Audio Video News

The latest holiday season numbers are now in, and the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> (CEA) is reporting that manufacturer-to-dealer video products sales in December, 2000 grew by 15% over last year's figures, giving a total of more than 6.4 million units shipped, and culminating a year of strong growth. The CEA reports that total sales of video products in 2000 reached 67.8 million units, representing a 12% increase over total sales for 1999. The trade group adds that the year finished with sales increases in almost every category.

Last week, <A HREF="http://global.hitachi.com">Hitachi</A> announced that, on April 10, it will release what it describes as the world's first 32-inch HDTV plasma TV, the W32-PD2100. The company says that this will be followed by the release of a second version of the set with a built-in BS (Broadcast Satellite) digital receiver on June 11. Both TVs will intitally be released in Japan. Hitachi says it is also planning to introduce a 37-inch HDTV plasma TV at a later date. Pricing for all models is to be announced.

The year 2001 wasn't a good one for <A HREF="http://www.philips.com">Philips Electronics NV</A>. On February 8, the Dutch electronics giant reported a massive $2.26 billion (2.6 billion euros) loss for the year, blaming slowing demand for both finished consumer goods and raw semiconductors. Philips is one of the few companies with an equal presence in both markets.

Are bulk discounts and revenue sharing arrangements with suppliers illegal? A group of independent video dealers thinks so. The dealers have teamed up to sue <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com/">Blockbuster Video</A>, the industry's undisputed leader, over what they claim are "illegal practices" that they contend have caused many of their colleagues to go out of business.

A former graphics-chip manufacturer has been in a feeding frenzy lately, buying a stalled personal video recorder company and a relatively unknown specialty electronics maker. <A HREF="http://www.sonicblue.com/">Sonicblue, Inc</A>. has acquired <A HREF="http://www.replaytv.com/">ReplayTV, Inc.</A> and <A HREF="http://www.sensoryscience.com/">Sensory Science</A>, maker of dual-deck VCRs and combination DVD player/VCR units, and the distributor of Loewe television sets, a German-made high-end brand.