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DirecTV HR10-250 HDTV Satellite Receiver/Recorder
Gary Merson  |  Sep 21, 2004

I'm a huge fan of the video hard-disk recorders (HDRs), also known as digital video recorders (DVRs), that have revolutionized the TV viewing habits of millions. As the ads say, you can watch what you want when you want. But the options for time-shifting high-definition programs have been limited.

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Power Amplifier Reviews
Adcom GTP-880 preamp-processor & GFA-7607 multichannel power amplifier
Barry Willis  |  Sep 21, 2004

Adcom first appeared on the technophile radar in 1979, with the introduction of the GFA-1 power amplifier—the beginning of a long series of affordable, high-performance audio products. Then based in New Jersey, Adcom hit its stride in the mid- to late 1980s with its GFA-555 and GFA-565 power amplifiers and GTP-555 and GTP-565 preamplifiers, all of which were well received by reviewers and music lovers alike. Solidly built, extremely reliable, and musically satisfying, these products earned Adcom a reputation for quality that reviews of its more recent products continue to confirm.

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Projector Reviews
Marantz VP-12S3 DLP projector
Robert Deutsch  |  Sep 21, 2004

As faithful readers with good memories will recall, I reported that after checking out various DLP and LCD projectors, I settled on the Marantz VP-12S2 as providing the best overall performance, and bought one to serve as a reference in my home theater system. (See my "Take 2" of the VP-12S2 in the November 2003 issue, and the sidebar in my review of the Primare SP31.7 and A30.5 Mk.II in January 2004; see also Peter Putman's original review of the VP-12S2 in May 2003.) For the past year I've been enjoying the VP-12S2 a great deal, and whenever I saw demos of DLP or LCD projectors at shows and dealers, I felt ever so slightly smug that the picture quality I was getting at home was better.

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Loewe Articos 55 DLP rear-projection
Joel Brinkley  |  Sep 21, 2004

Digital Light Projection televisions are racing to become the new standard of the digital age; several companies have embraced them with the fervor of the converted. Plasma and LCD televisions are making their own bids for dominance. But these days, most manufacturers are saying little about CRT-based television, which remains the biggest-selling technology—by reason of price, picture quality, and consumer familiarity.

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Audio Video News
Coming Attractions
HT Staff  |  Sep 20, 2004
Kaleidescape
Keeping track of all your DVDs is a tough feat. Kaleidescape makes the task much easier with their new K2500 Digital Movie Player. To make things even better, the K2500 can deliver DVD and HD movies in digital form from source to display without analog conversion. The unit connects via a switched Ethernet network to a Kaleidescape server ($27,000) and provides an HDMI output to connect A/V processors and displays. It can output HD video in 720p or 1080i, as well as the 480i and 480p NTSC formats. With its onscreen user interface, you can browse your entire DVD collection, create collections, and mark or play your favorite scenes with Kaleidescape's bookmark technology. The K2500 is $4,000.
Kaleidescape
(650) 625-6101
www.kaleidescape.com
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Audio Video News
Latest Software Reviews
HT Staff  |  Sep 20, 2004
DVD: Walking Tall—MGM/UA
Video: 3
Audio: 3
Extras: 3
It's hard to fathom why a DVD for a movie that runs a scant 73 minutes, not counting credits, would even have deleted scenes. After all, it's not like there wasn't room in the film. Still, we find three of them on the disc for Walking Tall, a silly but rather guilty pleasure for anyone wanting to see a good (fact-based) revenge story or the Rock whup some ass with a four-by-four cedar stick. You don't get to know any of the characters, and others are forgotten about altogether, but the fight scenes are well executed, and there are a few explosive moments.
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Audio Video News
Industry Roundup
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Sep 20, 2004

Shaw's HD DVR: Calgary, Alberta telecommunications firm Shaw Communications has announced its new "High Definition (HD) plus Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Digital Terminal." Available to Shaw cable customers in Canada, the new HD + PVR Digital Terminal is said to offer them unprecedented control over their viewing, including the ability to control live TV with pause, rewind and fast-forward functions and record a variety of programming directly on their digital terminal.

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Audio Video News
TVs Leap Ahead
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Sep 20, 2004

TVs have long been the centerpieces of most American homes. New developments will make that position permanent.

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Audio Video News
Sony HD Camcorder
Barry Willis  |  Sep 20, 2004

High-definition video isn't just for professionals anymore. It could soon be in the hands of hobbyists and amateur filmmakers everywhere.

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Audio Video News
Added to the Archives This Week
Ultimate AV Staff  |  Sep 20, 2004

Robert Deutsch provides an in-depth analysis of the <A HREF="/surroundsoundpreampprocessors/704rotel">Rotel RSP-1068 surround-sound processor</A> noting that it's an "evolution of the RSP-1066 that incorporates more advanced digital technology, even more features, and additional refinements of analog circuitry."

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