Panasonic TC-P54Z1

WELLAND — Thomas Electronics is the temporary home to the world’s first plasma television measuring in at less than an inch thick.

At only 0.8 inches, the remote for the Panasonic TC-P54Z1 is thicker than the TV itself.

The 54-inch high definition television, which only comes in one size, is completely wireless, said Thomas Electronics manager Trevor Thomas.

For the TV to be so thin, the set had to be made wireless without any connector cables, Thomas said, adding a tuner box and wireless transmitter are used to transfer the information to the screen.

“As long as (the tuner box) is in the room, it sends the information through a secure wireless network of its own.”

Mounted on a wall, the TV is “realistically as thin or thinner” than most framed pieces of artwork, he said.

When the model was initially released in April, it came with a $10,000 price tag. The price has since dropped to $8,000 to make it more attainable, Thomas said.

The thinness of the TV isn’t its only feature — it has a game mode, making it safe for video games, and has a Viera Image Viewer, making it ideal for looking at photos.

It’s also equipped with Viera Cast, which allows the viewer access to the popular online video site YouTube, and has THX certified display that provides the best movie-viewing quality around. The picture offers infinite black with over 2,000,000 to one dynamic contrast ratio.

“It’s the centre of anything you might want to do,” Thomas said.

He said the sleek design was also put together with the environment in mind.

The TV features a NeoPDP panel, making it one of the most energy-efficient televisions available.

“It prevents burn-in and is very environmentally friendly,” he said. Burn-in occurs when pixels are unable to return to their relaxed state and permanently burn an image into a screen.

It also has a mercury and lead free panel and is Energy Star qualified.

The panel has a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours, equivalent to 34-and-a-half years at eight hours a day without a break, Thomas said.

The TV “makes you step back when you first see it,” he said, adding everyone peeks around to the side to check out its slim design.

Thomas said the Panasonic TC-P54Z1 is for “the person who wants state-of-the-art technology,” or “art in their living room.”

“It’s better than the best standard plasma.”