Kawasaki, August 29, 2000 -- Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display
Limited (FHP) announced today that it has succeeded in
developing the world's first 32- and 37-inch high definition
plasma display panels (PDPs) utilizing its proprietary ALIS
method (Alternate Lighting of Surfaces) drive circuit
technology. The new 32- and 37-inch displays, which join
FHP's existing line-up of 42-inch PDPs, are positioned for
use in household television sets.
Thanks to their thin profile, light weight, large viewing area
and wide viewing angle, PDPs are becoming increasingly
popular as large-screen displays. The PDP market --
particularly the business-use segment -- has grown rapidly,
hitting 100,000 units in FY1999, and it is expected to reach
250,000 units in FY2000. Moreover, the upcoming initiation
of digital broadcasts (slated to begin in Japan this December)
and the wider availability of DVDs is expected to result in
explosive growth in the market for PDPs for household
television receivers. FHP anticipates that by FY2003 PDP
demand will total 2.3 million units, 1.4 million for use in
television sets and 900,000 for business environments.
Today, most large-screen consumer television sets range
in size from 25 to 36 inches, but as CRTs their larger
screen surfaces require significant depth and weight. This
constrains freedom of placement, particularly when
household space is limited. On the other hand, thin,
lightweight PDPs can be placed easily within even the
most compact living quarters. FHP aims to foster the
greater use of PDPs in home environments by providing
32- and 37-inch models, sizes that easily fit into most homes.
Once digital broadcasting gets underway, there will be
increased demand for high-definition, high-quality devices
to clearly display not only moving video but also still images,
including captioned text. With previous generation PDPs,
reducing the screen size also reduced the area of cell
illumination, and it was difficult to ensure brightness.
However, high-definition PDPs using FHP's proprietary
ALIS method drive circuit technology makes possible both
high definition and high luminosity. When digital broadcasting
starts bringing high-definition images to peoples' homes,
FHP's new PDPs will be able to display them with a vertical
resolution of 1024 lines, making the devices leading
contenders to capture the market for home-use wide-
screen television sets.
At the end of July this year FHP completed construction of
a new production facility on the premises of Kyushu FHP, its
wholly owned subsidiary in Miyazaki Prefecture. The company
is currently installing production equipment, with initial pilot
runs planned for January 2001 and commercial shipments to
begin by April 2001. The new facility will have the capacity
to produce 30,000 PDPs per month, mostly high-definition
units, and FHP plans to raise production to 60,000 units per
month in 2002 in order to meet the demands of the growing
market. This, together with output from Kyushu FHP's
original production line, will bring FHP's total PDP production
capacity to 70,000 units per month in 2002.
New product specifications
| Size | 32-inch (82cm) diagonally | 37-inch (95cm) diagonally |
| Depth | 65mm | 65mm |
| Weight | 12.5kg | 16kg |
| Effective
screen area | W716mm x H399mm | W829mm x H461mm |
| Number of
pixels | Horiz. 852 x Vert. 1024 | H 1024 x V 1024 |
| Aspect
ratio | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Pixel
pitch | W 0.84mm x H 0.39mm | W 0.81mm x H 0.45mm |
| Colors
displayed | 16.77 million | 16.77 million |
| Luminosity | 650cd/m2 | 650cd/m2 |
| Viewing
angle | 160 degrees or more | 160 degrees or more |
* All company / product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders and are used for identification purpose only.
About Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Limited
Fujitsu Hitachi Plasma Display Ltd. (FHP) is the world's
top manufacturer of high-performance, high-resolution
plasma display panel (PDP) devices. Established in April
1999 as a 50-50 joint venture combining the PDP
divisions of Fujitsu Limited and Hitachi, Ltd., FHP develops,
manufactures and markets an extensive lineup of PDP
devices for application in large-screen commercial and
consumer displays. Headquartered in Kawasaki, the
company boasts the industry's largest and most advanced
PDP production facility, located in Miyazaki in southern
Japan. Anticipating explosive growth in demand for
PDPs as digital broadcasting gets under way, FHP expects
its annual sales to more than quadruple from a projected
30 billion yen in FY2000 (ending March 2001) to 130 billion
yen in FY2003.