Marantz
With Marantz's new display, you can enjoy plasma technology without breaking the bank to do so. According to the company, the $6,000, 42-inch PD4220V widescreen monitor boasts high brightness and outstanding color accuracy and contrast. The monitor features an 853-by-480 resolution, 4:3 and 16:9 formats, and a DVI input. It's compatible with computer images up to UXGA resolution, and it automatically scales (up or down) video sources as necessary. An RS-232C serial port is also included.
Marantz
(630) 741-0300 www.marantz.com
DVD: Freaks and Geeks: The Complete Series—Shout! Factory
Video: 4
Audio: 3
Extras: 4
This series about high school misfits barely completed a semester during its original run, but it gained a devoted following. The six-disc, 18-episode series includes five installments that never aired on NBC, and they're a real find for fans that can't get enough of early '80s nostalgia.
"Better and cheaper" seems to be the mantra in the product development department at V, Inc. The Costa Mesa, CA-based video display maker has announced two new high-performance products - a DVD player and an HDTV receiver - certain to tweak the interest of budget-conscious home theater fans.
Live music from popular recording artists is on tap for attendees at the Home Entertainment Show coming to NYC May 20—23, 2004 at the Hilton New York Hotel. And best of all—all performances are FREE to all Show attendees!
Denon
Denon's new multimedia server-and-client system lets you enjoy all of your entertainment media throughout your house. The NS-S100 server sends your DVDs, CDs, and MP3s to the NS-C200 multimedia client; a hard-wired Ethernet or wireless connection links the two. The Mediabolic M1 Entertainment Operating Platform lets you digitally link separate electronics components that are in different locations. This all-in-one package includes a DVR, an audio recorder, a multizone distributor, two hard-disk drives, and a ReplayTV electronic program guide. The NS-S100 retails for $4,000, while each NS-C200 costs $1,000.
Denon
(973) 396-0810 www.usa.denon.com
If you've got $5,000 to spend, we've got five great systems to show you.
It's tough being a consumer in the home theater market these days. You want eye-popping visuals and earth-shattering sound, but sometimes the only eye popping and earth shattering that occurs is when you find out the prices of some A/V systems. Never fear. We at Home Theater hear your cries for a powerful system that won't give your wallet a beating, and we understand. That's why we've gathered our top minds and put together five excellent home theater systems that cost around $5,000. Loudspeakers, universal disc players, HDTVs, projectors, and screens—you name it, we've got you covered. So take a peek over the next few pages, and see the systems for yourself. With all the money you'll save by purchasing the systems we've shown you, you'll be able to spend a little extra to upgrade your wire, cable, and interconnects—and maybe even purchase a sexy stand to hold your new gear. You definitely deserve it.
One complaint cropping up more frequently among custom installers is the cable length limit of DVI/HDMI connections to high-definition displays. Gefen, Inc. has introduced a clever workaround by using conventional Cat-5 cable, common in computer networks.
DVD: Big Fish—Columbia TriStar
Video: 3
Audio: 4
Extras: 3
The volatile dynamic between fathers and sons is as much a part of our collective experience as the need to tell stories. Big Fish weaves the two elements into one tale about a man who loves to tell and retell the fantastic (and somewhat unbelievable) stories of his life and the son who just wants to know who his father really is. Amidst endlessly entertaining, imaginative vignettes brought to the screen as only director Tim Burton can, Big Fish deftly portrays the quiet familial struggle. Burton and crew strike the perfect balance between both story elements, and the result is a wonderfully sweet, poignant film.