Panasonic Announces Its First CD/MP3 Car Audio Player/Receiver

             New Mobile Audio Head Unit Lets Users Take Hundreds
                     Of Their Favorite Songs On The Road

    SECAUCUS, N.J., Aug. 21 Panasonic announces its first
combination CD/MP3 player/receiver for cars.  New model CQ-DP171U combines a
high quality AM/FM receiver with a CD player that will accommodate both
commercially produced CDs and home-recorded discs.  The CQ-DP171U can play
back MP3 music files that are recorded on 5-inch (12 cm) CD media: CD-ROM,
CD-R or CD-RW discs.  Engineered with MOS-FET circuitry and Panasonic's
one-chip LSI, the new unit delivers audiophile-grade sound at 45W x 4 watts.
The CQ-DP171U is scheduled to debut in September, with a suggested
manufacturer's retail price* (MSRP) of $299.99.

    "The CQ-DP171U lets you take all your music on the road, whether it's on
commercially produced CDs or ones you've burned yourself," said Rob Lopez,
National Marketing Manager for Panasonic car audio products.  "The MP3
format's huge storage capability means that you can create a portable,
personal music library containing hundreds of your favorite songs on one CD.
You'll probably run out of miles before you run out of music!"

    The MP3 format (audio format designation MPEG1, Audio Layer 3) gave rise
to the widely popular new phenomenon of home-recorded music -- music
downloaded to a computer from the Internet or from personal CD collections and
then recorded or "burned" onto a CD-R or CD-RW disc.  MP3 files can hold huge
amounts of compressed audio data without compromising sound quality.  The
files can be organized into folders which users can name according to titles,
artists, types of music, etc.  The CQ-DP171U can read and display this text
information on its large LCD panel, enabling users to scroll through and
easily access selections.

    "MP3 players lend themselves perfectly to the car listening environment,"
noted Lopez.  "Because a single MP3 recorded disc can hold about 10 times more
music than a conventional music CD, there's no need to carry and switch
between multiple discs.  It's like having a CD changer in your dashboard."

    The CQ-DP171U features a removable faceplate to help safeguard against
theft, a convenient IR remote control, and a floating anti-shock suspension
system to help ensure accurate signal reading and to diminish vibration.

    CD player features include 12-track direct access, track scan, search,
repeat (track or disc) and random play.  The unit can also function as a CD
changer controller, giving users command of the changer via the wireless
remote.

    For exceptional AM/FM performance, all Panasonic 2001 car stereo radios
use Alphatuner V circuitry, designed to help suppress multi-path distortion
and reduce the problem of signal reflections in metropolitan areas.  This
technology also increases sensitivity for greater pickup in weak signal areas.
Users can program up to 18 FM and six AM stations, and can also take advantage
of features such as Auto Preset and Seek tuning.

    Consumers can easily find out which Panasonic components are right for
their cars by accessing the vehicle fit guide on Panasonic's mobile audio
site. (Visit the home page at http://www.panasonic.com.)

    

    * All prices are in U.S. dollars.