LodgeNet & Zenith Team for Hotel HDTV

[Gregg Lengling]

High-def signals will be available at your favorite hotel.
By Phillip Swann

Santa Monica, CA (July 12) -- LodgeNet Entertainment, which provides digital TV services to hotel rooms, has announced that it will soon deliver High-Definition TV as well. Partnering with Zenith, LodgeNet exhibited the technology at a recent industry conference.

The announcement is significant because LodgeNet provides digital TV services, such as Video on Demand, to more than 310,000 rooms. The addition of HDTV should increase overall awareness and interest in the new technology.

The Consumer Electronics Association says that approximately six million homes now have a HDTV-ready set.

"With more than 900 TV stations broadcasting digitally, reaching more than 98 percent of American viewers, momentum is building   for HDTV," said Richard Lewis, a Zenith senior vice president.

LodgeNet did not release specifics on when and where high-def TV will be launched. On Command, a rival in-room provider, is also planning to deliver HDTV services to hotels.

Phillip Swann is President & Publisher of TVPredictions.com. He can be reached at Swann@TVPredictions.com