LG Electronics Digital-to-Analog Converter Box

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.

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.

For more information, please visit www.LGusa.com.

SOURCE LG Electronics USA, Inc.