If you've ever installed a stack of A/V equipment in an armoire or cabinet with a sealed back, you know the meaning of "pain-in-the-neck." Struggling with a hand mirror and a flashlight to hook up cables in a cramped compartment can make you wish you'd never heard of home theater.
<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>.
Absent from the market for more than half a year, Aragon audio products have come back with a bang. Indianapolis-based <A HREF="http://www.klipsch.com">Klipsch Audio Technologies</A>, one of the oldest and most respected names in American audio, <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?966">acquired</A> Mondial Designs, maker of both the Aragon and Acurus brands, in a friendly buyout early this year.
Cable subscribers in some localities may soon find themselves paying higher monthly bills, thanks to a decision by the <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov">Federal Communications Commission</A> (FCC) on October 4.
If they build it will you want it? That's the DTV question of the month for <A HREF="http://www.zenith.com">Zenith Electronics</A> and <A HREF="http://www.TriveniDigital.com">Triveni Digital</A>, who are partnering with the <A HREF="http://www.PBS.org">Public Broadcasting Service</A> (PBS) to provide technical support for a new interactive television series, <I>Life 360</I>, which had its debut last week.
Unlike the rabbit advance of DVD, high definition television has been pursuing the slow but steady crawl of the tortoise. More recent announcements are increasing that momentum.
Philips Consumer Electronics has announced plans to offer a special edition DVD of DreamWorks' animated hit film Shrek free with the purchase of a select group of DVD-Video players and other products during the winter holiday season.
Are the all speakers in your multichannel audio system designed to put out extremely low bass? If not, you're in danger of overdriving them with full-bandwidth signals from high-resolution disc players.
<I>Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Luiz Guzmán, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Erika Christensen, Amy Irving, Albert Finney, Steven Bauer. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 147 minutes. 2001. USA Home Entertainment 98306 0181-2. R. $26.98.</I>
Custom installation is <I>the</I> growth area for the consumer electronics industry. To expand training opportunities for installers, the <A HREF="http://www.cedia.org">Custom Electronics Design and Installation Association</A> (CEDIA) has announced a new partnership with the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) to bring CEDIA training to the 2002 International Consumer Electronics Show, to be held January 8 11 in Las Vegas. The upcoming CES will be the first one to be held during weekdays rather than over a weekend.
<A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster</A>, the world's largest video rental chain, will label video games and movies with terrorist themes, company executives announced September 26.
Last week, <A HREF="http://www.zenith.com">Zenith Electronics</A> and <A HREF="http://nxtwavecomm.com">NxtWave Communications</A> announced they have finalized their agreement to jointly develop compatible enhancements to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) DTV standard. The companies had previously responded separately to the ATSC's "VSB Enhancements" Request for Proposals (RFP).
Many home theater sound systems are claimed to create "palpable" sound, but how many really deliver? If your action films are less than visceral, Clark Synthesis has the answer.
Are you about to build a home theater? If so, you have probably researched acoustic treatment---and the need to hide it. Until recently, most acoustical insulation was made in some light color---yellow, pink, or gray---that required covering with paint, tape, or fabric to make it look acceptable.
A good audio/video receiver is the solution for many home theater fans. Marantz has introduced a multichannel unit that seems to offer everything that most folks could want: plenty of power, a variety of surround formats, high-resolution digital-to-analog audio converters, and component video switching. The price? About $850.