Ken C. Pohlmann

Shure is showing two very upscale products at CES: the KSE1500 electrostatic earphone system (MSRP $2,999) and SHA900 portable listening amplifier (MSRP $999).

70 years is a long time. Few companies make it that far. Klipsch, one of the survivors, and a storied company at that, is now under the VOXX corporate umbrella, and VOXX is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

The UHD Alliance, a coalition of 30+ companies, is developing the technical standards that define the ecosystem of 4K Ultra HD television comprising displays, content, and distribution. The group has previously published various specifications, but the complete 4K Ultra HD specification has only just been completed, and will be debuted at the upcoming CES in 2016. The spec took forever to hammer out because of a curious disparity in display technologies. Exactly what the hold up? Brightness.

When you buy a Blu-ray Disc for $25, you expect the very best quality. When you rent a Blu-ray for $2, do you still expect the best? Or would the budget pricing lower your expectations? Do you simply assume that the bits comprising a rental movie are the same as the retail movie? You might be surprised to learn that not all bits are created equal. And therein lies a mystery.