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Audio Video News
New Surround Formats at CES
Scott Wilkinson  |  Jan 03, 2005

As if dozens of surround-sound formats weren't enough, some new ones are being introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Among them is MP3 Surround, a multichannel version of the 2-channel compression scheme that has become ubiquitous on the Internet as it fueled the success of MP3 players such as the Apple iPod. MP3 Surround is being unveiled by Thomson Electronics and the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, co-creators of MP3 (which is shorthand for MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3), and Agere Systems, a semiconductor and software company.

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Audio Video News
Industry Roundup
Barry Willis  |  Dec 27, 2004

Chips galore: <A HREF="http://www.ati.com">ATI Technologies Inc</A>. announced December 20 that in 2004 its digital television division shipped more than five million chips for high-definition TVs, HD cable and terrestrial set-top boxes. ATI's "NXT Theater" and "Xilleon" chips are claimed to "enable consumer electronics manufacturers to create a wide variety of products that feature exceptional reception and video display performance," according to the announcement. OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) that purchase ATI chips also "have access to ATI's extensive software support and reference designs to help them bring to market unique products that conform to worldwide industry standards." ATI Technologies will be exhibiting its DTV solutions at the upcoming International CES 2005 at booth 3/30342 at the South Hall, Upper Level, in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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Audio Video News
JVC's Dual-Format DVD
Barry Willis  |  Dec 27, 2004

Backward compatibility with today's DVDs is important to the success of any new high-definition format. Japan Victor Corporation (JVC) may have the solution with a hybrid prototype that combines the high-definition Blu-ray disc with a standard DVD.

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Audio Video News
Uncertain Fate for Voom
Barry Willis  |  Dec 26, 2004  |  First Published: Dec 27, 2004

<A HREF="http://www.voom.com/">VOOM</A> isn't going anywhere, at least not yet.

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Audio Video News
New Furniture Rigs for Your Home Theater Digs
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Dec 26, 2004  |  First Published: Dec 27, 2004
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.
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Audio Video News
DualDisc Gets Heady Multichannel Treatment
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Dec 26, 2004  |  First Published: Dec 27, 2004
Although the new DualDisc format - a two-sided hybrid disc with a CD on one side and a DVD-A on the other - has had a rough beginning, a recent announcement from Dolby and 5.1 Entertainment's Silverline Records label brings to light another benefit of the flipping disc.
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Audio Video News
Sanus Brings Sanity to Surround Speaker Placement
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Dec 22, 2004
First there's theory.
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Audio Video News
Sex and the Single HDTV
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Dec 21, 2004
Despite the results of recent statewide elections banning same-sex marriages, consumer electronics retailers and manufacturers may not want to dismiss the gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) community quite so readily. A recent nationwide Harris Interactive/Witeck-Combs on-line survey found that the tallied responses are indicative of "the enthusiasm and affinity that gay and lesbian consumers have for electronic technology and their propensity to seek out the latest trends in consumer electronics and television." The survey looked at preferences for service providers (both cellular and TV) as well as HDTV ownership and intent to buy and HDTV.
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Audio Video News
Industry Roundup
Barry Willis  |  Dec 20, 2004

Video-on-demand: The Holy Grail of the cable industry, VOD is getting a boost from underutilized ("dark") fiber optic networks. Early attempts at VOD were glitchy at best, but computer technology is increasingly making the service a reality via large-capacity servers that can offer thousands of hours of programming to thousands of digital cable subscribers. Many of the fiber networks are owned by telecommunications companies that lease use to cable providers. Cox Communications Inc., Time Warner Inc., and Comcast Corporation have all bet heavily on the potential of fiber optics to deliver more to their subscribers. "80% to 90% of the fiber installed during the telecom boom is still sitting unused," reports Peter Grant in a recent analysis in <I>The Wall Street Journal</I>.

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Audio Video News
Big, Bigger, Biggest
Barry Willis  |  Dec 20, 2004

The flat-panel "arms race" reached a new level in mid-December, with an announcement from Samsung's display manufacturing division that it had successfully created a 102" –diagonal plasma display panel (PDP).

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Audio Video News
The Best of Everything. . . To Go!
Chris Chiarella  |  Dec 15, 2004
DVD is not only the king of the home theater, the benefits have been trickling down to the portable realm for years now, raising both the standards and the subsequent expectations of mobile power-users. Here are three of the most innovative and enjoyable products to come our way.
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Audio Video News
UAV Online Update
Thomas J. Norton  |  Dec 13, 2004

<I>Ultimate AV</I> is moving our entire operation online. With the growing importance and influence of web-based information services, we're transitioning exclusively to electronic publishing beginning in January 2005.

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Audio Video News
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Special Extended DVD Edition
Thomas J. Norton  |  Dec 13, 2004

<I>Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, John Noble. Featuring Andy Serkis as Gollum. With Ian Holm and Sean Bean. Directed by Peter Jackson. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, DTS 6.1 ES, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. Four discs. 250 minutes (film). 2004. New Line Home Video N6932. PG-13. $39.99.</I>

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Audio Video News
CEA: Almost 1 Million DTVs Sold in October
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Dec 13, 2004

Digital television sales exploded in October, according to figures released December 8 by the Consumer Electronics Association (<A HREF="http://www.ce.org">CEA</A>).

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Audio Video News
Meridian 800 Version 4
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Dec 13, 2004

<A HREF="http://www.meridian-audio.com">Meridian Audio</A> continues to improve its already excellent model 800 Optical Disc Player.

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