Other Tech

Lite-On DVD recorder Too busy to watch Boston Legal? Here's a gift that'll give back in spades. Just bestow Lite-On's LVW-1101 DVD recorder ($99) upon a fellow fan with more time on his hands, and he'll be able to easily copy shows for you.

Harmony 520 universal remote Harmony stormed onto the control scene just three short years ago, quickly establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. With the Model 520 universal remote ($99), it takes on the sub-$100 market. The 520 is a style departure from other Harmony models, resembling a chic Bang & Olufsen phone.

During most of our recent tests of HDTVs, we've attempted to use them with a Scientific-Atlanta 8300HD cable box supplied by Time Warner connected via an all-digital HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) hookup. We often end up looking at a screen displaying an imperious message typical of cable-company communications: "Your HDTV does not support HDCP.

A flat-panel TV is probably in your future, if not already in your home. But many new owners of big-screen plasma and LCD sets find that their setups need some reconfiguring to accommodate these newest and leanest members of their home-entertainment families. In other words, the big and bulky cabinets designed to accommodate large tube TVs are out and thin is in.

On first glance, Slingbox looks more like a giant foil-wrapped candy bar than a piece of sophisticated electronics. But it's actually a new product that lets you watch TV from your cable box or digital video recorder (DVR) on any PC attached to your home network or, for that matter, any PC in the world with a broadband Internet connection.

Ah, the sweet smell of vindication. There's nothing better than seeing things turn out exactly like you said they would, particularly when it happens despite the skepticism of others. As I predicted, the Celestial Jukebox is open for business. Sometime ago, a few of us foresaw the day that music lovers would be able to quickly access every piece of music ever recorded.