Audio Video News

EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen has hyped his company's proposed acquisition of DirecTV as "competition against cable" rather than a "monopoly in the sky." Merger or not, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) services have steadily eroded cable's subscribership, a situation that is beginning to yield benefits for consumers in some parts of the US.

Hollywood studios are going to have to defend their jealously protected distribution systems in an antitrust suit filed in US District Court in Los Angeles.

Consumers typically have just two objections to surround sound: the proliferation of loudspeakers and their cost. Torrance, CA-based Nirotek America appears to have solved both problems with the ingenious Niro Two 6.1 System, available in October.

On September 13, San Francisco-based Dolby Laboratories announced the availability of a new reference multichannel decoder, the <A HREF="http://www.dolby.com/products/DP564/">DP564</A>. The new tool is able to decode every Dolby&#174; consumer format, making it the "perfect solution for monitoring in DVD, digital TV broadcast, and postproduction applications," according to an official announcement. The DP564 debuted at the International Broadcasting Convention held September 13&ndash;17.

The television broadcasting picture could change substantially if a bill drafted by US House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Billy Tauzin (R-LA) becomes law. Among the bill's most drastic requirements is one forcing broadcasters to return their analog TV channels by 2006, for probable auction to wireless services. The <A HREF="http://www.nab.org">National Association of Broadcasters</A> (NAB) is expected to campaign strongly against any such legislation. The Commerce Committee's ranking Democrat, John Dingell of Michigan, helped draft the bill.

Progressive scan DVD players continue to reach new levels of affordability.

<I>Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer, Bradley Whitford. Directed by James Mangold. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1. 118 minutes. 2001. Buena Vista Home Entertainment 25391. PG-13. $29.99.</I>