David Ranada

Almost overshadowing the rich out cropping of standard-definition DVD recorders at this year's CES was the looming presence of several prototype high-definition disc players and recorders. Many of the manufacturers backing one of the two high-def disc systems bitterly contending to become the new international standard were displaying their first go at a machine.

Photos by Tony Cordoza Modern consumer electronics is so modular in design and construction that you could almost invent a new component category using the old Chinese-restaurant formula: choose one technology from column A and another from column B.