Audio Video News

Sort By:  Post Date TitlePublish Date
Audio Video News
HDTV Sales Jump 50%
HT Staff  |  Dec 03, 2003  | 
Falling prices and improved availability of programming combined to boost sales of high-definition television sets by 50% during the past year, according to figures recently published by Port Washington, NY-based research firm NPD Group.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
And the Boxed Set Goes to . . .
HT Staff  |  Dec 02, 2003  | 
Congratulations to Daniel McGauley of Austin, Texas. His unique answer to our call for unique DVD bonus features in the November 2003 issue earned him a free copy of the Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken DVD boxed set:
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
TV Ownership Compromise
Barry Willis  |  Dec 01, 2003  |  First Published: Dec 02, 2003  | 

Give-and-take is the essence of politics. On Monday evening, November 24, demonstrating that it's better to compromise than to lose entirely, US lawmakers agreed to cap broadcast ownership at 39% of the national market of potential viewers—less than half-way between the old limit of 35% and a new one of 45% approved by the Federal Communications Commission last June. Some Democratic lawmakers decried the 39% deal as a betrayal by their Republican colleagues.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Industry Roundup
Barry Willis  |  Dec 01, 2003  |  First Published: Dec 02, 2003  | 

HP entering TV business? The line between the computer and consumer electronics industry gets blurrier by the day. During the last week of November, computer giant Hewlett-Packard announced that it would begin offering its own brand of large flat-screen TVs. Already in discussions with several Asian manufacturers, HP will deliver both LCDs and plasma display panels (PDPs) under its own name, probably by spring.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Monday Night Football Feturns in 720p HDTV...Finally!
Peter Putman  |  Dec 01, 2003  | 
"Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day! Monday Night Football's in HD, everything's going my way. . ." (With apologies to Rodgers and Hammerstein.)
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Added to the Archives This Week
 |  Dec 01, 2003  | 

Barry Willis sorts out the plusses and minuses fo the <A HREF="/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/1003parasound">Parasound Halo C 2 and Halo A 51 surround processor & 5-channel power amplifier</A>. BW notes, "Five years in development, the company's Halo C2 surround processor is a brilliantly executed piece of technology."

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
NBC - Digital Expansion?
HT Staff  |  Nov 24, 2003  | 
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) may up the ante in the digital broadcasting game, according to a November 22 report from New York.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Added to the Archives This Week
 |  Nov 24, 2003  | 

Joel Brinkley gets his hands on the <A HREF="/accessories/1003faroudja">Faroudja PlasmaSync 42MP4 & Native Rate Series Digital Cinema Source plasma display & DVD player-digital video processor</A> and puts it to the test. Combine a NEC plasma display with Faroudja processing and you get "an intriguing product for review," says JB.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Cablevision Raises Rates
Barry Willis  |  Nov 23, 2003  | 

Cable rates are rising again, at least for subscribers to <A HREF="http://www.cablevision.com">Cablevision Systems</A>. On Friday, November 21, the New York-based cable provider announced that 2004 rates would go up an average of 3.2%, approximately 50% higher than the current rate of inflation.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Congress Moves to Restore Ownership Cap
Barry Willis  |  Nov 23, 2003  | 

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Michael Powell and his Republican-dominated agency have gotten their hands slapped by a year-end move by Congress to block proposed changes to rules limiting ownership of broadcast media by any single company.

Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Coming Attractions
HT Staff  |  Nov 21, 2003  | 
Niles
The kids finally came through this year and gave you a brand-new, wall-mounted plasma instead of another tie with dancing Santas. Life would be perfect if you didn't have to stare at a couple of nonaesthetically pleasing loudspeakers on either side of your new toy. Niles' new DS6500AT in-ceiling loudspeaker is just the ticket. The DS speaker line features a pivoting driver system that lets you pivot the woofer up to 15 degrees and the tweeter up to 17 degrees in any direction. This action ensures that the speaker can accurately direct the sound where it needs to go. The DS6500AT has a rated power handling of up to 200 watts and uses a carbon and glass fiber woofer with a 1-inch aluminum tweeter. The speaker will only set you back $625.
Niles Audio
(305) 238-4373
www.nilesaudio.com
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Software Reviews
HT Staff  |  Nov 21, 2003  | 
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Special Extended DVD Edition—New Line
Video: 5
Audio: 5
Extras: 5
Pity the unfortunate middle child: I used up most of my superlatives on the extended Fellowship of the Ring last year, and The Return of the King is still to come, so I must tread lightly on The Two Towers. Seamlessly rendering the blockbuster theatrical epic even bigger, this expansion is downright sprawling yet still dramatically taut.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
HDTV Forum a Hit
HT Staff  |  Nov 20, 2003  | 
HDTV is permanently on the map with its own annual high-level convention. This year's inaugural event, HDTV Forum: Enabling HDTV from the Factory to the Home, took place in Marina del Rey, California, in mid-November, and drew attendees from a wide range of related industries. Sponsored by international research firms DisplaySearch and Insight Media, and by the Consumer Electronics Association, the sold-out event included over 40 presentations and panel discussions, covering the creation and distribution of HDTV content, all TV display and electronics technologies, experiences and challenges in online and retail channels, and market forecasts.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Sony LCD Flat Panel HDTVs
HT Staff  |  Nov 20, 2003  | 
Sony Electronics long dominated the market for high-quality televisions sets. The company's distinguished array of direct-view sets - both the Trinitron and XBR series - set the standard for more than two decades. The advent of flat-panel televisions - LCD and plasma display panels (PDPs) - took Sony somewhat by surprise, causing it to drop from its traditional #1 spot as it yielded to more innovative competitors Samsung and Sharp.
Continue Reading »
Audio Video News
Gateway Announces DVD Recorder
Jon Iverson  |  Nov 17, 2003  | 

Having earlier stubbed its toe in the personal computer market, <A HREF="http://www.gateway.com">Gateway</A> is on a consumer electronics roll. Around this time last year the company <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/news/11423/index.html">announced</A> its entry into the CE market with a sub-$3000 plasma TV. Then at the CEDIA Expo last month, <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/news/11633/index.html">Gateway announced</A> the KAS-303 "1000W", 6.1-channel home theater system with a progressive scan DVD player, attractively priced at $999.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X