Panasonic has announced it is launching a new Ultra HD satellite TV receiver with a built-in UHD Blu-ray disc player and recorder in Japan next month.
Users will be able to watch satellite TV in Ultra HD resolution and HLG HDR, while those without a UHD or HLG-compatible television will still be able to use the device, thanks to on-the-fly conversion to HDR10, SDR and sub-UHD resolutions to match the output of the connected TV.
The device supports the recording of one UHD broadcast and up to three sub-UHD broadcasts at the same time, though multiple UHD streams cannot be recorded simultaneously.
Recorded UHD content can be stored on the built-in 2TB hard drive or a USB3.0-compatible external drive. Those wanting to store content on a USB2.0 drive will need to down-convert it to HD-quality.
Stored content can also be transferred onto a recordable Blu-ray disc, another feature which supports down-conversion for playback via non-UHD disc players.
The device can also stream to mobile devices and second screens in the home. Additionally, users can watch content out of the home on mobile devices, either streaming via the Anywhere Diga app or using the receiver’s transfer feature to copy content across for offline viewing, which supports down-conversion to reduce file sizes.
Google Assistant can also be used to control the receiver using a connected smart speaker. Alternatively, the Anywhere Diga app doubles as a remote, allowing users to control content from their smartphones and view television schedules.
The Panasonic DMR-SUZ 2060 is scheduled for release in Japan on November 16th. Pricing is yet to be announced.
Analyst Comment
Blu-ray recorders are popular in Japan as the tuners in them are often used to drive second or third sets in the home, the BDA told us recently. (BR)
