LG goes rural with DTH-enabled TVs

Consumer Electronics major LG Electronics India Ltd expects to tap the rural market with its new Digi Direct television, which will be commercially launched by the end of next month.

Sanjeev Jain, product group head of CTVs, said, "We are targeting Digi Direct at television households which do not have a cable and satellite connection and are predominantly in rural areas."

According to the national readership survey 2002, as large as 40 million television households in India do not have cable and satellite connection.

LG Digi Direct has inbuilt an integrated direct-to-home (DTH) decoder in its television hardware and a common software which can control normal television and DTH function.

In simple terms the set top box needed for the DTH has been inbuilt in the television enabling consumers to view programmes with the same remote.

Deba Ghosal, head brand management and product planning, said the company plans to take the first mover advantage in this segment.

The new product will be able to receive 33 television channels include 17 Doordarshan channels and 12 radio channels including two FM channels. The company had spent over Rs 1 million on research and development of the LG Digi DTH.

To tap the mid and lower markets of the population, the company plans on introducing LG Digi Direct at Rs 10,990 depending on the demand of the product very soon. Two flat screen models of 20 inch and 29 inch will cost Rs 13,000 and Rs 25,000.