Audio Video News

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Audio Video News
Consumers Spent More Than Ever on Home Video in 2000
Jon Iverson  |  Feb 04, 2001  | 

According to the numbers revealed by the <A HREF="http://vsda.org/">Video Software Dealers Association</A> (VSDA) last week, American consumers spent more than ever on home video in 2000, with rentals and sales of VHS and DVD hitting the $20 billion mark for the first time in home video's twenty-plus&ndash;year history. On the rental side of the video business, the VSDA reports that the total combined revenues of both DVD and VHS video formats rose 2.2% in 2000 over 1999. The "remarkably popular" new DVD video format made a major impact on this mark, says the not-for-profit trade group.

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Audio Video News
No More Monochrome: EdgeAudio Pushes Color
HT Staff  |  Jan 30, 2001  | 
Just say no to black, brushed aluminum, and dark wood veneers. Tigard, Oregon-based EdgeAudio is betting that movie fans will do exactly that when they seen the company's new line of home theater speaker systems. Conceived by award-winning Ziba Design, EdgeAudio's entire line of home theater speakers and subwoofers will get the color cabinet treatment later this year. Prototypes were displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
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Audio Video News
Simplify, Simplify: Rotel Programmable Remote Does it All
HT Staff  |  Jan 30, 2001  | 
Is your coffee table a museum of remote controls? If so, it's time to streamline your home theater space with one elegant device that does the work of many.
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Audio Video News
Do You Prefer VOD Or ITV?
Jon Iverson  |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

Are you a cable or dish person? Apparently, the answer to this question says a lot about how you watch TV. According to a recently released report, cable and satellite operators will need to consider their customers' specific interests and usage behavior in order to thrive in the emerging interactive TV market.

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Audio Video News
Home is Where the Interactive HDTV is
Jon Iverson  |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

Last week, several companies announced what they describe as a "unique, innovative project which will demonstrate the future of home entertainment." The project, named "CompleteTV," is intended to enable 20 families in Raleigh, North Carolina to take part in a pilot program beginning during the second quarter of 2001, giving them access to a home entertainment "experience" which will attempt to combine the worlds of broadcast HD programming and Internet-based information and entertainment.

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Audio Video News
The DirecTV Empire Strikes back
Barry Willis  |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

Direct satellite broadcaster <A HREF="http://www.directv.com/">DirecTV</A> has gone on the offensive against piracy by unplugging freeloaders and by installing copy protection circuitry in its latest set-top boxes.

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Audio Video News
Oversupply of Theaters Forces Closings
Barry Willis  |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

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.

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Audio Video News
Panasonic Boosts HDTV with News Sponsorship
 |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

Sunday, January 28 is notable for being Super Bowl Sunday, arguably the biggest US holiday. It's also a significant date in the development of high definition television, because it is the first day that a local broadcaster began airing news shot, edited, and played back on HD equipment.

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Audio Video News
Is DTV Hot or Not?
 |  Jan 28, 2001  | 

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.

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Audio Video News
Surround Sound with Tubes? SAS Audio Labs Has It
HT Staff  |  Jan 22, 2001  | 
Audiophiles and musicians have long relied on vacuum tubes as a way to add some sweetness to the sound of their equipment. Home theater fans seeking the same benefit have had to resort to multiple amplifiers, an expensive and space-intensive solution.
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Audio Video News
Krell Ventures into Speaker Market with LAT Series
HT Staff  |  Jan 21, 2001  | 
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.
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Audio Video News
Kennard Departs FCC, Changes on the Way
Barry Willis  |  Jan 21, 2001  | 

William Kennard has resigned as chairman of the <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov/">Federal Communications Commission</A>, effective January 19, the final day of the Clinton administration. According to Washington insiders, his position may be filled by Commissioner Michael Powell, son of former general Colin Powell, President George W. Bush's newly-appointed Secretary of State.

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Audio Video News
Coming in April: Lawrence of Arabia on DVD
 |  Jan 21, 2001  | 

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.

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Audio Video News
Miramax Begins Feature Film Downloads on Internet
Barry Willis  |  Jan 21, 2001  | 

On Monday, January 22, <A HREF="http://www.miramax.com/">Miramax Films</A> will begin an experiment in downloading full-length features over the Internet. Claiming that it wants to "fight fire with fire" against the proliferation of free movies, Miramax will make its 1999 release <I>Guinevere</I> available as a download for a $3.49 fee with a 24-hour viewing limit.

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Audio Video News
Rockford Corporation Acquires Fosgate Audionics
Jon Iverson  |  Jan 21, 2001  | 

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.

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