AUDIO VIDEO NEWS

Source Interlink Media today announced the promotion of Shane Buettner to Editor-in-Chief, Home Theater Magazine, replacing Maureen Jenson who left the company. Buettner began his career with Source Interlink Media's High Tech Group in 2005 as Buyer's Guide Editor for UltimateAVmag.com and HomeTheaterMag.com. He became online editor for those properties in January 2007 and directed their editorial strategy.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.iblast.com">iBlast Networks</A>, which comprises 12 major television broadcast groups, announced that it has formed a national network that it says will use a dedicated portion of the digital spectrum assigned to local television stations to deliver a "wide array of high-speed, over-the-air broadband digital content and services" direct to consumers. iBlast claims that this digital content will include music, video, games, software, and other applications.

As if having a flat-panel plasma or LCD TV hanging on your wall weren't enough to cause the neighbors and friends to drool with covetous envy, New York-based ready-to-assemble furniture maker Bush Industries is primed to introduce several new console and entertainment wall units designed specifically to complement - rather than emphasize - the newest, highest tech TVs. Bush says the new designs are the result of the fact that "the days of the silver video base that places the TV prominently in the center of attention are numbered." Bush's primary design criteria are now media and component storage.

It’s not easy to find affordable equipment as an entry-level, home-theater buyer. That is until Aperion Audio announced its new surround sound speaker: The new Intimus 4BP Bipole Surround Sound Speaker. For $199 you get a pair of 1” audiophile...

Last week <A HREF="http://www.laserpacific.com">LaserPacific Media</A> (LP) announced what it terms a "significant" technology milestone that it says will accelerate the efficiency and cost effectiveness of high-definition post-production services. The company reports that its new High Definition SuperComputer Assembly system creates <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?374">24P High Definition</A> programs as pure digital data and not digital video as do other current systems.

<A HREF="http://www.sim2.com">SIM2 USA, Inc.</A> has announced the addition of a second generation remote "DigiOptic" Image Processor (DOIP) to the new HT300 LINK DLP front projector to provide greater installation flexibility and a wider choice of inputs. The advanced technical solution is said to provide quality connections to video sources up to 1600 feet away.

Lost in the shuffle of CES was rather interesting news from iTunes.  The iTunes stores is going offer all of their music in iTunes Plus -- DRM-free (without copy-protection) and at a higher-quality bit rate. The 256 kbps AAC files were...