Audio Video News

The second annual New York Audio Show wrapped up last night, ending a three-day event at the New York Palace Hotel where audiophiles got a chance to hear some of the most exotic and elaborate audio gear available today-and got to sample some affordable gear, too, right down to what might be the best <$300 headphone I've heard to date.

Regional hi-fi shows are sprouting up all over North America. We now have the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver, T.H.E. Show in Newport Beach, AXPONA in Jacksonville, and NYC’s New York Audio and A/V show. And each year Montreal gets its own event, Salon Son & Image. Wouldn’t it be great if they also held one in Toronto?

<A HREF="http://www.showtimenetworks.com/">Showtime Networks</A> must be on an HDTV roll. On the heels of its recent announcement about adding its high definition offerings to the DirecTV service, the premium channel broadcaster announced more HDTV programming this week, along with an audio upgrade.

Like its nymphet namesake, <I>Lolita</I> seems to create nothing but trouble for those who fall under its spell. Director Adrian Lyne's cinematic interpretation of Vladimir Nabokov's still-controversial novel about a middle-aged man's obsession with a teenage girl spent a year in the Hollywood revolving door because no major studio was willing to risk a distribution deal---until now. <A HREF="http://www.viacom.com/press.tin?ixPressRelease=40000482">Showtime Networks</A>, a cable-TV unit of <A HREF="http://www.viacom.com">Viacom</A>, has picked up the film's US rights.

According to a June 14 report on the <A HREF="mailto:owner-opendtv@pcube.com">OpenDTV news list</A>, <A HREF="http://sho.com/">Showtime Networks</A> will begin delivering original HDTV programming early next year. Concerts, movies, and sports will all be produced in either 1080i or 720p. Showtime has not yet decided which format will get the ultimate nod, but Mark Greenberg, executive vice president for corporate strategy and communications, says his company is leaning toward 1080i as offering the biggest bang for the buck. Also undecided is whether HDTV signals will be delivered over dedicated channels or will share bandwidth with existing services.