Audio Video News

Samsung has revealed pricing and availability details for its 2025 Neo QLED 8K TVs—led by the QN990F and QN900F series—as well as its updated flagship soundbar, the HW-Q990F. Having already announced the new sets’ advanced features and AI integration, Samsung is now sharing when and how much you can expect to pay to bring them home.

You’ve heard it on THX-certified DVDs and Blu-ray Discs and in THX theaters. It’s the perfect crescendo, that indescribably fantastic swell of sound that’s been wowing movie-goers for more than three decades. We recently spoke with Dr. James “Andy” Moorer, composer of the “THX Logo Theme,” to get the story behind the iconic flourish, which debuted in the THX trailer Wings, shown before the 1983 premiere of a movie you might remember—Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi.

Congratulations! It's a girl! It's a boy! Happy birthday! Bingo! You won the lottery! Happy New Year! Look - it's the Publisher's Clearing House van! Actually, in all probability, it's none of those things for you, at least not today. But, if you...

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.apple.com">Apple Computer</A>, <A HREF="http://www.compaq.com">Compaq Computer</A>, <A HREF="http://www.panasonic.com">Panasonic</A>, <A HREF="http://www.philips.com">Philips Electronics</A>, <A HREF="http://www.sony.co.jp/">Sony</A>, and <A HREF="http://www.toshiba.com">Toshiba</A> announced their support of the high-speed IEEE 1394 digital interface and their intention to form a patent pool to efficiently license patents required to implement the standard. The six companies say they will work together to create a joint licensing program and promote the industry-wide adoption of IEEE 1394.

FireWire, or IEEE1394, as it is technically known, has been bandied about as a leading contender for transmitting digital video for several years now. HDTV FireWire demos started popping up as <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?189">early as 1998</A>, but to date, little actual product has emerged for the consumer to buy.

Toshiba has made available Firmware Update Version 2.0 for its first-gen HD DVD players. In addition to enabling "anticipated network delivered content in future HD DVD discs" the new firmware version expands Dolby TrueHD support from 2.0-channels to full 5.1-channels. The update can be downloaded directly from the "Suport" link at Toshiba's HD DVD <a href="http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/hddvd/">web site</a>, or upon request Toshiba will ship a CD to registered HD DVD player owners.

First the<A HREF="http://www.ultimateavmag.com/news/82007paramount/"> Paramount defection</A>, and now some potentially big hardware news from the HD DVD camp. We've been hearing for months that the Chinese are coming with cheap HD DVD players in the fourth quarter of this year, and the first announcement appears to have been made. Headquartered in Canada, Venturer Electronics is releasing the Chinese-manufactured SHD7000 HD DVD player in time for this year's holiday shopping season. No offical release date or price was given, but Video Business is reporting it will be the least expensive standalone HD DVD player on the market at $199.