The Hindu : Business : Take a printout from a television

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 12, 2005

Business

Business

Take a printout from a television

By K. T. Jagannathan

HIROOKA, JAPAN, APRIL 11., Taking printouts from a PC (personal computer) is common. Can you take a printout from a television? By the press of a button on your remote, you can now print any visual that you like in a particular television advertisement.

Digital imaging solution provider Epson of Japan has teamed up with television maker Panasonic to make this possible, at least in Japan.

Epson's engagement with Panasonic is at an early stage and confined only to the Japanese market. "This is a unique interface with Panasonic," said Norio Niwa, Executive Vice-President, Epson.

Addressing visiting journalists from the Asia-Pacific region here recently, he said Epson would like to "expand to other markets." He, however, said that the broadcasting markets were different for different countries.

Epson officials said the current arrangement was a three-way one between Epson, Panasonic and the software provider.

Asked if the technology was standardised so as to facilitate print outs from non-Panasonic televisions, Takao Mimura, Chief Executive, Inkjet Printer and Photo Product Operations Division, replied in the negative.

"We are trying to see what could be done to introduce this printer technology world wide," he added. Nevertheless, Epson officials were hopeful that standardisation of technology could be established sooner.

Epson's foray into the television printer segment is a part of its strategy to get increasingly into non-PC solution areas. Mr. Mimura was convinced that the future of home printing lay in "creating opportunities to print public contents."

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