Audio Video News

The entry fee to widescreen high-def video keeps dropping, thanks to companies like Panasonic. On August 8, the electronics giant raised the stakes in the HDTV race by introducing the PT-47WX49, its new 47-inch, 16:9 widescreen high-definition rear-projection monitor, at a suggested retail price of $2,099.95.

Many marketing studies have shown strong interest in HDTV among consumers, but reluctance to buy because most models of high-def monitors are priced too high. Panasonic has addressed that problem with the PT-47WX49, claimed to embody "a major leap toward more affordable pricing for digital television products -- without sacrificing quality or features."

The PT-47WX49 can display digital video signals in 480p and High Definition (HDTV) 1080i; 480i signals are line-doubled to 480p. The set employs a 165-point convergence system to maintain maximum clarity, and color alignment is user-adjustable in nine different screen segments. Users can receive standard analog television programming via an inboard NTSC tuner. The built-in scan converter "line-doubles" conventional TV signals to 480p, thereby dramatically enhancing their quality. A separate outboard digital receiver is needed to get HD programming.

The RP has two sets of "universal" component video inputs, which accept either interlaced or progressive signals from different video sources, such as a DVD player or digital satellite receiver. Separate luminance and chrominance processors are said to give the picture exceptional detail and color accuracy. The set also features four sets of A/V jacks, three S-video inputs, a surround sound processor with "BBE" audio system, a V-chip, and programmable on/off and sleep timers. A backlit universal remote control is standard.

"The new PT-47WX49 HDTV projection monitor represents Panasonic's ongoing commitment to making the benefits of DTV accessible to everyone," said Panasonic marketing executive Jonas Tanenbaum. "Advances in digital television technology have progressed to the point that, for nearly the same price one could expect to pay for a conventional analog projection set only a year or two ago, consumers can now enjoy the ultimate home theater experience that digital television offers."