NEC Introduces 61 in. XGA Plasma Monitor

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ITASCA, Ill., April 13 -- NEC will unveil the results of a product development effort intended to deliver the industry's first 61`` XGA resolution plasma monitor at the National Association of Broadcaster's Show April 23-26, 2001 in Las Vegas. The prototype monitor, the PlasmaSync® 61MP1, incorporates NEC's industry-leading PDP panel technology in a product planned for mass production during summer 2001. The PlasmaSync 61MP1 is anticipated to be the first plasma monitor with a 60+'' screen size to be mass produced and delivered to the North American market in quantity.

NEC will utilize their state-of the-art PDP production facility in Kagoshima, Japan to manufacture the 61`` panel. The NEC facility currently contains panel fabrication lines capable of producing 61'' PDP glass, so no additional manufacturing infrastructure is required to place this panel into mass production. Additionally, key elements of the 61`` Wide XGA resolution panel -- such as 1365 x 768 driver circuitry -- are being adapted from NEC's current 50'' XGA PDP panel technology. This has resulted in shorter development lead times and will lead to efficiencies in mass production by using proven technology that is readily adaptable to the new glass size.

``One of the driving trends in the plasma industry is the demand for larger screen sizes,'' said Scott Evans, product marketing manager for the Visual Systems Division at NEC Technologies. ``By capitalizing on our significant R&D strengths and adapting proven PDP technologies, NEC is putting forth a tangible plan to be the first manufacturer to deliver plasma monitors in the 60+'' screen size to the market.``

The PlasmaSync 61MP1 will feature a 1365 x 768 Wide XGA resolution in a 16:9 aspect ratio screen. It will also incorporate the host of standard Multimedia Presentation (MP) Series features that make the MP Series the only plasma displays ideally suited for multimedia presentation applications.