Most of Panasonic’s press conference was a big snore, except perhaps for the introduction of 50- and 58-inch 1080p plasmas to join the 65- and 103-inchers (and a 42-inch 1080p prototype to compete with Hitachi’s). But what really perked up my ears was an announcement so brief I almost missed it: two new lines of LCD-based rear-pros, one 720p and the other 1080p, both with screen sizes of 50, 56, and 61 inches.

What’s so special about that, you might ask? Both lines use a new illumination technology called LiFi (Lighting Fidelity) from a company called Luxim. LiFi lamps use microwaves to excite a gas of metallic salts into a plasma, which emits light in a spectrum that resembles sunlight. (It can be made to emit just about any spectrum depending on the specific gas recipe.) There’s no electrode to degrade, leading to an exceptionally long lifespan; according to Luxim, the lamp is rated to lose only 20% of its brightness after 25,000 hours! Not only that, it lights up almost instantly after applying power.

The 720p LCX series will be available in April, while the 1080p LCZ line is expected to ship in May; no prices were disclosed. LiFi is one of several new technologies that promise to extend the life of RPTVs beyond the imminent demise predicted by some naysayers.

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