Audio Video News

No matter how much data storage is available in any medium, people always want more. Take Blu-ray, for example—one might think that 25 or 50GB would be plenty for just about any storage requirement, but some applications need even more. To address this insatiable demand, the Blu-ray Disc Association this week announced a new high-capacity recordable format called BDXL as well as a new hybrid format called IH-BD.

The Sound Organisation has announced A Vibration Measuring Machine, a new book that traces the 43-year history of U.K.-based turntable maker Rega.

Canon has expanded its consumer line of HD-capable camcorders with the addition of the 7.1-megapixel PowerShot TX1 digital camera that incorporates a high-definition video recorder in the same housing, making it a double bonus for those who would prefer not to lug both a still camera and a camcorder to their kids' birthday parties and soccer games. (It'll get through airport security a lot faster, too.) As indicated by the "PowerShot" moniker, The TX1 is a digital camera with an optically image-stabilized 10x (optical) zoom lens and a 115,000 pixel swivelling side-mounted LCD screen.

James Loudspeaker has added a high-output in-ceiling speaker to its Small Aperture (SA) line of architectural speakers.

ASW 675 sports new driver and enclosure design.

The top of the home theater market is a very attractive niche. Scottsdale, AZ-based Accurate Imaging Technologies hopes to establish itself as a major player in the upper end of the market with a series of easy-to-use but no-compromise products. Among them are several new CRT projectors, and an HDTV upconverter. The company plans to introduce high-rez plasma displays and DVD players with SACD compatibility later this year.

Home Entertainment 2001 arrives at the Hilton Hotel & Towers in New York this week for three days, May 11-13. There will be more than 80 rooms stuffed with the latest high end audio and video gear, including dozens of brand new products. For more information about the show, go to the <A HREF="http://www.homeentertainment-expo.com">HE 2001 website</A>.