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To: Jim McMannis who wrote (41665)12/7/1997 7:06:00 PM
From: Robert Utne  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 186894
 
<I've been patiently waiting for an HDTV television so I can use it for a computer monitor.>

Jim, Your questions should be answered at the Jan 8-11, International Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. All the major CE companies will be introducing their versions of HDTV and/or SDTV.

According to my research, HDTV is going to be limited to the very large projection screens of at least 60" with a new wider 16:9 screen ratio versus the present 4:3. Also, HDTVs (as officially certified by ATSC and CEMA) will have 1080 lines of vertical resolution and be interlaced scaned versus the progressive scan recommended by Compaq.

What's interesting from the Journal story on Intel:

Message 2899892

is that Intel broke away from the Compaq and Microsoft model of digital TV and went with the model (VSBi transmissions) recommended by the broadcasters and CE manufacturers.

The interlaced-scan transmissions are best for viewing sports, other live events and films while the progressive scan is best to view graphics. I saw Zenith's HDTV last May at their annual meeting. It blew me out. It's as near to reality as any CE product could ever produce. It's especially great for sports. You'll feel you're at the game, right on the 50 yardline with the full field in constant view. The Zenith sets will even have a zoom control! Zenith will be first out of the HDTV gate with a 64" projection screen and a STB. The initial chip set will be from LGE but Intel could be a provider down the road.

You could, however, get a SDTV monitor (about 550 lines of resolution and 36" in size) on your desk in about a year. This will either be based on the progressive-scan transmission which is what the computer industry is based on or the interlaced scan requiring about a $200 upgrade conversion card.

Intel could make a ton of money providing the chips for the new STBs which will be required to upgrade the world's TVs from analog to digital. This is a long-term scenario, for sure. More immediately, ZE could be the best play for a quick turn around situation. It's only trading at about a $500 million capitalization and its sales could double from about $1 billion to $2 billion overnight. Zenith already has a $1 billion plus STB contract with Americast plus ZE earns a royalty on ever HDTV, SDTV and STB capable of receiving Zenith's patented VSBi transmissions!!



To: Jim McMannis who wrote (41665)12/7/1997 8:28:00 PM
From: Barry A. Watzman  Respond to of 186894
 
>re:What's different about an HDTV screen and the TV's we have now? More lines? Better guns?

All of the above and more.

First, HDTV's got many more lines (about 1,100) vs. 525. By the way, that's ONLY the number of horizontal lines, which is the vertical resolution. Horizontal resolution (which is typically the 300 or so lines that you see with NTSC, but it can be closer to 400 with premium equipment) depends on bandwith and frequency response. Also there is the matter of aspect ratio, HDTV will be more movie like (16:9 vs. 4:3 for NTSC). And although it's technically system independent, HDTV sets will use much higher quality CRT's, as electron gun quality and beam focus become critical to picture quality at higher resolutions.