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Flexible DVDBurner II, Available in December and Shown at COMDEX 2002 Offers Unmatched Interoperability Among DVD Devices

Meeting DVD Multi specifications, the new DVD drive builds on the success of Panasonic's currently available DVD-RAM/R DVDBurner by extending the drive's capabilities to include read/write support for all Recordable DVD formats approved by the DVD Forum and read/write support for CD-R/RW discs. Universal and affordable at $399*, the DVDBurner II enters the hot DVD market as it continues to amaze industry watchers as the fastest growing electronics category in the market place.

"The availability of Panasonic's DVDBurner II will once again change the recordable DVD landscape," said Charles Vidal, Panasonic Product Manager, Panasonic Digital Imaging Solutions, "By bridging CD and recordable DVD technologies, and computer and consumer electronics applications, this drive will help to propel the DVD market further by providing a single, cost-effective solution for home video, personal computing and business storage/archiving. With the new drive, users now have an all-in-one DVD/CD storage solution that provides the security of write-once, the flexibility of rewriteable, broad compatibility, and the ability to choose between 9.4GB, 5.2 GB, 4.7GB, 2.6GB or 650MB capacities."

To illustrate the drive's DVD/CD storage flexibility, higher performance and cross-device interoperability, Panasonic will demonstrate the DVDBurner II drive during COMDEX in Las Vegas November 18-22 at their Interactive Innovation Suite at the Las Vegas Hilton and also at the Recordable DVD Council Pavilion, Booth #L7064.

With read/write support for all DVD Forum recordable DVD specifications and read/write support for CD-R/RW discs, Panasonic's DVDBurner II will have broad appeal among consumers, businesses and professionals. According to Vidal, the drive will not only allow computer makers to meet the needs of a wide range of users, but will provide consumers with a new level of flexibility that can help users achieve substantial savings. The specifications ensure disc compatibility for all recordable DVD formats established by the 230-member DVD Forum -- both for consumer electronics products and personal computers. In addition to reading and writing DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, CD-R and CD-RW discs, the DVDBurner II can also play DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio and CD-ROM discs.

"Whether purchasing at retail to upgrade existing units or to customize a new computer, Panasonic's DVDBurner II offers consumers backward compatibility and a proven solution for all their current and future storage needs," added Vidal. "It's a true all-in-one product that bridges formats, capacities and applications. We believe that video is the application that will drive the recordable and rewritable DVD market and DVD-RAM is positioned as the best format to accomplish that."

When writing to a 4.7GB DVD-R General disc, the new drive achieves speeds of up to 2x, with DVD-R playback at max. 6x. Reasonably priced and readily available, the write-once DVD-R is considered the most compatible of all DVD formats. The discs can be played back by most of the DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives in use throughout the world today. With huge storage capacity, reliable data management and rewritability up to 100,000 times. DVD-RAM discs are optimally suited for both the PC and consumer recorder applications and by bridging the consumer and PC worlds, expands the capabilities of recordable DVD. Because it is RAM based, DVD-RAM can offer features that no other rewritable DVD format can achieve. The disc's 2X write speed is equivalent to at least 18x CD rate.

Smaller files can be stored on low-cost 650MB CD-Rs at up to 12x speed or on CD-RW discs at up to 8x speed. CD playback is at max. 32x while DVD-ROM read speed is max. 12x. To ensure error-free CD recording, Panasonic's new multifunction drive includes buffer under-run technology.

Price, Availability

The Panasonic brand DVDBurner II drive (LF-D521U) will begin shipping in December 2002 and, like the continuing DVD-RAM/R DVDBurner, will be available for resale at retail. The Panasonic brand DVD Burner II drive for retail sale will be priced at $399*.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC), best known for its Panasonic brand, is one of the world's largest producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. The company played a decisive role in the development of the DVD format, and has introduced some of the world's most innovative DVD products to the market, to include DVD Video Recorders, portable DVD Video and DVD-Audio players with built-in LCD screen, DVD video and DVD-Audio players for home and automobiles, TV/DVD and TV/DVD/VCR combination systems and DVDBurner drives. Additional information on Panasonic and Matsushita Electric is available at http://www.panasonic.com. Manufacturer's suggested retail price. All prices are in U.S. dollars.

All company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.