Audio Video News

It's no secret that the cable industry has taken a big hit from satellite services DirecTV and DISH Network. Prospects for growth in the cable industry look decidedly stagnant, except for the "digital cable" segment, expected to grow at an annual rate of 11%, according to projections released September 1 by research firm JupiterResearch.

S<I>tar Wars&mdash;Episode 1: The Phantom Menace</I> might have grabbed all the attention as the first movie to be screened in the US from a digital source rather than a film print (see <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?454">previous story</A>), but it's not the only one to use the new technology. With virtually no fanfare at all, <I>An Ideal Husband</I> is being shown from a digital source at Laemmle's Sunset 5 theater in Los Angeles through July 15, 1999.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.disney.com">The Walt Disney Company</A> and <A HREF="http://www.ti.com/dlp">Texas Instruments</A> announced that DLP Cinema technology will be featured in an all-digital showing of Disney/Pixar's new computer-animated film, <I>Toy Story 2</I>, at six locations in North America. According to the companies, <I>Toy Story 2</I> will be the first major studio feature to be released simultaneously in both digital and traditional film formats.

In a move the companies are calling a major step toward "realization of the digital home entertainment environment," the <A HREF="http://www.dtcp.com">Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator</A> (DTLA), Warner Bros., and Sony Pictures Entertainment announced last week that they have entered into long-term license agreements to promote the all-digital home transmission and display of motion pictures and other video content using DTLA's Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP).

The much-discussed convergence of computers and home entertainment took a big step toward fruition with an October 12 announcement by Microsoft Corporation. Touting new products, new software and a website, Windowsmarketplace.com, for those eager to learn about digital entertainment, Microsoft also launched its own online music store. The announcement included the debut of two new logos&mdash;"Designed for Windows" and "PlaysForSure"&mdash;that the company hopes will assuage any doubts about the reliability of the new products.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.ti.com/dlp">Texas Instruments</A> announced that it has signed an agreement with <A HREF="http://www.hitachi.co.jp">Hitachi</A>, which will use TI's Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology to develop the world's first all-digital, large-screen, high-definition rear-projection television. Hitachi plans to release the new television in Japan and the US in the second half of 2000.