<UL CLASS="square">
<LI>$9,995</LI>
<LI>Technology: LCD</LI>
<LI>Resolution: 1366x768</LI>
<LI>Size: 40"</LI>
<LI>Inputs: One HDMI, one non-HDCP compatible, four RGBHV/component, two each composite and S-video, one RGB on 15-Pin DSUB</LI>
<LI>Faroudja deinterlacing w/DCDi, separate video processor/switcher, dynamic black enhancement, attractive wood veneer back panel, tabletop stand</LI>
</UL>

SIM2 has proven over the first ten years of its existence that it's a company remarkably adept at keeping pace with the rapidly changing home theater display market. Starting in CRT front projection, this Italian company has rapidly assimilated into the digital display world with triumphs of both form and function, offering outstanding DLP front and rear projection TVs with gorgeous pictures and aesthetics to match. The wait for SIM2 to jump into the flat panel market ended with the introduction of the $10,000 HTL40 LINK.

Back in July <I>UAV</I> <a href="http://ultimateavmag.com/news/072306supernews/">reported</a> the exciting news that accompanying the November 28th DVD release of this summer's <I>Superman Returns</I> would be new, vastly expanded special editions of <I>Superman: The Movie</I>, and the fabled, somewhat legendary <I>Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut</I>. Well, the news gets better still. Not only will <I>Superman Returns</I> see a day-and-date release on both Blu-ray and HD DVD, <I>Superman: The Movie</I> and <I>Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut</I> will also be released on HD DVD November 28th with the now de rigeur 1080p video and Dolby Digital Plus sound.

Could it be that Apple, Amazon and Netflix might face their toughest competition in the movie download space from a brick and mortar retail chain? Wal-Mart is entering the movie download business with deals in place with six of Hollywood's major studios, a claim no other download site can match currently. Disney, Fox, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner have all signed on to sell movies and TV shows with the retailing giant.

In one significant way, the Blu-ray Disc format got off to an even more inauspicious start than the rival HD DVD format. <A HREF="http://ultimateavmag.com/hddiscplayers/706dsamsungbd/">Samsung's BD-P1000</A> player was the first, and for months, the only BD player on the market. It had shipped with a Noise Reduction circuit cranked up to 11, softening the picture substantially and actually increasing the noise in the image by several orders of magnitude. On top of that, many BD titles released over the last several months have been surprisingly variable in image quality, even compared with broadcast HD. In short, a lot of the BD titles released so far just don't look very good.