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 or www.technicsusa.com.
Panasonicís New ""Home Theater In A Box"" Packages Include Subwoofers, Built-In 5.1 Decoders
Taking all the guesswork out of assembling a home theater, Panasonic offers two new multi-component packages conceived for full, cinema-like sound out of the box. The feature-loaded and attractively-priced SC-HT280 and SC-HT80 are ideal for anyone who wants to set up a home theater without a major investment in time or money. As long as thereís an existing television (preferably 27 diagonal inches or bigger), either one of these systems can immediately pay dividends. Both packages include an A/V receiver with Dolby DigitalÆ decoding built-in. They also contain all six speakers required for full 5.1-channel surround sound: left, right, center, right surround, left surround and a subwoofer. Covering all the bases, model SC-HT80 adds a five-disc DVD/CD changer built right into the receiver. Among the benefits of an all-in-one package is the assurance that every piece of the system is designed to work together. There wonít be any compatibility problems between the receiver and speakers, and all six speakers are acoustically ""matched"" for optimum performance. Yet another benefit is that the connection cables and speaker wire are included in the package. Itís impossible for home theatre to get any easier. SC-HT280 The SC-HT280 packageís receiver boasts 600 watts of power, sending 100 watts to each of the six speakers (1kHz, 8 ohms, 0.9% THD), so sound will transgress smoothly from left to right and front to rear. And while thatís important for 5.1-channel DVDs and satellite broadcasts, itís also key to enjoying Dolby Pro Logic sources such as videotapes and surround-sound television programs. For music listening, the receiver is rated at 100W x 2 (20Hz - 20kHz, 8 ohms, 0.05% THD). This unit features Class H+ amp circuitry, a smooth and efficient way of handling power. It uses one power supply for normal audio, then ratchets up to a second, higher-power one for spikes in sound, such as movie explosions. The result is cleaner, cooler power delivery than single-supply amps. Other significant receiver features include a user-friendly Help mode, which troubleshoots sound-stream problems right on the front of the unit or a TV screen; Sound Field Control, which produces five different sonic environments (Theater, Live, Hall, Club and Simulated Surround); and a digital AM/FM tuner with 30 station, direct access (via remote) memory slots. The receiver can accommodate up to three video and four audio sources, selectable with a rotary-style knob. The packageís speakers are all comfortably sized to fit unobtrusively in any room, and the 100 watt subwoofer features an on/off switch and four-step level control adjustable with the remote or the main unit. Of course, the system includes a universal remote control that can operate a variety of audio/video sources, including a DVD player. SC-HT80 As mentioned above, the most important difference in this system is the receiverís built-in, five-disc DVD/CD changer. With the elevator-style changer, users can enjoy multiple-disc DVD programming without having to get up, or can load music discs for hours of uninterrupted music. The DVD playerís 10-bit D/A converter ensures exceptionally sharp picture quality, and a graphical user interface viewable on-screen makes set-up and disc selection easy. Other DVD features include scan and slow playback in both directions, a marker function, resume play, and standard DVD functions such as multi-angle, multi-language, and multi-subtitle capability. The DVD player isnít the only upgrade, however. The SC-HT80ís receiver also adds multichannel digital signal processing functions for advanced A/V effects. DSP modes include Virtual Rear Surround, Multi-Rear Surround, Center Focus and Simulated Stereo. Thereís even a seat position setting, which tailors the sound depending on where the listeners are located. This receiver also has its own set of six Sound Field Control settings: Heavy, Live, Clear, Soft, Hall and Disco. The system also includes a deluxe universal remote, an S-VHS input, and is Energy Star compliant, so it draws just 0.6W in stand-by (off) mode. Panasonic home audio products 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: MC) of Japan, one of the worldís largest producers of electronic and electric products and a key developer of technology for DVD, mobile DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM and DVD Audio. Prices are in U.S. currency.