Cinema Surround Pro’, which supports Dolby Atmos and uses a built-in woofer to provide a powerful and rich bass sound.

The LZ1500 (excluding 65” and 55”), LZ1000, and LZ980 series feature ‘Cinema Surround Pro’, which also supports Dolby Atmos. The LZ800 and LX940 series incorporates ’Cinema Surround’, whereas the LX800 features improved ‘Surround Sound’.

STUNNING AND ACCESSIBLE ENTERTAINMENT

All 2022 OLED and LX940 LED series feature the latest iteration of Panasonic’s highly acclaimed smart TV OS, My Home Screen 7.0, which supports all major video streaming services. To widen choice, Panasonic also offers the LX800 LED Android TV™*, which provides numerous entertainment options.

Panasonic has made significant progress on its My Home Screen 7.0 OS models in terms of accessibility, allowing users to access all related settings through a quick menu, which also automatically triggers voice guidance. The new accessibility menu also provides a variety of useful features: voice control, audio descriptions, audio dialogue enhancement and hard-of-hearing subtitles can be configured easily.

All of Panasonic’s continental European sets from LX940 and above feature Panasonic’s original Penta Tuner, which provides five different options for advanced broadcast reception. Ease of use was key, so selection is as simple as pressing a button on the TV remote control. These include DVB-C (cable reception), DVB-S (via satellite), DVB-T (traditional out/indoor antenna), TV to IP, and IPTV, which does not require a server. This function allows significant flexibility in the choice of location in the house, and Panasonic TV guides users through the installation very easily, allowing for a seamless installation process.

* Android TV is a trademark of Google LLC