In addition to Fire TV and Google TV, Panasonic will offer Smart TVs powered by the TiVo operating system this year. They will be available with 4K or HD resolution.
Like Philips, Panasonic is diversifying its TV line-up in Europe this year. The company will completely abandon its in-house My Home Screen platform and offer TV models built on three different operating systems, also switching to a new model nomenclature.
Panasonic's first TiVo Smart TV, W60A. Photo: Panasonic
The high-end models all use Amazon's Fire TV platform. The mid-range W70A models run Google TV, while the mid-range W60A, with 4K resolution, and entry-level S45A and S40A, with HD resolution, are powered by TiVo.
What is TiVo?
North American consumers will be familiar with TiVo, but the company's TV operating system will look different and offer an expanded set of TV-specific features. Developed by Xperi, which also owns DTS, the company emphasizes that TiVo is a content-first platform.
Why is Panasonic embracing multiple platforms including TiVo? The company stated that it aims to offer a "variety of smart features and operating systems to choose from".
However, it is also worth highlighting that a couple of years ago Panasonic phased out in-house TV assembly, outsourcing it to partners. The Japanese TV maker has for a few years experimented with Google TV in select models in addition to its in-house My Home Screen platform in other models. Still, apparently, Google has not managed to convince Panasonic, so it is now exploring alternatives.
FlatpanelsHD had a chance to take a closer look at the TiVo TV operating system last year. While TiVo lacks some of the features of more established TV operating systems, including a cast system, we were impressed with how content is presented and the effectiveness of the search feature, which is superior to Google TV's search that too often surfaces irrelevant YouTube videos. Check out our TiVo first look article here.
W60A is a 4K LCD TV with an LED backlight. Photo: Panasonic
Available in 24 to 65 inches
Since these are mid-range and entry-level TVs, they will not include Panasonic's most advanced picture and audio features. We are talking 60Hz LCD panels with standard LED backlight – no local dimming.
The W60A still supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, but it does not have the hardware for either, so do not expect HDR picture quality. For a Dolby Atmos experience, you will need to connect an external sound system. Additionally, the W60A features Panasonic's Game Mode Plus, but lacks the HDMI 2.1-powered game features meant to elevate PS5 and Xbox Series X gaming.
The W60A with TiVo will be available in 43, 50, 55 and 65 inches. The S40A and S45A with TiVo will be available in 24, 32 and 40 inches.
In addition, Panasonic is launching 32 and 24-inch N30A LCD TVs without smart features.
