Panasonic Launches New OLED TVs and 4K UHD BD Players at CES 2018
(Panasonic)(January 8, 2018) Panasonic arrived with at CES 2018 with several major UHD-oriented announcements, headlined by two new series of UHD OLED TVs (FZ950 and FZ800) to compliment the flagship EZ1000. The company’s new 4K sets are the first OLED TVs to offer support of HDR10, Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG), and HDR10+. Originally developed by Samsung and due to be used by multiple content companies (including Amazon Prime Video and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment), HDR10+ is a new open source dynamic metadata solution that allows for dynamic tone mapping to reflect frame to frame variations in color and brightness. The TVs also utilize a new HCX video processor.
As announced several days ago, HDR10+ is now a part of the UHD Blu-ray specification.
Panasonic’s OLED TVs have been widely used as reference monitors in US-based post-production facilities, however the TVs aren’t sold through traditional retail outlets in the States. Unfortunately, it appears the FZ950 and FZ800 will launch in Europe (not in the US).
On the 4K UHD Blu-ray front, Panasonic is releasing two new models: UB420 and UB820. The UB820 is the company’s new flagship model, bringing both HDR 10+ and Dolby Vision functionality to the table (introducing much needed competition for the industry’s reference standard bearer: OPPO). The more affordable UB420 will only carry support for HDR10+.
In other Panasonic news, the company has announced a new smart speaker dubbed the GA10, in addition to two new direct drive turntables (SP-10R and SL1000R).
Pricing for Panasonic’s new UHD products will be announced in February.
Thanks for the reality check. 
