Audio Video News

<A HREF="http://www.meridian-audio.com">Meridian Audio</A> continues to improve its already excellent model 800 Optical Disc Player.

<I>Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, John Noble. Featuring Andy Serkis as Gollum. With Ian Holm and Sean Bean. Directed by Peter Jackson. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 EX, DTS 6.1 ES, Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround. Four discs. 250 minutes (film). 2004. New Line Home Video N6932. PG-13. $39.99.</I>

Want an easy way to store, manage, access, and enjoy digital entertainment content in your home? Beginning to think Microsoft's Windows Media Center Edition 2005 doesn't quite live up to all the hype? Afraid you'll run out of storage room? Concerned about so many questions to answer?

Harman/Kardon
Home-theater-in-a-box systems have come a long way. Harman/Kardon's CP 15 6.1-channel system ($1,199) will get you started on your home theater journey, minus a display device. The CP 15 includes Harman/Kardon's AVR 135 A/V receiver, DVD 22 progressive-scan DVD player, and HKTS 8 home cinema speaker system. The AVR 135 can decode the popular surround sound formats, including Dolby Pro Logic IIx and Dolby Headphone. A full-function remote is also supplied. The DVD 22 can play back DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW, WMA, CD, CD-R/-RW, MP3, and JPEG discs. The speaker package features contoured satellite speakers, a center-channel speaker, and a vertically oriented subwoofer.
Harman/Kardon
(516) 496-3400
www.harmankardon.com

DVD: The Alamo—Buena Vista
Audio: 3
Video: 4
Features: 4
I'm not a huge history buff myself, but this version of the story of the men who held the Alamo against Mexican General Santa Ana is compelling and beautifully told, though some may argue that the story isn't historically accurate. As usual, Billy Bob Thornton (as Davy Crockett) steals the show, but the rest of the cast (Dennis Quaid, Jason Patric, and Patrick Wilson) hold their own as well.

Despite the fact that financial analysts remain nonplussed by VOOM, the HD-content leading satellite service (provided by Rainbow DBS, a subsidiary of Cablevision System Corp.), those of us on the receiving end of the small-dish system see big promise in such a large selection of HD channels from which to choose. That's why the recent announcement that Rainbow DBS has selected Lockheed Martin to build five more geostationary telecommunications satellites to provide direct broadcast services across the continental US (conus) should make all HDTV owners smile. The first of the five satellites is expected to be completed and launched before the end of 2007. VOOM anticipates an ultimate capacity of over 5,000 HD channels.

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