Less than seven years after putting its first satellite in position, <A HREF="http://www.directv.com">DirecTV</A> has signed its ten millionth subscriber. The El Sugundo, CA&ndash;based direct broadcast satellite service now claims ten percent of the US television market.

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.

EchoStar Communications Corporation will soon up the ante on its competitors. This summer, the company's <A HREF="http://www.dishnetwork.com">DISH Network</A> service will add two new high definition TV networks, HDNet and HDNet Movies, to its expanding roster of high-def programming.

Walt Disney Company's home entertainment division will expand its test marketing of self-destructing DVDs in Florida next month, according to an announcement from Los Angeles. In April, Buena Vista Home Entertainment plans to rollout the company's "EZ-D" disposable DVDs through retailers in Florida and other major markets in the Southwest.