Panasonic: HDTV reception

On screens like this 65-inch Panasonic, HDTV is a must! Read the review of the Panasonic TH-65 VX 100 (pictured) here.

In Europe, Panasonic struggles with built-in tuners. The fundamental technologies for digital transmission have been fixed for years - the Digital Video Broadcasting Project (or DVB) has set parameters for various transmission types, both for standard- and high-definition signals. But for several years, cable operators and TV stations couldn't agree on a unified access system.

Many pay-TV channels wanted to allow customers to access the broadcasts only on receivers certified by the broadcaster. Cable-network operators encrypt the commercial stations (which are actually free to receive) at their whim: some do, some don't. Now, all of the major TV manufacturers have agreed on the CI Plus access system.

At the time of writing, Philips, Loewe, Samsung, and Sony have all introduced CI Plus-capable models - Panasonic HDTV fans are expected to have to wait until spring 2010. In the United Kingdom, the main cable operator, Virgin Media, forbids customers to access the cable network with equipment other than the supplied set-top box. For more information on receiving HDTV signals in the U.K., see our article First steps to HDTV.

In our Panasonic plasma and LCD overview, you'll find lists of the reception capabilities for each TV series.

The following were involved in producing this article on Panasonic HDTV:

Author(s): Karl-Gerhard Haas
Editor in Chief: Florian Friedrich
Photos: Manufacturer and AV T.O.P. Messtechnik GmbH
Last update: September 2009