Audio Video News

NAD showcased a DVD player and an A/V receiver, both new at this year's CES. NAD's first DVD machine is called the T550 and will retail at $799. In addition to built-in Dolby Digital is a feature sure to please audiophiles using the machine as a music source: separate high-quality audio outputs when used with a 24/96 source. The T760 receiver includes both Dolby Digital and DTS and is modestly rated at 60W for all five channels. (NAD is known for conservative power ratings.) The T760 will retail for $999.

Long known for innovations in digital surround technology, Yamaha, too, introduced a new flagship home-theater receiver. The RX-V1 features what Yamaha calls the Digital ToP-ART Concept. It has eight channels putting out 700W, including two effects channels for the front and a rear center channel. Yamaha says the receiver, which retails for $3199, is compatible with Panja and other custom home automation systems.

Proton had their new entry in the HDTV market on hand—a 34-inch "full-flat" widescreen HDTV/DTV/NTSC direct-view monitor, the WDT-3401VT. The $6000 TV will also display computer signals at up to 1024x768 resolution, via an input jack on the front. The screen is 16:9 format and, with its built-in tuner, is fully compatible with all 18 HDTV/DTV standards.

A new high-end line of theater seating products has arrived from Leather Center, which has spent many years manufacturing leather seats in Dallas, Texas. The company will be selling its new home-theater line directly through the custom installation/home-theater dealer network, and offers two-week custom ordering of "100 colors/leather any style." Service will be handled either through A/V dealers or through Leather Company's network of 100 company-owned stores.

Home networking is getting red-hot, with Sony, Panasonic, Philips, and even Microsoft getting into the act. One of the more interesting displays, however, was from Digital Harmony, who showcased their IEEE-1394 (FireWire) technology with what they called the Reference System 2000. The multi-room, multi-brand display consisted of more than 18 new IEEE-1394-enabled devices, including A/V receivers, set-top boxes, powered loudspeakers, and a 100-disc CD player. The booth also showcased an adaptor from Monster Cable designed to bring non-1394 devices into the network.