Thomsonís Non-Widescreen TV Product Lineup Surprisingly Narrow-Sighted
As first reported on Widescreen Reviewís Webzineís Todayís News page dated May 25, in an industry surprise, Thomson Consumer Electronics new lineup of HDTV-ready televisions will not feature widescreen displays. Instead the entire 1999 product lineup is full screen 1.33:1 (4:3) aspect ratio displays. Thomson argues that since most TV programming will continue to be offered in 4:3, to reduce costs and offer the most affordable solutions to HDTV ownership, the company will only offer the squarer displays. The RCA and ProScan multiscan DTV-ready rear-projection and direct view sets, now called digital high-resolution monitors, all are capable of displaying scan rates for ATSC 1080I HDTV and 480p SDTV formats, in addition to normal analog NTSC. The sets are designed to connect to RCA and ProScan set-top decoders for off-air ATSC and DirecTV standard and HD broadcasts. The set-top boxes will be able to display full 16:9 (1:78:1) format pictures (meaning anamorphic widescreen) in letterbox fashion. To underscore the cost incentive, Thomson said it will run a promotion offering a free DirecTV HDTV satellite dish, and it will credit dealers for a system installation when a consumer purchases both a Thomson high-resolution monitor and a Thomson DTV decoder together. The sets, which come with inputs for multiscan YPbPr component video as well as Thomsonís RGB via SVGA connection, and set-top decoders will start to ship in August, when DirecTV is to have its HDTV services available. (See Todayís News archive dated May 25, 1999 for story on Thompsonís ""RCA/ProScan HDTVs"" in the Webzine edition of Widescreen Review at www.widescreenreview.com In related news, see the Webzine Todayís News archive dated May 5 for the article entitled ""DirecTV To Offer Local Broadcast Network Channels"" and May 25, 1999 for the article entitled: ""Thomson To Enable New Local-Into-Local Programming From DirecTV With New Line Of Satellite Receivers."" DirecTV announced that it would be the first satellite service provider to deliver local-into-local network TV signals using one dish. The plan is conditional on DirecTV acquiring the necessary Federal Communications Commission approval to transfer ownership of PrimeStarís 11 high-power DBS frequencies at the 119-degree west longitude orbital slot from Tempo. It is also dependent upon Congress passing pending legislation that would empower DBS satellite providers to retransmit local signals into local markets.