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LAKE SUCCESS, NY — Jan 07, `08 — Canon today announced the VIXIA family – a new lineup of consumer High-Definition camcorders embracing Canon optical and imaging technologies for superior image quality and flexibility – at the CES 2008 in Las Vegas.

VIXIA Core TechnologiesAll VIXIA camcorders feature Canon core technologies to create HD video that possesses the highest level of image quality – a Genuine Canon HD Video Lens; a Canon designed and manufactured HD CMOS Image Sensor for Full HD (1920 x 1080) image capture; the Canon-developed DIGIC DV II Image Processor; Instant AutoFocus, crucial for HD; and SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization.

VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory Camcorders:
The VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory camcorder offers the flexibility of recording up to 6 hours of High-Definition video to a 16GB internal Flash drive, as well as the option of recording to an SDHC memory card. The HF100 Flash Memory camcorder features an SDHC memory card slot only. The SDHC slot provides future storage expandability with both models. These camcorders also offer other sophisticated new features, including a newly designed Genuine Canon 12x HD Video Lens, a robust Canon 3.3 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, and Full HD Lens-to-Screen (1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution to capture, record and output).

In addition to 24p Cinema Mode, which allows users to mimic the look of Hollywood-style movies, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and HF100 Flash Memory camcorders offer a new feature called 30p Progressive Mode. Canon’s 30p Progressive Mode, once exclusive to pro-level camcorders, delivers clarity for fast action events, such as sports or news, and is the perfect frame rate for clips intended to be posted on the Web. A 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD offers a wide viewing angle, making it visible from any direction.

VIXIA HV30 HD Camcorder:
As the successor to the Canon HV20 HD Camcorder, the VIXIA HV30 HD camcorder provides consumers with the ability to record HD quality video to MiniDV cassettes. Wrapped in a sophisticated black exterior, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder features a Genuine Canon 10X HD Video Lens, Canon 2.96 Megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor, DIGIC DV II Image Processor, a 30p Progressive Mode (and 24p Cinema Mode), and a 2.7″ Widescreen Multi-Angle Vivid LCD. In addition, the VIXIA HV30 camcorder is compatible with Canon’s high capacity BP-2L24H Lithium-ion battery.

DW-100 DVD Burner:
The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner allows to burn all, part or previously recorded video from a compatible Canon camcorder to a DVD. In addition to burning Standard Definition DVDs, the DW-100 can also burn AVCHD DVDs which can be played in compatible Blu-Ray players. The DW-100 DVD Burner has only three buttons: power, record and eject, making operation fast and easy. Unlike other similar yet daunting devices, the DW-100 DVD Burner is designed for one-touch operation: connect via USB, set and burn.

Available in late April, the VIXIA HF10 Dual Flash Memory and VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory camcorders will have an estimated retail price of $1,099 and $899, respectively. The Canon VIXIA HV30 is scheduled to be available in late February for the estimated retail price of $999. The Canon DW-100 DVD Burner is scheduled to be available in late April for the estimated retail price of $269.More at Canon.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Dec 19, `07 — Public Television stations across the country will soon be available in high-definition (HD) to DIRECTV customers through a landmark agreement reached today by DIRECTV, the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). DIRECTV viewers will have access to other Public Television content as well.

Continuing its unprecedented expansion of HD services, DIRECTV, the industry leader in HD programming, will include the local HD feeds of Public Television stations in its HD rollout plans beginning in 2008. DIRECTV currently offers local HD programming in 68 markets, representing more than 72 percent of U.S. TV households.

DIRECTV, APTS and PBS also will work together to develop new video on demand offerings to make available local and national public television programming to DIRECTV’s customers anytime they want it. In addition, DIRECTV will carry two national standard-definition channels of Public Television programming, further expanding its commitment to high-quality educational programming.

The terms of the deal were unanimously approved by the APTS Board of Trustees yesterday and are pending approval by the PBS Board of Directors. The agreement must be ratified by local Public Television stations. More at DIRECTV.

DENVER, CO –Marketwire– Dec 17, `07 — Consumers who long to transfer their favorite movies and TV programs from their DISH Network receivers to their ARCHOS Portable Media Players (PMPs) can now do so in record time through a simple plug-in download.

