Thomson Multimedia is the parent company of the U.S.-based Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc. Visit Thomson Multimedia on the Web: http://www.thomson-multimedia.com/.
New York City Demonstrations Highlight Strength Of Nationís New Over-The-Air Digital TV Broadcast System
In a city notorious for its tall buildings and poor over-the-air reception of TV signals, Thomson multimedia (NYSE: TMS) last week demonstrated the amazing terrestrial transmission and reception capabilities of the Americaís new digital TV system by showing urban digital TV reception with a simple, $6.99 set-top antenna. Thomson, the manufacturer and marketer of RCA digital television products, unveiled a new 38-inch High-Definition television (HDTV) receiver with built-in, signal-sensitive electronics that easily received over-the-air digital TV broadcasts in one of the nationís worst terrestrial television reception environments. More than forty electronics industry reporters witnessed the stunning, robust broadcast that was received on the first floor of a midtown Manhattan townhouse from an Empire State Building TV tower transmission. While some have questioned the ability of the new digital TV standard to perform in urban locations near TV transmitters, the Thomson demonstration showed the ease of receiving digital TV in big city at a location less than two miles from the TV transmission tower. Thomsonís HDTV products include built-in capability to receive both standard and High-Definition DirecTV service with the appropriate satellite dish, as well as the ability to receive both analog and the new digital signals sent by local broadcasters. Millions of American homes can now receive the new signals that are being locally broadcast by dozens of stations. Reporters witnessed the demonstrations with a new widescreen 38-inch RCA HDTV and an RCA Digital High-Resolution Monitor and set-top DTC100 HDTV receiver. Side-by-side demonstrations of the analog and digital broadcasts provided the most telling evidence that digital television stands to revolutionize broadcasting. After a demonstration of DirecTVís satellite-delivered HDTV signals, Thomson showed reporters reception of terrestrial broadcast digital television utilizing a professionally installed UHF antenna on the roof of a building on West 54th Street in Manhattan. Then, a $6.99 ""rabbit ears"" set-top indoor antenna was hooked to a television monitor with an NTSC analog tuner to show how difficult it is for Manhattan viewers to watch TV today with an indoor antenna. While VHF analog TV broadcasts could not be received and the picture was filled with ""snow,"" it was possible to receive a fuzzy, ghosting UHF analog TV signal from a New York station. But when the RCA HDTV was equipped with an identical, inexpensive indoor antenna, the digital HDTV broadcast sent from the Empire State Building was easily received and displayed. The result, said Thomson Senior Vice President Mike OíHara, demonstrates clearly why Thomson is so confident that the Vestigial Sideband (VSB) modulation standard is the right choice for broadcast transmissions. ""Even in the largest city in America, in a high multipath environment, on the first floor, surrounded by skyscrapers, using an off-the-shelf antenna purchased yesterday ñ digital TV works like a charm,"" said OíHara. ""The Vestigial Side Band (VSB) modulation method for digital TV is the right solution for broadcasters. VSB will perform exactly as designed, provided that the digital receivers are well-designed and sensitive to over-the-air transmissions. I think you have to question the motives of some in the broadcast industry who may be trying to delay the digital TV transition for their own special interests,"" OíHara added. Thomson is already offering a wide variety of digital television products ranging from a $649 digital TV set-top receiver (the DTC100) to Digital High-Resolution standard-sized screen Monitors and fully-integrated widescreen projection Digital HDTV sets. The company will launch a new line of direct-view HDTV receivers in the spring of 2000. About Thomson Multimedia With sales over $6 billion in 1998 and 48,000 employees in over 30 countries, Thomson Multimedia (NYSE: TMS) is the fourth largest global supplier of consumer electronics products. The group has four main activities: Displays and Components, Consumer Products, New Media Services, Patents and Licensing. Within its activities Thomson Multimedia develops, manufactures and sells television displays and components, consumer products such as televisions, VCRs, camcorders, audio and communications products, digital decoders, DVD players and professional video equipment.