There are few events as epic in scale and international excitement as the Olympic Games. Every four years stars of track and field or slopes and ice, compete to achieve legendary status.

Back home, countries watch with baited breath as their favorite sons and daughters strive on the world stage.

Olympics broadcast history

Grainy, black and white signals marked the first attempts to broadcast the games to a wider audience. The 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, were the first to utilize television to broadcast the events to audiences worldwide.

As the popularity of the television grew, so too did broadcast coverage of the games. Families crowded around massive console TVs with a tiny glowing screen and watched the evolution of the Olympics from an interesting quadrennial sports competition into a media phenomenon. From satellite uplinks to the advent of full color, Olympic broadcasts on ABC and NBC throughout the 70’s and 80’s became tremendous must-watch events.

Technology has aided in broadcasting entire competitions live, which has only added to the excitement of the events. Coverage that was once a few dozen hours bloomed to nearly 200 hours. Later, the move to high-definition brought a new level of realism to the viewing audience. With it came surround sound, and as a result, a more immersive experience into the world of athletics.

Panasonic 3D Glasses & 3D HD Camera

It wasn’t until the 2008 Beijing Olympics that the games were broadcast entirely in HD. This was also the year Panasonic and LG launched THX Certified Plasma Displays. The world watched in HD wonder as thousands of Chinese drummers pounded out in perfect rhythm the beat of the opening ceremonies.

2012 Olympics in 3D

But something else happened in Beijing – a trial of a new dimension in television: 3D. What started as test clips of the latest technology, and further advanced at the Vancouver Winter Games, will hit full force at this summer’s Olympics in London. NBC plans on producing 242 hours of 3D coverage, while the BBC promises British home audiences the opening and closing ceremonies, the 100m final and daily highlights in 3D.

In 2012 the Olympics will embrace yet another new cutting edge technology; certain events will be recorded in a new Ultra HD resolution: 7,680×4,320.

The broadcasters of the Olympics have always had a common goal: to bring viewers into the magic and excitement of the games, with the latest technologies. From black and white to color, mono to stereo, standard definition to HD, 2D to 3D and now Ultra HD and beyond, the Olympics have long been a test bed of technological innovation.

Experience the Olympics excitement with THX

Similarly, THX believes in bringing the content to the viewer without letting technology get in the way. That’s how we approach everything we do at THX. From certifying movie theaters and consumer electronics, to developing new technologies that ensure an accurate reproduction of content, we want the viewer to experience content exactly as its creator intended – and with the highest level of realism possible. The roar of the crowd, the sun on the grass, the bead of sweat on a runner’s face, it’s all bringing you as close to being there.

Products proudly wearing the THX badge of Certification represent the best in audio video equipment. They are carefully engineered and rigorously tested to insure that their owners experience audio and video content just as it was recorded. For nearly 30 years THX has developed certification programs and technologies that work towards achieving this goal. In 2009 THX announced its 3D Display Certification program, ensuring that for the 2012 games, audiences worldwide would have the opportunity to view the event with astonishing realism. And with the developments of 4K resolution and expanded color gamut, we’re already looking ahead to the products that will bring the 2016 Olympics into our homes.

We’d like to wish all the athletes of the 2012 Olympic Games the best of luck, and look forward to enjoying the show.

Talk to a THX Certification Expert and Find out at Panasonic’s Raise the Bar Tour

On April 11th Panasonic launched a seven-week 15-stop North American tour designed to give consumers a chance to experience Panasonic’s 2012 line-up of home entertainment, digital imaging, home appliance and personal care products, including its latest THX Certified GT50 series 3D televisions.

What is THX certification and why should you care?

Drawing from nearly 30 years of expertise in the cinema and studio, beginning with the ultimate cinematic delivery of Lucas’ Return of the Jedi back in 1983, THX delivers product specifications and technology that help recreate the power and performance of the cinema and recording studio in the home and on the road. Today, THX is the only performance benchmark recognized by filmmakers, professional installers and consumers alike.

Is THX certification just a sticker for which manufacturers pay?

Heck no.  Less than 10 percent of all consumer electronics can meet the performance standards required to obtain THX certification. THX worked closely with Panasonic to analyze more than 1,000 data points to make certain that these displays deliver best-in-class picture quality with the stunning clarity and detail found in the filmmaker’s studio. To ensure accurate images and pristine video performance, the Panasonic GT50 series underwent approximately 400 THX laboratory tests from measuring cross-talk, to proper deinterlacing, to the absence of moire.

