LAS VEGAS—Celebrating its centenary, Panasonic presented perhaps its most expansive array of new products at CES in years.
Tom Gebhardt, chairman and CEO, Panasonic Corporation of North America
Among the wide-ranging roster include the first-ever UHD OLEDs and UHD Blu-ray players with support for the HDR10+ dynamic metadata technology, a thin Technics soundbar, two new 4K camcorders, a hybrid GH5S DSLM 4K camera designed for professional filmmakers, an expandable HomeHawk Wi-Fi camera home security system, integration of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant into the company’s auto head units, and two reference-class Technics turntables, as well as its previously announced GA10 Google Assistant smart speaker.
However, the new OLED UHDs are intended only for the European market and the professional market in the U.S., and only the premium DP-UB820 HDR10+ UHD Blu-ray player will be sold in the U.S. With the exception of the GH5S DSLRM (body $2,499, Feb. 2), no pricing or availability where made public on any of these new products.
The company also announced a new Digital Solutions Center (DSC), a B-to-B industrial resource with 200 software engineers focusing on combining the digital and physical worlds. Starting in April, the DSC will provide systems integration services developed on shared Cloud-based platforms and tailored primarily to North American customers in fields such as public safety, manufacturing, food and retail, logistics and theme parks.
HDR10+, the open, royalty-free HDR metadata platform created by 20th Century Fox, Panasonic and Samsung, will be included in four new Panasonic UHD OLED sets, 55- and 65-inch models in its FZ950 and FZ800 series that will be sold, at least initially, outside the U.S.; Panasonic’s first OLED, last year’s 77-inch EZ1000, will be carried over into 2018, also outside the U.S. The FZ950 series will be complemented by the thin “Tuned by Technics” Dynamic Blade soundbar.
Panasonic’s premium UB821 HDR10+ UHD Blu-ray player will be controllable via an Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant speakers, will support analog 7.1-channel audio for direct connection to a home theater system, includes dual HDMI outputs for isolating and transmitting 4K video and amplifier audio, and will be comparable with myriad high-res audio formats.
The new hybrid Lumix GH5S DSLRM (digital single lens mirrorless) incorporates a new 10.2-megapixel Digital MOS Sensor, and will be the world’s first camera to enable 4K 60p video recording in Cinema 4K (4096x2160) capable of internal 4:2:2
10-bit video recording up to Cinema 4K30p and internal 4:2:0 8-bit Cinema 4K60p, and will be both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 enabled.
In addition to the GH5S, Panasonic also unveiled two 4K camcorders, the professional HC-WXF1K and the consumer HC-VX1K, and a new flagship 2K model, the HC-V800K. Each offers wide-angle 25mm and 24x optical zoom lens, BSI MOS sensors, Leica Dicomar lenses, and improved 5-axis hybrid OIS.
Panasonic’s new HomeHawk remote home monitoring system, the KX-HN7000 series, can be configured as a single weather-resistant 172-degree HD front door Wi-Fi security camera or expanded to include up to 16 additional HD Wi-Fi cameras around and outside a home.
This story first appeared on TVT's sister publication TWICE.