The plug-in is offered exclusively to DISH Network subscribers with a VIP722 or VIP622 high-definition receiver, and is compatible with the ARCHOS 705 WiFi and 605 WiFi players. The plug-in is available today at Archos.com. Beginning in January, the Archos 605 and 705 models will also be available at retail outlets where DISH Network satellite TV service is sold.

“The DISH Network plug-in will allow consumers to transfer content faster than real-time from their DISH Network receiver to an Archos PMP. A two-hour movie can be transferred in just a few minutes,” said Henri Crohas, founder and chief executive officer at ARCHOS. “Now DISH Network subscribers with a VIP622 or VIP722 receiver can experience the fastest transfer times to their ARCHOS players, getting them out of the house faster and enjoying their favorite TV shows anywhere and anytime.”

The exclusive ARCHOS plug-in for DISH Network customers is part of a larger strategic alliance between parent company EchoStar and ARCHOS that has been in place for almost three years.

ARCHOS 605 WiFi and 705 WiFi demonstrations, including the high-speed content transfer from DISH Network’s receivers, will be on display in the EchoStar booth — Central Hall #9020 — at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, January 7-10, 2008.

Next-generation HDTVs to use 4.8Gbps XDR DRAM

LOS ALTOS, Calif — Dec 17, `07 –BUSINESS WIRE– Rambus today announced that Toshiba Corporation has licensed its XDR memory controller interface cell (XIO) and XDR memory controller (XMC) for next-generation high-definition television (HDTV) chipsets. The XIO and XMC will be implemented in Toshiba’s 65nm process. Operating at 4.8Gbps, the XDR memory architecture will allow Toshiba’s HDTV chipset to deliver state-of-the-art image processing performance in its customers’ HDTVs.

The XDR memory architecture uses patented Rambus innovations such as Octal Data Rate (ODR) technology, Differential Rambus Signaling Level (DRSL), and FlexPhase circuits to deliver the highest bandwidth available while using fewer DRAM devices than industry-standard memory solutions. Higher memory performance as delivered by the XDR architecture enables the advanced features of next-generation HDTVs such as 1080p+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rates, 12-bit color, multiple full HD Picture-in-Picture (PiP) data streams, and advanced image enhancement algorithms.More here.

SAN DIEGO & SEOUL, Korea –BUSINESS WIRE– Dec 17, `07 — DivX and LG today announced the launch of two additional models in the DivX Certified Time Machine TV Series specifically targeted for South America.

The two new models of LG’s DivX Certified Time Machine TV Series join millions of DivX Certified devices on the market today that play back high-quality DivX video content.

The two additional models, the 42LB9RT and 32LB9RT, are LCD offerings that deliver high image and audio quality for digital content using much less bandwidth than regular analog devices. These devices boast a simultaneous watch-and-record function and the ability to transfer high-quality DivX content directly to the TV through the USB port.

Maintaining the exceptional standards of the Time Machine TV Series, these models include a built-in 80 gigabyte hard disc drive for Time Shift function and recording as well as a USB 2.0 port, for backing up recorded content and enabling the direct playback of MP3, JPEG and DivX formats. More here.

San Antonio, Texas — Dec 17, `07 –Meeting the growing demand from TV viewers for quality High Definition (HD) programming, AT&T today announced the addition of eight HD channels to its AT&T U-verse TV channel lineup.

U-verse TV now offers Animal Planet HD, CNN HD, Discovery HD, Science Channel HD, Starz Kids & Family HD, Superstation WGN in HD, TLC HD, VERSUS and GOLF CHANNEL HD.

With these additions, AT&T U-verse TV subscribers with the HD service option have access to a lineup of more than 40 HD channels in most markets, which is more HD programming than local cable providers in current U-verse markets.

HD service is available for $10 a month with any U-verse TV programming package. All U-verse TV packages include HD-ready equipment, and most include an HD-capable DVR. More at AT&T.

On Wednesday, Dec 12, Albatron announced the 8800GTS-512X, a new “Enthusiast” GeForce 8 Series VGA card that will give top-of-the-line cards something to take notice of because consumers are going to get a nice surprise when they catch a peek at the price tag.

The board features 65 nm process technology, which was first introduced with the Albatron 8800GT-512X in October 2007. But there’s no comparison: the 8800GTS-512X is, quite simply, big brother.

