Audio Video News

A recent study&mdash;presented at the NAB convention in Las Vegas by Dr. Marvin A. Hecht, assistant professor of psychology at <A HREF="http://www.lacollege.edu/">Louisiana College</A> in Pineville, Louisiana&mdash;examined "how broadcasters can make the most use of digital television." The college reports that, in the study, some of its students were shown identical scenes in both high-definition digital television (HDTV) and standard-definition digital television (SDTV) in six different content areas: action, drama, sports, documentaries, entertainment television, and news.

V<I>oices of Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Denis Leary, Phyllis Diller, Hayden Panettiere, Madeline Kahn. Directed by John Lasseter. Aspect ratios: 2.35:1 (anamorphic), 1.33:1 (full-frame). Dolby Digital 5.1. 95 minutes (film), 202 minutes (films and extras). 1998. Walt Disney Home Video 17989. G. $49.99.</I>

The market for DVD recorders is expected to explode in the near future, and major manufacturers are positioning themselves to benefit. In mid-July, Japanese electronics firms <A HREF="http://www.sharp.co.jp/">Sharp Corporation</A> and <A HREF="http://www.pioneer.co.jp/">Pioneer Corporation</A> announced an alliance to cooperate on the development of new digital products, in particular DVD recorders.

As the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org/">Consumer Electronics Association</A> sees it, the Digital Versatile Disc player is one of the most successful electronic products ever introduced. The format was introduced late in 1996, and began to gather momentum in 1998. Last year the players flew off dealers' shelves as prices approached the $200 level and the film industry began cranking out thousands of titles. DVD has been a huge hit in the US, which is in the midst of one of the longest economic upswings in history.