All THX Certified Displays contain a THX Cinema Mode specifically designed to configure the display to replicate the viewing characteristics of the post-production environment in which a film was created. THX understands that in many viewing environments, it is not convenient to reduce ambient light levels to those inside of professional mixing rooms. Therefore, to compensate for increased ambient light, many THX Certified Displays—like the Panasonic GT50—contain a THX Bright Room Mode. You can view the difference between THX Cinema and Bright Room Modes at the Panasonic Raise the Bar Tour and at local retailers who sell THX Certified Displays.

Where can I find THX representatives on the tour and see these Panasonic displays in action?

The Panasonic Raise the Bar Tour has stops in some of North America’s busiest locations. THX encourages consumers to visit one of these stops and learn more about Panasonic products and THX Certified Displays. As of this post, THX Display Certification Engineers were on staff to answer consumer questions at the San Francisco, New York, and Washington DC stops. THX engineers will also be present at the Minneapolis Mall of America and Chicago Union Station tour stops during the month of May. If you’re curious about video technologies or THX, Panasonic’s Raise the Bar Tour offers a rare opportunity to speak with a THX expert. If you want more detail about the days and times our engineers will be present, please email web@thx.com.

In addition to being a fantastic opportunity to learn about Panasonic’s current product line, the Raise the Bar Tour offers consumers a chance to win one of approximately 400 prizes, including a pair of tickets to this summer’s Olympic Games in London.

For information on Panasonic’s current product line please visit www.panasonic.com. For more detail on Panasonic’s Raise the Bar Tour and your chance to win tickets to the 2012 summer Olympics, please visit www.panasonic.com/raisethebar.

The new active 3D models have a host of next-generation and Sharp-proprietary features. At the top of the list is the full-array LED backlight with local dimming. This technology dims the LEDs in accordance to what is on screen at the time, creating a better contrast ratio and black level. The 240 Hz refresh rate and FluidMotion circuitry improves picture sharpness, even with fast motion.

Sharp’s proprietary RGB+Y pixel structure is here as well. This adds an additional yellow sub-pixel to the traditional red, green, and blue found on other flat panels – allowing for more precise colors, and a broader color palette.

Making certain all of these features work together is the Intelligent Variable Contrast, developed specifically for these Elite LCD TVs. This technology automatically adjusts the picture and backlight for an enhanced color gamut and better black levels for the best possible contrast ratio and color depth.

Built-in Wi-Fi gives access to streaming services such as Netflix and CinemaNow.

THX 3D Certified

For proof that it all works, look no further than the THX 3D Display Certification. This shows that both Elite models pass the most stringent video testing available today, and are truly among the best in their class. Over 400 lab tests are performed, including specific tests for Left and Right eye images, cross-talk, viewing angles, video processing and more. THX certification follows the HD standards used by the TV and movie industries to ensure the images created are as close to what the director intended as possible, with both 2D and 3D.

The 60-inch PRO-60X5FD and 70-inch PRO-70X5FD Elite LED LCDs are shipping now, and are available only from select custom install and specialty high-end retailers.

For more on THX 3D Display Certification, click here.

For more information on the new Elite LED LCDs, check out elitelcdtv.com.

THX 3D Certified Displays and Home Theater Projectors deliver 3D movie experiences with the stunning depth and detail found in 3D movie theaters. Offering the industry’s first and only benchmark for 3D quality, THX is dedicated to ensuring home theater enthusiasts have a no-compromise 3D experience.

At CES 2011, JVC and LG Electronics are demonstrating THX 3D Certified Home Theater Projectors and Displays. JVC is showcasing the world’s first THX 3D Certified Projectors, and LG is demonstrating their new 50- and 60-inch THX 3D Certified Displays from its 2011 Infinia PZ750 and PZ950 Plasma Series.

Learn more about THX 3D Certified products at CES 2011.

THX Certifies New 3D Displays and Projectors
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THX 3D Certification Explained – CES 2011
Kevin Wines from THX explains the process for certification of displays for 3D to Stephen Withers of AVForums at CES 2011.
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THX 3D Display Certification
THX 3D Certified Displays deliver 3D movie experiences with the stunning clarity and detail found in the filmmaker’s studio. The new LG INFINIA PX950 Plasma Series are the world’s first TVs that have what it takes to achieve THX 3D Display certification.
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THX 3D Home Setup Tips
So, you just bought a brand spanking new 3DTV, but the picture doesn’t look as good as the commercials promised. What’s wrong? Is it the TV, the 3D glasses, your room?
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