"Train wreck" and "digital disaster" were just a few of the words being flung at the DTV transition in Congress last week. Analog television broadcasting is scheduled to end on February 18, 2009. And elected representatives are fretting that some analog-TV viewers may not have gotten the memo. Since those who watch also vote, they deem this a problem.
Ah, technology. Too bad automobiles can't keep up with home theater electronics, or we'd all be driving around in Hummers that get 200 miles to the gallon, emit pure oxygen and absorb all that heat coming off Al Gore. Sony's new receiver is the latest example of more for less. The STR-DA5200ES is feature packed, though perhaps not to the gills. And since we've segued from cars to fish, you should know now that, for the price, this receiver is better than a fair catch.
Target, a store known for its own line of overpriced Choxie chocolates (promoted with admittedly cool ads), has "struck a deal" with Sony to feature Blu-ray players on end-caps this coming holiday season. And I don't mean Labor Day. The deal is significant as much for what it doesn't say as for what it does.
It's already been a hectic week for new product announcements, with Samsung and Denon unveiling a lot of new gear. But Sony was at this week too announcing three new AVRs with next-gen audio decoding and a host of other hot features related to streaming audio and networking.
In the last week or two the huge announcements on HD releases for this fall just haven't stopped coming. Sam Peckinpah's classic Western, <I>The Wild Bunch</I> hitting Blu-ray and HD DVD in September was just the beginning.
Samsung this week made official its plans to introduce two new, 3rd generation Blu-ray Disc players as well is its highly anticipated <I>Duo HD</I> combi player, which will play both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
