Pre-show publicity for the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show indicates that most major manufacturers will be making a big push with High-Definition Television. If all goes according to the FCC's plan, by this time next year most large urban areas will have at least one digital transmitter in operation. By the turn of the century, most broadcasters will be equipped to send digital signals alongside their analog counterparts. Signal sources---terrestrial broadcasting, satellite transmission, cable feeds---will proliferate.
On December 4, Intel executives announced plans for future digital television products. Noting that, as we move toward a digital TV broadcast model, there will be 230 million TVs to replace, Intel has targeted the heart of nearly 100% of American homes.
This is the year that the computer industry and the home-theater companies start to seriously rub edges, and the sparks are set to fly. But fear not---we have seen the future, and it looks (and sounds) pretty good for the folks at home. At least, it will be fun to watch.
The last few years have witnessed a revolution in how we watch movies at home. Likewise, the Internet has forever changed the way we track down information around the world. Because <I>SGHT</I> covers the former, it only makes sense that to do it well, we should use the latter.
Have you found yourself playing back movie soundtracks lower than the "calibrated" level? Do you instinctively try to cover your ears during previews at the theater? If so, you're not alone.
All of the major consumer-electronics "convergence" companies were in attendance at this year's computer panoply: Sony, Pioneer, Philips, Hitachi, Sharp, Samsung, and on and on. Expanding upon a trend begun last year, each of the majors was displaying roughly equal parts computer goods and home/consumer gear.