Panasonic Unveils THX-Certified Plasmas, Expands Living in HD

Panasonic is increasing its emphasis on "Living in HD," its online reality show, by expanding the current 17 households to 33 this spring, the company announced today at CES.

Eventually, Panasonic says, 100 families will receive complete packages of 1080p TVs and camcorders.

These families are providing invaluable feedback to Panasonic about what they do and, more importantly, do not like about HD capable video, TV and audio equipment, the company said.

Citing the ability of HD products to "bring families closer together," Panasonic demonstrated their new VIERA Link System, which allows a user to insert an SD card of photos into a VIERA Plasma TV and the images will automatically appear.

But it is the ability for users to use an SDHC card method to import HD video from a Panasonic AVCHD camcorder that was really an impressive feat.

How much AVCHD home video content can a user get from an SDHC card? The new Panasonic 32GB postage-sized SDHC card can hold 8 hours of SD video and 5.5 hours of HD video!

This ability to insert an SDHC card to view HD content is also available in Panasonic's new DMP-BD30 Blu-ray player, which will be released this spring. The DMP-BD30 complies with the new Final Profile Specification 1.1, allowing for picture in picture viewing and other advanced features.

Although Panasonic's line of flat-panel VIERA TVs now range in size from 26 inches to 103 inches, a new 37-inch LCD, the TC-37LZ800, is sized to fit in existing armoires.

Also being added to the line is a 46-inch plasma model, the TH-46PZ80.

In an effort to increase the video quality of their plasma panels, four models in the PZ800 series line will be THX certified for video display.

Considering how much custom installers invest in their systems, it is refreshing to see Panasonic address the ability for clients to capture their family's home movies in HD and display them in HD.

What a concept.