Tecknova

Panasonic Shows Off 145-Inch, 8K Res. Plasma Display

This prototype will be used to promote the use of Super Hi-Vision which features a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 at a solid 60 FPS.

Over in Japan, Panasonic has teamed up with Japanese broadcaster NHK to produce a 145-inch, 8K resolution prototype plasma display. The super-sized TV is the world's first self-illuminating Super Hi-Vision TV, meaning it doesn't require a backlight to light up your entertainment. It also uses a new drive method that scans the pixels vertically to achieve a uniform picture quality, eliminating high-resolution flicker.

Currently there isn't any content on hand to take full advantage of the super-high resolution: Hollywood is still struggling to graduate from 1080p and 2K (2048 × 1080) resolutions to 4K (4096 × 2160). However NHK has reportedly been experimenting with an 8K image sensor which can natively output to the team's new prototype. The new drive method helps to keep the picture rock solid despite the TV's massive size.

NHK has reportedly been working on Super Hi-Vision (SHV) for a number of years. Both Panasonic and NHK developed the monster TV to promote the research and development of SHV, and plans to film the upcoming Olympics in this super hi-def mode to show just how uber sharp and immersive the experience can be. The duo plans to demo the new tech in Japan, the United States and the UK starting in May, showcasing images and videos shot with the NHK 120 FPS 8K sensor.

According to the specs, the prototype measures 145-inches, or 1.8m (L) x 3.2m (H). The actual resolution is 7,680 x 4,320 while the frame rate resides at a solid at 60 FPS. The pixel pitch is 0.417-mm horizontal, 0.417-mm vertical, the aspect ratio is 16:9 and the phosphor array is a RGB vertical stripe.

Panasonic stated on Friday that the new 145-inch Super Hi-Vision TV will make an appearance at the Institute of Technology from May 24 to May 27, and at the SID International Symposium international conference from June 3 to June 8. No other dates and locations were provided.