January 5, 2006 Panasonic will begin showing a super-large-size prototype 103-inch plasma display panel (PDP) at its booth at the 2006 International CES later today. The 103-inch PDP has 1080p (progressive) HDTV resolution and can deliver more than two million pixels (1,920 x 1,080) of performance – not surprisingly, it’s world’s largest plasma display, edging narrowly ahead of the 102-inch Samsung shown at CES last year. Given Samsung’s penchant for having the largest and mostest of everything, we suspect it won’t take long for the Korean giant to leapfrog back into the lead, but for now the record goes to Japan and Panasonic (and ultimately to Matsushita, Panasonic’s parent company).
In flat panel displays, plasma has technical advantages over other technologies, including LCD, when it comes to making larger size panels. Nevertheless, there are numerous technical challenges in making plasma panels that are larger than 100 inches measured diagonally while maintaining stable discharge and high picture quality across the entire surface of the panel.
Panasonic has overcome these technical hurdles by developing a new rib* and phosphor for these super large panels. The 103-inch 1080p plasma panel, equivalent to four 50-inch panels in size, features consistent and uniform discharge, delivering the same accurate images from the center to every corner of the screen and brightness as the current 50-inch HD model (TH-50PX500). The panel incorporates Panasonic's 1080p HD high-speed pixel drive. The same high-speed pixel drive is used in the TH-65PX500 65-inch 1080p Plasma TV, which has been well received in Japan since its introduction last November, and the 50-inch 1080p Plasma unveiled at CEATEC JAPAN 2005 in October 2005.
Mr. Hiroyuki Nagano, Director, PDP Device Business Unit of Panasonic AVC Networks Company, said, "Demand for large-screen and high picture quality TVs is expected to further increase as digital HD broadcasting service continues to expand throughout the world. Also penetration of HD contents as well as Blu-ray Disc recorders and players will drive demand. Since Plasma is a self-illuminating device, it offers superior characteristics on several measures including dynamic contrast, true-to-life color reproduction, quick response time for sports and programs with fast-moving images and a wider viewing angle, an important factor for large screen display. These features make the Plasma panel an ideal device for a large screen TV, and, as a result, global demand for Plasma TV is growing rapidly."
"Until now, the market for 100-plus-inch screens was dominated by front projection TVs. Panasonic now realizes another option in this sector. Our 103-inch 1080p PDP promises high quality images with high brightness, dynamic contrast, high resolution and excellent color reproduction that projection displays cannot match. We believe it will create strong demand as a multipurpose display for business, educational and medical applications as well as home theater use," said Mr. Nagano.
Committed to providing customers with a better visual experience based on its Ideas for Life brand statement, Panasonic continues to accelerate innovation of its unique panel, drive and process technologies for higher quality large-screen plasma displays.
Panasonic owns 21 Japanese and five overseas patents on the product including current applications.
Panasonic is the leading brand for which Japanese giant Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is best known outside Japan.