Compatibility of Panasonic DVD-RAM Drive and Wired, Inc.'s Mac MPEG-2 and DVD Playback Card Confirmed; High-Quality Playback on a Computer Screen or a TV -- Without Burdening the CPU.

6 MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 1999--

Panasonic Industrial Company and Wired, Inc. announced today the compatibility of Panasonic's LF-D101 DVD-RAM drive and Wired's new 4DVD video playback card for Macintosh environments. 6 Combined, Panasonic's high-performance DVD-RAM drive and Wired's affordably priced PCI card turn a Macintosh computer into a full-featured DVD player that utilizes all of the enhanced digital video and Dolby digital surround-sound capabilities offered by the DVD format. 6 A dedicated hardware solution, Wired 4DVD's advanced silicon handles all complex MPEG-2 video and audio streams. For Mac users, this means movies and games can be delivered at resolutions of up to 1600 x 1200 without burdening the computer's CPU. They'll have maximum system performance, even when DVD, live TV broadcast feeds, and interactive Web browsing are open in concurrent windows. 6 Wired has differentiated its 4DVD player from other Macintosh DVD solutions by offering more than just computer screen playback. With 4DVD player's full-screen NTSC/PAL TV output, users can also view flicker-free videos on any standard TV set. An S/PDIF connector is included for high-quality AC-3 5.1 and DTS audio. 6 To enhance the DVD playback experience, on-screen interactive menus and simple, VCR-like control buttons are used to choose a sound track and subtitle language, select viewing aspect ratios, and change viewing angles. The intuitive user interface simplifies color, brightness and contrast control as well as NTSC/PAL conversion. Users can also use the menus to exercise parental control and execute search commands such as jumping to any point in a movie. 6 "Panasonic and Wired are both well-known for providing Mac users with cost-effective solutions that deliver exceptional performance," said Thomas Burke, Wired's president. "Panasonic was the first to deliver a Mac-compatible DVD-RAM drive and Wired has been focusing on encoders and decoders for Mac environments for more than five years. Together," he continued, "our products leverage the experience of both companies to provide Mac users with the features that will enhance their DVD experience." 6 Jeff Saake, group general manager, Panasonic Industrial Co., Computer Technology Group agreed and added, "Increasingly, users want a single solution that provides many capabilities. With the compatibility of our DVD-RAM drive and Wired's 4DVD video playback card confirmed, VARs and system integrators can provide their Mac customers with the flexibility to deliver stunning video and interactive games from their computer screen or a TV." 6 Under an agreement announced by Panasonic Industrial Company and Apple Computer, Inc. earlier this year, Apple offers Panasonic's DVD-RAM drive as a separate build-to-order (BTO) option for its new Power Macintosh G3 family of personal computers. 6 Fully compliant with the DVD Forum DVD-RAM standards, the LF-D101 drive can also be used to read from discs currently accepted by CD-ROM, CD Audio, CD-R, CD-RW and video CD drives, as well as DVD-ROM, DVD video, and DVD-R drives. This feature provides added value to users who are also looking for a high-quality, low-cost, removable storage solution. A single disc can store 150 minutes of high-quality MPEG-2 video, more than 8 hours of AC3 audio or 5,200 full-color photos (640x480). With the ability to provide more than 100,000 overwrites, the DVD-RAM drive's low $.008/MB storage cost becomes even more attractive.

6 Prices, Availability

6 Panasonic's LF-D101 has an MSRP of $799 and is available as an internal drive with a SCSI-2 interface through leading distributors and OEMs. DVD-RAM media, which is marketed under the Panasonic brand name, is also available from several other leading manufacturers. The removable double-sided 5.2GB disc has an MSRP of $39.95. Featuring a removable cartridge for playback in the latest DVD-ROM drives, the 2.6GB single-sided media has an MSRP of $24.95. 6 Wired 4DVD includes the Macintosh drivers and Wired's intuitive, easy to use application for DVD navigation and control. Wired 4DVD is available through integrators and distributors in more than 50 countries at an MSRP of $219.

6 Corporate Profiles

6 Wired was established in 1987 to develop and market peripherals for personal computers. The company's expertise in MPEG encoding and decoding technology has led to a comprehensive line of MPEG solutions for Macintosh, Windows and Windows NT platforms. For additional information about Wired 4DVD or other Wired MPEG products, contact Wired at 831/420-0185. FAX [phone]. E-mail [e-mail], or visit the company's website at www.wiredinc.com. 6 The Panasonic DVD-RAM OEM drive is manufactured by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC), one of the world's leading producers of CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives and other digital electronic products. The drives are marketed by the company's principal North American subsidiary, Matsushita Electric Corp. of America. For more information on the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive and media, contact Panasonic Industrial Company, 1600 McCandless Drive, Milpitas, CA 99035; 408/945-5600, FAX [phone], E-mail [e-mail]. Or, visit the company's Web site at www.panasonic.com/oemdvd-ram. In Canada, contact Panasonic Canada, 5770 Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2T3, Canada; 905/238-2254, FAX [phone], E-mail [e-mail].

6 Wired Incorporated is not a part or in any way legally affiliated with Panasonic Industrial Company. Panasonic Industrial Company assumes no responsibility for the performance of or customer satisfaction with Wired products. 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.