Toshiba Announces Broad Line Of HDTV-Compatible Color TVs

5-Sep-00

Toshiba now has 13 HDTV-compatible TVs, ranging in screen size from 34 to 65 inches. The line includes new widescreen TheaterWideÆ HD sets, a new series of 4:3 TheaterViewÆ HD projection models, as well as FSTÆ Pureô ""Purely Flat"" SuperTUBE sets. With the addition of a compatible HDTV set-top receiver, the company's new HDTV-compatible sets are designed to allow viewers to enjoy both today's analog television sources and HDTV broadcasts. ""HDTV is no longer just for the early adopter,"" said Scott Ramirez, Toshiba Assistant Vice President of Marketing. ""Consumers know about the technology and they're looking for ways to begin incorporating it into their lives. To provide them with more lifestyle choices, Toshiba has widened our range of price points and screen sizes. We now offer an HDTV-compatible TV for everyone, whether it's direct-view or projection, 4:3 or 16:9. We've added new TheaterView HD Series projection models with image-enhancing technologies that really set them apart from the competition, and we're even introducing space-saving 43-inch tabletop HDTV-compatible models that give consumers more flexibility in placement than ever before. Most importantly, throughout the line, we've made engineering advancements in picture quality technology, creating truly future-ready performance.""Improved IDSC II TechnologyThe new Toshiba HDTV-compatible TVs incorporate the company's improved IDSCô II (Intelligent Digital Scan Conversion) technology. IDSC technology (in conjunction with Toshiba's 3D Y/C digital comb filter) automatically converts 480i images to 480p, and automatically passes through 480p and 1080i images. The system also employs vertical line doubling and frame doubling, and horizontal pixel doubling technologies to achieve picture quality with an absence of motion artifacts. Toshiba's new IDSC II technology is said to improves these processes through two new technological advancements - Vector Progressive Scanning, which eliminates motion artifacts and jagged lines caused by on-screen motion, and Advanced Digital Video Noise Reduction, which automatically analyzes multiple image frames and then applies the precise amount of noise reduction necessary. TheaterWide HD Offers Consumers More Widescreen ChoiceToshiba now offers TheaterWide HD projection sets in 34-, 40-, 56- and 65-inch screen sizes. PowerFocus HD And PowerFocus Plus Optic SystemsToshiba's HDTV-compatible projection TVs feature the companyís PowerFocusô HD optic system, included in the company's enhanced Cinema Series HD and TheaterWide HD lineup. The PowerFocus HD optic system utilizes a six-element lens configuration, claimed to create a projection TV image that is 65 percent sharper than standard lens systems.Completing the PowerFocus HD optic system is Toshiba's PowerFocus HD Cathode Ray Tube (CRT). PowerFocus HD CRTs reportedly incorporate larger electrostatic lenses and higher beam current for reduced beam spot size and more accurate beam shape. The result is said to be a 10 percent increase in brightness and a 30 percent increase in sharpness, compared to conventional CRT tubes.Toshiba's 4:3 TheaterView HD projection featire the image-enhancing benefits of the PowerFocus Plus optic system. This includes the five-element PowerFocus Plus lens system. It also includes the PowerFocus Plus CRT, which is said to incorporate thinner, more uniform spherical phosphors, providing increased brightness and images that are up to 20 percent sharper than conventional CRTs. In addition to the preferred aspect ratio controls on the set-top box, Toshiba now offers a 16:9 mode in all its 4:3 HDTV-compatible TVs, which utilizes vertical compression to create a letterboxed screen image that uses all 1080i scanning lines. All new Toshiba HDTV-compatible projection TVs include a built-in TheaterShieldô protection screen. TheaterWide HD and Cinema Series HDTV-compatible projection TVs feature a built-in TheaterShieldô Plus protection screen. This new shield builds on the company's hard-coat TheaterShield technology by adding a new anti-reflective layer, designed for increased contrast and reduced glare, with supposedly no reduction in brightness. Toshiba's new line of HDTV-compatible TVs also boast a new cabinet design, plus a host of convenience features, including a new color icon-based on-screen display with bitmap graphics, direct video input selection, video lock, video labeling, PIP sound and more.ColorStream HD Component Video InputsAll Toshiba HDTV-compatible TVs feature two sets of ColorStreamÆ HD high definition component video inputs. Toshiba's use of dual ColorStream HD inputs allows users to connect two digital sources and choose between them. True 480p resolution is possible from DVD-Video and 1080i from an HDTV set-top box. Toshiba's DST3000 HDTV Set-Top BoxToshiba offers its DST3000 HDTV set-top box, which features built-in NTSC, ATSC and DIRECTVÆ reception. The DST3000 with ColorStream HD high-resolution component video outputs sends 1080i HDTV signals to an HDTV-compatible TV or standard 480i to a conventional analog TV. An Advanced Program Guide (APG), included with the DST3000, provides information on both satellite and non-satellite channels, as well as a special function that allows subscribers to a caller ID information service to have this information displayed on-screen. An optional satellite dish makes it possible for viewers to receive both standard and high-definition channels.The DST3000 has a suggested retail price of $999.99, and the optional satellite dish is priced at $249.99. Both will be available October 2000.

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