The Technophilez

In a broad discussion at the Consumer Electronics Show, U.S. Federal Communications CommissionChairman Kevin Martin on Tuesday confirmed that the deadline for the country's switch to digital TV next year will not be postponed, explained the rationale behind the requirements for the current 700MHz auction and gave hints about his thinking regarding various communications megamergers.

Interviewed at the show by Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro, Martin said the February 2009 deadline for the digital TV switch is a "hard deadline." He said a postponement would "dis-incentivize" industry to make the transition.

"After all of our efforts we couldn't just turn around and say 'We're just kidding,'" he said.

About 50 percent of all homes in the U.S. now have digital TVs, and the CEA forecasts that some 28 million digital TVs will be bought in the U.S. this year, Shapiro noted.

The transition to digital will not only improve picture quality for consumers, but also free up spectrum that can be used for wireless broadband, Martin stressed. He also noted that the extra spectrum provided by the switch would be used to improve public safety, allowing for better communications between fire departments and police. The need for better coordination among law enforcement and safety officials was a major point made in the 9/11 Commission report, he noted.

Requirements related to the auction for 700MHz spectrum blocks in the U.S. will play an important part in bringing broadband access to more people, such as inhabitants in rural areas, who have limited wireless options now, he said.

The spectrum auction has been broken up intoblocks. One block, for example, has open-access rules and is broken up into 12 regional licenses across the U.S. There are also "buildout" requirements that will ensure that auction winners will actually put the spectrum to use in a reasonable timeframe, Martin said.

He declined to comment directly on the planned merger of Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, currently under review by the Department of Justice. But he noted that the companies have been talking about a la carte pricing plans for shows, which would give consumers a wide range of options to choose different bundles of programs and prices. Martin said he would encourage content providers -- especially cable TV companies -- to offer this type of program-options plan.

One disappointment in the wake of communications industry deregulation has been the rising price of cable TV, he said.

Martin stopped short of saying that approval of the Sirius-XM merger would set a regulatory precedent for a rumored merger deal between satellite TV companies Echostar and DirecTV. But he did say that it would be important for the satellite TV companies to give consumers more pricing and program bundle options as part of any merger plan.

"This is the type of thing we'd be looking at," he said.

CES, LAS VEGAS, SyncTV (www.synctv.com) will demonstrate a proof-of-concept device that will play downloads, including 1080p HD video content on a television set at this year's CES show.

The device is one example of how SyncTV will be integrated into a variety of Consumer Electronics devices, as well as work on Windows PCs, Macs and Linux PCs.  SyncTV has an open-standards approach which facilitates third-party hardware manufacturers developing compatible devices www.synctv.com/standards.  Other devices that SyncTV could be
integrated into include television sets, in-car video systems and other portable players.

SyncTV is an unlimited TV download service that launched in private beta in November 2007. The service allows users to download entire seasons of
home theater-quality TV shows at a low monthly subscription fee.  As well as subscriptions, SyncTV also supports purchase and rental models
for TV content.  Pricing and channel line-ups will be announced when the service enters a public beta later in Q1.  During the private beta,
channel subscriptions will be available for free to users.  Users can request participation in the SyncTV beta program at www.synctv.com.

The video and audio quality of SyncTV programming will be the highest available through Internet download.  The minimum video quality of all the content is comparable to the same content on DVD, and where possible, HD content will be available across the different channels.  SyncTV will also have programming available in discrete 5.1 Dolby(r) Digital Plus surround sound.  SyncTV has a flexible usage model, allowing playback on up to five home devices, such as PCs, set-top boxes or TVs as well as up to ten portable devices.

John Gildred, President of SyncTV commented: "This is just the start of the SyncTV ecosystem.  We only use open standards for all communication protocols and data formats, which makes it easier for developers to create devices which support the service.  As more compatible devices are developed by manufacturers, people will see the benefits of the flexible playback model that we 'baked in' to the service."

First, JVC revealed it would be showing an HDTV that was 1.5 inches thick. Then LG showed its 1.7-inch thick TV. Now, Pioneer has unveiled its concept design for a 50-inch plasma TV that's just 9mm in width. That translates to 0.35, for those of who are metrics challenged.

This engineering feat gives the effect, as Pioneer describes it, of the TV floating on the wall. Such a design also means the TV can shave off pounds; this 50-inch prototype weighs 41 pounds--lighter than conventional 50-inch models. This prototype design won't be commercially available in 2008.

Another concept design Pioneer unveiled today: Project Kuro. The focus of Project Kuro is on producing the first plasma with "extreme" contrast--the TV is absolute black, with no measurable light emitting from the display. Blacker blacks can help produce more vivid, accurate colors.

JVC on Sunday unveiled an LCD TV less than 3 inches thick, calling it the world's thinnest flat-screen television, as the Consumer Electronics Show began.

Also at the show, JVC said it would unveil four new LCD models that each sport a built-in dock for the iPod, Apple Inc's market leading portable digital media players.

JVC said its new slim TV, which includes a TV tuner, measures 1.5 inches, or 39 millimeters (mm) at its narrowest, with a maximum depth of 2.9 inches (74 mm) at the center.

Rival Sharp Corp in August revealed prototype 52-inch LCD TVs, which were 20 mm thick. Its conventional 52-inch TV measures 81 mm in thickness.

TV makers are scrambling to develop thinner models to pre-empt rivals, which are eyeing mass production of organic light-emitting diode TVs, known for thinness and crisp images.

JVC said its new slim design televisions would be available in 42-inch and 46-inch diagonal screen sizes in early summer and that it planned to announce pricing at that time.

JVC said its new P-Series TVs, which range in size from 32 inches to 52 inches, can be used to play videos or music or view photographs stored on an iPod placed in a dock on the TV.

The TV's remote control, which has a circular keypad that mimics the iPod's control wheel, can be used to find and select content on the iPod, JVC said.

The Consumer Electronics Show runs this week in Las Vegas.

LG.Philips LCD is planning to unveil a 52-inch multi-touch LCD (liquid crystal display) at next week's Consumer Electronics Show, it said Monday. The screen is 5-inches larger than one it recently showed in Japan and is the largest display of its type in the world, the company said.

Multi-touch screens differ from conventional touchpanels because they allow input from more than one spot on the screen so, for example, an image can be manipulated from opposite corners. Probably the most famous current example of the technology is the display on Apple's hit iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

With the technology helping to make the iPhone a smash hit display makers are now pursuing its inclusion in screens. The LG.Philips 52-inch screen uses an infrared image sensor to gauge input from fingers or other instruments and can recognize gestures such as the movement of fingers. It boasts full HD resolution (1,920 pixels by 1,080 pixels).

Additionally, the company will be showing an 84-inch multi-touch display that is made up of four 42-inch panels joined together.

LG.Philips LCD will also unveil a 47-inch "triple-view" screen. This has a filter over the front that sends light from pixels in one of three different directions so that three images can be displayed at once: one to viewers on the right of the screen, one to people in front of it and one to those on the left. The feature is being positioned at public display applications for use in advertising.

Also at CES the company will show a 47-inch double-sided screen that is made up of a single backlight sandwiched between two LCD panels and a 42-inch transreflective panel for outdoor advertising use.

International CES opens in Las Vegas on Jan. 7.