Panasonic Pushing DVD-Audio with Rebate and Giveaway Program

DVD-Audio is getting a big push from Panasonic this season. A promotion running from November 7, 2000 until January 31, 2001 includes rebates on the purchase of new players and free discs from a wide assortment of performing artists.

Buyers of a Panasonic DVD-A7 player will receive a $75 mail-in rebate; those who purchased a Technics DVD-A10 DVD-Audio/Video player (reviewed in the November Stereophile by Jonathan Scull) will receive rebate coupons worth $100. Those who buy "DVD-Audio Ready" Technics receivers—models SA-DA8K, SA-DA8N or SA-DA10N—on the same date will get additional $50 rebates. (All requests for rebates must include sales receipts, serial numbers and original UPC bar codes from the cartons and must be postmarked by February 28, 2001.)

The rebate isn't Panasonic's only promotional tactic. The company is also offering "free DVD-A recordings with the purchase of a Technics or Panasonic DVD-Audio/Video player, Panasonic portable DVD-Audio player, Panasonic micro-system with DVD-Audio, or Panasonic car DVD-Audio player/receiver," according to a Panasonic press release. Depending on the product purchased, customers can choose two or three DVD-A discs from artists including Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Natalie Merchant, Big Phat Band, Aaron Neville, Willie Nelson, Bobby Short and Daniel Barenboim's Beethoven. The recordings feature new mixes specially formatted for DVD-Audio.

Music labels participating in the promotion include Warner Music, Surrounded by Entertainment, and 5.1 Music. Panasonic anticipates that "hundreds" of titles will be available by the end of the year.

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