The new range – the VIERA VT50, ST50, UT50, XT50 and U50 Series – includes eight Full HD 3D models, one HD 3D model and one Full HD 2D model. The models range in size from 65 inches to 50 inches. The design of this year’s VIERA Plasma range is clean and simple, with most models incorporating a glass design concept for an elegant theme.

Panasonic Australia VIERA group marketing manager Matt Pearce says, “The new Smart VIERA Plasma TVs offer the very best in TV technology – from picture quality to networking, easy operation and design. This range offers a model to suit every consumer need.”

Choose how you interact with your TV to access your favourite content, whether it be free to air TV, content from SD Card, USB or your home network. Thanks to DLNA capability on all models and built-in Wi-Fi on the VT50 and ST50 Series, you can communicate with other devices around the home and wirelessly stream multimedia to your TV. And, this year you can watch your TV while at the same time communicating via Facebook, Twitter or even Skype.

Panasonic’s iOS and Android-based apps allow you to use your smart phone or tablet with your VIERA TV. Use these devices as a keyboard to surf the net using the web browser feature or ‘flick’ stored content directly to your VIERA TV. In addition, the VT50 Series is supplied with the cutting edge VIERA Touch Pad Controller allowing users to easily browse the web and other applications with the flick of a thumb.

The 2012 models enhance Panasonic’s commitment to its internet platform, VIERA Connect. Building on Panasonic’s cloud-based architecture, VIERA Connect allows an almost infinite number of apps. New content providers include BigPond Movies, which offers a library of 4,000 titles on demand. Quickflix has also been added, offering unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows directly to your TV. These join the already popular social networking sites as well as ABC iView, Yahoo!7’s PLUS7, videos, music and interactive games.

Key features

The top of the range Neo Plasma VT50 Series and ST50 Series feature Panasonic’s specially engineered Neo Plasma panels with 2500Hz focused field drive to provide the best moving picture quality. Enjoy the clearest, sharpest images with fine details – perfect for action and sports.

Thanks to Infinite Black Ultra on Panasonic’s VT50 Series, it offers an even more intense viewing experience with blacker blacks. Furthermore, with an amazing 24,576 steps of gradation on this Series you can enjoy subtle brightness variations, rich colours and precisely rendered contrasts, especially in dark scenes – perfect for any film genre.

Sound quality is improved on the VT50 and ST50 Series, which offer revolutionary 3D real sound with 8-Train speakers, making the in-home 3D viewing experience even more enjoyable. Panasonic also continues its relationship with THX, offering THX video standard certification in both 2D and 3D mode on its Full HD 3D VT50 Series Plasma TVs, meeting the stringent standards of Hollywood’s top film makers.

Sharing content around the home has never been easier, thanks to DLNA capability and Wi-Fi which allows VIERA TVs to ‘communicate’ with other devices around the home – for example, users can wirelessly stream multimedia stored on a DLNA-compatible server such as a PC or Blu-ray Disc Recorder to their TV. New for 2012, the VT50 Series can now also operate as a DLNA server, allowing content to be streamed from a storage device attached to the TV to other DLNA-compatible devices including a tablet, Smartphone or another TV.

With the new Smart VIERA Remote App Version 2.0, viewers can tap and flick content such as movies, images and music stored on their smart phone or tablet directly to their VIERA TV. The Media Player feature allows users to view digital photos and HD video recorded on a SD Memory Card and USB HDD directly on their TV.

Users can also record their favourite TV shows using an external hard drive or SD Memory Card on the VT50, ST50, UT50 and XT50 Series. The USB HDD Recording function supports a host of convenient features such as Timer Recording from the Electronic Program Guide, Direct TV Recording and Pause Live TV. All can be conveniently accessed via dedicated buttons on the VIERA TV remote.

In addition, Panasonic continues its commitment to the environment with mercury-and lead-free panels. Eco Mode is available on all models which adjusts screen brightness to reduce power consumption and turns the power off when there is no activity or signal.

Panasonic has also introduced its latest generation of lightweight 3D glasses. Weighing only 27g, they utilise Bluetooth technology and feature a rechargeable battery.