Zenith Ships HDTV Receivers

Targets Broadcasters and Commercial Markets

GLENVIEW, Ill., - Zenith Electronics Corporation has begun shipments of its HDTV receiver/decoder, targeted to TV stations, sports bars and custom-installed home theater markets. According to William J. Sims, president of the Zenith Sales Company, this commercial-grade product is designed to provide stunning high-definition television images on high-resolution displays such as Zenith's Pro900X front-projection monitor, which was the first "HDTV ready" consumer product.

"At this early stage in the multi-year transition to digital television, Zenith is focusing its efforts on commercial and professional applications," Sims said. "And, based on results of our extensive field testing this summer and feedback from our Beta testing program this fall, this is the right product for broadcasters at this time."

The Zenith-Inteq IQADTV1W HDTV receiver/decoder is designed to receive ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee) DTV standard scanning formats. It provides the highest level of HDTV resolution (1920x1080) through an RGB output that drives Zenith's Pro900X front-projection HD monitor or other high-resolution displays.

With a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $5,999, the HDTV receiver/decoder features an ATSC VSB digital tuner and demodulator, a special video processor that converts DTV input signals to 1920x1080 display capability, and VGA computer input for accepting computer graphics. Dolby Digital(TM) audio and digital jacks provide theater-like sound.

Zenith's Pro900X high-definition projector ($12,600 MSRP) is ideal for commercial and high-end home theater applications. Combined with the digital HDTV receiver/decoder, the Pro900X becomes a full HDTV package, delivering dramatic high-definition images up to 200 inches diagonal. The Pro900, introduced in late 1996, was the first HD-ready consumer product.

The company plans to demonstrate the HDTV receiver/decoder, receiving live over-the-air HDTV broadcasts, at the International Winter Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month. Zenith's prototype 64W (64-inch widescreen) rear-projection HDTV sets also will be shown there.

As one of HDTV's earliest proponents, Zenith has developed a number of key digital technologies over the past decade. Zenith was the first to propose a partial digital signal and the first to use computer-friendly progressive scanning. A member of the Digital HDTV Grand Alliance, Zenith developed the "VSB" digital transmission system adopted by the Federal Communications Commission as part of the ATSC DTV broadcast standard.

SOURCE Zenith Electronics Corporation
Web Site: http://www.zenith.com