Humax disclosed details of its innovative digital flat LCD and plasma TVs to be sold in the US consumer electronics market.

Beginning in June 2004, the company will roll out a line of digital flat LCD and plasma TVs that incorporate its new Live Pause feature. Common to DVRs, Live Pause enables viewers to pause, rewind and instant replay live television broadcasts just as they would a DVD. Live Pause will be integrated directly into all of Humax’s Digital Flat TVs without any additional hardware.

“Now, unexpected interruptions such as answering the telephone no longer means missing part of the live television program,” says Humax Sales and Marketing Vice President Tony Goncalves. “Live Pause will quickly prove to be a standout feature that creates high demand at retail, but most important, it will forever enhance the way consumers watch and interact with television.”

For the third quarter, Humax plans to introduce a widescreen 32-inch LCD HDTV outfitted with an integrated ATSC tuner and dual analog tuners for triple picture-in-picture functionality. Humax also plans to deliver two new models of 42-inch plasma displays in September 2004--a standard definition 480P model equipped with dual NTSC tuners followed by a high definition 720P version that integrates an ATSC tuner and dual analog tuners.

All models will include component video and High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) input and will be equipped with HDCP digital content protection to allow consumers to view available HD programming. All models will incorporate built-in stereo loudspeakers.

In addition to the long-term growth opportunities for high definition models, the company has identified short- to mid- term opportunities to sell standard definition TV products, according to Goncalves. Starting June 2004, Humax will bring to market a standard definition 20-inch LCD TV equipped with component video inputs and integrated NTSC tuner.

“Incorporating features such as Live Pause, built-in HDTV tuners and system control grants viewers the highest quality experience and perfectly reinforces our company’s mission of building products that consumers want to use and that retailers want to sell,” says Goncalves, who previously managed the launch of many LCD flat panel monitors and front projection systems at Sharp Electronics and successfully launched the satellite business at Samsung Electronics.

New production lines are currently being prepared to assemble the Flat Panel TV products at Humax’s manufacturing facility in Korea.