LATEST ADDITIONS

In the whole, NBC's high-definition coverage of the Athens Olympics made for pretty dismal TV. The same segments repeated ad nauseam only served to show how few sports bear up to repeated viewing. Who needs to see a failed baton pass, a gymnast falling on his or her butt, or a disappointing basketball game again and again . . . and again.

This is not your father's stereo - or your iPod. The Bose Lifestyle 38 combines elements of both and adds its own share of functionality and flexibility. The Lifestyle series has been a Bose mainstay for years, offering DVD playback with 5.1-channel surround sound in an attractive, easy-to-use package.

MPAA lawsuits: Online movie pirates could soon be receiving subpoenas if they don't cease and desist, according to a November 4 announcement from the Motion Picture Association of America (<A HREF="http://www.mpaa.com">MPAA</A>).

Time was, you had to choose between SACD and DVD-Audio if you wanted to hear high-resolution, multichannel music. And the players weren't cheap. Those days are gone, and a format war has been averted, thanks to universal players that don't care what kind of optical disc you feed them. Some of these players are even cheap—only in price, at least in the case of the Pioneer DV-578A, which gives you a lot of bang for $199.