Cable kingpin Comcast Corp.(CMCSA) today declared the tru2way platform, powered by industry specs for the creation of open and interactive TV applications, active in Chicago and Denver.
In related news today, consumer electronics giant Panasonic Corp.(PC) announced the arrival of the first tru2way VIERA HDTVs at Abt Electronics in Glenview, IL., with wider availability planned soon.
The cable industry created tru2way technology to enable cable companies, consumer electronics companies, content developers, network programmers and others to extend interactivity to the TV set and other kinds of devices.
The new Panasonic VIERA HDTVs are built with tru2way technology inside, enabling consumers to access two-way digital cable programming, like video on demand, without a cable operator-supplied set-top box, according to the vendor.
The cableco says its customers in the Chicago and Denver areas will be the first in the U.S. to have access to tru2way digital cable service with additional cities expected to go live in the coming months. The tru2way VIERA HDTVs will be available in the Chicago area at Abt Electronics in Glenview and at Circuit City locations as well as at Ultimate Electronics and Circuit City stores in the Denver area, according to Panasonic.
"We see tru2way technology as the gateway for our customers to experience the next generation of interactive television, and our work with Panasonic to develop and support the first fully digital-cable-ready HDTVs is an important first step in making that happen," said Mark Hess, senior vice president of video product development for Comcast, in prepared comments. "This common platform also will let us develop an exciting array of interactive services and applications that we can deliver on our advanced fiber network to a variety of consumer electronics devices."
Panasonic said its first tru2way enabled VIERA Plasma HDTVs will be offered in 42-inch class and 50-inch class sizes with integrated tru2way cable receiver capability within the set's chassis. The TH-42PZ80Q and TH-50PZ80Q will be extensions of Panasonic's critically acclaimed VIERA PZ80 series of 1080p Plasma HDTVs. The TH-42PZ80Q will have a suggest retail price of $1,599.95 and the TH-50PZ80Q will have a suggested retail price of $2,299.95.
