Audio Video News

Just bought a new 3DTV, DirecTV subscribers? Then some of you will be glad to hear that an upgrade to your set-top box will bring 3D channels to your satellite feed. Unfortunately this applies only to newer STBs, so other subscribers will need to replace the box altogether to get 3D.

Now that the Federal Communications Commission has granted limited use of selectable output control to the entertainment industry, the "window" structure of video releases may be in for radical change. Video providers are more likely to offer hot movie titles via video on demand before disc release. But two clouds lurk on the horizon. The VOD will be very expensive to consumers. And it may antagonize theater owners.

Thinking of buying some outdoor speakers? Then look at the Boston Acoustics Voyager and Voyager Rock, which will be sold for 20 percent off through July 31, 2010. You can buy from a participating dealer or from the Boston Acoustics website.

You've probably seen those TV ads from cable operators claiming that their systems are fiber optic. The National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau has noticed that too--and the watchdog group is demanding that cable ops stop making such claims.

This is another one of those bad news, good news stories. The bad news is that the Federal Communications Commission has caved in to the movie industry's demand to disable the component video interface on high-def devices. The good news is that the studios can use this so-called selectable output control only under very specific circumstances, to protect fresh video on demand titles.

Talk about lost in space. Intelsat, a communications company, says it has lost control of one of its satellites. The rogue satellite is likely to drift into the path of another satellite, possibly interfering with the latter's ability to transmit cable and satellite TV programming to the United States.