The Consumer Electronics Association has announced that it is beginning work on drafting technical standards for the next generation of television receivers--models which will sport substantially wider aspect ratio display’s than found on today’s 16:9 receivers. The organization is asking for industry participation in updating the current CEA-861 standard to accommodate display technology with an aspect ratio of 21:9.
“The introduction of video displays with 21:9 aspect ratio is an exciting development that can increase consumer enjoyment and satisfaction for video consumption,” said Wayne Luplow, vice president of Zenith R&D Lab, LG Electronics USA, and chair of the CEA’s Video Systems Committee. “We hope the proposed modifications to CEA-861 will help manufacturers build products that can signal their ability to display this extra widescreen video and invite input from other organizations involved in the creation and delivery of DTV content.”
Philips announced a 21:9 aspect ratio display last year and other manufacturers have also been doing work in this area. Vizio showed a 58-inch 21:9 LED display at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show, and built on that introduction at this year’s CES with 50- and 71-inch 21:9 displays. (LG announced a 21:9 display in mid-2009, but it measured only 4-inches diagonally and was intended for personal video devices.) At least one company, Digital Projection International, is now marketing a 21:9 HD video projector.
The CEA‑861 standard establishes “protocols, requirements and recommendations for the utilization of uncompressed digital interfaces by consumer electronics devices” and as 21:9 aspect ratio devices are starting to emerge, the CEA’s DTV Interface Subcommittee's Uncompressed A/V Digital Interfaces Working Group has undertaken the task of incorporating this viewing advancement into the existing standard. The organization announced that participation in this group is open to all interested companies or individuals with “direct and material interest” in this area. More information is available from Dave Wilson, the CEA’s senior director of technology. He may be contacted at dwilson@ce.org.
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