New Panasonic 3-Chip DLP Projectors Features High-Contrast,
HD Resolution for Home Theater Applications

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (September 8, 2004) – Here at CEDIA, Panasonic is displaying the widescreen PT-DW7000U and high-resolution PT-D7700U 3-chip large venue DLP™ projectors that are brighter and sharper than competitive models.

The heavy-duty PT-DW7000U and PT-D7700U are ideally suited for premium home theatre applications. The native 16:9 PT-DW7000U also offers a versatile presentation style where XGA graphics and high-definition video can be combined on one screen.

The PT-DW7000U offers more than 5,000 lumens of brightness and a 1366 x 768 WXGA resolution. The PT-D7700U produces 7000 lumens of brightness and a 1400 x 1050 SXGA+ resolution.

The projectors deliver a theater-quality 4000:1 contrast ratio with Panasonic's newly-develop Dynamic Iris, which adjusts the aperture according to the input signal. The units' high-speed digital signal processing (with 16-bit color depth for wider dynamic range) and progressive cinema scan (3/2 pull down) capabilities combine to produce rich, detailed blacks and to masterfully reproduce 24 frames-per-second film-based video.

With a robust, dust-proof design, both projectors are equipped with three-chip DLP light valves with sealed, fluid-cooled optical systems. Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the lamp power control system to assure optimum image brightness. Its lamp auto-changer alternates lamp operation to permit extended 24/7 use, and allows operation to continue without interruption even if one lamp burns out.

The projectors offer built-in multi-screen color matching and edge blending for displaying uniform, natural-looking, full-motion images over a wide span without any discernible lines between overlapping blended images. An outstanding benefit of edge blending is that it increases the image's horizontal resolution while maintaining the maximum vertical resolution. Up to 100 projectors (10 x 10) can be edge-blended at one time using the projectors' built-in processor.

The PT-DW7000U/D7700U offer Panasonic's BriteOptic™ dual-lamp system that delivers the power and reliability of two high-intensity 300W UHM lamps through a high-precision prism. By adding the optional Ethernet network module, the units are network-ready, enabling network administrators to centrally monitor these projectors via LAN-based remote control over a Web browser, thereby driving down support costs and minimizing any downtime. The projectors can send e-mail messages to notify the user when the units' operating condition changes or a lamp needs replacing.

The PT-DW7000U/D7700U are easy to setup with one-touch auto-setup with horizontal/vertical lens shift and Digital Keystone correction. The 16:9 HDTV units can automatically synchronize to display 1080/24p, 1080/24sF, 1080/30p, 1080/25p, 1080/60i-50i, 1035/60i 720p, 480p and 480/576i video in the conventional 4:3 aspect ratio. They can project on screens from 70" to 600".

Other standard benefits include RS-232C/RS-422 input/output control; mechanical shutter; 96 user memories; and selectable seven-language on-screen menu. Both projectors weigh 48 pounds and measure 20-7/8" W x 7-7/8" H x 22-13/32 D.

In addition to a wide range of standard inputs (two RGB/YPbPr, S-video and composite video), optional input boards include HD-SDI, SD-SDI, RGB/YPbPr, DVI, Ethernet, and video/S-Video.

Optional lenses available for both models include the: ET-D75LE1 1.5-2.0:1 zoom lens, ET-D75LE2 2.0-3.0:1 zoom lens, ET-D75LE3 3.0-5.0:1 zoom lens, ET-D75LE4 5.0-8.0:1 zoom lens, and ET-D75LE5 0.8:1 fixed-focus lens.

The PT-DW7000U and PT-D7700 will be available in November at suggested list prices of $27,000 and $35,000, respectively.

For information on Panasonic projectors, visit www.panasonic.com/projectors or 1-800-528-8601.

About Panasonic Broadcast

Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast, professional video and presentation products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit company of Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, the principal North America subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC), one of the world's leading developers and producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. For an overview of Panasonic Broadcast's product offering, visit www.panasonic.com/broadcast.

* DLP and Digital Light Processing are trademarks of Texas Instruments Incorporated.