Audio Video News

M<I>ichael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace-Stone, Jake Busey, Chi McBride. Directed by Peter Jackson. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), Dolby Surround (French). 110 minutes. 1996. Universal Home Video 20286. Rated PG-13. $24.98.</I>

The television-broadcasting industry is undergoing a metamorphosis. Some observers at last week's <A HREF="http://www.nab.org/">National Association of Broadcasters</A> convention in Las Vegas called it a "generation change" embodied by a new group of energetic "digital content providers"---with a different concept of entertainment---gradually replacing older producers and executives. Other reporters have pointed to technological developments such as high-definition TV and the nascent trend toward interactivity as motive forces behind the 60-year-old industry's growing transformation.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.warnerbros.com">Warner Home Video</A>, in partnership with <A HREF="http://www.CTHV.com">Columbia TriStar Home Video</A> and <A HREF="http://www.mgmhomevideo.com">MGM Home Entertainment</A>, announced the June 29 release of <I>The Stanley Kubrick Collection</I>, a compilation of nine of the legendary director's most powerful films. The collection will be available on both VHS and DVD two weeks before the theatrical debut of <I>Eyes Wide Shut</I>, Kubrick's final feature. Warner says the collection is the first extensive review of Kubrick's major works in a format and package design approved by the late director, which guarantees a faithful presentation of his exacting vision.

At last week's <A HREF="http://www.nab.org">National Association of Broadcasters</A> convention in Las Vegas, <A HREF="http://www.dolby.com/tvaudio">Dolby Laboratories</A> unveiled the first Dolby E encoder and decoder products, which are intended to help television broadcasters make the transition from two-channel to multichannel audio. According to the company, the DP571 Dolby E Encoder and DP572 Dolby E Decoder allow broadcasters to distribute up to eight channels of audio, as well as additional data, with a pair of channels on a single AES/EBU cable, two audio tracks of a digital video tape, digital audio tape, or video server.

Last week, an important milestone in the development of broadcasting in China was marked with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the <A HREF="http://www.dvb.org">Digital Video Broadcasting Consortium</A> (DVB), a group committed to designing a global family of standards for the delivery of digital television, and the Academy of Broadcasting Science (ABS) of the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television of China. The ABS is a research organization responsible for formulating recommendations for digital-television standards for China.

The buzzword "Digital" is on everyone's lips at the <A HREF="http://www.nab.org/">National Association of Broadcasters</A>' NAB 99, which opened Saturday in Las Vegas. Most of the noteworthy goodies on display at the convention are designed for the digital-television market. Demonstrations feature high-definition video courtesy of Las Vegas television station KTVN (Channel 41), which will be broadcasting 720p material all week long.

Don't leave home without it---home theater, that is. You can now take your movies on the road, thanks to <A HREF=http://www.panasonic.com/>Panasonic</A>'s mobile DVD theater. The complete package---in-dash DVD player, surround processor, video monitor, and 5.1-channel audio system---was unveiled at a <A HREF=http://www.cartoys.com/>Car Toys</A> store in Seattle on Friday, April 9. Car Toys specializes in aftermarket automotive sound.