CEO of Panasonic Projector & Display Americas Discusses HIVE Acquisition and InfoComm Preview

Taka Uchida, chief executive officer of Panasonic Projector & Display Americas, recently sat down with AV Technology’s Cindy Davis to share insight into the company’s acquisition of Hive Media Control Ltd. and how it is in lockstep with Panasonic’s road map toward being a total visual solutions provider.

Uchida also discussed Panasonic’s close relationship with its integration, end-user customers, and third-party partnerships.

And of course, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t ask for a preview of what to expect at InfoComm.

Check out our discussion.

AVNetwork (AVN): Let’s start off with some big news! Panasonic recently announced the acquisition of Hive Media Control Ltd. What does this mean for Panasonic?

Taka Uchida: Yes, we’re very excited about this! The acquisition of Hive Media Control Ltd. (HIVE) marks another step in Panasonic’s evolution from a hardware-led manufacturer into a broader visual solutions ecosystem provider. It signals our expansion beyond projection and display into software, workflow, and integrated media-delivery solutions.

As AV deployments grow more complex across immersive attractions, museums, themed environments, and other permanent visual installations, integrators and end users need solutions that support a seamless workflow from start to finish. Acquiring HIVE expands our ability to support customers not just at the display endpoint, but across a wider part of the workflow from content playback and control through to deployment and operation. Customers benefit from greater deployment flexibility, a smaller infrastructure footprint, fewer external devices, simplified cabling, and more streamlined installation and operation.

AVN: People often think of Panasonic Projector & Displays as a hardware company. Certainly, the acquisition of HIVE demonstrates that you’re expanding. But that expansion began even before the acquisition. Please share more about Panasonic’s roadmap towards a total visual solutions provider model.

Uchida: Our progression towards a total visual solution provider model centers on expanding our solution suite to support holistic workflows. The acquisition of HIVE is the latest development in a process we started last year.

A key part of this strategy has centered on expanding partnerships and broadening our solution suite. As a founding member of OpenAV Cloud, we’re proud to play a role in accelerating the AV industry’s transition to the cloud through open standards, cross-platform collaboration, and customer-first innovation. One of the results of that partnership involved expanding the interoperability of our MEVIX product portfolio by introducing web-based APIs that enable third-party integration and allow external applications to monitor and control devices over IP networks.

Ultimately, it’s our goal to advance hardware and software offerings to support end-users with an easy-to-use ecosystem so they can focus on bringing dynamic audience experiences to life.

AVN: Panasonic has always been known to be a hands-on partner to its integrator and end-user customers. How are these partnerships evolving?

Uchida: We’ve always been committed to supporting customers throughout the deployment and lifecycle of their projection and display technology. Our evolving partnerships with industry peers help us expand those capabilities even further. For instance, our recent partnership with XYTE integrates our projectors and professional displays into XYTE’s Connect+ ecosystem. This gives IT and AV teams a centralized, cloud-based platform to monitor, control, and manage devices across classrooms, meeting spaces, and enterprise environments. Boosting their visibility helps reduce downtime and streamline workflows. While we’re available to support customers, we also strive to equip them with the tools they need to monitor and control their solutions effectively.

AVN: Simulation experiences have become increasingly popular. What has changed in recent years to make this such a big trend? What areas is Panasonic serving?

Uchida: The expansion of simulation is a direct result of the increasing sophistication of projection technology to power these life-like visual experiences. Take golf simulation, for instance. It’s not just about giving audiences a low-risk environment to improve their form; a central part of the experience is being able to golf in a unique setting they wouldn’t otherwise visit. Through large-scale 4K projection that can reproduce content vividly in fine detail, golf simulation experiences transport guests to golf courses around the world. That’s why we designed the PT-VMQ85 Series Projectors, the first in our LCD projector line to deliver 2-axis pixel shifting for clear, dimensional 4K visuals even in bright spaces. These projectors also support Vivid Green Mode, which enhances the appearance of natural greens for a more realistic golf experience.

In addition to entertainment experiences, simulation has expanded as a training use case for government, defense, and public sector environments. Our partnership with Igloo Vision leverages our TAA-compliant projectors to power immersive, floor-to-ceiling 360-degree projection mapping that simulates vivid mission environments. Unlike a VR headset that creates simulations on an individual level, simulated rooms make it possible for attendees to collaborate with each other and practice problem-solving and response in real-world settings.

AVN: What is your strategy for InfoComm 2026, and what new products will you be announcing?

Uchida: We’re excited for InfoComm 2026 and the opportunity to showcase the recent expansions to the MEVIX lineup at our booth #C8325. Our new projector and display solutions respond to the growing need for high-quality, dynamic visuals across the location-based entertainment, sports simulation, and public sector industries.

Specifically, we’ll highlight the PT-HTQ20 1-Chip DLP Projector, which is our first projector to support the Rec. 2020 color gamut. This capability is all thanks to its newly developed VIVID PRIME RGB (RGB-plus-phosphor) laser light-source technology, which achieves over 95% Rec. 2020 coverage. As immersive entertainment venues advance their experiences to meet audience expectations, they need projection technology that raises the stakes for visual quality and color reproduction.

Additionally, with more corporate and public sector industries seeing value in sharing visual information, they need display solutions that are both flexible and reliable while supporting high visibility in bright environments, visual uniformity without seams, vivid color reproduction, and a sophisticated design that blends into the space. We’re excited to showcase our new TL-55LV12A LED Display, a 55-inch bezel-less display designed to easily integrate in place of existing LCD video walls without complexity, simplifying large-screen visual presentations for corporate and public sector environments.

Our booth will also feature the VMQ85 Series Projectors, which respond to the need for large-scale 4K projection that can reproduce content vividly in fine detail. Designed for simulation and training environments, the VMQ85 is the first in the LCD projector line to deliver 4K resolution using 2-axis pixel shifting, while building on the proven performance of the VMZ82 Series.

Finally, we’ll highlight the advancements made across our end-to-end workflow offering, including updates to the Visual Software Suite, our Remotely Managed Service, and key partner-enabled features that help customers simplify setup, operation, monitoring, and support.

We’re excited for what’s bound to be a busy show where we can showcase all of the advancements made to the MEVIX lineup that continue to power new levels of image quality, usability, and workflow efficiency.