By Patrick Avenell

Panasonic Australia today unveiled its 2012 range of plasma and LED LCD TVs, with 23 models across both technologies. Features of selected products include active and passive 3D, improved internet connectivity via Wi-Fi and a greater focus on design.

The specialty of Panasonic’s TV heritage has been plasma, with the Japanese company continuing to promote this flat panel technology while its major rivals prefer to push LCD and LED LCD. Panasonic is again reenergising its plasma line-up, with 10 new models ranging from RRP $1,299 up to the premium 65-inch VT50 at RRP $5,999.

The VT50 series, also available in a 55-inch model, features vastly improved networking capabilities on last year’s models, including a full web browser, DLNA player and server and access to Viera Connect. Now housing all its apps in the cloud, Viera Connect now enables users to push content to Android and iOS devices live.

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Panasonic’s new LED LCD range now includes the company’s first locally released passive 3D TVs, the HD ET5 Series. Available in 42-, 47- and 55-inch options, this Series offers consumers the ‘polarised’ 3D technology that is broadly considered more user-friendly than the active shutter 3D.

At the top of Panasonic’s LED LCD collection is the WT50 Series. Consumers can choose between 47- and 55-inch TVs featuring Full HD 3D, 1,600Hz backlight scanning and 3D Real Sound. These TVs also feature the Viera Connect suite of connectivity options.

Panasonic confirmed that a select number of TVs from its 2011 range will be receiving firmware upgrades over the Internet in the coming months. This will allow these models to receive a greater range on IPTV functions than available at launch.

One of these is BigPond Movies, with Telstra and Panasonic co-announcing this partnership this morning. Quickflix is also on board; giving consumers are wide range of film and TV content to stream on their TVs and various price points. These two services join ABC iView, Yahoo!7, social network sites, YouTube and interactive games on the Viera Connect Platform.

A happy family enjoys the full web browser on a new Panasonic TV.

Panasonic’s 2012 TV Range

Plasma

VT50 Series (Full HD 3D Neo Plasma) – June 2012

TH-P65VT50A (65 inches) – RRP $5,999
TH-P55VT50A (55 inches) – RRP $3,799

ST50 Series (Full HD 3D Neo Plasma) – April/May/June 2012

TH-P65ST50A (65 inches) – RRP $3,999
TH-P60ST50A (60 inches) – RRP $2,799
TH-P50ST50A (50 inches) – RRP $1,749

UT50 Series (Full HD 3D Plasma) – April/May/June 2012

H-P60UT50A (60 inches) – RRP $2,499
TH-P55UT50A (55 inches) – RRP $1,999
TH-P50UT50A (50 inches) – RRP $1,399

XT50 Series (HD 3D Plasma) – April 2012

TH-P50XT50A (50 inches) – RRP $1,199

U50 Series (Full HD Plasma) – June 2012

TH-P50U50A (50 inches) – RRP $1,299

LED LCD

WT50 Series (Full HD 3D LED LCD) – June 2012

TH-L55WT50A (55 inches) – RRP $3,499
TH-L47WT50A (47 inches) – RRP $2,849

DT50 Series (Full HD 3D LEC LCD) – June 2012

TH-L55DT50A (55 inches) – RRP unavailable
TH-L47DT50A (47 inches) – RRP unavailable

ET50 Series (Full HD LCD LED) – April 2012

TH-L47ET50A (47 inches) – RRP $2,049
TH-L42ET50A (42 inches) – RRP $1,649

ET5 Series (HD 3D LED LCD) – April/May 2012

TH-L55ET5A (55 inches) – RRP $2,399
TH-L47ET5A (47 inches) – RRP $1,749
TH-L42ET5A (42 inches) – RRP $1,399

E5 Series (Full HD LED LCD) – April 2012

TH-L42E5A (42 inches) – RRP $1,099
TH-L32E5A (32 inches) – RRP $799

X50 Series (HD LED LCD) – April 2012

TH-L32X50A (32 inches) – RRP $699

X5 Series (Full HD LED LCD) – June 2012

TH-L24X5A (24 inches) – RRP $489