Audio Video News

I was wrong. (It's not the first time, but it is the first time I've publicly admitted it.) Before satellite radio (first XM and then SIRIUS) blasted off and began broadcasting, I thought it had about as much chance of succeeding as the Red Sox had of winning the World Series. (Oops...) After all, other than truckers and traveling sales reps with lots of ground to cover, who would want to pay for the privelege of listening to the radio? I even gave (what turned out to be) bad financial advice concerning the prospects of satellite radio to a drummer in a Texas rock band who told me he'd included XM Radio in his stock portfolio. (A drummer with a stock portfolio? I should have known right then that I'd totally lost touch with reality.)

Obviously, there's no love lost between most customers and their cable companies. In fact, there's no love lost between a cable company and itself, either. So it's not surprising that more people are satisfied with their direct broadcast satellite...

Is your local cable company tempting you with a low-cost upgrade package? The improvement it's offering isn't coming from the kindness of its corporate heart, but because cable companies are feeling the heat from satellite competitors, thanks to some strategic alliances with regional telephone companies.

Home automation stalwart Savant today announced its acquisition of Artison, the Minden, Nevada-based company founded by noted audio designer Cary Christie, who developed the first on-wall speaker designed to integrate with a flat-panel TV more than a decade ago.

Home automation specialist Savant has announced a smart amplifier that supports hi-res audio and Apple’s AirPlay 2 streaming and HomeKit smart-home platforms.

Smart-home specialist Savant today introduced a line of self-powered network speakers that mimic recessed lighting.

Both Toshiba and Hitachi have announced they're dumping their rear-projecction TVs. If new figures are anything to go by, they may soon have company.