The first of Panasonic's cable ready digital TV sets is being introduced at the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo. The 53-inch widescreen (16:9) projection high-definition PT-53WXD63 is the first integrated DTV set to earn certified status from CableLabs to connect directly to cable television systems and receive digital services (which may be available from some cable operators, at a fee)1. With the use of an authorized CableCARD™, this TV can receive high definition and other digital programs via cable, including premium channels, without requiring a cable set-top box.

According to Ed Wolff, Vice President of Merchandising, Panasonic Display Group, it is important for Panasonic to lead the way in the DTV category. "In the next few years our industry will undergo a remarkable change. We will be adding ATSC tuners into all our TV products. Panasonic plans to support the Digital Tuner Mandate by not only making models that include the digital tuner but by adding the CableCard feature to all our ATSC models as well," Mr. Wolff said. "The PT-53WXD63 is the first of 6 new Panasonic models with ATSC/CableCARD that we will roll out to market over the next 90 days."

In addition to being digital-cable-ready, the PT-53WXD63 has Photo Viewer SD Memory Card and PCMCIA card slots for viewing still picture images up on the TV screen. The set also has an HDMI (High Definition and Multimedia Interface) connector with HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), making it even more versatile in a home-theater set up. The PT-53WXD63 is due by the end of September at an MSRP of $2,299.95.

CableLabs Certified means that the device has passed a series of tests for compliance with the indicated version of the specification and has thus demonstrated interoperability with multiple cable distribution networks. Founded in 1988 by members of the cable television industry, Cable Television Laboratories is a non-profit research and development consortium that is dedicated to pursuing new cable telecommunications technologies and to helping its cable operator members integrate those advancements into their business objectives. Cable operators from around the world are members.