Audio Video News

All DVD players will also play compact discs, but many will not play CD-Rs, as music lovers have discovered to their dismay. Rotel addresses this oversight with its new RVD-995, a multi-format compatible disc player equally at home with DVD-Video, CDs, and CD-Rs. You can now enjoy your compilation discs on the same player you use for movies.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.semiconductors.com">Philips Semiconductors</A> (a division of Philips Electronics) announced the first in a new family of silicon chips that they claim "will revolutionize the way we use television." The company says its pnx8500 Nexperia Home Entertainment Engine will enable the combination of digital video, audio, graphics, and Internet content into "highly interactive" program material and will allow cable and satellite service providers to add new digital subscriber services to their existing TV program offerings. At the same time, Philips also announced Samsung's support for the new chip in its next-generation consumer set-top box.

High-definition broadcasting is here, if the marketing problems are ever solved. Hi-def playback is here in the 480p native format of the Digital Versatile Disc. What's missing? Hi-def recording technology for consumers.

Another DVD hurdle is jumped: 10 million DVD-Video players have now officially shipped to market, according to the <A HREF="http://www.dvdinformation.com">DVD Entertainment Group</A> (DVDEG). The announcement was made last week at the annual DVD Forum meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Onkyo continues to carve a name for itself as a maker of affordable home theater receivers. The company's new THX Select-certified TX-DS787 is the only 6.1-channel Surround EX receiver in the under-$1500 price class. The receiver's suggested list price is $1099.95.

High-Definition Television is getting a big boost this season, thanks to a partnership between <A HREF="http://www.panasonic.com/">Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company</A> and the <A HREF="http://www.cbs.com/">Columbia Broadcasting System</A>. Seventeen of the network's 18 weekly comedy and drama shows will appear in the new format, according to a schedule released Wednesday, September 27. A sponsorship from Panasonic is making possible an almost-complete schedule of primetime HDTV programming from CBS, a unit of media conglomerate <A HREF="http://www.viacom.com/">Viacom, Inc.</A>