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Panasonic powers up latest 4K smart TV line up at IFA 2014

Panasonic has announced its latest range of 4K Ultra HD smart TVs at the IFA 2014 tech fair in Berlin. 

The premium range of 4K tellies includes the new flagship AX902 model which comes in 55 and 65-inch versions alongside the super-sized 85-inch AX940 and the more budget-conscious AX630 range. 

Panasonic's AX902 smart TV: Impressive, but you might not be able to afford one
Panasonic’s AX902 smart TV: Impressive, but you might not be able to afford one

Ambient light sensors will also analyse the lighting conditions of your living room, adjusting the picture dynamically to create the best possible picture. Panasonic is promising that its efforts here mean that the colours you’ll see on screen are exactly the same as the director intended. 

The AX902 TVs also features four HDMI ports that support 4K video at up to 60fps and its H.265 (HEVC) decoder can decode 4K content from a variety of sources. Panasonic says that it’s a future proofed series, but should broadcasters decide that 4K TV channels need 100fps or 120fps instead of 60fps then, well, you might need to get a new TV

The larger than life X940 series the same local dimming technology and something else called ‘4K Intelligent Frame Creation’ technology. 

Panasonic is promising to up the sharpness and contrast ante even further with these sets, guaranteeing pin-sharp detail and buttery smoothness even when watching films and TV where there’s lots of fast-moving action. 

The 85-inch X940: You almost certainly won't be able to afford one
The 85-inch X940: You almost certainly won’t be able to afford one

In addition to this, the X940 series will also feature a Display Port 1.2a connection which can handle 4K signals at 50/60Hz, which will be of interest of PC gamers with cash to burn. No prices have been announced yet, but we expect that the 85-inch X940 TVs will be very expensive. 

For those with slightly smaller wallets, Panasonic has also developed the AX630 range. Coming in 40, 48 and 55-inch versions TVs from this stable promise 4K Ultra HD panels but don’t feature any of the high contrast and colour reproduction features of the AX900 and X940 series, but the ambient light feature, which adjusts the picture depending on your surroundings, is present.  

What all of Panasonic’s 4K TVs announced at IFA 2014 will feature is something called Panasonic TV Anywhere. 

The AX630 range offers next-gen high definition images for a more reasonable price
The AX630 range offers next-gen high definition images for a more reasonable price

This features promises to let you transfer recorded TV content to the cloud. With the Panasonic TV Remote 2 app you’ll be able to watch live TV shows and recorded content on your phone or tablet wherever you are. You’ll also be able to start watching a movie at home and pick up where you left off on the go. 

On paper it sounds like the perfect marriage of something like SlingBox, Sky Go and Virgin TV Anywhere. We’re not exactly sure how this would work in the UK market and we expect that rights restrictions and other issues would stop you from accessing absolutely everything you watch. 
Stay tuned for more information about Panasonic’s line up from IFA 2014. 

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