The S&V Interview

Sight vs. Sound: We see better than we hear. In a home-theater system, you might have the left channel out, the right surround and the sub—and most people wouldn't notice. But three pixels go out in an LCD display and everybody sees it.

Those Ruinous Dots: Seeing a picture critically is just a matter of having some things pointed out. You could go to someone who has been watching TV for 40 years, show him dot crawl, and you'll ruin his life. He might not have seen it until then, but after he sees it once he'll see it every time.

The Competition: Competition is a real good thing, and we don't have enough. There aren't many people out there making video projectors, and we need each other to fan consumer enthusiasm. When we introduced the line-doubler, sales were pretty good for a couple of years. Then Faroudja came out with one, which sort of validated our technology—and our sales increased. What we're really vying for is disposable income. What kind of product will people buy for fun?

Where the Shoe Pinches: I really don't fit into day-to-day operations. I want to continue as an entrepreneur figure, but I need to develop a management team that doesn't need me in the mix.

I'm still the product manager, but I want out of this. I'd like to be involved in the overall choice of products and the marketing end. My job will end up being CEO or chairing the board. I want to step back to look at the breadth of the business. If I don't do that, the company won't grow the way I want.

HDTV and the Caring Consumer: Do consumers give a damn about HDTV? I think they do, even if they don't know it. People expect technology to make things better, and that's going to happen with HDTV. Sit down to a hi-def picture 15 times, and you don't even want to surf through NTSC channels. But I do think HDTV's going to have a tough road. Broadcasters are going to have to see what they lose by not going with it. I think we're four or five years away, and that DSS delivery will get it done.

Reading the Bones: I love hi-def television and I know it's going to be here in some form. I'm ready to lay down my name on that. I've heard people say "That's never going to happen" about too many things that did. That's one promise I stay away from.

Kicking Back: I'm a pool player, and I play pretty good. I see a lot of executives who go through a lot to get their minds off things. If I pick up a cue stick and start shooting, within minutes, I'm focused on the game and the world goes away.

Celebrity and Shop Talk: I never have to drop business. If I'm out to dinner, I have no problem with carrying on shop discussions, ever. Shop is my life, but I know when to separate from it. My business has done a lot for my life and the quality of my family life. The last thing I would do is rebuff a customer.

So Far, Soooo Good: I have a dream life, a wonderful wife, and a great family. We have a good old-fashioned time.