WAYNE, NJ (December 13, 2001) - Immediately following the announcement of the discontinuation of Betacam SP acquisition, JVC received numerous inquiries from alarmed end-users. In response, JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY today re-affirmed its continued commitment of support to its existing formats, developing innovative ways of broadening applications and uses for existing equipment, thus providing maximum return on customers' investment. As the inventor of VHS and S-VHS, and a leading supplier of Professional S-VHS products for nearly 15 years, JVC's commitment extends to developing innovative ways to extend the lives of original equipment investments, and assist the transition into digital products.

This announcement comes after abandonment of Betacam SP acquisition and another manufacturer's decision to end availability of many S-VHS products. JVC will continue to offer S-VHS VTRs and camcorders for the duration of market demand. In addition to maintaining its S-VHS commitment, JVC is planning for the future through the digital formats, including Professional DV, D-9 and soon, D-VHS. A hallmark of JVC's expansion into future technologies is its steadfast commitment to its existing customer base. JVC has developed all of its digital products to enable analog customers to extend the life of their present investment and migrate according to their needs and finances. As a reflection of its S-VHS commitment, JVC has moved to bring its GY-X3U 3-CCD S-VHS camcorder within range of single-chip S-VHS camcorder products from other manufacturers.

The introduction of JVC's SR-VS20U and BR-D51U are examples of extending S-VHS's format life, even in the context of the digital future. The SR-VS20U combines analog S-VHS and Professional DV recording units in the same cabinet. The BR-D51U D-9 player accept analog S-VHS tapes while allowing JVC customers to migrate to the industry's highest quality 4:2:2 digital recording standards. Recognizing that S-VHS is the most widely used format among video professionals and that not all customers are yet prepared to migrate from proven analog equipment, JVC assures end users its continued support of S-VHS.

According to a poll conducted by AV Video Multimedia Producer, 46% of readers surveyed still currently use Beta SP and S-VHS. Other surveys confirm their findings: many professionals in the industry will continue to use their analog products well into the future.

"At JVC, we believe that customers should have confidence in the products they buy. The health and vitality of our industry is dependent on this fundamental confidence. Whenever technically feasible, JVC goes to great lengths to create new models that are compatible with current products, allowing customers to gracefully move into digital when they're ready," said JVC Executive Vice President Robert Mueller. "To some end-users, it may seem manufacturers have taken a fancy to "disposable" video formats. JVC is not among those manufacturers. JVC believes that a camcorder's productive value in the hands of a videographer far surpasses the original purchase cost and will likely have a productive life over many years. JVC realizes that many of our customers are not ready to make the transition to digital systems so we will stand behind their investments. At JVC, we all go forward together, leaving no one behind." he added.

JVC S-VHS Format
In 1987, JVC invented and launched the revolutionary S-VHS format as a replacement for the aging 3/4-inch U-Format. It became the most widely adopted industrial format in history, ultimately supported by every major professional manufacturer.

JVC Professional DV
Consistent with JVC's commitment to developing professional grade products that have mass appeal, the company introduced Professional DV in 1999. The Professional DV line is based on JVC's belief that high quality professional digital video production can be achieved by all segments of the marketplace, and that no professional should settle for consumer camcorders, nor should they be compelled to pay the cost of proprietary DV formats. The GY-DV500 Professional DV camcorder is ideal for a broad array of professional video applications, from digital cinematography to electronic newsgathering and event videography to multi-media production and web streaming applications. JVC's Professional DV line utilizes the Mini DV cassette, maximizing the potential of the DV format to deliver remarkable results.

JVC D-9
From its introduction, JVC's D-9 format has offered the industry's highest quality component digital at prices competitive with analog. D-9 has been widely accepted and acknowledged as a superior system for acquisition, production and post-production. After exhaustive research, Fox Television, made D9 their "house format" due to its high quality and robustness, subsequently saving more than $40 million on equipment, tape and maintenance costs since installing D-9. However, JVC designed D-9, not only for major television networks, but for broadcasters migrating from analog, while at the same time looking for the competitive edge of a 4:2:2 format. JVC continues to expand the D-9 format with new models, such as the BR-D860U editor, and DY-70U camcorder--introduced at NAB this year, and the BR-D95U, to begin delivery in January. Also in January, JVC will introduce a plug-in card for its D-9 products, the SA-DV60U, allowing IEEE1394 connectivity to its professional DV and a host of other compliant devices including non-linear editing systems by a wide range of manufacturers. This card provides for IEEE1394 connectivity in both directions and serves as the digital interface between D-9 and DV.

JVC D-VHS
Perhaps the most intriguing digital video format on the horizon is D-VHS. Designed as a mass-market high definition playback and distribution format, D-VHS potentially brings high definition digital video to a wide variety of professional applications. Based on the chassis and transport of proven analog S-VHS, this MPEG-2 digital format also features record and playback compatibility with VHS and S-VHS formats, which underscores the value and productive life of existing analog investments.

JVC stands firm in its dedication and devotion to its customers of past, present and future that it will continue its support of existing formats in parallel with technological innovation.

About JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY
JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY, headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey, distributes a complete line of presentation, broadcast and CCTV professional equipment. For more information about JVC's products, contact Bob Mueller at JVC at 973-317-5132, Deirdre Breakenridge at (973) 812-8883, or visit JVC's Web site at www.jvc.com/pro/pr.

In addition, Vice President Robert Mueller is available for interviews to further elaborate on JVC PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS' vision.

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