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To: DiViT who wrote (37198)	11/11/1998 6:04:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50808

PCTV. HDTV for under $400................................... www4.zdnet.com PCTV - Cheaper Alternative To HDTV? By Karen J. Bannan November 2, 1998 10:55 AM ET New personal computer cards could bring high-definition TV to the masses in spring 1999, as two manufacturers gear up to release products that will turn a PC into an HDTV-compatible receiver. ATI Technologies Inc. and Hauppauge Computer Works Inc. at Comdex Fall this month both plan to introduce internal TV receiver cards with prices under $400 - $4,600 less than a typical HDTV set would cost. Hauppauge's DTV Card, expected to ship in the first quarter of 1999, will be able to receive 480i and 480p transmissions of digital television. The "i" and "p" in HDTV terminology stands for "interlace" and "progressive," respectively. Interlace is the current method for standard TV. Progressive scan is transmitted much the way a PC monitor is refreshed - the frames per second differ with the quality of video needed. Therefore, 480i means there are 480 lines of resolution that are interlaced. A later version of the card that is expected to be demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 1999 will be 1080i-compatible, according to sources familiar with the company. The 1080i standard has the highest resolution and is the version of choice for most broadcasters. The card will attach to a rooftop antenna as well as a cable set-top box. However, since HDTV signals can't be passed over cable, signals from the set-top box will be analog-only. Picture quality of the signal captured from the antenna is expected to be "almost as compelling" as HDTV, sources said, especially if they are used with 19- and 21-inch monitors. ATI , which makes graphics boards, also plans to release a digital TV (DTV) card in early 1999, sources said. The product will be able to receive signals up to 1080p. One analyst said PCTVs could provide a needed stopgap between the first and second generations of television hardware. "Eventually, everyone is going to need decoder cards, whether they are in the set-top box or integrated with the TV," said Mark Snowden, senior research analyst at Inteco Corp., a consultancy. "DTV has to roll out in a compartmentalized way anyway. PCTV cards let you buy a monitor and maybe a DVD [digital videodisc] drive instead of buying a TV and a tuner." Hauppauge Computer can be reached at www.hauppauge.com ATI can be reached at www.atitech.com