CM772 Press Release

Westwood, Mass. – May 2, 2001 – Hitachi America, Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. (NYSE: HIT), has extended its award-winning ErgoFlat line of Invar Shadow Mask monitors, with a 21” model that matches the on-board video cards bundled with most PCs. Hitachi's new CM821F features a maximum horizontal synchronization rate of 107 kHz, matching the 107 kHz video cards that many manufacturers bundle in computers. While the CM821F is a plug-and-play monitor that works with almost any computer, when the hardware matches, users achieve the maximum performance from the monitor and the video card.

The CM821F is ideal for corporate, SOHO, graphics and CAD/CAM/CAE applications where users desire a large, distortion-free viewing area, and use resolutions up to 1600 x 1280. Hitachi’s ErgoFlat technology has received numerous awards for its vibrant, realistic images with significantly reduced glare, up to 20% reduced energy consumption and a space saving depth of only 18.7”, the same depth as most 19” monitors.

Hitachi ErgoFlat technology was among the first flat-faced Invar Shadow Mask monitors in the world. ErgoFlat monitors increase brightness and clarity by 10% with significantly better convergence than comparable aperture grill models. The ErgoFlat technology accomplishes this by changing the shape of the deflection yoke enabling Hitachi’s ErgoFlat monitors to achieve better focus and accuracy in the corners and edges. Furthermore, ErgoFlat monitors achieve brighter colors and images by combining new highly pigmented phosphors with a new inner filter coating enabling vibrant colors and crisper text.

In addition to the large, 21” (20” viewable) screen size, the CM821F provides an average dot pitch of .214 mm horizontal and .14 mm vertical to form one of the crispest, brightest images available. Its maximum resolution is 1865x1392 at 72 Hz. Hitachi’s new Invar Shadow Mask is also engineered to eliminate the heat expansion and doming problems that degrade images on aperture grill monitors.

CM821F features Hitachi’s EasyMenu on-screen controls with adjustments for color temperature, trapezoid, DMS, pincushion, moiré and more. This environmentally friendly monitor reduces energy consumption by up to 20% over traditional 21” monitors and requires no added circuitry to achieve TCO ’99 compliance. Providing 406 mm x 305 mm viewable image area, CM821F features high contrast, anti-static, anti-glare coat. The CM821F is available for immediate shipping from Hitachi distributors worldwide with an MSRP of $929.

About Hitachi
Hitachi America, Ltd., Computer Systems Division, monitor sales group is a leading supplier of display technology in the U.S. With numerous product awards for excellence, Hitachi displays provide superior quality at value prices to business, education, government and professional markets. For more information please contact Hitachi America Display Customer Relations at 1-800-441-4832, or via email to [email protected]. Information is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.hitachidisplays.com.

Hitachi America, Ltd., Computer Division, supplies high-performance computer storage products and multimedia products to OEMs, value-added resellers, system integrators and distributors. The division's products include high-capacity hard disk drives and DVD-ROM and -RAM drives, digital multimedia recorders, LCD projectors, CRT monitors, color laser beam printers and flat panel and plasma displays.

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 http://www.hitachi.com.

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world’s leading global
electronics companies, with fiscal 2000 (ended March 31, 2001) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($67.9 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 124 yen to the dollar.