Ever since DVD first appeared five years ago, I've longed for the ability to record video material to disc rather than VHS tape. Well, as the old saying goes, "Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it." Not only is it now possible to record onto a DVD disc, there are no fewer than five formats available! Among these are DVD+R (write-once) and DVD+RW (rewritable), both created by Philips.
Norwood, MA-based - Atlantic Technology has introduced a flexible high-performance multichannel speaker system boasting THX Ultra 2 certification. The new 8200 THX Ultra2 speaker system is said to offer "the highest levels of performance" while providing a wide array of customization options and sonic adjustments.
LCD monitors are undergoing something of a resurgence, buoyed by the popularity of LCD computer screens and the rush to ever-bigger plasma displays. From the front, big LCDs like this one look something like a plasma sitting happily on a table, though a peek around back reveals that they're not hang-on-the-wall thin. They're also quite a bit cheaper than plasmas. This one costs $5999 and is just 171/2 inches deep, compared to roughly $15,000 or more for a 60-inch, high-definition-capable plasma that is typically between 3 and 4 inches deep. So while buyers can get something like the feel of a plasma for about a third the price, they have to live with the technical limitations of LCD, just as plasma buyers live with the limitations of that technology.
In this case, Thiel isn't a color, it's a lack of color, and nothing impressed me so much during my time with these five Thiel CS1.6 speakers as their colorlessness. One color particularly notable by its absence is green, as in the minimal amount of greenbacks you'll have to peel off your roll—the CS1.6 is one of the more affordable floorstanding speakers in the Thiel line. For only $2390, you can get a pair finished on five sides in a wood veneer, like the beautiful natural-cherry ones I used for the front channels—or, if you want to save a cool grand on a quintet, the $1990/pair matte-black models I put in the rear are all the color you'll need.
Zenith Electronics Corporation has launched a broad array of DTV products –– including new digital set-top boxes, LCD monitors and a new 37" plasma display panel (PDP). The P37W24 is the first for Zenith in this screen size.
Like Santa descending a chimney every year with an ever-larger bag of goodies, DVD players have been coming down in price while their bundles of features have expanded.
<I>Tobey Maguire, Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, Gerry Becker, Bill Nunn, Jack Betts, Stanley Anderson, Ron Perkins. Directed by Sam Raimi. Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic). Dolby Digital 5.1 (English, French), Dolby Surround (English). Two discs. 121 minutes. 2002. Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment 09661. PG-13. $29.99.</I>
The rollout of HDTV may finally get rolling, thanks to an agreement reached the first week of November by consumer electronics manufacturers and representatives of the cable television industry.
Everything seems to be roses and lollipops for <A HREF="http://www.tivo.com">TiVo</A> and <A HREF="http://www.sonicblue.com">SonicBlue</A>, maker of ReplayTV devices. The Silicon Valley rivals are allies now that they've decided to put their time and money into promoting digital video recorders (DVRs) rather than fighting each other.
Steven Stone takes on the <A HREF="http://www.guidetohometheater.com/showarchives.cgi?60">Earthquake SuperNova MKIV-15 subwoofer</A>, asking "What would a movie be without low-frequency effects?" SS takes a subterranean tour with the MKIV-15 to see how well it handles the big boom.