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http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/ax900-201403243688.htm
http://www.techradar.com/news/telev...ew-ax900-led-tvs-finally-rival-plasma-1236592
Panasonics Plasma-Like LED TV is AX900 with Direct Local Dimming
By Vincent Teoh
24 March 2014, 6:07 pm GMT
Back at CES earlier this year, Panasonic showed off its plasma-equalling LED TV prototype which the company was confident enough to exhibit in a dark-room side-by-side comparison against the finest plasma its ever made, namely the Viera ZT. Now, this mouthwatering flat-screen television has been given a model number, and is scheduled to launch in autumn later this year, probably coinciding with IFA 2014.
The Panasonic AX900 (marketed as AX902 in the UK) will come in three screen sizes: the 55-inch Panasonic TX-55AX900, the 65-inch TX-65AX900 and the 85-inch TX-85AX900. The corresponding model numbers for the British market are TX-55AX902B, TX-65AX902B and TX-85AX902B respectively.
Today, we also learnt about the difference between the AX900/AX902 and the step-down AX800/AX802 4K Ultra HD TVs. The Panasonic AX800 comprising the 50in TX-50AX800, the 58in TX-58AX800 and the 65in TX-65AX800 features edge LED backlight with pseudo-local dimming (branded as Local Dimming PRO by the Japanese manufacturer). The LCD panel type is VA with active 3D capability.
The range-topping Viera AX900 gets full-array direct LED local dimming, meaning that its LED clusters can be switched on or off independently of each other to achieve deeper blacks and brighter whites at the same time on screen. The 55″ TX55AX900 and the 65″ TX65AX900 direct LED televisions will feature IPS LCD panel and 128 dimming zones (16×8), carrying a moniker of Local Dimming ULTRA. Strangely, the largest 85″ TX85AX900 will be equipped with only 32 dimming zones: perhaps its a limitation of the VA-type LCD panel used? Does the same 4K LCD panel grace Samsungs UHD (ultra high-definition) 85S9 or Sonys KD-85X9505 4K TV too? One can only speculate.
At this weeks Panasonic Convention 2014, the company put on the same side-by-side comparison between the Viera TX-65AX900, a TX-P65ZT60 plasma, and last years TX-L65WT600 Ultra HD television. We managed to confirm that the ZT60 used in this demo was operating with [Panel Brightness] set to Low, resulting in shallower blacks (roughly double the MLL compared with if [Panel Brightness] was Mid).
While some readers will cry foul at this sort of handicapping, we were still very impressed with black-level performance and shadow detailing on the AX900. We noticed some circumferential halos surrounding brighter objects on dark background, but its an inevitable side effect of local dimming (unless the number of dimming zones comes close to the number of pixels on screen), and was in any case quite minor especially considering that the underlying LCD panel was IPS. The viewing angle was very good for an LED LCD, blowing the WT600 out of the water, and giving the ZT a decent run for its money within 50° off-axis.
Well have to wait until IFA 2014 to learn about the pricing of the AX902/AX900, but we sure hope that its quasi-affordable, because this is one of the most exciting developments weve seen in the LED LCD arena for some time.
http://www.techradar.com/news/telev...ew-ax900-led-tvs-finally-rival-plasma-1236592
With the advent of 4K LED, though, the writing was on the wall for plasma but Panasonic believes its AX900 range has what it takes to replace its much-heralded ZT plasma lineup.
Craig Cunningham, Viera Product Manager at Panasonic, spoke to TechRadar at the company's European conference in Amsterdam about the situation, saying: "The AX900 will be coming at the end of the summer and it will be what we are replacing our plasma business with.
"It has THX certification, local dimming, studio mastered colour... it is everything we had on plasma on an LED."
To compare the quality of the AX900 to the ZT range we were shown side by side comparisons of the two TVs.
"The hardest part is always going to be replacing the blacks," explained Cunningham.
"LED uses dimming whereas plasma pixels lights themselves. You also have excellent colour control on plasma - but what it can't offer is depth and the power consumption is far worse than LED."
When shown the two panels we have to admit it was almost like for like when it came to colour reproduction - last year's 4K model was also on show but that just didn't compare.
The new local dimming also held its own against the plasma's self-lit pixels, while the blacks were inkier than we have seen on an LED setup.
"We are able to pick up tiny details that you just couldn't before," said Cunningham.
"If you look at the two blacks side by side then the ZT may just win but all the other aspects mean that LED is better.
"It's sharper, lower powered, 4K and it also wins at the price point."