Other Tech

New school of thought: You're only as "green" as your plasma. And by "green," we're not talking about how accurately your flat-panel generates that primary color. We're saying maybe you should look into just how eco-responsible your consumer-electronics-makers are.

The guys at S&V asked me to put together my holiday wish list. So, in no particular order, here goes:

•Shopping Guide to Home Theater Find the HDTV, DVD player, and surround sound system that's right for you.

•Setup Screwups We diagnose five of the most common problems ailing home theaters - and prescribe the right medicine.

Are they earbuds for your MP3 - or earrings for your QT? A little bit of both, maybe! For head-pleasing sound and head-turning style, there's the new Active Crystals collection from Philips and crystal artisans Swarovski (active-crystals.com).

"Hey, stop hanging around! You're blocking the doorway!"

That's what shop owners were shouting at teenagers who were loitering outside stores and in malls. The kids were supposedly deterring adult customers - that is, the ones with more spending power.

On the Warner Bros.

In this guide you'll find five starter systems, selected by the editors of Sound & Vision. While these were put together with people new to home theater in mind, longtime readers of the magazine will also find worthwhile ideas, and combinations of equipment they might not have considered.