Panasonic Launch EZ950/ EZ952 4K HDR OLED TV with HLG

Panasonic has launched a new line of 4K OLED televisions at the company’s annual European convention in Frankfurt, adding to the jawdropping EZ1000/ EZ1002 unveiled at CES 2017. Dubbed the Viera EZ950 (or EZ952 in the United Kingdom), the series will sit below the flagship EZ1002B range, offering OLED’s legendary black level and infinite contrast performance at a hopefully more affordable price point.

The Panasonic EZ950 will come in two screen sizes, namely the 55-inch TX-55EZ950 (UK model number TX-55EZ952B) and the 65-inch TX-65EZ950 (corresponding British model TX-65EZ952B). Like the top-end EZ1002, the Viera EZ952 will feature:

• 4K UHD (ultra high-definition) resolution of 3840×2160;
• The Japanese manufacturer’s Studio Colour HCX2 Processor for pro-grade accurate colour reproduction;
• Both HDR10 and HLG (though not Dolby Vision) support;
• An all-new HDR Brightness Enhancer feature to facilitate HDR viewing in bright environments;
• A low-lag 4K HDR Gaming mode;
• 4K HDR streaming from Netflix, Amazon and YouTube;
• My Home Screen 2.0 Smart TV system;
• Freeview Play for UK models;
• Pending Ultra HD Premium and THX certifications; and
• Pending certifications for Control4 and Crestron integration

Glancing through the spec sheet, what will be omitted from the Panasonic TX55EZ952B and TX65EZ952B compared with the step-up TX65EZ1002B are the latter’s:

• Master HDR OLED Panel;
• Absolute Black Filter to soak up ambient light and reduce reflections/ magenta tinting in brighter rooms; and
• Technics-tuned Dynamic Blade Speaker system.

The Panasonic 65EZ1002, 55EZ952 and 65EZ952 will be available in the United Kingdom and Europe from June 2017. The company has also added a mammoth 77-inch version to the EZ1002 series, which is scheduled to arrive in the autumn. Prices remain unknown, but we’ll try to find out as soon as we can.