Skip to Content

Massively looks at the best free to play games
AOL Tech

viera posts

Panasonic's Blu-ray burning FreeSat+ DVRs due in June

by Richard Lawler, posted Apr 16th 2009 at 8:11AM


Blu-ray archiving DVRs have been a staple in Japan since the format was still in protective cartridges, and now we have more details on the new Panasonic HD Everything lineup launching in the UK. All three boxes can convert recorded programs into h.264 to save disc space, and beyond their FreeSat+ twin tuner DVR capability, support Panasonic's VIERA Cast internet hookups to pull in video and pictures from YouTube and Picasa. The DMR-BS850 and DMR-BS750 support BD-Live enabled Blu-ray playback and recording in HD, while the DMR-XS350 serves as an HD DVR on its hard drive, but falls back to SD for disc archiving on old school DVDs. No word on a price, but while the British ponder Panasonic vs. Humax we're already willing to trade in proposed tru2way boxes to have a shot at these.

[Via TechDigest.tv]

Update: TrustedReviews came through with some better pics, specs, and most importantly, prices for these joints - The DMR-BS850 has a 500GB HDD for £999, the DMR-BS750 has a 250GB HDD for £899 and the DMR-XS350 clocks in with a 200GB HDD for £699.

Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-ray player reviewed, are the new features worth it?

by Richard Lawler, posted Mar 31st 2009 at 12:19PM


Panasonic's DMP-BD60 hits the scene as the successor to the well-received DMP-BD35, packing Viera Cast features on top of BD-Live capability in a slim (& more power efficient) package. CNET's reviewers threw the new boss on their test bench and found a lot to like, while the Internet features weren't flawless with some control issues on YouTube videos, however it lags the competition without wireless Internet capabilities. Picture quality was up to par, but it seems to have fallen off the pace compared to the latest offering from Samsung in terms of speed, taking longer to load some movies from off mode. Check the full review for all the details, but with the price currently at $299 this player might not have enough value unless Amazon VOD and Picasa access is particularly important.

[Via TV Snob]

Panasonic's VIERA TC-P42S1 plasma reviewed: nice, for the price

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 14th 2009 at 8:01AM


So, is Panasonic's low-end TC-P42S1 worth the relatively small asking price (around $1,000)? CNET reviewers sat down to find out exactly that, and they concluded that while it wasn't perfect, it's apt to be plenty awesome for the average HDTV viewer. For starters, it consumes a good bit less energy than previous PDPs, and it also sported black levels that "nearly rival" Pioneer's heralded KURO. Other praises include excellent shadow detail, solid color saturation and a decent array of ports. The only real knocks were the less-than-accurate primary colors / color temperature and the skimpy picture controls, but as we mentioned, these aren't likely to matter to the non-enthusiast. Overall, critics found that this here set struck a great balance between price and performance, but we'd still recommend putting your eyes on one before pulling the trigger.

Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 12th 2009 at 5:03PM Featured Story


We were able to spot a few of Panasonic's latest innovations in the home theater space back at CES 2009, but we got a much more intimate look at things during a recent New York showcase. The new Blu-ray decks look nice, if not a touch plain. Not that everyone wants an Alienware-esque BD deck or anything, but we digress. The Blu-ray HTIB systems were particularly of interest, as these things are perfect for sneaking BD into homes that are currently DVD-only, and while we longed for more information on the portable DMP-B15, the on-hand reps didn't seem too anxious to gush over technical specifications with us. Their loss, totally.

Gallery: Panasonic CES 2009 Blu-ray / HTIB lineup eyes-on

Panasonic's 2009 VIERA Cast Blu-ray players priced, shipping in April

by Richard Lawler, posted Mar 11th 2009 at 7:12PM


We first got a peek at Panasonic's DMP-BD60, DMP-BD80 and VHS-packing DMP-BD70V at CES, and now they've got official pricetags ahead of their April release. Beyond the VIERA Cast support for Amazon VOD, YouTube and other Internet content, this year's decks also include improvements in power consumption, with the BD60 drawing 16% less juice than last year's DMP-BD35. The DMP-BD60 can be had for a suggested $299, while the BD80 and BD70V are both priced at $399, depending on whether you prefer VHS or 7.1 analog outputs. Check out the CES 2009 hands on for a better look before these show up at a retailer near you.

Panasonic 2009 VIERA HDTVs official pricing revealed

by Richard Lawler, posted Mar 11th 2009 at 7:11PM


Just in case the HDGuru didn't carry enough credibility for you, Panasonic has finally issued a press release with prices and shipping months for most of its 2009 VIERA brand lineup. We've taken a peek, and everything appears to line up with the leaked figures, including that slim wireless HD equipped Z1 and its $5,999 pricetag, while only copping to a summer ship date. The rest of the lineup proceeds downward in pricing and features from there, the wall-busting details are but a mere click of the read link away.

Panasonic's ultrathin TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma priced at $5,999.95

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 5th 2009 at 11:41AM


Yeah, we know -- six large for a 54-inch HDTV seems a bit much in today's society, but the same sort of thing was said last September when Mitsubishi threw a $6,999 sticker on its mesmerizing LaserVue set. Panasonic's one-inch thick TC-P54Z1 plasma, which just might be the last of its breed barring production of the NeoPDP concept, will undoubtedly serve a shrinking niche, but for those willing to pay for the best of what's new, they'll be getting an awful lot of sexy for $5,999.95. Speaking of that MSRP, that's the good word from the HD Guru himself, though we've yet to see an official confirmation from Panny. Honestly though, that's about what we reckoned it would list at after seeing it unveiled at CES, so now would probably be a good time to start hunting for any 10 percent off coupons for your favorite B&M HDTV outlet.

