|
 | |
WASHINGTON -- John Kneuer, right, Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, learns about the digital-to-analog converter box developed by LG Electronics. Demonstrating the LG device, which has been certified for the NTIA's converter box program, is LG Electronics USA Vice President John I. Taylor, left. (PRNewsFoto/LG Electronics USA, Inc.)
WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES
| | |
 | |
WASHINGTON -- John Kneuer, right, Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, learns about the digital-to-analog converter box developed by LG Electronics. Demonstrating the LG device, which has been certified for the NTIA's converter box program, is LG Electronics USA Vice President John I. Taylor, left. (PRNewsFoto/LG Electronics USA, Inc.)
WASHINGTON, DC UNITED STATES
| | |
|
|
Company Prepares to Start Mass Production to Support Early 2008 Launch
WASHINGTON, Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- In a key milestone in the nation's
transition to digital television (DTV), the digital-to-analog converter box
developed by LG Electronics has been officially certified for the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) digital-to-analog
converter box program.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071008/CLM026-a )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071008/CLM026-b )
The NTIA, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, certified the
LG-produced model as a "coupon-eligible converter box" under the government
program that will provide up to two $40 coupons per household to go toward
the purchase of converter boxes. Consumers with analog TVs that receive
their broadcast signals using an antenna can use the converter box to
receive the new interference-free digital TV broadcasts. On Feb. 17, 2009,
analog TV broadcasting ends in the United States.
"It is an honor for LG Electronics to be the first major company to
receive official NTIA certification for digital-to-analog converters," said
Michael Ahn, president and CEO, LG Electronics North American Headquarters.
"This product is a very important component of the DTV transition
assuring that millions of Americans will continue to receive
free-over-the-air TV programming after the digital switch in just 18
months. LG Electronics is proud of its leadership role in the development
of digital television technologies generally and the converter box
specifically," he said.
The LG-developed converter model is designed to deliver DVD-quality
digital broadcast images even on older analog TVs. It also will receive
many more programs, the "multicast" channels delivered by many digital TV
broadcasters.
In addition to V-Chip parental control, the box provides advanced
digital closed captions, including the capability to choose from multiple
type fonts, sizes, colors, backgrounds and more. The remote control
includes a "cc" button for easy caption access.
For easy setup and simple navigation, the LG converter will include a
user-friendly installation guide, trilingual (English, Spanish and French)
on- screen display, a simple electronic program guide.
Other features include an all-format ATSC receiver, flexible 4:3 and
16:9 display formats, PSIP processing, channel 2-69 tuning, RF input and RF
output, and composite (RCA jacks) video and left-right stereo TV audio
outputs.
Designed to operate at less than 8 watts active and 1 watt standby, the
certified converter box exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
EnergyStar program requirements for digital-to-analog converters.
For three years, LG Electronics has been developing high-performance,
low- cost converter technology to help facilitate a smooth transition to
all- digital TV broadcasting. That development effort began as a
collaboration with the National Association of Broadcasters and the
Association of Maximum Service Television to help create a reference model
for the industry.
NTIA certification for the LG Electronics converter box followed
extensive laboratory tests verifying the performance and features.
Technically speaking, LG's certified converter was designed to meet or
exceed the NTIA's requirements for sensitivity/RF dynamic range;
phase-noise and burst-noise performance; co-channel, adjacent-channel and
taboo-channel rejection; and performance meeting the NTIA field ensemble
and single static echo criteria.
Now that the digital-to-analog converter box has been certified as
coupon eligible, LG Electronics is gearing up production to assure retail
availability in early 2008 supporting the launch of the NTIA coupon
program.
About LG Electronics USA, Inc.
LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North
American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $48.5-billion (2006
consolidated worldwide revenues) global force in consumer electronics, home
appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics
sells a wide range of digital appliances, digital display and digital media
products, and mobile phones under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For
more information, please visit http://www.LGusa.com.
|
