Prices for TV sets - especially flat-panel models - can be volatile, which makes it hard to be precise about what you can expect for a given amount of money. Moreover, the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for a particular set, which is what the Buyer's Guide lists, will usually be higher than the best you can find if you shop carefully.
In the November issue I reviewed Sony’s new 1080p LCOS rear-projector, the KDS-R60XBR1. In just about every way, it was a terrific TV. It wasn’t, however, terribly accurate.
After the parade of international system mates that we've had in every other installment of this column recently, we finally settle into a system whose parts share their nation of origin. Don't be too quick to assume that it is the United States or Japan I speak of—this month's system hails entirely from merry old England. This isn't terribly surprising, but it does give me an opportunity to say a few things to our friends across the pond that I've been meaning to say for a while, such as: Sorry about that whole revolution thing (although I don't really mean that sincerely), and thanks for the Rolling Stones, Lord Stanley (who gave us the Stanley Cup), and Elizabeth Hurley—in no particular order, of course.
I think it's time we revived the old maxim that speakers are the most important part of an audio system. Yes, DVD players, A/V receivers, pre/pros, and power amps all play crucial roles, but speakers give you a bigger shot at personalizing your sound. Some speakers deliver exacting resolution, while others effortlessly unleash a wide range of dynamics or shake the foundation of your abode. Dynaudio speakers excel on every front and remain loyal to the sound embedded in your DVDs and CDs. So don't let the Dynaudio Focus speaker series' understated demeanor throw you off track; these speakers can get down and boogie.
Remember the day when plasma televisions were unadorned monitors? You had to connect it to a VCR to watch conventional television, and of course HDTV required another outboard tuner box. Any sound would have to come from your own sound system. Plasmas had no speakers or amplification of any kind. Just a screen and a picture. With no features to speak of, these plasmas had remote controls that offered four or five buttons, and that's all. And for that you paid $8,000 or more.
The next generation disc format probably can't happen soon enough for Hollywood. Worldwide movie sales on DVD are likely to be reaching their peak, according to a recent report by In-Stat. Online rentals, computer downloads, video-on-demand services and even HDTV were cited as factors.
