A flat-panel display apparatus having plasma discharge cells forming pixels arranged in a matrix of M row and N columns, wherein N is larger than M. The flat display panel has sustain electrodes and scan electrodes arranged in one direction and data electrodes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A data driver circuit is coupled to the data electrodes for supplying data signals to the discharge cells in response to video information, wherein the data electrodes are arranged to constitute the M rows, the sustain and scan electrodes are arranged to constitute the N columns and the data driver circuit is adapted to supply data signals to a column of selected pixels.
