Fujitsu Boosts Plasmavision Warranties

Increasing the length of a product's warranty is a pretty good indication that a manufacturer has plenty of confidence in that product---and plenty of confidence in the market.

Fujitsu has done just that with its new 42" and 50" Plasmavision Slimscreen monitors. The PDS-4242 and PDS-5002 are now guaranteed for three years from the date of purchase, according to a July 10 press release. The warranties include parts and labor on all aspects of the monitors, except the screen itself, which carries a one-year warranty. In-home service is included at no extra charge.

The new warranty program is the result of what the company calls "unmatched reliability" combined with the "latest video technologies for state-of-the-art high definition image quality." Both models are capable of displaying HDTV images at 1080i and 720p, and standard definition images at 480p. The PDS-4242 has a 1024 x 1024 pixel array; its larger sibling has a 1366 x 768 array. Both monitors require an external source such as progressive-scan DVD player, digital satellite receiver, or DTV set-top box; and both can accept RGB inputs from computers, output at UXGA resolution.

The new plasma screens are said to have unsurpassed brightness, contrast, and detail. Motion artifacts and "pixelization" have been reduced to insignificant levels by Fujitsu's newly developed Advanced Video Movement (AVM) processor that "virtually eliminates motion artifacts and flicker, improves vertical resolution and reproduces natural movement with ease. The processor's built-in line doubler converts NTSC signals and uses different types of processing for moving and still pictures, yielding smoother images with more natural movement and without visible scan lines. High definition television and DVD signals are also enhanced for the characteristics of the plasma display panel, to achieve optimum image quality," the announcement stated.

"Fujitsu has always been at the forefront of plasma manufacturing technology-and our newest Plasmavision monitors are more reliable and better engineered than ever," said senior v.p. Tedd Rozylowicz. "As a result, we are able to provide the best, most comprehensive plasma display warranty Fujitsu has ever offered." Available in August, the PDS-4242 will sell at approximately $9000 retail, and the PDS-5002 will have a list price of about $17,000.

X