DirecTV To Broadcast DreamWorksí Pictures In High-Definition
In an agreement with DirecTV, DreamWorks will make all of its theatrical movies available to DirecTV for play in high-definition format starting later this year. DreamWorks is the second studio to sign with DirecTV, joining New Line Cinema. Others are expected to be announced during the year. DirecTV will schedule the DreamWorks and New Line movies at first in its pay-per-view transmissions. Hal Richardson, head of worldwide pay TV for DreamWorks, said, ""the enhanced viewing experience of high def will cause more people to embrace our movies."" This is the sort of programming that will help the fledging HDTV set market. Thomson plans to introduce in August new HDTV sets under the RCA and ProScan brands that will be integrated with the DirecTV HDTV receiver. Hitachi, Mitsubishi and Toshiba will market the same configuration of HDTV set. Earlier this year, DirecTV signed with HBO to start transmitting the networkís HDTV multiplex signal.