Sony, one of the major players in the local television market, together with Philips of the Netherlands and South-Korea-based Samsung, have been urging the change for several years.

Sony Thai's general manager of consumer marketing and communication, Koichi Suzuki, said many countries already broadcast television in the HD system instead of the old analogue system. They include China, Japan and Vietnam.

It won't be long before Thailand makes the change, he said.

Old analogue television receivers can handle the HD signals, but without the enhanced definition of HD televisions.

Suzuki said many free-to-air television channels in Thailand are ready to apply HD because they have both the equipment and the software for HD production. Also, many local television production houses have begun using the HD standard, among them the major producer, Kantana. The recent animation blockbuster "Kan Kluay" was recorded in HD.

Sony has begun discussing the introduction of HD with production houses, free-to-air television channels and government agencies. In conjunction with Kantana it is holding ongoing workshops on applying the HD system. It will feature advice from US experts, and will be open to television production houses from around the region.

While awaiting HD broadcasting in Thailand, Sony has launched several new televisions with HD-readiness, including liquid crystal display TVs and projectors.

It has launched three new SXRD (silicon x-tal [crystal] reflective display) rear projection models. They have 50-inch, 60-inch and 70-inch screens, with prices ranging from and Bt129,990 to Bt199,990.

Sony Thai's manager for consumer audio-visual marketing, Tadahisa Baba, said the (SXRD) third-generation system set the models apart from conventional projector-units on the market.

It is the best of all technologies used in television manufacturing, featuring "full H-D," with 2 million pixels - or double the definition of its nearest competitors, he said. The SXRD system enables big-screen televisions to provide high-resolution pictures, which not even large-screen conventional units can offer, Baba said.

Overall television sales this year are expected to grow 15 per cent from last year's Bt25 billion. Conventional television sets, or CRT televisions, currently account for 65 per cent to 70 per cent of the market, LCD units almost 20 per cent, and the rest other models, including projector-receivers.

Sony's marketing budget for the new models is Bt10 million, most of which is for print advertising and shop displays.

Sony had a 22-per-cent share of the local TV market in the first half. By next year, it expects to see triple growth in SXRD models, double growth in LCD and growth equal with the rest of the market in CRT units.

Nitida Asawanipont

The Nation