Toshiba intros digital Hi-Vision TVs and tuner compatible with satellite digital broadcasting

Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo) announced that it will roll-out two digital televisions and a digital tuner capable of receiving high-definition broadcasts from broadcast satellite digital broadcasting systems. All three products are compatible with all broadcast satellite digital broadcasting and can faithfully reproduce the 1125i (1080i), 750p (720p) signal format transmissions used for digital Hi-Vision broadcasting.

The first of the new broadcast satellite digital Hi-Vision televisions in the Digital FACE series will be available on August 10, and will be followed by a second model and the broadcast satellite digital Hi-Vision tuner on September 1, in the Japanese market only.

The new products are suitable for all broadcast satellite digital broadcasting: television broadcasts, high quality radio broadcasts accompanied by still images, and data broadcasting supporting e-commerce initiatives. Fully-fledged broadcast satellite digital broadcasting services will be start in Japan this coming December. The industry is anticipating a strong take-up rate, with 10 million households expected to have broadcast satellite digital broadcasting equipment within 1,000 days of the launch of these services.

The televisions incorporate a SmartMedia slot, allowing simple reproduction of images captured on a digital still camera. They are also equipped with an i.LINK terminal supporting easy connection with a digital recording device, allowing construction of an audiovisual digital network with a television at its center.

Edited by John Spofford