Today's High-Def Headlines

TiVo Intros $299 HD DVR - TWICE
TiVo is showing CEDIA dealers its latest TiVo HD cable receiver carrying a more mainstream $299 suggested retail price. The set-top digital video recorder, which started shipping last month, is a less pricey version of the Series 3 HD unit introduced last year.

NCTA DTV-Transition Campaign Wins Plaudits From Lawmakers - MCN
The National Cable & Telecommunications Association earned broad support from lawmakers and interest groups for its TV campaign promoting cable services in advance of the February 2009 digital-television transition, while the National Association of Broadcasters objected that the industry’s claim it will make the DTV switchover “seamless” is at odds with cable opposition to so-called dual must carry. The NCTA’s four initial 30-second segments, ostensibly public-service announcements, emphasize that cable will “work just fine” after the DTV transition date, when TV broadcasters will be forced to stop sending out analog signals. The association committed $200 million in spending on broadcast ads and cable airtime over the next 18 months.

Samsung's Duo Gets Re-Priced - TWICE
Looking to stay competitive with LG’s recently announced second -generation dual-format HD disc player and other premium Blu-ray players, Samsung is announced at this week’s CEDIA Expo that it has reduced the price of its forthcoming first dual-format Blu-ray HD DVD player from the original $1,049 to a $999 street price. The BD-UP5000 Duo HD player, which still has a vague “fourth-quarter” estimated time of arrival, will feature all of the mandated and many of the voluntary standards in both the Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD formats, including HDi-based Web-enabled interactivity on the HD DVD side.

KEYT Santa Barbara Goes HDTV
KEYT is pleased to announce it has reached an agreement with Comcast and Cox Communications to provide their HD subscribers to access KEYT, ABC News, Sports and entertainment programs in HDTV. KEYT High Definition programs are available on Cox Cable Channel 703, and Comcast Cable Channels 214 and 241.