Audio Video News

Since September 11, live theater and concert attendance has fallen by as much as 75% in some parts of the country, while video rentals have mushroomed. The reason: people want to stay home.

In anticipation of demand for new digital services, <A HREF="http://www.aoltimewarner.com/about/companies/twcable.html">Time Warner Cable</A> says it has committed to purchase 625,000 Explorer digital set-tops from <A HREF="http://www.scientificatlanta.com">Scientific-Atlanta</A>. Under the agreements, announced last week by SA, TWC says it will purchase a mix of Explorer set-tops and other head-end equipment to meet projected consumer demand for digital cable and interactive TV services such as video on demand (VOD), subscription video on demand (SVOD), personal video recording (PVR), and high definition television (HDTV).

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.vdcdisplaysystems.com">Video Display Corporation</A> (VDC) and <A HREF="http://www.christiedigital.com">Christie Digital Systems</A> jointly announced that the companies had reached an agreement in principle for VDC to acquire the Marquee line of CRT projectors from Christie (formerly Electrohome Projection Systems). The companies report that the agreement specifies that all manufacture, sales, service, inventory and other assets and operations of the CRT line of projectors will be transferred to VDC Display Systems of Cape Canaveral, FL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of VDC.

With the market penetration of DVD players now at 33% and growing, the film industry is ramping up production to release an unprecedented number of new titles, as well as plenty of old favorites in the new format.

The current tendency for consumers to stay home rather than travel may bode well for electronics manufacturers and retailers this coming holiday season, according to a survey conducted by the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A>.

<I>Bus Stop</I>, <I>The Seven Year Itch</I>, and <I>Marilyn Monroe: <I>The Final Days</I></I> are part of <I>Marilyn Monroe: The Diamond Collection</I>, a boxed set from 20th Century Fox that also includes <I>How to Marry a Millionaire</I>, <I>There's No Business Like Show Business</I>, and <I>Gentlemen Prefer Blondes</I>.