Washington, D.C. (December 28, 2007) -- By all measures, the High-Definition TV industry has enjoyed a remarkable year with U.S. home penetration passing the 30 million mark.

The year has also been a busy one for industry officials and journalists alike with new developments in the cable-satellite war, the high-def disc format battle between Blu-ray and HD DVD and new picture technologies that promise to offer sharper images.

With the calendar year coming to an end, TVPredictions.com thought it would be a good time to look back and name the top 10 stories of the year in High-Definition TV.

So, here are HDTV's 10 Biggest Stories of 2007!


10. Grumbling Over HD Picture Quality
Many high-def owners continue to complain that their set's picture is not as detailed and crisp as it should be. The complaint is sometimes unwarranted due to user error (the set is not tuned correctly or the cables are improperly connected). But there's no question that compression techniques -- and other problems out of the control of the high-def owner -- sometimes dilute the HD picture. In the link below, a panel of industry executives discussed the problem at a conference in New York.
Grumbling Over HD Picture Quality

9. NBA Shoots For 3D HDTV
The NBA wowed an All-Star Game audience in February by showing a broadcast of the event in 3D HDTV. Spectators said the three-dimensional images made it seem like they were at courtside; some said they felt like they could reach out and touch one of the players. As the year closes, both sports and movie executives are rapidly developing more uses for 3D HDTV -- in theaters and on home sets. The picture technology could revolutionize home viewing in the years ahead.
NBA Shoots For 3D HDTV


8. Blockbuster to Support Blu-ray
The video retailer stunned the industry in June when it announced that it would carry Blu-ray high-def DVDs exclusively in 1,450 stories. While it was far from a knockout blow against rival high-def disc format HD DVD, the move signaled that Blu-ray disc sales would have a commanding advantage over the next several months. And Blu-ray disc sales have outpaced HD DVD by a 2-1 margin for the year.
Blockbuster to Support Blu-ray

7. Circuit City Sells $197 HD DVD Player
The introduction of the low-cost HD DVD player in October dramatically changed the format war, causing both Blu-ray and HD DVD manufacturers to lower prices. This has contributed to a rise in player sales, giving the high-def disc industry some hope that it will make it after all.
Circuit City Sells $197 HD DVD Player


6. LCD Passes Plasma In HDTV Race
Consumers want flat-screen HDTVs -- and this year they decided they wanted LCD over Plasma for a variety of reasons. Research groups say LCD sales will continue to soar pass Plasma, particularly in the 40-50 inch category.
LCD Passes Plasma In HDTV Race

Click to see Part Two of this article.

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Swanni (Phillip Swann) is president and publisher of TVPredictions.com. He has been quoted in dozens of publications and broadcast outlets, including CNN, Fox News, Inside Edition, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Financial Times, The Associated Press and The Hollywood Reporter. He can be reached at swann@tvpredictions.com or at 703-505-3064.

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