LG has been chosen by DIRECTV, USA's digital TV service provider, to deliver HDTV set-top boxes based on new video compression technology. The STB will be used in DIRECTV's MPEG-4 HD satellite broadcasts.

With HD fast gaining acceptance, DIRECTV has plans to offer 1,500 local broadcast channels by 2007. Each STB features a program guide, advanced security and protected digital outputs (HDMI/HDCP). It's powered by Linux and also comes with a USB port. The key factor in the STB is its ability to squeeze more channels in the same frequency bandwidth as existing ones, thanks to new compression technologies.

That's not all; the set-top box, which features Broadcom's MPEG chipset, is based on LG's VSB chipset allowing you to watch existing MPEG-2 and ATSC (Advanced Television System Committee) digital HDTV and SDTV broadcasts.

More info is available from LG Electronics and DIRECTV.

LG HDTV Set-Top Boxes for DIRECTV Features Include: