Panasonic TX-L65WT600 launched as the first HDMI 2.0-compatible 4K TV

Panasonic has officially unveiled the TX-L65WT600, the world’s first 4K television to support the newly announced HDMI 2.0 standard.

The 65in WT600 will happily play 4K content at 50 or 60 frames per second on its 2,000Hz panel, with up to 32 separate audio channels over a single HDMI 2.0 cable. It also supports DisplayPort 1.2a, which will allow for easier connection to a PC. According to Panasonic this is a world’s first, and will be great for both video production companies and gamers wanting the best frame rates.

Panasonic says the inclusion of HDMI 2.0 is only a part of its “4K Universe” programme, which should future-proof the company’s TVs compared to the current range of Ultra high definition TVs on the market, including Samsung’s S9, LG’s 84LM960V and Sony’s X9.

The set will include an integrated 4K MPEG4 video decoder, which will let you play UHD video files from a USB flash drive or SD card, as well as 4K internet video in the future. This is on top of Panasonic’s 4K hexa-processing engine, which will upscale lower resolution content to 4K, and image quality presets already certified by industry specialists THX.

It will also include a new version of Panasonic’s “My Home Screen” interface, with custom pages specifically designed for Smart TV services such as YouTube, Eurosport and Canal+. It’s currently unclear what UK owners can expect, as the services shown were clearly catering for continental audiences, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed for a movies hub with Netflix, LoveFilm and BlinkBox support.

The TX-L65WT600 is set to go on sale from the beginning of October in the UK, with retail prices expected to start from £5,499. We’ll be taking a closer look at the set and will hopefully learn some more detailed specs when the IFA show floor opens tomorrow here in Berlin.