Panasonic set to ship HDTV
Industry observers think the electronics giant's entry could help inspire consumer confidence in the new technology.
The company announced its intentions in a statement warmly received by analysts, who think the electronics giant's entry could help inspire consumer confidence in the new technology.
Digital television is set to air for the first time this fall, when the top ten markets begin digital broadcasting. HDTVs, paired with a set-top box to decode the digital signal, will be capable of displaying pictures with roughly twice the clarity of current TVs.
Although HDTV owners will not be able to access digital signals until November, customers will immediately enjoy a much clearer picture with the new-fangled TVs, analysts say.
"You will see enhanced video, enhanced audio and display for movies, DVD titles. They have greater resolution and technical enhancements," said Gary Schultz, an entertainment analyst at Multimedia Research Group, who called HDTV "one of several standards encompassed by the DTV umbrella."