""All-In-One"" RCA and PROSCAN Brand HDTV Models

As a step in the consumer education process to minimize the confusion over new digital HDTV products, Thomson Consumer Electronics is offering previews of the lifelike picture quality of RCA and PROSCAN brand HDTVs at select retail stores in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and Indianapolis. The 55-inch (diagonal) RCA and the 61-inch PROSCAN models provide built-in HDTV reception from both local broadcasters and satellite programmers DIRECTV and USSB as well as analog terrestrial broadcasts and conventional digital satellite system programming. ""The best way for consumers to understand new technology is to make it work just like the products they are accustomed to using,"" said Gilbert M. Ravelette. Vice President - TV Product Management. ""That's why our HDTVs are packaged as a single, fully integrated unit with no need for a separate set-top device or other external operating system in order to receive all digital and analog programming. These sets utilize a traditional remote control and offer the full range of home entertainment that consumers expect. In the case of HDTV, however, the picture performance and sound capability exceed anything consumers have experienced in the past. ""This approach helps retailers more easily explain the advantages of the advanced technology offered by these breakthrough products. As a result, initial feedback from our participating dealers has been extremely positive.""The RCA P55000 (suggested retail price $6,999) and the PROSCAN PS61000 (suggested retail price $7,999) digital HDTV models are being showcased at select retail locations of Circuit City, Best Buy, SEARS, H.H. Gregg, SoundCity, The Wiz, P.C. Richard and Son, Nationwide Computers and Electronics, Sixth Avenue Electronics City, Tops Appliance, the good guys!, Star Club, and Fry's Electronics. Both HDTV models incorporate numerous advanced features including a built-in DIRECTV system integrated receiver-decoder with smart card slot and 8VSB digital decoder that receives all 18 Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) digital formats. A user-friendly on-screen electronic program guide provides a comprehensive listing of all available programs, as well as one-touch VCR recording and one-touch tuning along with the capability to create favorite channels lists. For added convenience, a built-in twin tuner enables viewers to monitor two NTSC programs simultaneously and the Picture Format Control feature permits consumers to view programs in either the movie-like widescreen 1.78:1 format or the conventional 4x3 television mode. To create realistic, theatre-quality sound, the HDTV models feature a built-in Dolby Digital decoder, Dolby ProLogic, and NTSC stereo audio capability with five independent channels that can achieve 50 watts of audio power. Convenient input and output connections are provided on both the RCA and PROSCAN HDTV models, including front and rear S-Video inputs for easy connection of components such as DVD players, VCRs, and camcorders. Additional inputs include terrestrial RF, satellite antenna, and front and rear A/V connections. Output capability includes audio subwoofer, optical audio, telco modem, and headphone jack. The new HDTV models process digital picture resolution up to and including 1920x1080 pixels. Other digital HDTV formats are automatically converted to 1080I to provide seamless viewing of programs broadcast in different modes. Additionally, the digital system provides standard definition TV or NTSC up-conversion to 540P for impressive picture performance of analog TV signals.