Specs:
- Fast and Cool: 65nm Process Technology plus 650 MHz Core
- Fast just got faster: PCI 2.0 and 1940 MHz GDDR3 memory
- PureVideo HD
- 8800GTS-512X include two DVI connectors and a 7-pin HDTV-out connector
- Supports Dual-Link HDCP and is SLI ready
- The board is 4.376″ by 9″, is dual-slot in width and has a PCI Express x16 connector (PCIe 2.0)
- “Several hundred’s of dollars less than $700″ (don’t know how much that would be!)

More at Albatron.

BENTONVILLE, Ark — Dec 06, 2007 — Wal-Mart announces today it is turning back the calendar with another “Black Friday”-style price event this weekend, unveiling new “Secret In-Store Specials” today on Walmart.com. With savings up to 30% on electronics and other items, Wal-Mart also brings the popular Webkinz toys to its stores nationwide for this event, beginning 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 7 through Sunday while supplies last.

Since Nov 2, Wal-Mart has offered three rounds of “Secret In-Store Specials,” revealing on its Web site groups of items with incredible values for Christmas shoppers. Millions of customers have signed up for e-mail and text message alerts through Walmart.com to learn of these specials as soon as they are unveiled.

A few examples of the items and prices available tomorrow at 8 a.m. include:

• 50 inch Vizio plasma TV - $998
• 1 MB Gateway Laptop - $398
• Toshiba HD-A3 HD-DVD player (with 12 free HD-DVDs) - $298

Through the weekend, Wal-Mart will continue to keep spirits festive offering free photos with Santa in stores from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays and exciting demonstrations and samples in its Christmas Shops. More at Wal-Mart.

NEW YORK, Dec 05, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — Just in time for the holiday season, Verizon is unwrapping high-definition video-on-demand in many of its FiOS TV markets.

HD VOD is now available over the FiOS TV systems in Richmond and Virginia Beach, Va.; Tampa, Fla.; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Pittsburgh. It is coming soon to the FiOS systems in the Washington, D.C., metro area, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; and to Verizon’s remaining FiOS TV markets next year.

Verizon last month said it expects to have more than 150 HD channels by the end of 2008 as it continues to add to its HD lineup, and programmerslaunch new channels. It also said that it would increase its HD VOD titles to more than 1,000 in 2008.

Verizon’s initial HD VOD offering contains around 75 HD titles including a mix of free programs and recently released blockbuster movies such as “Transformers;” “The Hoax,” starring Richard Gere; “Mr. Brooks,” with Kevin Costner and Demi Moore; and the animated “Surf’s Up.” In the coming months, the company will continue to add HD titles to its VOD library, which now totals more than 10,000 titles.

Customers access video-on-demand simply by pressing the “VOD” or “On Demand” button on their remote control, through a menu on FiOS TV’s
interactive media guide, or by tuning into channel 900. Customers need an HDTV and an HD set-top box to view the on-demand titles in high definition. More at PRNewsWire.

New 65 Nanometer Solution Features the Latest HD AVC Technology to Support Multiple Video Formats and a 50% Reduction in Power Consumption

IRVINE, Calif — Dec 05, ‘07 — /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Broadcom today announced a new single-channel, multi-format high definition (HD) satellite receiver chip that enables manufacturers to develop low cost satellite set-top boxes (STBs).

The new satellite system-on-a-chip (SoC) is manufactured in 65 nanometer (nm) process technology and includes the highest level of functionality, fully integrating a single tuner/demodulator, as well as the latest AVC (advanced video coding) decoder that supports multiple video formats.

By reducing the number of components required to develop satellite set-top box products, Broadcom has reduced power consumption by more than 50% over competing solutions, lowering system bill of materials (BOM) cost while reducing the complexity and size of designing next generation satellite STBs.

The BCM7325 operates on a dual-threaded MIPS(R) CPU core running at 333MHz resulting in over 550DMIPS of performance. The BCM7325 is designed to support UMA and non-UMA memory architectures, utilizing a 400-MHz clock, 32-bit wide DDR2 memory I/F for enhanced performance and allows cost-effective memory implementations.

The BCM7325 supports several interfaces for TV output on-chip including HDMI, baseband composite, component or S-Video, and incorporates Broadcom’s advanced 2D graphics engine that enables true studio-quality text and graphics, efficiently using its memory and bandwidth. More at Broadcom.

