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Thomson Reaches Milestone of One Million MPEG-4 HD and MPEG-4 HD DVR Receivers Shipped to US Satellite Operator, DIRECTV


WEBWIRE

Transition to High-Definition TV



Paris, France .– Thomson (Euronext 18453; NYSE:TMS) today announced delivery of its one-millionth high-definition set-top box to US satellite programming service DIRECTV. This milestone underscores Thomson’s position as one of the leading providers of high-definition solutions to operators worldwide and its key role in supporting DIRECTV’s high-definition initiatives in the US market.

Ever-increasing demand for HDTV

According to media and research company Screen Digest*, the percentage of HD-ready households in the US is expected to reach 59% by 2010. The leading digital television service provider in the United States, DIRECTV is enjoying significant growth not only in HD but also in Digital Video Recording (DVR) services, and is on target to offer up to 100 HD channels to its customer base by the end of this year. In support of this trend, the HD and HD-DVR set-top box platforms developed by Thomson feature best-in-class MPEG-4 advanced compression decoding functionality to ensure the most effective delivery of HD content and personalized viewing experience to DIRECTV customers.

“Demand for high-definition and DVR services continues to accelerate among DIRECTV customers,” said Jim Butterworth, senior vice president, Technology and Operations, DIRECTV, Inc. “Thomson’s delivery of its high-performance and technologically advanced set-top box platforms, has greatly supported DIRECTV’s initiative to provide its customers with a unique and compelling viewing experience and lead the industry in the delivery of HD content.”

“These receivers were developed by our team of engineers who have extensive expertise and experience in high definition technology”, said Georges Laplanche, Vice President, Satellite Premises Systems, Thomson. “This milestone underscores the strength of our 13-year relationship with DIRECTV and affirms our continued support of their efforts to bring high-definition television and advanced services to consumers. As DIRECTV prepares to expand its HD channel offering to over 100 channels, Thomson is focused on providing set-top box platforms that meet all the needs of their customers,” he added.

* 2006 Report entitled “High Definition Television: Global Uptake and Assessment To 2010



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