LATEST ADDITIONS

Financial life is looking good for <A HREF="http://www.echostar.com">EchoStar Communications Corporation</A>. The Littleton, CO-based direct broadcast satellite operator reported second-quarter profits of $45.8 million, with revenue up 21%, to $1.17 billion. EchoStar's subscribership increased by 295,000 during the quarter, and the company is predicting that it could add more than 1.2 million new subscribers to its DISH network in 2002, with a total approaching eight million by year's end. EchoStar reported the results August 15.

Tired of stumbling around in pitch-blackness? Want to watch movies in a well-lit room? Runco's "CX" series of plasma screens lets you do just that. The 42", 50", and 61" models of the company's PlasmaWall displays offer incredible brightness and extraordinary contrast.

DirecTV subscribers will soon be able to enjoy the kind of digital television performance that cable subscribers can only dream about. On August 7, <A HREF="http://www.sony.sel.com">Sony Electronics</A> announced the SAT-HD200 set-top box (STB), an advanced DirecTV high-definition receiver with multiple format modes, keyword search, a favorite channel list, 20-event reminder, and an electronic programming guide. Subscribers with Digital Visual Interface (DVI) enabled high definition monitors will be able to receive uncompressed wideband high-def programming encoded with Digital Content Protection (HDCP) technology.

<I>Voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Tony Jay, Kevin Kline, Paul Kandel, Jason Alexander, Charles Kimbrough, Mary Wickes. Directed by Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French, Spanish), DTS. 91 minutes. 1996. Buena Vista D23315. G. $29.99.</I>