Panasonic Announces New Advanced Television Product Line

New Digital TV Line Includes Tau PureFlatô, Plasma And DLPô Technology-Based Products

21-Aug-00

Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC) expects to wow consumers with its digital television products for this summer and fall. New products include Tau PureFlatô series flat-screen direct-view and rear-projection models, two new plasma displays, and the new Digital Light Processingô technology-based rear-projection television. These advanced digital televisions join the companyís extensive line of high-quality, high-performance analog sets and innovative combination TV products.""Our television line-up this year is truly extraordinary,"" said Bill Mannion, Vice President and General Manager of PCECís Television and Network Systems Division. ""Weíve expanded our broad line of digital direct-view and projection sets with more screen sizes and have included more features. And with the addition of exciting new products featuring plasma and Digital Light Processing technologies, Panasonic offers the strongest assortment of consumer digital television products in the industry."" The Panasonic name has been synonymous with the development of digital television technologies - from the cameras which capture the images, to HD VTRs used for recording and playback, to universal format converters and set-top DTV decoder boxes, to the DTV monitors that deliver the digital images to consumersí homes.Tau PureFlat Is Pure MagicThis year, Panasonic is making more screen sizes available in its comprehensive line of Tau PureFlat televisions - models with perfectly flat screens. The 34-inch (diagonal screen measurement), 16:9 widescreen CT-34WX50 monitor-receiver, which was introduced in May, will be joined by models CT-32HX40 and CT-36HX40 (planned for fall introduction). The new 4:3 HDTV (1080i/480p) compatible sets will feature 3-line digital comb filters, digital velocity modulated scan, built-in progressive scan converters, digital convergence, wideband video amplifiers, powerful audio systems, 2-tuner split-screen/standard PIP, component video inputs and a host of other advanced features. To optimize the home theatre experience, the new sets will offer enhanced video features - such as 57MHz DAC, ID-1 detection for anamorphic DVD and progressive cinema scan - to deliver the full benefits of digital content.  Sets equipped with ID-1 identify the presence of an ID-1 signal to automatically adjust the size and aspect ratio for optimum viewing of DVD movies.The digital cinema scan feature compensates for digital artifacts typically visible when film, converted to NTSC (480i), is displayed as progressive video (480p). Panasonic Tau PureFlatís newly designed metallic cabinets complement the state-of-the-art digital technology inside. Optional matching stands will be available to complete the look. The CT-36HX40 and CT-32HX40 will be equipped with 4 A/V input jacks, 3 S-Video inputs, 2 component video inputs, fixed and variable audio output jacks, A/V program out jacks, center channel audio input jacks, and 2 UHF/VHF inputs, lighted Directorô Home Theater remotes with joystick control.Panasonic Projection Televisions Reach New Heights And DepthsThis year, Panasonic presents DTV-compatible projection TVs in a variety of screen sizes and configurations. The sets are designed to take full advantage of digital media while offering enhanced-quality analog television. A built-in progressive scan converter ""line-doubles"" conventional NTSC analog signals to 480p. Models PT-51HX40 (51-inch, diagonal screen measurement), PT-61HX40 (61-inch, diagonal screen measurement) and PT-56HX40 (56-inch, diagonal screen measurement) all feature HDTV (1080i/480p) compatibility and built-in progressive scan converters. The new 4:3 sets join the PT-56WXF95 16:9 widescreen set, which was introduced in Fall 1999. Also new for 2000 is the PT-65WX50, a 65-inch (diagonal screen measurement) 16:9 widescreen model. Like the PT-56WXF95, this set is fully digital-compatible, able to display 1080i/720p/480p/480i. The new projection sets include many of the direct-view setsí advanced features. In addition, they incorporate advanced technology specifically designed to enhance the quality of rear-projected images. These include color matrix adjustment, color noise reduction, luminance noise reduction and color temperature control. A new high definition projection CRT reduces the electron beam spot size to provide the fine details necessary for proper reproduction of digital TV images. Panasonicís flagship PT-52DL10 incorporates Digital Light Processingô(DLPô) technology to produce images in 1280 x 720 resolution. Its 16:9 widescreen picture is housed in a high-tech metallic cabinet, and is 17.7-inches thick. The PT-52DL10 is equipped with an NTSC tuner and built-in progressive scan converter. The set is multimedia-ready with a PC input terminal and XGA display compatibility.Bigger, Brighter Plasma DisplaysThe new Panasonic 42-inch (diagonal screen measurement) PT-42PD2-P and 50-inch (diagonal screen measurement) PT-50PD2-P Plasma Tauô models (available in September and November, respectively) measure 3.5 inches thick, and are 16:9 widescreen displays. The PT-42PD2-P features a brightness level of 650 cd/m2 and is capable of reproducing 16.77 million colors. It boasts a contrast ratio of 3000:1. The larger PT-50PD2-P will feature a brightness level of more than 500 cd/m2 and contrast ratio of 2300:1.The PT-42PD2-P will display 480i/480p digital video as well as analog signals. The PT-50PD2-P will additionally be capable of displaying HDTV 720p. Both models feature a built-in RS232C serial interface and RGB input for use as high-resolution monitors.Panasonic consumer televisions are marketed in the United States by Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company (PCEC), a division of Matsushita Electric Corporation of America (MECA). MECA is the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., (NYSE/PCX: MC), one of the worldís largest producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. Consumers seeking more information on the companyís products can phone Panasonicís Customer Call Center at 800 211 PANA or access Panasonicís home page at www.panasonic.com.

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