LATEST ADDITIONS

Competitions and awards usually indicate that an art form has reached some degree of commercial viability. By that standard, movies made for the Internet have attained maturity: The <A HREF="http://www.sundance.org/">Sundance Institute</A> has announced that it will host parallel festivals this winter, one concentrating on traditional films and the other showcasing films made for the Internet. Both events begin January 18.

The film industry's yearlong pursuit of DVD hackers has hit a roadblock. On Thursday, December 14, the California Supreme Court issued an order that may result in the dismissal of charges against several defendants accused of promulgating a DVD decryption code known as DeCSS. Developed last year by a 16-year-old Norwegian computer hobbyist to allow DVDs to play on Linux-based PCs, the code also defeats copy prptection. CSS (copy scrambling system) is built into DVD movies and software to prevent illegal copying.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.dishnetwork.com">EchoStar Communications</A> announced the availability of its optional 8VSB tuner cartridge, which enables customers who have the Dish Network Model 6000 satellite television receiver to receive off-air analog and digital broadcasts such as those in the High Definition Television (HDTV) format, where available. EC says that the cartridge is now available at participating Dish Network retailers for a introductory price of $100. After Jan. 1 the cartridge will be available for $149.