LATEST ADDITIONS

Premiere Design
In Tune with Nature
Darryl Wilkinson  |  Aug 05, 2002  |  First Published: Aug 06, 2002  |  0 comments
After billions of years of evolution, Mother Nature still needs a proper soundtrack.

As a Home Theater reader, you probably fit into the fine category of people for whom music and movies are a big part of life. I'm willing to bet that, when it comes to electronic entertainment, you think inside the box. Well, I guess it's more like two boxes: your home and your car. Sure, no self-respecting Home Theaters reader feels complete without a DVD player and full-blown home theater in his or her living room, and most of you probably couldn't live without a CD player in your car. But how many of you have come to realize that Mother Nature's soundtrack could use a little assistance (especially if you happen to be, like me, an environmentally challenged city dweller)?

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The 100 Greatest DVDs
Chris Chiarella  |  Aug 05, 2002  |  First Published: Aug 06, 2002  |  0 comments
Time marches on. DVD software has steadily improved in its half-decade history, so you'll see lots of recent releases on this year's best-of list. The never-ending tide of discs keeps our perspective (while subjective) in a constant state of flux. Time, DVD's evolution, and the chance to plumb the most elaborate discs' untold depths have yielded some modified rankings from last year's list. As for our criteria, the film itself must be good, or at least good enough—or even so bad that it's back to good. Given DVD's storage potential, few movie-only discs made the cut. Picture and sound quality are essential, as are quantity, value, and originality of extras. Our comments cut right to the chase; so, if you want further insight, why not rent or buy the discs we list below to find out for yourself what makes a great DVD?
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Other Source Component Reviews
Samsung DVD-P421 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
Geoffrey Morrison  |  Aug 05, 2002  |  First Published: Aug 06, 2002  |  0 comments
Few things have dropped in price as quickly as DVD players. Less than a year ago, progressive-scan models like this one would have cost over $1,000. Now, you can find the Samsung DVD-P421 progressive-scan player for well under $200.
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Projector Reviews
Runco VX-1000c DLP Projector
Mike Wood  |  Aug 05, 2002  |  First Published: Aug 06, 2002  |  0 comments
If you call Runco's company headquarters and get put on hold, you'll hear about Roger Ebert's love for the film and Runco products, as well as his opinion that the latter makes home theater look much like the former. As my wife and I recently watched Panic Room in a real movie theater, I couldn't help but wonder if Ebert's comment was much of an endorsement. The picture quality was good. We just realized that, among other things, film has a lousy black level. Dark scenes were dark enough, but the blackout drapes along the sides of the screen were much darker. I've often used to the black level of CRT-based home theater projectors; I've been spoiled. I wondered, if film isn't the panacea of imaging, what is?
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Audio Video News
The Evil Dead: Book of the Dead Limited Edition on DVD
uavKrissy Rushing  |  Aug 04, 2002  |  0 comments

<I>Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Hal Delrich, Betsy Baker, Sarah York, Philip A. Gillis, Ted Raimi. Directed by Sam Raimi. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1(anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 & 6.1 (matrixed), DTS EX (discrete). 85 minutes. 1983. Anchor Bay 38569. R. $49.98.</I>

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Audio Video News
EchoStar's Big Push
 |  Aug 04, 2002  |  0 comments

<A HREF="http://www.echostar.com">EchoStar Communications Corporation</A> has begun an aggressive campaign to win new subscribers. The three-pronged effort includes low-cost subscriptions to the company's DISH Network, a soon-to-be-launched eighth satellite, and a marketing deal with discount giant Wal-Mart, Inc.

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Audio Video News
Added to the Archives This Week
 |  Aug 04, 2002  |  0 comments

From June of this year, Tom Norton reviews the $4999 <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?25">InFocus ScreenPlay 110 DLP video projector</A>, writing, "Add a screen to the package and you can have a video projection system for about the cost of a high-end rear-projection television."

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Audio Video News
Industry News Roundup
Barry Willis  |  Aug 04, 2002  |  0 comments

So far, 2002 has been a better year than 2001 was for most large electronics manufacturers, according to the July 31 reported first-quarter results. For most members of the electronics industry, the first fiscal quarter runs April 1 through June 30.

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Audio Video News
Comcast Goes Negative
 |  Aug 04, 2002  |  0 comments

Investors are singing the blues over cable giant <A HREF="http://www.comcast.com">Comcast</A>, which on Thursday, July 25 reported a net loss of $209.6 million for the second fiscal quarter. That number compared unfavorably to the company's $35.2 million profit for the same period a year earlier. Comcast has been hammered by investment losses&mdash;$538.3 million, more or less&mdash;including stakes in AT&T Corporation and other high-tech companies.

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Other Tech
Is Everybody Happy?
Doug Newcomb  |  Jul 29, 2002  |  0 comments
Photos by Tony Cordoza

I consider myself very fortunate to have a wife who indulges my obsessions. There's the time last summer when she sat in a rental car on a sweltering beach in Baja while I surfed for more than an hour.

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