Today's High-Def Headlines

TV's Digital Switchover Has a Downside - USA Today
Until now, millions of TV viewers who use reliable rooftop antennas and rabbit ears to get their signal have not been affected by the nation's transition to digital TV. That's about to change. By Feb. 18, 2009, the signals the sets receive will be shut off. Those old analog channels, which have been used for 60 years, will be reclaimed by the government and auctioned for billions of dollars to other communications services.

Panasonic Rates Its 1080p Plasma HDTV Line to Play 100,000 Hours to Half Brightness
Panasonic, the market leader in Plasma TVs, today announced that it is rating its best-selling line of 1080p Plasma HDTVs to play for 100,000 hours before reaching half brightness. Based upon the U.S. average daily viewing time of six and a half hours, Panasonic 1080p Plasma HDTVs could on average take more than 42 years before they reach half of their original brightness level.

Toshiba Gives More Details On New HD DVD Decks - TWICE
Toshiba America Consumer Products provided more details on its HD DVD players for the U.S. market, which it announced last week. The decks in the new line, which are all priced under $500 at retail, have selected features such as 1080p/24 fps support, 1080p, CE-Link connectivity and high bit-rate audio capabilities, the company said.

Sharp Files LCD Infringement Lawsuit Against Samsung - TWICE
Sharp Corp. filed a lawsuit today alleging infringements of five of its patents on LCD-related technology by Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (Samsung) and its U.S. subsidiaries Samsung Electronics America (SEA) and Samsung Telecommunications America (STA) in the U.S. District Court in Marshall, Texas.

Chinese HDTV Market Developing Slowly, Reports In-Stat
With companies in the Chinese HDTV service market generally adopting wait-and-see strategies at present, investment and marketing efforts on HDTV in China have been small, reports In-Stat. As a result, HDTV subscriber growth will be slow in China over the next several years, reaching a modest two million by 2011, the high-tech market research firm says.

LG Electronics is Spending Summer at the Beach
LG Electronics has moved to Malibu this summer and is featuring the hottest new products from mobile phones to plasma HDTVs at "LG House Malibu" -- over 3,500 square feet of pure oasis for Hollywood celebs. For those that are tired of the red carpet or being tracked by the paparazzi, LG House Malibu is the place to be.