DirecTV And Zenith Join To Offer Satellite-Delivered HDTV
HDTV Set-Top Receivers Planned For Demonstration At CES 2000
DirecTV, Inc. and Zenith Electronics Corporation Tuesday announced an agreement to build HDTV-compatible DirecTV PLUSô receiver technology into Zenith-brand digital television products. The first Zenith/DirecTV product, a digital set-top box with a built-in DirecTV PLUS receiver - capable of receiving HDTV programming from DirecTV and digital terrestrial signals - will be unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. To be introduced in fall 2000, the DirecTV-enabled set-top box is Zenith's first digital satellite product for the U.S. market. Under the agreement, Zenith may also incorporate DirecTV PLUS receivers with HDTV programming reception capability into its digital high television sets. In addition, Zenith dealers will have access to DirecTV's consumer high definition broadcast, for demonstration through the integrated set-top box. ""Zenith continues to build on an 80-year heritage of television leadership with its entry into the digital and high-definition satellite television market,"" said Bill Casamo, Executive Vice President for DirecTV. ""We're proud to form this new association, which complements the increasing number of DirecTV System products now available to consumers."" Kathy Wolfe, Zenith Senior Vice President, Product Management, said, ""By joining forces with DirecTV, the largest satellite provider of digital programming, Zenith is expanding its family of digital television products to support the rapid deployment of digital HDTV receivers in the United States. Together, DirecTV and Zenith are providing consumers with greater access to high definition television."" About DirecTV DirecTV is the nation's leading digital television entertainment service with 7.9 million customers, including customers subscribing to PrimeStar By DirecTV. DirecTV and DirecTV PLUS are trademarks of DirecTV, Inc., a unit of Hughes Electronics Corporation. Hughes Electronics is the world's leading provider of satellite and wireless systems and services. About Zenith Zenith, based in Glenview, Illinois., is a long-time leader in electronic entertainment products and is a primary developer of digital HDTV. The company developed the digital broadcast technology adopted by the Federal Communications Commission as the centerpiece of the ATSC DTV standard. Since November 1999, Zenith has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, a $9 billion global leader in electronics and digital technologies. Visit Zenith on the World Wide Web at www.zenith.com.