News
Can HDTV Be Made Simple?
TV makers are offering educational programs to guide confused HD owners.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (December 27, 2006) -- Watching TV was once a no-brainer. The most difficult decision was whether to get chips or popcorn before taking your seat in front of the tube.

However, High-Definition TV can make the experience both confusing and intimidating. Do you get a high-def tuner? A LCD or Plasma? Cable or satellite? What's "HD-Ready?" And what's not?

It's all too much for most Americans. That's why several TV makers are launching educational programs designed to guide consumers through the maze, according to an article in USA Today.

The CE firms believe that high-def sales will rise faster if the public has a better understanding of the technology.

For instance, the newspaper quotes an RCA executive as saying that many TV buyers will frequently return a high-def set because they couldn't figure out how to connect it.
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To counter the confusion, USA Today reports that:

* Sony has hosted "HD Test Drive" events at retail stores where company representatives explain what's needed to get a high-def picture.

* Panasonic has started a "Plasma Concierge" line, which offers help to Panasonic Plasma owners.

* Comcast, the cable operator, has aired short HD "informericals" on the Starz channel.

* RCA in 2007 plans to include key HDTV facts on the outside of set boxes.

* And the Consumer Electronics Association has started a web site for confused consumers at:
myceknowhow.com

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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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