News Releases

Hitachi's 55DMX01W brings HDTV into a new realm with one of the industry's first interactive high definition TV monitors incorporating Digital Light Processing (DLP™) technology.

At the heart of Hitachi's 55DMX01W is the Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), an optical semiconductor chip that has an array of microscopic mirrors mounted on a standard logic device. These tiny mirrors operate as optical switches to create high resolution, full color images, with close to one million mirrors contained on a single 0.8-inch chip. Hitachi is one of the first to leverage this technology and combine it with its newly developed UltraVision 10-element lens system for unmatched picture quality - 1,280 x 720-display resolution, screen brightness four times that of a large tube television and an impressive contrast ratio of 500:1. Hitachi's UltraVision Digital/DLP™ delivers the optimal combination of picture quality, color accuracy and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound for the ultimate home theater experience

In addition to its superior video and audio performance, the UltraVision Digital DLP HDTV monitor is also a high quality XGA capable computer display monitor, enabling an interactive PC experience. Its ability to reproduce outstanding graphics is the key to its success as a multimedia solution. Families can surf the Web, send and receive e-mail, play video games or perform school or work tasks on a large, high quality display from the comfort of their living room. With Hitachi's advanced PiPC function, users can take advantage of both TV and PC capabilities, achieving the ultimate in simulsurfing. With its multiscan capabilities for television and PC, and inputs for a wide variety of sources including a DVD player, VCR, HDTV set top box and home PC, Hitachi's UltraVision Digital/DLP television is the one set to meet any and all viewing needs.

Next in Hitachi's HDTV monitor series is the 36-inch direct view progressive scan HDTV monitor/PC-ready television (36SDX01S) that takes advantage of a digital pitch (.78mm) Invar tube to display the highest quality digital signals. This redesigned unit, finished in an attractive silver cabinet, displays computer images at SVGA (800 x 600) resolution when linked to a PC or complete HDTV 1080i resolution when hooked up to a HDTV set top box. The set also features Hitachi's PiPC function allowing users to take advantage of the same simulsurfing as the 55DMX01W.

In addition to Hitachi's innovative televisions, the company will demonstrate it's revolutionary DVD-RAM markets in early 2001, the product marries the quality and vast storage capacity of DVD technology with the mobility and versatility of an innovative camcorder.

Slated to be the first DVD-RAM camcorder to market, the DZMV100A offers up to two hours of superior quality video or 2,000 Megapixel (one million pixels) still photos onto an eight centimeter DVD-RAM disc that replaces tape media found in traditional camcorders.

The DVD-RAM discs used by the camcorder are rewritable up to 100,000 times with no image degradation, eliminating reliability and wearability issues of traditional tape-based camcorders. DVD-RAM discs not only far outlast tape, but they also feature multi-compatibility with DVD products, such as DVD-RAM equipped personal computers, future DVD-RAM recorders and future DVD players. With DVD video recorded on the Hitachi DVD-RAM Camcorder, consumers can easily connect to a TV and enjoy recorded video or plug into a PC** via USB port or simply drop the disc into a PC equipped with a DVD-RAM drive† for editing, printing, e-mailing or even posting recorded memories on a personal home page.

Hitachi's rewritable DVD also includes disc navigation software that allows immediate and random access editing to any scene recorded on the disc, eliminating rewinding or manually selecting scenes to move or edit. Editing is also simplified because it can be done directly from the camcorder's LCD screen or from a PC.

About Hitachi America, Ltd., Home Electronics Division Hitachi America, Ltd., Home Electronics Division, markets a variety of consumer electronics including high-definition TVs (HDTV), projection TVs (PTV), color TVs, DVD players, a DVD camcorder, VCRs and standard camcorders, as well as security and observation system products. The company's premium products are sold under the Hitachi UltraVision and UltraVision Digital brand names.

Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, consumer electronics and semiconductors, and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information, visit www.hitachi.us.

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 1999 (ended March 31, 2000) consolidated sales of 8,001 billion yen ($75.5 billion*). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's Web site at http://global.hitachi.com.

*At an exchange rate of 106 yen to the dollar.

** Compatible with PCs equipped with 500 megahertz Pentium III or equivalent and USB port. The DZMV100A does not support USB hubs.

† Discs recorded with the DZMV100A can only be played on specific DVD-RAM drives. See www.hitachi.com for details.

Gerard F. Corbett
Hitachi America, Ltd.
Vice President
Corp. Communications Group
Tel:(650) 244-7900
Fax: (650) 244-7920
gerard.corbett@hal.hitachi.com

Greg Belloni
The Weber Group
Tel: (415) 616-6139
gbelloni@ca.webergroup.com

Renee Linholm
The Weber Group
Tel: (415) 616-6003
rlinholm@ca.webergroup.com

For all other inquiries please call:
1-800-HITACHI

If you have any questions specifically about Investor Relations in the United States, please contact our Investor Relations Department at investor.info@hal.hitachi.com