Single Package Is Less than 1/100th the Size of Previous Tuner.

Dec 05, ‘07 — Sharp Corporation has developed the VA3C5CZ920, the industry’s first tuner module compatible with GB20600-2006, the China Digital Television Terrestrial Broadcasting System Standard. Sample shipments will start in late January 2008. This tuner module is less than 1/100th the size of conventional “can” tuners for receiving China’s terrestrial digital broadcasts. The small package size of just 10.7 x 10.7 x 1.4 mm means that this tuner module can go into mobile equipment such as portable TVs and allow them to receive terrestrial digital broadcasts.

Established in August 2006, China’s terrestrial digital broadcast standard has begun test service and plans are for a gradual conversion to full-fledged service. This is fueling expectations for a growing market in mobile equipment capable of receiving high-quality HD broadcasts as the country heads for major events like the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

Unlike conventional can tuners, key component tuners like this one mainly go into mobile equipment and must therefore be extremely small. The VA3C5CZ920 answers this call with a compact, single package achieved through proprietary high-frequency and high-density-mounting technologies that came out of Sharp’s experience in developing tuner modules for One-Seg, Japan’s terrestrial digital broadcast format.

Major Features
1. Industry’s first tuner compatible with GB20600-2006, the China Digital Television Terrestrial Broadcasting System Standard
2. The single package measures just 10.7 x 10.7 x 1.4 mm, less than 1/100th the size of Sharp’s previous tuner
3. Achieves low power consumption of 530 mW (during continuous operation)

More at Sharp.

HD Quality Web Video and Audio Now Available With Adobe Flash Player Update.

SAN JOSE, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Dec 03, ‘07 — Adobe Systems today announced the immediate availability of Adobe Flash Player 9 Update 3 software, previously code named Moviestar.

Adobe Flash Player 9 now includes H.264 standard video support, the same standard deployed in Blu-Ray and HD-DVD high definition video players, and High Efficiency AAC (HE-AAC) audio capabilities. The latest update also features hardware accelerated, multi-core enhanced, full-screen video playback for high-resolution viewing across major operating systems and browsers.

The combination of Adobe Flash Player 9 and Adobe Flash Media Server 3 (also announced today) enables the delivery of HD quality video to the broadest online audience.

H.264 support is an encoding option in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects software and is now integrated across the Adobe Flash family of products. Support extends to applications developed for Adobe AIR software, a cross-operating system application runtime that enables developers to use their existing skills to build and deploy rich Internet applications (RIAs) to the desktop.

Expected to be available in early 2008, Adobe Media Player, the first application from Adobe built on Adobe AIR, will leverage both H.264 video and HE-AAC audio support. Adobe Media Player takes Flash streaming video experiences outside the Web browser delivering more viewing options, such as watching videos anytime, anywhere.

Adobe Flash Player content reaches over 99 percent of Internet-enabled desktops, as well as hundreds of millions of mobile and set-top devices, enabling organizations and individuals to build and deliver rich Web video experiences that work consistently across multiple platforms. Leveraging Adobe’s Emmy Award winning Flash architecture, Adobe Flash Player can be used to view both live and on-demand media or entertainment on sites such as CBS, NBC, FoxNews Digital, PBS, MTV Networks, BBC and Hulu.

The technology also powers the video capabilities of popular social networking sites including YouTube and MySpace. With H.264 and HE-AAC support in Adobe Flash Player 9 and Adobe Flash Media Server 3, content providers can now deliver HDTV-quality streaming video on the Web.

Since H.264 and HE-AAC are open industry standards and already integrated into existing authoring and publishing workflows, content producers can leverage their existing H.264 material and seamlessly play back the native content in Adobe Flash Player. This enables publishers to encode content once and then distribute it to multiple mediums, resulting in the potential for reduced costs and time savings.

Adobe Flash Player 9 Update 3 is immediately available as a free download for Windows, Macintosh and Linux platforms from adobe.com/go/getflashplayer.

New Processor Provides 10x Performance Increase at One Tenth the Cost and Flexibility for HD Video Processing and Multi-Channel Applications.

HOUSTON, Texas — Dec 03, ‘07 /PRNewswire/ — To allow consumers to seamlessly move content across their video end products, Texas Instruments is offering a new DaVinci technology digital media processor for video transcoding in media gateways, multi-point control units, digital media adaptors, video security DVRs and IP set-top boxes.

