Panasonic's next-gen IPS-Alpha panel is uber quick, dark (video)

We've seen some dark, dark panels in our day, but Panasonic's next-generation IPS-Alpha has us all sorts of hot and bothered. Unlike Pioneer's plasmas of yesteryear, the prototype seen here at CEATEC has wide angle viewing down to an art, and the image quality was simply stunning. Fast moving objects slid in with nary a jagged edge in sight, while the production unit on the left produced a noticable and continual blur. When portraying a pitch black background, it's easy to see just how much darker the IPS-Alpha panel was compared to the next best thing. Have a peek at the video below for a more personal peek, and look forward to us prying out some sort of price and release estimate when the company shows this again at CES. You will have that information at CES, right Panny?

Panasonic's next-gen IPS-Alpha panel is uber quick, dark

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 7th 2009 12:43AM]

OK Brett since you are so smart, do a Google search and you will get zero hits for IPS relating to plasma panels. How can a plasma have In Plane Switching and alignment of crystals. So unless you know something the rest of us don't or work directly for Panasonic's technology development department, please provide a link where Panasonic talks about adapting IPS to Plasma. I'll gladly admit I'm wrong if you can prove your assertion.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 25th 2009 1:58AM]

Thanks for the link burkey.
However, I have never seen a plasma television with as matte a finish as the one on the left. If you go here:
http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2009/10/07/panasonic-shows-off-next-generation-ips-alpha-panels-at-ceatec/
Crave says it is an LCD panel with a glossy screen - which is the trend now (Samsung) making them look like a plasma.
I have a 5.5 year old plasma and the extreme off angle is as bright and clear as straight on viewing. Granted it was the most expensive plasma out there at the time, but come on. On the other hand I have had some of the worst experiences with off angle viewing on many newer LCDs (as they crank up the brightness) - 10 times worse. I still find it hard to believe that there is no press release from Panasonic talking about adapting IPS to Plasma.
Can't find any mention of plasma on this site either:
http://www.ips-alpha.co.jp/en/index.html
So until I see a press release from Panasonic and not some ill-informed copy-cat blogger, my bet is that it is an LCD.

[Reikon Posted Oct 6th 2009 2:46PM]

The author of the article seems confused. Plasmas don't have viewing angle problems. Look at one from near 180 degrees and there's no color distortion. LCDs on the other hand tend to have viewing angle problems. Older IPS panels have a purple shift for blacks when viewed from the side, but I guess this panel fixes that?

[HektikLyfe Posted Oct 6th 2009 4:54PM]

über quick, über dark, über reflective.

[cdf74dc9 Posted Oct 6th 2009 5:24PM]

über expensive?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 8th 2009 10:21AM]

TV, TV on the wall whose the fairest of them all?

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2009 3:06PM]

Okay John I did a google search and found this:

Need For IPS ALPHA PANEL In Plasma Television

http://www.plasmatvreviews.org.uk/articles/need-for-ips-alpha-panel-in-plasma-television/

Hopefully by the time they show off the next-gen IPS Alpha plasma's at CES they'll have matte screens.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 28th 2009 3:13PM]

Well whatever it is I hope the 2010 plasmas use the same finishes they have this year, gorgeous sets.

The April 2009 Panasonic show had the following slide which shows they're intending on getting out an 8mm plasma in 2010 with true infinite contrast using the new NeoPDPeco panels which were not features on any of this year's models - this is the panel designed in conjunction with Pioneer Kuro technology.

http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/4663/vieraevolution.png

Should be awesome.