Panasonic 2012 Blu-ray players unveiled

Panasonic 2012 Blu-ray players unveiled
3D to the fore

Panasonic has shown off its latest Blu-ray player line-up with four 3D and two 2D models arriving.

The four full HD 3D models are the DMP-BBT01, DMP-BDT500, DMP-BDT320, DMP-BDT220 and they all feature Panasonic's brand new Viera Connect.

The players feature what Panasonic is terming an improved UniPhier chip processor.

24p and Viera connect

Also on offer are: 24p output for VOD, an expanded VIERA Connect functionality, and FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec),192kHz/32bit Audio DAC (not available on the DMP-BBT01), and smartphone remote control capability.

The DMP-BBT01 and the DMP-BDT320 are slot loading, with the former capable of sitting horizontally or vertically.

"The UniPhier single chip signal processing LSI employs a simplified circuit architecture that eliminates unnecessary wiring, resulting in reducing noise on the picture and sound signal to the absolute minimum," explains Pana.

"The UniPhier chip produces high clarity sound and turns off the analogue video circuit when not needed – otherwise the analogue video circuit is working even when not in use, causing interference to the other circuits.

"Adaptive Chroma Processing, a high quality image processing technology, precisely processes the video signal of each pixel in vertical and horizontal directions, resulting in a 50% increase in vertical colour data processing as compared to 2010."

The 2D models feature IP VOD, a service that offers a limited, though targeted, selection of such sites as Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow and YouTube.

We'll, of course, keep you updated on release date and prices.

Patrick Goss

Patrick Goss is the ex-Editor in Chief of TechRadar. Patrick was a passionate and experienced journalist, and he has been lucky enough to work on some of the finest online properties on the planet, building audiences everywhere and establishing himself at the forefront of digital content.  After a long stint as the boss at TechRadar, Patrick has now moved on to a role with Apple, where he is the Managing Editor for the App Store in the UK.