Five consumer electronics makers will form a study group next month to discuss creating common technical standards for Internet-capable digital televisions, they said Thursday.
Sony Corp., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Ltd. and Sharp Corp. will launch the group April 14 as broadband communications are mushrooming ahead of the launch of digital terrestrial broadcasting in Japan in December.
The companies hope to have consumers use their TVs to participate in interactive programs.
Industry sources said Sanyo Electric Co. and three other companies have expressed interest in joining the group.
The study group plans to work out a draft technical specification by October for digital TV sets through tieups with broadcasting stations and communications firms.