Audio Video News

<I>E.T. the Extra Terrestrial</I> makes its first appearance on DVD on Tuesday, October 22. It will be available in three versions: widescreen and pan&scan Limited Collector&rsquo;s Editions at $29.98 and the Ultimate Gift Boxed Set at $69.98. All three editions include both the original 1982 version and the 2002 release, the latter including a number of alterations and updates.

Set-top box (STB) maker Scientific-Atlanta reached its lowest stock price in almost four years on Friday, October 18, after posting quarterly results well below expectations. The company's stock closed at $11.45, a drop of 14%, making it one of the biggest losers on the New York Stock Exchange that day.

An agreement signed October 17 by <A HREF="http://www.panasonic.com">Panasonic</A> and <A HREF="http://www.cablelabs.com">CableLabs</A> will make Panasonic the first manufacturer to build digital television receivers capable of directly accepting high-definition signals from cable providers.

<I>Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Baldwin, Benicio del Toro, Kevin Pollack, Chazz Palminteri, Pete Postlethwaite, Suzy Amis. Directed by Bryan Singer. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 106 minutes. 1995. MGM 27616 87481. R. $24.99.</I>

Within a year or so, EchoStar and DirecTV may not be the only satellite broadcasters over North America. <A HREF="http://www.cablevision.com">Cablevision Systems</A> may join them.

Steven Stone takes the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?52">Marantz SA-12S1 multichannel SACD/DVD-Video/CD player</A> out for a spin or two and asks, "Is the SA-12S1 worth its lofty price tag of $3800? Welcome to the wonderful world of early adoption."