LATEST ADDITIONS

Saying that Tony Visconti produced some of David Bowie's most innovative albums is the same as saying he produced some of the most innovative albums in rock. It's hard to listen to dance music, alternative rock, electronica, or ambient music without hearing the influence of the Visconti-helmed Bowie/Brian Eno trilogy Low, Heroes, and Lodger.

On September 13, San Francisco-based Dolby Laboratories announced the availability of a new reference multichannel decoder, the <A HREF="http://www.dolby.com/products/DP564/">DP564</A>. The new tool is able to decode every Dolby&#174; consumer format, making it the "perfect solution for monitoring in DVD, digital TV broadcast, and postproduction applications," according to an official announcement. The DP564 debuted at the International Broadcasting Convention held September 13&ndash;17.

The television broadcasting picture could change substantially if a bill drafted by US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) becomes law. Among the bill's most drastic requirements is one forcing broadcasters to return their analog TV channels by 2006, for probable auction to wireless services. The <A HREF="http://www.nab.org">National Association of Broadcasters</A> (NAB) is expected to campaign strongly against any such legislation. The Commerce Committee's ranking Democrat, John Dingell of Michigan, helped draft the bill.