Zenith To Unveil More Than 40 New Digital Products At CES

Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Representing the industry's most aggressive approach to the digital television (DTV) market, Zenith Electronics Corporation is introducing more than 40 new digital products - highlighted by a broadened family of flat-panel displays in a dozen screen sizes, a series of innovative digital recording devices and a range of high-definition television (HDTV) receivers and displays -- at the 2003 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which begins tomorrow.

"As Zenith enters the third year of its successful transformation into a digital company, more than 90 percent of our 2003 product line is digital," Ken Lee, Zenith senior vice president, sales and marketing, said on the eve of the 2003 CES. The new digital products unveiled this week reflect "the unparalleled combination" of Zenith's long-time leadership in HDTV and the extensive technologies and manufacturing capabilities of Zenith's parent company, LG Electronics Inc. (LGE), Lee said.

Specifically, in flat-panel displays, he pointed to Zenith's expanded families of LCD TVs, in eight screen sizes from 13 to 52 inches, and of plasma display panels (PDPs) from 40- to 60-inch models, including 50- and 42-inch integrated HDTVs, the first plasma displays with built-in HDTV tuners. All told, Zenith's 2003 PDP line comprises 10 models, while the LCD line encompasses more than a dozen models - "representing an unprecedented array of choices in screen sizes and features," Lee said.

"New plasma and liquid crystal displays (LCDs) position Zenith as a top- tier player in flat-panel displays, with one of the industry's broadest selections of flat, thin TV technology solutions," Lee said.

Innovative digital technologies introduced at CES include the world's first high-definition personal video recorders (PVRs), available beginning this spring. These ATSC set-top boxes feature built-in 80-gigabyte hard drives to record full HDTV. Other new digital recorders include a standard-definition combination PVR-DVD player and Zenith's first DVD recorder, which records on the most popular digital recording media. What's more, Zenith and LGE are showing a unique product concept based on a rear-projection LCD HDTV with a built-in high-definition PVR.

"Zenith's 2003 marketing theme, 'the High-Definition Authority,' builds on our pioneering role in the development of the HDTV standard and emphasizes our commitment to making HDTV more accessible and affordable for all Americans," Lee said. "Nowhere is that commitment more evident than in Zenith's broad 2003 line of integrated HDTVs, HDTV monitors and HDTV set-top receivers introduced at CES 2003."

For example, Zenith is announcing the industry's first DLP (digital light processor) rear-projection integrated HDTV, featuring the latest-generation chipset for terrestrial and unscrambled cable HDTV reception. Integrated direct-view HDTVs, including all-new 34- and 30-inch widescreen models, also feature combination terrestrial/cable HDTV tuners.

On the heels of last month's industry agreement on national plug-and-play digital cable standards, Zenith is showing its first implementation of the POD (Point-of-Deployment) interface in a 34-inch widescreen HDTV. "This kind of HDTV, when it comes to market by mid-2004, will be able to receive premium digital HDTV programming via digital cable systems without the need for a set- top box - fulfilling the long-awaited promise of digital cable-ready HDTVs," Lee said.

Rounding out the broad new Zenith digital product line are widescreen CRT rear-projection HDTV monitors, next-generation terrestrial and satellite HDTV set-top boxes (including a combination DVD player/ATSC set-top box), and no fewer than 15 new models of DVD players (all progressive scan), ranging from entry-level single-disc and five-disc changers to combination DVD-VCR combos to compact yet powerful DVD-based home theater audio systems.

"CES 2003 represents a milestone in our industry," Lee concluded. "The early adopter phase of the digital transition is behind us. Driven by growing amounts of HDTV programming available from broadcasters, cable operators and satellite providers, digital HDTV technology is becoming more affordable and accessible.

"From a huge selection of LCD and plasma displays to affordable direct- view and rear-projection HDTVs, from HDTV PVRs and set-top boxes to DVD players and recorders, Zenith is bringing digital technology into the mainstream."

Visit Zenith on the Web at www.zenith.com.

Source: Zenith Electronics Corporation