<I>Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Kirk Baltz, Quentin Tarantino, Edwin Bunker. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Aspect ratios: 2.35:1 (anamorphic), 4:3 (full-screen). DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0. Two discs. 100 minutes. 1992. Artisan 12879. R. $24.95.</I>
<A HREF="http://www.runco.com">Runco International</A> has introduced two new widescreen flat-panel plasma monitors. Both are 16:9 units offering true high-definition performance, supporting 720p in its native resolution.
Newton Minnow declared TV to be a "vast wasteland" in 1961. He would know, since he was chairman of the FCC at the time. Few of us ever imagined that the following 40 years would produce a landscape much more vast and even more dissipated.
Once something no serious movie lover would consider, in-wall speakers have made huge gains in performance in the past couple of years. In-walls are now real contenders for your home theater dollar.
Synonymous with cutting-edge video technology, Faroudja has launched an innovative "Faroudja Digital Projector (FDP) Package" program that includes a high-resolution D-ILA projector, specially selected video processors, and custom alignment by one of the most revered technicians in the business.
Theta Digital has launched several intriguing new products guaranteed to whet the appetites of music and movie lovers everywhere. Among them are the Carmen II DVD/CD transport, the Generation VIII two-channel DAC, and the multichannel Dreadnaught II power amp.
Fred Manteghian does some heavy lifting to install the 120-pound <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?64">Ayre V-6 multichannel power amplifier</A> in his home theater system. But the sound is what counts, and FM reports that the V-6 is a breath of fresh Ayre.
Public acceptance of high definition television is growing, but not at the rate hoped for by manufacturers, cable providers, and broadcasters, according to a recently released study by <A HREF="http://www.strategyanalytics.com">Strategy Analytics</A>.
Soon, <A HREF="http://www.dolby.com">Dolby</A> won't be the only option for surround-sound processing in digital television broadcasting. <A HREF="http://www.dtsonline.com">Digital Theater Systems</A> (DTS) will also have a place in the format, thanks to a recent agreement with the <A HREF="http://www.dvb.org">Digital Video Broadcasting project</A>. The DVB is a technical consortium of more than 300 companies, established to create common international specifications for the transition from analog to digital broadcasting.