RCA Multi-Directional Flat Antenna Designed for Pinpoint Pickup of Free Over-the-Air Digital TV Signals

Business Wire,  July 10, 2008  

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Model ANT1500 Eliminates Unsightly "Rabbit Ears" with Patented Technology

New Website Launched to Answer Digital TV Reception Questions

INDIANAPOLIS -- Viewers looking for an alternative to soaring subscription TV bills should consider pairing a digital TV with a new RCA Flat Antenna designed to pick up more channels than a traditional "rabbit ears" antenna. Local broadcasters are now sending multiple digital TV channels to supplement their main programs, including informational and live radar and weather forecasts available at the touch of a button - for free!

In addition to receiving pristine uncompressed digital TV signals, over-the-air reception offers consumers local broadcasting multicast channels not available via cable or satellite. In some markets, an over-the-air antenna and digital TV receiver will be the viewer's only option for receiving vital weather, traffic, and news information.

And with the Digital TV transition now entering its final months, millions of viewers are now making important decisions about how to stay tuned to their favorite channels once analog TV broadcasting comes to an end in February. In addition to buying a new digital TV or converter box, viewers may also need to think about updating their over-the-air antenna as well.

A new RCA Antenna website - www.staytuned2tv.com -- now gives consumers an easy reference for selecting the proper antenna during the digital TV transition. The site includes easy-to-understand answers to common questions and links to popular digital TV destinations such as AntennaWeb.org and other industry and government websites.

Developed by its Indianapolis-based Research &Development team, the RCA ANT1500 Flat Indoor Antenna offers outstanding reception from multiple stations and minimizes the "cliff effect" of digital TV reception with its unique multi-directional capability. Now shipping to mass merchant and electronics retailers throughout the country, the ANT1500 has a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Designed to blend in with any room decor, the ultra compact antenna (which is less than 10.5" square and less than an inch thick) can be placed flat on a tabletop or hung on a wall. It also comes with a removable metal stand so that it can also easily sit upright if desired.

"Our patented duo-plane design on the RCA Flat Antenna incorporates both VHF and UHF reception on the same multi-directional antenna element. Simply put, this small pizza box-sized antenna can pick up more digital TV stations than a conventional antenna," explains Hank Caskey, Vice President of Reception Products for Audiovox Accessories Corporation, marketer of RCA antenna products. "An old-style 'rabbit ears' antenna works on a highly directional basis, which means you may have to adjust the 'ears' to pick up each individual station. The advantage of a multi-directional Flat Antenna is not just cosmetic. The design is discrete, but the performance is outstanding," Caskey said.

The ANT1500 is the first of seven new RCA antenna products designed especially for digital TV reception that will be introduced this year at suggested retail prices ranging from $14.99 to $99.99. The new offerings range from new designs for a set-top directional antenna (replacing the "rabbit ears" dipoles with flat wings) to a Flat Antenna incorporating the CEA-909 SmartAntenna interface for signal reception in exceptionally difficult environments.

The newly-introduced ANT1500 is ideal for HDTV reception from local broadcasters, as well. Local HDTV signals can be received in full 720progressive or 1080interlace format.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, sales of digital TV sets are expected to top 30 million units in 2008. And more than 20 million more digital TV converter boxes will be sold before full-power analog TV broadcast signals are switched off in less than eight months.

"Consumers are buying some 20,000 TV antenna products every day, and many plan to connect a new antenna to a new digital TV or converter box. But not every antenna is the same, and we've created the ANT1500 to be the perfect complement to a digital TV receiver - whether that's a new TV or a digital TV converter box," Caskey said.

About Audiovox

Audiovox (Nasdaq:VOXX) is a recognized leader in the marketing of automotive entertainment, vehicle security and remote start systems, consumer electronics products and accessories. The company is number one in mobile video and places in the top ten of almost every category that it sells. Among the lines marketed by Audiovox are its mobile electronics products including mobile video systems, auto sound systems including satellite radio, vehicle security and remote start systems; consumer electronics products such as portable DVD players, Portable GPS, flat-panel TV's, extended range two-way radios, multi media products like digital picture frames and home and portable stereos as well as consumer accessories such as indoor/outdoor antennas, connectivity products, headphones, speakers, wireless solutions, remote controls, power & surge protectors and media cleaning & storage devices. The company markets its products through an extensive distribution network that includes power retailers, 12-volt specialists, mass merchandisers and an OE sales group. The company markets products under the Audiovox, Jensen, Acoustic Research, Advent, Code Alarm, Terk, and Prestige brands, as well as the recently-acquired rights from Thomson's America's consumer electronics accessory business to the RCA brand for Consumer Electronics accessories. The acquisition also includes the Recoton, Spikemaster, Ambico and Discwasher brands for use on any products and the Jensen, Advent, Acoustic Research and Road Gear brands for accessory products. Audiovox already owns Jensen, Advent, Acoustic Research and Road Gear brands for electronics products as part of prior acquisitions. For additional information, visit our web site at www.audiovox.com.