Audio Video News

It's hard to believe, but more iPod-related stuff is on the way. Soon to be available are kiddie cases from ifrogz, a company started by the same guys who developed Reminderband custom silicone bracelets. (And how many times haven't we all wondered how the world existed before those came along?) The new company's Tadpole line of video iPod cases are made specifically for children ages one and up - but they do not come with sedatives or tension relieving headache medicine for adults of child-rearing age.

Earlier in the year rose-colored glasses must have been somewhat in style when Warner's Steve Nickerson was <a href="http://ultimateavmag.com/news/081006sopranosHDDVD/">quoted</a> as saying that Warner, which supports both Blu-ray and HD DVD, expected consumers to spend "between $225 million and $500 million during the fourth quarter (of 2006)." He also predicted that by the end of 2006 that there would be 500,000 Blu-ray and HD DVD standalone players sold, plus two to three million game consoles and two to four million computers with HD DVD or Blu-ray capability.

Remote Technologies, Inc, a residential and commercial control products manufacturer more known to custom installers than the average retail consumer, is introducing three new keypads that will help the company's name appear in a broader range of homes with multi-room entertainment systems. RTI says the keypads are completely customizable, programmable, and upgradeable.

Sony's PlayStation3 is looking like a better deal all the time. The latest revelation is that the Blu-ray Disc based game console will include the ability to decode up to 7.1-channels of Dolby TrueHD. TrueHD is a so-called "lossless" audio codec that attains compression rates as high as 4:1, but reconstructs the original signal bit-for-bit on playback. Although there have been delays announced for the European availability of PS3, the premium version of the console is due to hit US stores on November 17th at a price of $599.

This past Tuesday Universal Studios released <I>The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift</I> day and date on standard DVD, HD DVD, and through <a href="http://ultimateavmag.com/news/040606industrynews/">CinemaNow</a> in a "downloadable DVD version" that can be downloaded and then burned to a blank DVD for just $9.99. The burned DVD is claimed to be playable "in virtually any DVD player," which means CinemaNow users aren't confined to watching the feature film on their computer monitors.

At the CEDIA EXPO held earlier this month in Denver, Colorado, Infinity Systems introduced three new systems in the company's Total Solutions System line: the TSS-1200, TSS-800, and TSS-500. Each speaker system is a complete 5.1-channel package that includes two pairs of wall-mountable satellite speakers, a low-profile center channel, and a powered subwoofer.

During each EXPO, CEDIA members vote on the best of the best custom installations from the previous year. This years winners include: