Panasonic Develops World's First 1080p Lamp-Free Professional Projectors With HDBaseT™ Technology

Secaucus, NJ, June 13, 2012 – Panasonic, a provider of professional projector solutions, today announced the world’s first lamp-free projector series with HDBaseT™ technology. This new series of projectors replaces a conventional lamp with new LED/laser diodes boosted by Panasonic’s proprietary technologies to realize long lasting high brightness of more than 3,000 lumens. The 1-Chip DLP™ PT-RZ470 and PT-RZ370 Series will be made available in two different resolutions, 1080p (1,920 x 1,080) and WXGA (1,280 x 800) with capabilities that were not possible before with conventional lamps.

By pairing an LED/laser light source with Panasonic’s installation flexibility – including lens shift capability – the PT-RZ470 Series and PT-RZ370 Series represent a new and important milestone in projector evolution. By providing end users with continuous high brightness and professional grade features including Edge Blending and Color Matching, Panasonic has enriched the projector usage experience for educational institutions and professional applications such as museums and digital signage.

The new lighting technology delivers up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation and as a result, operating costs often associated with periodic labor and service can be drastically reduced.

High Picture Quality Because of Panasonic’s excellent optical engineering accuracy and cooling efficiency, the projectors feature long lasting high-brightness levels and high picture quality.

All of the projector models are equipped with Panasonic’s proprietary Daylight View technology, where a built-in ambient light sensor matches the image quality according to the surrounding conditions. Together with the wide color space and vivid colors of the projector, they help viewing of the projectors in rooms with bright lights. DICOM Simulation mode is also available for use in medical training applications*2.

Panasonic Digital Link

Each new model will feature a Digital Link connection. Based on Valens HDBaseT™ technology, Panasonic’s Digital Link is embedded in the PT-RZ470 and PT-RZ370 Series, allowing a single cable to transmit uncompressed HD videos, audio and control commands up to 100m (328ft). The need for an external receiver is eliminated when the projectors are used together with Panasonic’s new ET-YFB100 switcher box or other switchers with HDBaseT™ chipset.

Panasonic has partnered with industry-leading manufacturers of HDBaseT solutions including Crestron, Extron, and AMX, to insure the interoperability of PT-VW431DU with Crestron’s DigitalMedia 8G+™ compatible switchers, Extron’s XTP Systems and AMX’s Enova DVX and DGX Digital Media Switchers.

Ease of Operation

The PT-RZ470 and PT-RZ370 Series projectors turn on and reach full brightness virtually instantaneously without any need for warm up time, enabling the projectors to be used immediately. There are no limitations on the number and duration of on/off cycles. Durability and reliability is further backed up by 24/7 operation capability.

Installation Flexibility

The PT-RZ470 and PT-RZ370 Series are designed with 2x zoom and exceptionally wide lens shift range. This provides flexibility for replacement installations, eliminating the need to reposition an existing universal ceiling mount.

The PT-RZ470 Series support 360-degree installation and portrait mode projection. No intricate mirror is necessary to realize these special projections, changing and expanding the way projectors can be used in a variety of environments. The PT-RZ470 Series is equipped with a number of professional features that make it ideal for complex installations. Built in Edge Blending, Color Matching and Multi-Unit Brightness Control function enable multiple unit projection without any need for external processors. 3D compatibility is another benefit boasted by the new series.

Availability

The PT-RZ470 and PT-RZ370 Series projectors will be available through authorized Panasonic resellers starting in Q4 2012. The series will have basic warranty of 3 years*4; light source operation will be warranted for more than 10,000 hours.

Features and specifications are tentative and subject to change without notice.