Audio Video News

Canon, Sharp, Sony and JVC have teamed up on proposed specifications for high definition digital videocassette tape.

Michael Fremer provides us with a primer on ribbon drivers in his review of the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?133">Piega P5 LTD surround speaker system</A>. Noting that the Piega is the latest in long line of neo-ribbon designs, Fremer says, "whether or not these are true purist ribbons, pseudo-ribbons, or a hybrid isn't important. What's important is the sound."

<A HREF="http://www.discovery.com">Discovery HD Theater</A> is celebrating its one-year anniversary with 25 hours of new high definition productions this season.

This fall, <A HREF="http://www.pioneerelectronics.com">Pioneer</A> will launch a new line of DVD recorders featuring TiVo's personal video recorder technology. Almost certain to cause anxiety among Hollywood studios and network broadcasters, the new recorders will combine TiVo's versatile recording and operating features, and give consumers the choice of archiving their recordings on magnetic hard disks or DVD-R/RW optical disks.

From the June issue, Joel Brinkley fires up the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?131">Toshiba 34HDX82 direct-view HDTV</A>. "At $2699, the Toshiba is among the more expensive 16x9, 34-inch direct-view TVs in the current crop," notes JB. And with a little tweaking, Brinkley says this expensive frog soon turns into a prince.