Audio Video News

The rollout of HDTV may finally get rolling, thanks to an agreement reached the first week of November by consumer electronics manufacturers and representatives of the cable television industry.

Steven Stone takes on the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?60">Earthquake SuperNova MKIV-15 subwoofer</A>, asking "What would a movie be without low-frequency effects?" SS takes a subterranean tour with the MKIV-15 to see how well it handles the big boom.

Opposition from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) wasn't enough to keep EchoStar and Hughes Electronics' DirecTV from seeking a merger, but a lawsuit launched by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) may be.

Sports fans watching NFL football games this past Sunday may have noticed something unusual among the dozens of commercials: an ad for a 42" <A HREF="http://www.gateway.com">Gateway</A> plasma television.

Thomas J. Norton runs the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?58">Snell XA 2900 surround speaker system</A> through its paces, and is reminded why he's always liked the company's products. "The best way to describe the overall sound of <I>Farscape</I> on the Snells is awesome," declares TJN.

A business model pioneered by <A HREF="http://www.netflix.com">Netflix</A> during the dot-com era appears to be one that consumers love. An increasing number of retailers are adopting it, including movie-rental giant <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster</A>, with its "<A HREF="http://www.filmcaddy.com/home-v1.asp">Filmcaddy</A>" service, and retail chain <A HREF="http://www.walmart.com">Wal-Mart</A>, which launched its nascent DVD rental program in late October.