Wrapped with a complete offering of development tools and digital media software, the new TMS320DM6467 DaVinci processor is a DSP-based system-on-chip (SoC) specifically tuned for real-time, multi-format, high-definition (HD) video transcoding. Integrating an ARM926EJ-S core and 600 MHz C64x+(TM) DSP core along with a high-definition video co-processor, conversion engine and targeted video port interfaces, the system solution delivers a 10x performance improvement over previous generation processors to perform simultaneous, multi-format HD encode, decode and transcoding up to H.264 HP@L4 (1080p 30fps, 1080i 60fps, 720p 60fps). More at DaVinci/TMS320DM6467.

Video security systems will see similar BOM (bill of materials) reductions and have the flexibility to implement multi-format multi-channel encode (up to four channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP D1 plus four secondary channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP CIF) or decode (up to six channels of MPEG4/H.264 MP D1) for hybrid digital video recorder (DVR) and server (DVS) systems. The DM6467 has an integrated C64x+ DSP which can accommodate video analytics or proprietary video processing algorithms. The DM6467 integrated ARM9, 10/100/1000 EMAC and ATA interfaces would eliminate the need for external host processor enabling a single chip DVR/DVS system.

Pricing and Availability

The DaVinci TMS320DM6467 is now sampling to select customers and will be sold in 50Ku volume for $35.95. The DVEVM is scheduled to begin shipping in 1Q08 from TI and TI Authorized Distributors. theDaVincieffect.

SAN JOSE, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE– Nov 29, ‘07 — New LED-backlit LCD displays of Samsung Electronics are now available in large premium-model, full-HD TVs at major U.S retailers for the holiday season.

The new panels enable a huge jump in the dynamic contrast ratio from between 5,000:1 and 25,000:1, to 100,000:1 and even 500,000:1, for the clearest images on the market today.

Available in 40-inch, 46-inch, 52-inch and 57-inch diagonal screen sizes, Samsung’s new “local dimming,” LED (light-emitting diode) technology provides a brightness level of 450nits, and reduces power consumption by as much as 30 percent.

Depending upon the number of LEDs used in a screen panel design, the dynamic contrast ratio can improve the contrast in colors by as much as a thousand percent over the CCFL (cold cathode fluorescent lamp) LCD TVs typically used today.

Another significant advantage to Samsung’s “local dimming” technology is that the LED scanning process shuts off the diodes in precise sequences, thereby essentially eliminating any remnants of ‘image ghosting’ that had previously been a drawback in some LCD TVs.

With local-dimming LEDs, hundreds of wafer-thin diodes about the width of the eye’s pupil are electronically turned off and on in exacting sequences that respond to movement on the screen – areas only a fraction of what was previously possible with the most prevalent form of TV backlighting – long, thin fluorescent lamps. In black areas of the picture, the diodes can be completely shut off in order to generate total blackness.

Samsung said that its new extreme-contrast LCD panels is now available in Samsung TVs in the U.S., and also will be featured in HDTV’s produced by other manufacturers. The local dimming LED display does not contain mercury.

Nov 20, ‘07 — The BBC Trust has approved the immediate launch of a BBC high-definition channel, but decided that no service will be launched on Freeview until a further review is completed next year.

It also repeated previous guidance that the new HD channel needed to be a “mixed genre” offering - not just a simulcast of prime time BBC1.

Up to 20% of the channel’s content should be sport and films, the trust said, but it should be a “head-on competitor” for sports and movie HD channels. The trust, which received 921 submissions - mostly from the public - in its consultation, concluded:

Satellite and cable

• BBC HD should launch on Sky and cable as soon as possible.
• The channel should launch on Public Service Broadcaster (PSB) Freesat from the launch of that platform.

Freeview

• The full BBC HD channel should be provided on Freeview as soon as possible, subject to a review of options in 2008.
• No four-hour interim channel will be provided on Freeview before equipment integrating standards for the future provision of HDTV on DTT is available.
• Once such equipment is available, and if at that point such a service remains appropriate, approval is given for a four-hour, overnight interim channel.

BBC Parliament

• If services are withdrawn from Freeview, live proceedings of the House of Commons should take precedence over the HD channel if capacity is not available for both.