[Via CNET]

Panasonic's CES 2009 VIERA HDTV lineup priced and dated... for Japan

by Darren Murph, posted Feb 3rd 2009 at 4:02AM


Remember those fancy new VIERA HDTVs introduced at CES by Panasonic? Yeah, well every last one just got a price tag and release date for the Japanese market. The Z, V and G Series (13 models in all) have been officially given a sticker and launch window, with the earliest ones heading out in March and the laggards getting boxed up in late April. Needless to say, there are far too many zeros and commas to list here, but you can head past the break along with your trusty currency converter to get a ballpark estimate of what these will run on American soil.

Panasonic expands VIERA HDTV lineup at CES 2009

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 8th 2009 at 2:36AM


We already gave you some face time with Panasonic's latest and greatest VIERA televisions, so now we're passing along the official word on the new S1, G1 and X1 sets. Panny's growing its VIERA range from five LCD models in 2008 to twelve in 2009, and the families pretty much cover the range of desired sizes. There's far too much detail to cover in this space, but the details you're lusting after are just a click away.

Panasonic officially outs the iPod-lovin' VIERA X1 HDTV

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 8th 2009 at 1:32AM

Panny wasn't about to let JVC unleash a new range of iPod-friendly HDTVs without hitting back with a few of its own, so that explains the four new HDTV / iPod entertainment systems. The 19-inch TC-L19X1, 26-inch TC-L26X1, 31.5-inch TC-L32X1 and the 37-inch TC-L37X1 all come bundled with a universal iPod dock that does exactly what you think it would: bring iPod-based media onto your TV while charging your PMP. Pricing and availability? Take a wild, wild guess.

Panasonic introduces wireless, 1-inch thick TC-P54Z1 VIERA plasma

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 7th 2009 at 6:28PM Breaking News


Here at the Panasonic press conference at CES 2009, the company finally woke us up with a stunningly thin 1-inch thick plasma: the all new Z1, or the TC-P54Z1 VIERA, in particular. Little is being said about the panel for now, though we are told that it'll be wireless (via an undisclosed standard) right out of the box.

Panasonic's 37-inch VIERA TC-37LZ85 LCD HDTV reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 22nd 2008 at 8:41AM


Panasonic's first 37-inch VIERA LCD didn't live up to the family name, or at least that's the gist of CNET's recent review of the TC-37LZ85. Sure, black levels were "relatively deep," screen uniformity was "solid" and off-angle viewing was commendable, but "being saddled with inaccurate color" caused it to fall quite sharply in the eyes of critics. More specifically, the "inaccurate grayscale" led to an evidently annoying reddish tinge, and the inability to adjust the color temperature or plug in an HTPC via VGA were just two more reasons to look elsewhere. At the end of the day, it was still deemed a "decent entry" into the smaller-screen 1080p realm, but 3 out of 5 stars just doesn't put forth the kind of satisfaction we'd like to see.

No new HDTV size record to be shattered at CES 2009

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 8th 2008 at 6:58PM


For awhile there, it seemed like companies were coming out of the woodwork to showcase the newest "world's largest HDTV" at CES. Now that we've hit the 150-inch point, though, analysts aren't expecting anything to one-up that at next year's show. In an interview with Panasonic Professional Display's Andrew Nelkin, he confessed that he saw 150-inches as a "natural stopping point." For starters, it's big enough for most commercial applications, and moreover, anything larger becomes nearly impossible to install in a single piece. He even felt that the 150-inch ceiling may remain intact for years to come, but maybe he's just masking the development work on a bigger set that's already on a boat headed for Vegas.

Panasonic's VIERA TH-50PZ850U plasma gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 3rd 2008 at 1:43PM

We've seen a couple of Panasonic's plasmas reviewed in recent months, but the 50-inch TH-50PZ85OU has somehow eluded us thus far. The cats over at E-Gear just got ahold of this very unit and spent the bulk of its time testing things out over the Thanksgiving holiday. Right from the top, the HDTV was praised for its image quality, with critics noting that it "soared above most of the competition, both in feature offerings and in performance." Blacks were black, Blu-ray Discs were stunning and the colors were vivid. Sure, the bundled remote left a bit to be desired, but it's not like you don't have a universal remote to handle that "on / off stuff" anyway, right? We must say, we're a bit shocked that a Panny PDP was regarded this highly, but it's good to see the current king bringing out the best in all of the rivals.

Panasonic reopens VIERA HDTV Concierge Service to the public

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 26th 2008 at 8:52PM


It's official: Panasonic reopens its VIERA HDTV Concierge Service to the public at large every single holiday season. This year, however, is different. Rather than shutting down the lines to all but those who actually own a VIERA HDTV on December 31st, Panny will keep the cords of communication open through February 17, 2009. Yep, from now until the Digital TV Transition takes place in America, any human with access to a phone can call in to receive all sorts of buying advice and subliminal encouragement to choose a Panasonic set over any other. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in, hit 'em with your best shot at 1-888-777-1170. Just mind the brainwashing and you'll be a-okay.




AOL News

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Joystiq
Download Squad
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
BloggingStocks
Joystiq Xbox
Autoblog
Big Download
Fanhouse NFL Blog