Audio Video News

Want to build a <I>real</I> home theater? With a film projector and a really huge screen? You may get your chance to buy some excellent theater equipment at bargain prices in the coming months. Hundreds of theaters nationwide will be closed to cope with the current oversupply, according to January announcements from some of the biggest theater operators in the US.

Speaking last week at a meeting of the Association of Local Television Stations (ALTV) in Las Vegas, <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A>'s Gary Shapiro announced that actual unit sales to dealers (not to end consumers) of digital television (DTV) displays and integrated sets reached 648,429 in 2000, surpassing earlier industry estimates and accounting for $1.4 billion. Shapiro says that these figures represent more than 400% growth over 1999 sales. In addition, 36,794 stand-alone set-top receivers were sold to dealers in 2000, says Shapiro.

Only a handful of companies have successfully made and marketed both electronics and loudspeakers, but Krell Industries intends to do just that. The legendary electronics maker has introduced new high-performance loudspeaker system designated the "Lossless Acoustic Transducer" (LAT) Series. The new speakers made their official debut at the 2001 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The classic film, <I>Lawrence of Arabia</I> is coming to a video store near you, courtesy of <A HREF="http://www.spe.sony.com"> Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment</A>. One of the most highly honored and beautifully produced films of all time, David Lean's epic has been remastered and repackaged as a two-disc widescreen "Limited Edition" DVD box set with over 90 minutes of bonus footage.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.rockfordcorp.com">Rockford Corporation</A> announced that it has re-established its relationship with Jim Fosgate and has folded his development and engineering company, <A HREF="http://www.fosgateaudionics.com">Fosgate Audionics</A>, into the Rockford corporate family. Other companies in the Rockford group include Hafler, as well as autosound companies Rockford Fosgate, Lightning Audio, and Install Edge. Fosgate Audionics has primarily focused its attention on the surround sound processor market, and Rockford says that the new range of planned products will continue in the home theater vein.

J<I>ohn Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones, Eugene Levy. Directed by Peter Hyams. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English), Dolby Surround (French). 89 minutes. 1992. Warner Home Video 16886. PG. $24.98.</I>

In the spirit of "if at first you don't succeed . . .," Hollywood is attempting every combination of interactive DVD/Internet "synergy" it can think of. Warner Home Video will be taking its latest stab at convergence January 17 when the company will be hosting a "Virtual Theater" event for their DVD release of <I>The Perfect Storm</I>.