DirecTV and LG Electronics made a joint announcement that the Korean electronics giant has begun production of the first DirecTV set-top boxes that will decode signals encoded using MPEG-4 video compression. The boxes will be sold under the DirecTV brand name and will empower a massive increase in DirecTV's lineup of HDTV channels that is scheduled to begin this fall.
To the acclaim of filmmaking luminaries like George Lucas and James Cameron, the Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) group has released Version 1.0 of its Digital Cinema System Specification, which details how a filmless, fully digital movie theater will work. Because the Hollywood studios formed DCI, the standard has their full blessing and stands a good chance of revolutionizing moviegoing.
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If you've rented or purchased xXx: State of the Union, chances are you're not looking for something too heady. In fact, if you're not really in the mood to have things like logic or character development get in the way of fast-paced action, explosions, and the occasional shocking stunt, then you've come to the right place.