“We are delighted that the BBC Trust has approved the BBC executive’s high definition television proposals, allowing us to launch the UK’s first free-to-air, mixed-genre public service HDTV channel,” said the BBC director general, Mark Thompson. More at BBCNews.

Toshiba UK is offering one of the very thin, but still not as thin as Samsung’s 10mm, Full 1080p HD LCD TV in the UK market, Toshiba 40XF355D. Its available for approx $2460 onwards from various UK retailers.

Quick Specs

40″ 16:9
1920×1080p
10000:1 Dynamic Contrast
500 cd/m² Brightness
178º Degrees Viewing Angle
10-bit Color Processing
3 HDMI with Deep Color
REGZA link
WXGA PC Input
934×578x130; 22.5Kgs (Without Stand)

More at Toshiba UK.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif –BUSINESS WIRE — Nov 16, ‘07 — Congratulating NASA on the completion of a successful shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and the recent unveiling of a new living space aboard the orbital laboratory, DIRECTV is offering the ISS a complete HD makeover – including its industry-leading line-up of national HD channels, the most advanced HD DVR on the market, a 42” flat screen HDTV and a sturdy velcro-wrapped remote control.

With the solar array repaired and the Harmony module – the ISS’s first new living space in six years – successfully bolted into its permanent location, DIRECTV is ready to offer the DIRECTV HD experience to the ISS crew, allowing them to catch up on current events or enjoy the best HD whenever their leisure time allows. If NASA accepts DIRECTV’s offer, the nations #1 satellite TV company is prepared to offer its top engineer to assist in the installation of the familiar satellite dish on the roof of the new module.

“Sure, there’s the awe-inspiring view of planet earth from more than 200 miles up, but what do you do for an encore after you’ve entered your 180th day in space?” said Jon Gieselman, senior vice president, marketing for DIRECTV, Inc. “But on a more serious note, we truly applaud both the shuttle and ISS crew for their incredible accomplishments and are honored to offer an HD experience worthy of the International Space Station. As a satellite TV service we obviously have a vested interest in space exploration and we’ve certainly benefited from NASA’s many technical and scientific achievements over the years. This is one way we can give a little something back.”

Washington — Nov 09, ‘07 — The Bush administration official who heads the agency charged with ensuring the smooth transition of the television industry to digital broadcasting is leaving that post.

John Kneuer was named administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in May 2006 by President Bush. Kneuer will resign this month to pursue new opportunities, agency spokesman Todd Sedmak said Friday.

Kneuer’s resignation as the president’s top telecommunications adviser comes amid considerable concern on Capitol Hill over the manner in which the government is handling the conversion by television broadcasters from analog to digital broadcasting.

On Feb. 18, 2009, tens of millions of televisions that are not equipped to receive digital signals will no longer be able to receive programming. Congress committed $1.5 billion for viewers to spend on converter boxes that will translate digital signals for older televisions, but only $5 million of the total was earmarked for consumer education.

After the first of the year, the government will be making available to each household two coupons worth $40 each that can be used to buy two converter boxes. The NTIA is responsible for administering the program.

Kneuer has made numerous appearances in recent months before committees on Capitol Hill providing updates to members of Congress who have expressed concern that the public is still largely unaware that the transition is coming.

Taking over Kneuer’s duties until the White House nominates a replacement will be Meredith Baker, deputy assistant secretary, who will serve as acting NTIA administrator. NTIA is part of the Commerce Department.

IRVINE, Calif. –BUSINESS WIRE–Nov 07, ‘07 — Samsung continues expansion of its award-winning line of SyncMaster displays with the 245T, a high-performance 24-inch LCD monitor. The commercial monitor, designed for a range of professional applications including desktop publishing, CAD and graphic design, is now shipping and available for $799.99, comes with a three year warrenty. Furthermore, the model is HDTV-Ready, and capable of supporting High Definition resolutions including 1080p.

The 245T monitor has a 24-inch, 16:10 wide-screen format, with a 178/178-degree viewing angle. The 245T monitor’s PVA panel technology, ultra-wide viewing angles and widescreen format can support a range of multi-window applications in precise clarity, helping to improve work efficiency and reducing the need for multiple monitors.

