At first glance Panasonic's new "speaker board" looks more like a Blu-ray player than a loudspeaker, but we are in fact talking about the latter. The box has built-in speakers, two small subwoofers, and can connect wirelessly to a Panasonic TV via Bluetooth. Panasonic calls it an alternative to a soundbar.
Panasonic’s wireless speaker box
Panasonic calls it a speaker board, but speaker box is probably a better description. Inside the SC-HTE80 you will find speakers, and two small subwoofers, and on the back side you will find connectors such as HDMI.
Panasonic’s ”speakerboard” can sit below your TV, and is an alternative to soundbars
Panasonic believes that the new product is a great alternative to a soundbar. If you own a recent Panasonic TV it can also connect wirelessly to the TV via Bluetooth, says Panasonic, without providing details on potential audio compression, which is usually the case with Bluetooth. Smartphones and tablets can also be connected via Bluetooth and paired via NFC.
It has two small, integrated subwoofers
The speaker box has been created in a "raw metal look", with a scratch resistant top coating. It is available in both black and silver variants, and Panasonic says that it has been optimized for 42-inch TVs (it is 46 centimeters in width). Panasonic also says that an integrated sound algorithm can ensure that sound is projected as if it was coming directly from the center of the TV screen.
Panasonic SC-HTE80 will be available soon. Panasonic has not announced a price.
Panasonic launches wireless TV speaker box
