<A HREF="http://www.zenith.com">Zenith Electronics Corporation</A> is serious about pushing plasma displays (PDPs). The company's forthcoming flagship 60" high-definition model was announced June 20 at a price of $14,999, half the original suggested retail price of Zenith's DPDP60W, the first 60" plasma screen to hit the market, in August 2001.
The final curtain has fallen for the financially troubled Vidikron, as the company's dissolution has been announced by its secured creditor, Markland Technologies. As <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?490">reported</A> nearly three years ago, in August of 1999, Vidikron narrowly escaped bankruptcy at that time by arranging a line of credit and was then <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?516">independantly financed</A> by a group of international investors one month later.
As promised <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?1273">last April</A>, Discovery Communications launched their new 24-hour 1080i high definition television (HDTV) network, called Discovery HD Theater, last week. The network has been launched on HD platforms recently rolled out by EchoStar Communications on its Dish Network satellite TV service nationwide, AT&T Broadband's greater Chicago market (where plans are set to launch HDTV service later this summer), and in numerous other markets serviced by cable providers Charter and Cox.
Do you have an apartment, condominium, guesthouse, or mother-in-law suite where you'd like to install a low-cost home theater system? If you've got a monitor, Onkyo can supply the rest.
Home theater is the next frontier for Texas Instruments. On June 17, the Dallas-based technology pioneer announced a new line of cost-effective digital audio amplification products that promise high efficiency and great sound for the next generation of home theater equipment.
The video display market has been revolutionized in the last few years as plasma screens and video projectors have gained widespread acceptance. Smaller, lighter, and brighter projectors are translating into healthy market growth: Worldwide unit shipments are expected to reach 2.7 million in 2006, a 24.6% compound annual growth rate from 2002–2006, according to figures released by analyst <A HREF="http://www.idc.com">IDC</A>.
Size is definitely an advantage in commodity retailing. In an antitrust suit begun in mid-June, the7800-store chain <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com">Blockbuster, Inc.</A>—the world's largest video retailer—admitted that it has an advantage over its smaller competitors, but claimed no wrongdoing in the process of negotiating favorable revenue-sharing deals with Hollywood studios.
Starting with the November issue, Home Theater Architect is going to change in big ways. This all started with letters from readers telling me they were sick of reading about Jack & Diane's $300k mega-theater.
<A HREF="http://www.madrigal.com">Madrigal</A> has announced a new media console claimed "to establish new standards for connoisseurs of multichannel audio and video." If early publicity and its spec sheet are any indication, the $30,000 Mark Levinson No. 40 media console may, in fact, live up to the hype.
Russ Herschelmann (Stereophile Guide to Home Theater's "Home Theater Architect") will be conducting a special two-day intensive home theater workshop on Sat-Sun, June 29-30, 2002 in Napa, California. For more information on what will be covered during the two-part event, go to www.home-theater-guy.com and click on "Workshops".