Audio Video News

Jamie Kellner, the <A HREF="http://www.tbs.com">Turner Broadcasting System</A> chairman, who proclaimed that viewers have a "contract" with broadcasters to watch commercials, has predicted that digital video recorders could spell the end of free television programming. Kellner has been widely quoted as saying that viewers who "take too many bathroom breaks" are "stealing the programming."

John Frankenheimer, director of <I>The Manchurian Candidate</I> and <I>Birdman of Alcatraz</I>, died Saturday, July 6, of a stroke following spinal surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 72.

It's obvious to anyone paying attention that consumers love flat-panel displays&mdash;those who are aware of them, that is. Unfortunately for the consumer electronics industry, only a small percentage of potential flat-panel purchasers are either aware of the devices or aware that prices have been steadily dropping while performance improves.

Epson is making a bold foray into the home theater market. On June 28, the venerable printer maker debuted its "first-ever home theater" video projector. Epson has long made projectors for the business presentation market, and the move into home theater was a natural progression, according to company marketing executives.

The future for high definition digital video connection technology remains cloudy, so having a few choices is a plus. <A HREF="http://www.vividlogic.com">VividLogic</A>, which specializes in creating software for IEEE 1394 (Firewire, iLink) enabled consumer electronics products, announced last week that it has struck a deal with <A HREF="http://www.dishnetwork.com">EchoStar Communications</A> to deploy VividLogic's "FireBus" software to provide digital connectivity and interoperability in a future, next generation HDTV-compatible set-top box (STB).

Chalk up another one for the big guys. A San Antonio, TX judge has dismissed price-fixing <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/shownews.cgi?1318">charges</A> brought by independent video dealers against video retail giant Blockbuster, Inc. and several Hollywood studios.

<I>Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay. Directed by David Mamet. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French). 109 minutes. 1999. Warner Video 21321. R. $24.98.</I>