Key Specs

- Screen Size : 24″
- Resolution : 1920 x 1200
- Brightness : 300 cd/m²
- Contrast Ratio : DC1500:1 (1000:1)
- Response Time: 6ms (GTG)
- Viewing Angle: 178/178
- Special features: Video input (CVBS, S-Video, Component), HDMI, full HD Supported (1080P), MagicBright, MagicTune, MagicRotation (Auto Pivot), PIP/PBP, DVI(HDCP), 6 color control, MPA HAS(100mm), Pivot, Swivel, Tilt

More at Samsung.

New York, NY–November 1, ‘07–Verizon FiOS TV customers will get even more of the high-definition content they love as Verizon today announced plans for a fivefold increase in the number of HD channels, to 150 channels, as well as plans for offering additional HD content through FiOS TV’s video-on-demand service.  Verizon is also planning a major expansion of sports and multicultural programming on FiOS TV in 2008.

In the spring of 2008, Verizon will begin expanding its HD lineup as well as the sports and multicultural program offerings on FiOS TV.  Verizon initially will double the current number of HD channels, on a market-by-market basis, to more than 60, including additional sports channels.  Verizon expects to have more than 150 HD channels by year-end 2008 as it continues to add to its HD lineup and programmers launch new channels. The company also will add standard-definition sports, multicultural and other programming during the year.

In addition to the expanded HD channel lineup, Verizon will offer HD programming through its industry-leading video-on-demand library, which already totals more than 10,000 titles.  Before the end of 2007, Verizon expects to introduce a limited number of HD on-demand titles, which will increase to more than 1,000 HD titles in 2008.

During 2008, Verizon also will expand the reach of HD programming throughout the home.  Through enhancements to the Verizon-exclusive Home Media DVR service, customers will be able to record HD shows and watch them from any room in the house with an HDTV and an HD set-top box. Moer at Verizon.

“It is Samsung SDI that is supplying OLED panel products now,” said Ho Kyoon Chung, executive vice president and CTO, Corporate R&D Center, Samsung SDI Co Ltd of Korea, in the FPD Summit (keynote session) at the “FPD International 2007 Forum” October 24. 

He presented the company’s OLED panel roadmap and said, “OLED panels have opened the new era of organic optoelectronics. Not only displays but also new applications such as OLED lighting systems, organic electro-luminescent power generators and organic sensors will emerge in the near future.” 

Explaining the company’s product development roadmap, Chung said, “Following small panels used in 2007, 3.5- to 7-inch panels including 4.1-inch panels will be applied to ultra mobile PCs, for example, in 2008. Then we will realize 14-, 15- and 21-inch panels in 2009 and large 40- to 42-inch full HD (high definition) OLED TVs in 2010.” “We will provide a flexible OLED display by 2012 at the latest,” he added. More at Tech-On!

Sunnyvale, Calif. — October 15, 2007 –AMD is expanding its TV Wonder product lineup that enables HDTV on the PC. Available through VisionTek at Best Buy stores across North America, ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, TV Wonder 600 PCI and TV Wonder 600 PCI Express transform PCs into exceptional high definition digital video recorders. The TV Wonder family of products is AMD LIVE! Ready and Certified for Windows Vista — delivering The Ultimate Visual Experience and strengthening the value of multimedia PCs.

ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, with a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $149, includes two TV tuners allowing users to watch and record off-the-air Digital TV/HDTV, unencrypted Digital TV (ClearQAM) cable programming, analog TV, and listen to FM broadcasts. TV Wonder 600 PCI and TV Wonder 600 PCI Express TV tuners break new ground by offering ClearQAM at a value of $99 MSRP.

The ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo USB is a combo-tuner DVR (digital video recorder) allowing users to switch between analog and digital TV to watch and record a digital TV program while watching/recording an analog TV channel. The ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo USB features ClearQAM tuning to receive unencrypted digital content from local cable television providers. The new offering also features high image quality, advanced 2D and 3D comb filtering, and FM tuner powered by ATI Theater 650 Pro.

The ATI TV Wonder 600 PCI and PCI Express add-in TV tuners feature: ClearQAM; powerful PVR based on ATI Theater 600 Pro video decoder; world-leading ATI Theater ATSC reception technology; and, analog TV reception.

More at ATI TV Wonder 650 Combo USB, 600 PCI Express, 600 PCI and AMD Press Release