Audio Video News

Two or three years ago, HDTV was the hottest topic at the Consumer Electronics Show. Not so this year—manufacturers have decided to de-emphasize the format, due to slow market acceptance and widespread uncertainty about technical standards. Instead, they are concentrating on Internet capabilities, digital networking, recordable DVD, and video projectors.

Only a few new HDTV sets have been unveiled here, and those are primarily reworked versions of models introduced previously. Not all is gloomy on the HDTV front, however. Sony has introduced two new HD sets, one of them a 40-inch diagonal CRT, the largest "direct view" set on the market. The HD designation is a tad misleading, however, since the new sets require external decoders to pick up HD broadcasts—an expression of Sony's skepticism concerning signal transmission standards. Should the Federal Communications Commission decide to change HDTV technical standards, only the external decoder will become obsolete, rather than an entire display costing thousands of dollars. Sony is even downplaying the "HDTV" label because of the uncertainty. "We can't guarantee forward compatibility with whatever comes down the pike," admitted Sony marketing executive Vic Pacor.

One of the best announcements for sports- and movie-fans on a budget is Panasonic's plan to market a 47-inch diagonal HD widescreen monitor—at a suggested retail price below $2000. The price-buster will arrive later this year. Panasonic claims it will be the cheapest 16:9 high-def set ever offered. Panasonic is one of many companies guiding the DVD format into new waters, with its emphasis on DVD as a central part of "digital networking"—interconnecting information and entertainment appliances so that they all communicate with each other, and with the consumer. (Microsoft has even gone so far as to build an entire mockup of a "digital home" at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The appliances in it, however, are still "dumb." When we asked the model kitchen's refrigerator for some ice, nothing came out.)

Pioneer is strongly pushing the DVD envelope, with the introduction of its DVR-2000, a $2500 DVD recorder. A Pioneer executive we spoke with dismissed Philips's claim of having the world's first DVD recorder. "It's a bogus claim," he said, "We have had a DVD recorder for three years. Every year they come out with a non-working demo, but never bring the product to market." Clearing up a bit of confusion over nomenclature, he said Philips' "DVD+RW" is a different recording technology from "DVD-RW," used by most other manufacturers, but that the resulting recordings are playable in all machines. Pioneer has also brought out two DVD-audio/video players, the DV-AX10 and DV-38A. Both models offer progressive scan output and DVD-audio compatibility. The $6000 DV-AX10 is said to be "the industry's first truly universal DVD player," compatible with DVD-A, DVD-V, VCD, CD, and Super Audio CD. The $2000 DV-38A lacks SACD capability. Both models are due in March of this year.

Three new A/V receivers from Pioneer are the VSX-D510, VSX-D710S and VSX-D810S&$151;all featuring Dolby Digital and DTS decoding, multiple digital inputs, and the company's proprietary "Accurate Imaging System." 5.1 surround decoding is standard, but the VSX-810S included decoding for DVDs with 6.1 surround—and six channels of amplification. Compaq Computer Corporation has chosen Pioneer's DVR-103 combination DVD/CD recordable drive for inclusion in the Presario 7000 personal computer, available in spring of this year. The PC will include "MyMovieSTUDIO" video editing software.