Audio Video News

Having earlier stubbed its toe in the personal computer market, Gateway is on a consumer electronics roll. Around this time last year the company announced its entry into the CE market with a sub-$3000 plasma TV. Then at the CEDIA Expo last month, Gateway announced the KAS-303 "1000W", 6.1-channel home theater system with a progressive scan DVD player, attractively priced at $999.

Now they've taken aim at the DVD recorder market. The company announced last week the AR-230 DVD Recorder priced at $349 and availble now in its retail stores. In addition to offering the standalone product, Gateway says it will also be the first to deliver a complete home theater system incorporating a DVD recorder with its KAS-303 home theater system.

Gateway notes that the DVD recorder category is growing quickly, with sales expected to expand from 1.5 million units this year to nearly 5 million units in 2004. The company explains that the new product is "the latest innovative product in Gateway's transformation from a PC company into a branded integrator of personalized technology solutions."

Gateway sells its products direct through its chain of 190 stores. The company's Matt Milne says "We are leveraging our direct model to bring more value to the DVD recorder category and accelerate adoption of this new technology, much like we did with plasma TVs."

Gateway says the new machine supports both DVD+RW and DVD+R discs and can play an array of media including DVD-ROM, DVD+R/+RW, CD-R/RW and CD-ROM. It's also compatible with DVD-Video, DVD+VR, Super VCD, Video CD, Audio CD, MP3 CD and JPEG CD. Included is a FireWire or IEEE 1394 connection for recording home movies directly from a digital camcorder as well as S-video, component, digital audio and progressive scan connections.