SECAUCUS, NJ (August 29, 2005) – Panasonic, America's best-selling professional plasma brand, has introduced its eighth generation of displays consisting of six new 8-Series panels. The new models include four high definition panels -- 65" TH-65PHD8UK, 50" TH-50PHD8UK, 42" TH-42PHD8UK and 37" TH-37PHD8UK – and two standard definition panels -- 42" TH-42PWD8UK and 37" TH-37PWD8UK. They are all distinguished by improved brightness, a new cabinet design, lower list prices and new features to make customization easier.

"We would like to thank customers for making Panasonic the number one selling professional plasma brand in the U.S. The exceptional image quality, performance and value of our displays have catapulted us to this leadership position, and we are committed to providing the very best in professional plasmas," said John Baisley, president, Panasonic Broadcast.

Baisley continued, "When it comes to versatility and expandability, nothing compares to Panasonic professional plasmas. Our interchangeable, multi-function slots allow customers to equip the panels with the widest combinations of optional terminal boards and accessories to meet virtually any application."

Outstanding Picture Quality and Contrast Differentiate Panasonic Professional Plasmas
The 8-Series models boasts Panasonic's phenomenal image quality, high contrast ratio (4000:1 on SD models and 3000:1 on HD units), impressive 60,000-hour service life, and an elegant, new design with an ultra-slim bezel and hidden touch controls (other than the 65" model).

The widescreen (16:9 aspect) plasmas incorporate a new Real Black Drive System that produces the highest level of dark area contrast, a Deep Black Filter that achieves the highest contrast ratio in a brightly-lit room, and proven picture-improving technologies including Advanced Real Gamma System, high-precision Motion Picture Disturbance (MPD) Noise Reduction, Active I/P (Interlace/Progressive) Conversion 3D Color Management system, and Adaptive Automatic Gain Control (AGC).

The 8-Series plasmas reproduce gradations in steps equivalent to 2,048 shades and produce up to 8.58 billion colors to deliver astonishing image depth, ultra-faithful color reproduction and provide ultra-subtle nuances in dark scenes. The panel's light-efficient bounded cell structure boosts peak brightness by more than 15% (from prior models), its newly-developed phosphor increases the resistance to static-image burn-in to the same level as color CRT displays, and a new drive circuit and overall panel improvements give these plasmas a service life of 60,000 hours.

The eighth-generation panels offer an advanced Dual Picture mode, which combines any two AV signals and displays them in three different modes (two picture-in-picture and one picture-out-picture modes). The panels also feature a Picture-in-Picture mode that displays a full-screen PC image with a video overlay, highly beneficial for digital signage applications; a 4X Digital Zoom to enlarge a portion of an image up to four times normal size and display it full screen; and a built-in video wall processor that enables an up to 16-panel (4x4) configuration for multi-screen applications.

8-Series Panels Offer Unmatched Expandability
Panasonic plasmas offer the industry's best expandability thanks to their ability to be customized with optional terminal boards installed in interchangeable, multi-function slots. In addition to a fixed input interface, Panasonic offers 10 terminal boards that can be installed in the three open slots of the 42", 50" and 65" models and the two open slots of the 37" panels. Optional touch panels (for 42", 50 and 65" models) permit writing directly onto the screen with a touch pen.

Other advances in the new models include a new system monitoring function that remotely monitors plasma functions (on/off, slot-in-use indicator, e.g.) via a RS-232C port, another plus for digital signage use; and a new remote control with direct-input selection and 10-key numeric pad simplifying video wall set-up.

For the HD panels, the TH-65PHD8UK and TH-50PHD8UK have a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels, and the TH-42PHD8UK and TH-37PHD8UK deliver 1024 x 768 pixels and 1024 x 720 pixels, respectively. The TH-42PWD8UK and TH-37PWD8UK offer a resolution of 852 x 480 pixels. The units can display 1080p 24p/24sf, 1080i 50/60, 720p 50/60, 480p/i and 576 p/i and offer support for VGA, SVGA, XGA, SXGA and UXGA resolution.

The 65", 50" and 42" models can be positioned vertically to display portrait images, allowing them to serve as highly-effective in-store signage. All 8-Series plasmas offer a wide viewing angle of more than 160 degrees, and are equipped with a host of energy-saving functions.

Panasonic plasmas are vital for visual communications in an endless array of applications, from A/V presentation systems to in-store display, from television station sets to videoconferencing, from training facilities and control rooms to network operations, and for extensive digital signage uses. The high-resolution, high-contrast 65" plasma is the perfect eye-catching vertical or horizontal display for a building lobby, boardroom, exhibit hall, or any large room or large event.

The 37" TH-37PWD8UK and 42" TH-42PWD8UK are available at suggested list prices of $1,895 and $2,095, respectively. The TH-42PHD8UK and TH-50PHD8UK are available at suggested list prices of $2,995 and $3,995, respectively. The TH-37PHD8UK is available in September at a suggested list price of $2,595, and the TH-65PHD8UK will be available in October at a suggested list price of $15,495.

For more information on Panasonic plasma displays and accessories, phone 1-800-528-8601 or visit our web site at www.panasonic.com/plasma.

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 Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the North American headquarters of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC) of Japan, and the hub of its U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations For more information on Panasonic Broadcast products, access the company's web site at www.panasonic.com/broadcast.