Warner currently releases high-def DVDs in both Blu-ray and HD DVD. But the studio may be about to concentrate on Blu-ray only, an executive recently hinted.
Recent ruminations over the contents of my rack have given short shrift to a major player. A disc player, in fact--the Integra DPS-10.5. It has long served as the main signal source in my reference system. Occasionally I make a note to that effect in reviews but I've never really done justice to the Integra. Let's remedy that now.
It's official. HD DVD players have fallen below the $200 barrier. And we're not talking about that no-name Venturer. The breakthrough model is the Toshiba HD-A2. And the breakthrough retailer is Circuit City. The exact price is $197.99 with free shipping. And no, it's not a refurb.
Shame on you, RadioShack. And you too, HH Gregg, FYE, Fred Meyer Stores, Ultimate Electronics, and Boscov's. You've been selling analog televisions without adequately warning consumers that these sets are about to become obsolete with the end of analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009. That's why the Federal Communications Commission has just slapped you with $96,000 in fines. Not much, admittedly, but it's a start.
I've talked a bit recently about my reference surround speakers and receiver and signal sources. That may leave a few droolers (you know who you are) wondering what cables I use.
The CD is being phased out, the LP has seen better days, and downloads irk audiophiles with their lossy clumsiness. Where can you go to download music that sounds the way it should? MusicGiants has offered high-res downloads--the missing link in the evolution of online music retailing--since 2005. Now the company's reach is spreading to new devices and new record labels.
There is a link in the public mind between scale and quality, a notion that, if you want something better, you also want something bigger. After all, top-of-the-line surround receivers are expected to have more powerful amplifiers and more features. Bigger speakers come with a tacit implication of better bass response. And who doesn't dream of buying a bigger plasma or LCD?
In the beginning, there was Napster, and it was good, albeit illegal. Over the years the file-sharing pioneer went legit and became a subscription service. Now Napster is looking to improve its game by untethering its 770,000 subscribers from its proprietary software. Soon Napsterites will be able to access a library of five million tracks from any net-connected computer without downloading the Napster application itself. Welcome to Napster 4.0.